August 20, 2023 Alton Lennon Federal Building in downtown Wilmington…
Around Our Town with Gene Merritt
Blog # 20
August 20, 2023
Historic postcard images provided by Elaine Henson
United States Custom House, Wilmington, N.C.
The Alton Lennon Federal Building on Water Street in Wilmington, is, in my view, one of the most architecturally and historically significant buildings in the downtown area. No doubt it is a Certified Historic Structure and a Historic Places Landmark. I am pleased to feature it on my blog today.
On September 14, 2018, the Lennon Building was subject to wind, rain, and flooding during Hurricane Florence. During the storm, the building lost power for an extended period. This, combined with aging MEP systems created an opportunity for mold growth in the building. Following the storm, mechanical systems could not be turned back on for several months to prevent the mold from spreading further.
The major flooding caused by Hurricane Florence forced the government to move out all the tenants and relocate them. They are currently located at 1003 South 17th Street, the former home of the Wilmington Star News. The Alton Lennon Building has been emptied since that time (going on five years), and it is still under reconstruction.
The scope of the work has been to perform all necessary repairs on the building’s envelope, interior finishes, and mechanical and electrical systems, to allow tenants to reoccupy the Lennon Building.
At least six companies have been involved in work on the building since 2018. There has been a lot of public comment and controversy regarding the amount of time required to make the repairs. In August, 2022, a spokesperson for the US GSA said she anticipates that renovations will be complete in the summer of 2024.
I personally visited the site a few days and ago and talked to a project supervisor. He told me they anticipated finishing the work in 30 days. We shall see.
History of the Lennon Building: from the US GSA:
At the turn of the century, Wilmington was the largest city in North Carolina and a leading port and shipping center for tar and turpentine. In 1819, the government purchased property facing the Cape Fear River for a custom house to collect duties for ships entering or leaving the port. In 1840, the building burned, and a second custom house, post office, and courthouse was constructed on the site. Designed by John Norris, the dignified yet small Greek Revival building opened in 1845. It served the city until the early twentieth century, when it was determined inadequate, and a new building was planned.
The 1845 Court House is located just above the barge in the middle of the picture. The Coast Guard Cutter to the left of the Court House is the Diligence I. It was built in Washington, NC in 1791. It was moved to Wilmington as its home port in October 1792. The Diligence I was followed by 2, 3, and 4 in the early 1900’s, all calling Wilmington home. In 1915 the Cutter Service merged with the Life Saving Service to become the United States Coast Guard. The Diligence 5 was commissioned in 1919. Its home ports were New York City, Boston, Cleveland, and Long Beach, CA before being decommissioned in 1961. During those years, Wilmington was home to these US Coast Guard Cutters:
Modoc (1923-1945)
Mendota (1947-1972)
Northwind (1979-1989)
Diligence 6 was commissioned in 1964. Ported in Key West and Cape Canaveral, Florida, It came to Wilmington home port as its namesake in 1992. It remained until later 2020 and moved to Pensacola, FL and then decommissioned.
Between 1908 and 1910, Congress appropriated funds for both the acquisition of adjacent properties and construction. In 1915, the custom house and surrounding buildings were demolished. The new federal building was designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect, first led by Oscar Wenderoth, and completed under his successor James A. Wetmore. Its inspiration came directly from Norris’s design, and the end pavilions recreated the temple façade of the 1945 building.
In December 1916, the cornerstone was laid, but material shortages during World War I and a Spanish Influenza outbreak delayed construction. The building opened in 1919 at a cost of $ 500,000. Its courtyard design by landscape architect Julia Lester Dillon drew praise locally and nationally.
The building is designed in the Classic Revival Architectural style. Its size is 332’ X 113’. It is a 60,000 square foot building.
It was admitted to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1974.
The Diligence VI was commissioned in 1964 as a diesel powered, helicopter capable cutter. With a crew of 76. It was originally ported in Key West and Cape Canaveral Florida before being decommissioned and upgraded from 1990-1992. After a $28 million dollar make-over it came to Wilmington, the homeport of its namesake, in 1992. According to the. Navy League of the United States, Wilmington Council “DILIGENCE VI is the only active Coast Guard Cutter named after one of the first ten Revenue Cutters that is homeported in an original homeport.”
The City of Wilmington has recently purchased the land in front of the Federal Building. They will be building a new city park in the space. This should be a complement to the building which will be newly renovated. The quality of the waterfront continues to improve.