Final stop on the RHDC ‘Works in Progress’ Tour is a building I’ve wanted to tour since the initial renovation began – the Raleigh Nehi Bottling Company building.
Designed by noted Raleigh architect William Henley Deitrick, this is a rare local example of the International Style applied to a commercial building. This trend of modern architecture, which originated in Germany prior to World War I, stressed function over ornament. The Nehi Bottling building is devoid of ornamentation except for its unusual entrance of black Carrara glass; this entrance is made all the more dramatic by its contrast with the otherwise severe facade. The building, modified in the 1950s, retains much of its integrity and was redeveloped in the early twenty-first century to house retail and restaurant businesses. [SOURCE]
This building is an amazing space with great skylights and beautiful hardwood floors on the second level. It was the most finished renovation we saw on the tour. It was an awesome tour and I appreciate the Raleigh Historic Development Commission for hosting and Goodnight Raleigh for letting us know about it. Hopefully they will host another tour when the buildings are completed to showcase the work being done to preserve the history of Raleigh and North Carolina. I’d love to post some before and after pics.
