Art Deco and Moderne Buildings in Burlington, NC

Art Deco and Moderne Buildings in Burlington, NC

With its small and sedate downtown business district and a close proximity to gloomy industrial facilities, one would not expect Burlington to be a place suited for the bold ornateness of Art Deco architecture. As is consistent with many towns in the state, the facades of older storefronts follow the simple brick appearance of the late 19th century, with Romanesque-derived semi-arched windows and brick cornices that blend in well with the nearby mills. At the same time, the downtown area contains a small number of buildings with Art Deco or Moderne features, examples of architects bringing the latest styles on a small scale to this humble city. Without a doubt, the most of splendid of these is the nine-story Atlantic Bank & Trust Co. Building of 1929, a structure with strong Art Deco details that no doubt seemed pretentious to some at the time. Below is a partial list of the Art Deco and Moderne buildings that can be found in this quiet downtown area.

Atlantic Bank & Trust Co. Building

This nine-story work of art is one of the few buildings in central North Carolina that epitomize the Art Deco movement. With its rich exterior ornamentation and dominance of the otherwise insignificant downtown skyline, this is the most striking building in Burlington. The design conveys the wealth and power (at least proportionate to this area) of its owner, as well as the excess of the Roaring Twenties, though it was completed on the eve of the Great Depression. The majority of the building's facade is tan-colored brick, with the exception of the southern elevation, which consists entirely of light red bricks of various shades. The designs in the carved granite facade include images such as eagles, Native American faces, cattle skulls, and the Fluer-de-lis; one could spend pages attempting to describe all of the imagery that can be found on this building. The first two stories of the building are the most ornamented, and are completely encased in granite on the sides facing out to the street. The corporation's name and logo remain on the part of the facade, despite the fact that it probably ceased to exist many years ago. The top three stories are well-ornamented, displaying a myriad of designs, such as the tripartite-patterned border above the seventh floor. Today the building is owned and occupied by LabCorp, which was founded in Burlington and has maintained a strong presence in a downtown area that otherwise would have no major corporate occupants. Sometime in the past few decades it was rehabilitated to its 1920s splendor; this photo from 1982 shows the results of the disregard that was paid to it during the 1960s and 70s. Below are photos of the building taken in January 2010.

133 E. Davis Street

This three-story structure features a striking white terra-cotta facade and large windows that proclaim its distinction from the unassuming brick storefronts on either side. With the exception of the predominantly modern first story (not pictured), all portions of the front are encased in this beautiful tile. The artistic designs on the facade have a quasi-Gothic appearance to them, such as the rounded-edge crosses. The crown of the building also features the rounded crosses, but these are larger in size and are hollow, allowing light to stream through. The gabled inset at the top may have been the location of a sign for the building. The design of the inset resembles in many respects the one on the Art Deco Kress Building in downtown Asheville, NC. Kress stores were known for their bold Art Deco facades, such as the one found on this building. In all likelihood, whichever business that commissioned this building meant for its distinctive design to be a draw for customers.

113 Front Street

This is a simple brick storefront with a few notable Art Deco details. The embellishments on exterior conform to the uniform geometric shapes often employed in Art Deco design. The building was constructed circa 1930, during the Great Depression; thus, it is likely that the architects were constrained in the amount of embellishment that could be included in the design. Still, the building is somewhat differentiated from the other brick storefronts in the area.

Paramount Theater

This beautiful downtown movie theater was built in 1928, during a period of growth in the downtown area. With its predominantly red-brick facade, basic granite cornices, and square windows, the Paramount's Classical/conservative nature overwhelms its more subtle details. However, its geometric features, such as the tripartite design of the roof, display a subtle Art Deco influence that seems to suit more appropriately the modernity of the Motion Picture Age.

286 Front Street

This building stands out as an example of somewhat less common Streamline Moderne architecture. While less ornate than many of the Art Deco facades in Burlington, it stands out more against the neighboring buildings, largely due to the fact that the use of brick is eschewed. Streamline Moderne design motifs such as rounded edges, glass block sections, and a light-colored facade are present. The material used for the facade is granite. As is the case with Art Deco design, geometric shapes and proportions are used extensively, such as the triangles and semicircles that comprise the border pattern at the top of the building. According to the Alamance County Tax Assessor's office, the building dates to 1950; if this is correct, than it would mean that this is a later example of Streamline Moderne.