One by One, Realtor® Greg Rapp Brings Vision of Revitalization to Reality

Chestnut Hill, roughly bordered by South Main Street, South Fulton Street and the West Square Historic District, was one of Salisbury, North Carolina’s first large-scale planned neighborhoods. In 1893, the S.R. Harrison Farm was sold and divided into city lots, and the streets were laid out to form Chestnut Hill Neighborhood. It is now an area of affordable small and mid-sized houses, commercial buildings and churches. At the south end of the neighborhood lies Chestnut Hill Cemetery.

A scheduled demolition of the two houses at 812 and 814 S. Jackson St. suddenly gave the neighborhood a sense of urgency.  Within a matter of weeks, a large task force formed and efforts began in earnest to revitalize the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, just south of Salisbury’s downtown. This citizen effort is probably unprecedented in the history of Salisbury, as it brings together a wide variety of interests to encourage, assist and help organize this neighborhood.


The Historic Salisbury Foundation, in an effort to help bolster the revitalization effort,  bought options on the two South Jackson Street houses, which are now vacant. The Foundation contacted Realtor ® Greg Rapp, of Wallace Realty, to list the properties, understanding that Greg has the area’s widest breadth of knowledge of historic and aging properties and Salisbury’s historic neighborhoods. (Greg Rapp recently sold the historic Stokes-Snider House, another Historic Salisbury Foundation.) Realtor® Greg Rapp, Salisbury's premiere real estate agent for old and historic houses, jumped on the opportunity and promptly found a buyer for 814 S. Jackson. Within weeks, Greg had a buyer for 814.  Just a short time ago, these houses' days were numbered, but Greg Rapp knows how to give these homes the sense of urgency they deserve.

Elysia Rouser, Tim Demers, & Realtor® Greg Rapp

Historic Salisbury Foundation announced today the organization executed its option to buy the circa 1900 Victorian home at 820 South Jackson St. ~ selling it with protective covenants to Elysia Rouser.  Rouser and her partner Tim Demers, who worked with Realtor® Greg Rapp to help them find this home, and to help work through the special processes a purchase of this sort involves.  Their vintage two-story Victorian house in Chestnut Hill is next door to a house the Foundation sold last summer, through its Endangered Historic Properties Program. Renovations to that house have been completed and it is now is also owner-occupied.

Elysia & Tim had this to say about working with Greg Rapp of Wallace Realty:

"All the multiple houses, calls, and emails.  We thank you so much for sticking with us all this time" and "Many thank, Celebrity Greg!"  Tim nick-named Greg 'Celebrity Greg' when he and Elysia were looking for a real estate agent in the area.  When nearly everyone told the couple they should sign with Greg Rapp, they donned him a celebrity!

In 2001, the city paid for a survey looking at potential historic districts. Chestnut Hill was named as one that probably would be eligible for inclusion on the  National Register of Historic Places. Such a designation would benefit property owners on rehabilitation expenses by providing significant tax credits. National Register designation is not the same as living in a local historic district in that it does not regulate properties.

HSF officials say Chestnut Hill is one of the earliest subdivisions in Salisbury, NC. It grew out of the farm and large brick home of Samuel R. Harrison that was known as Chestnut Hill.  The Foundation is looking for additional options to take on vacant properties in Chestnut Hill Neighborhood, to help foster continued revitalization.

If you or someone you know is looking for an older home with the character and quality that so many newer homes are so obviously missing, you can contact Greg as well ~ let Greg show you the many options available in Salisbury-Rowan County, North Carolina.  Call 704.213.6846 and tell Greg what you're looking for and what price range.  Your success story could be next!

Read more about the Chestnut Hill Neighborhood revitalization and its homes here:

http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20140401/SP01/140409968/0/SEARCH&slId=1


http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20130505/SP01/130509846/

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