Preservation advocates describe protective covenants for Higgs House during council public hearing

Speakers at a June 12 public hearing told Greenville City Council that the Higgs House meets local criteria for historic significance and that the property is now subject to protective covenants and a rehabilitation agreement.

Andrew Morehead, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, told council the Higgs House qualifies for landmark consideration for both architectural merit and association with local figure Jacob W. Higgs. Morehead said the house is a Queen Anne Revival style built between 1903 and 1905 and described its "elaborate double stair and 10-foot ceiling panel hallway" as unusual in the area.

Maggie Grama, eastern regional director for Preservation North Carolina, said the property is under protective covenants that "require that the interior and exterior important architectural elements be maintained and preserved while adapting it for new use. They also prevent any further deferred maintenance in perpetuity. They run with the deed, and there is a rehabilitation agreement in place that has a timeline for the restoration of this property."

Speakers praised staff and commission work to reach what they described as a positive outcome after earlier safety concerns and a city-ordered demolition related to the structure's condition. The public record in the transcript excerpt included praise from the preservation community and expressions of support from council members and attendees; the excerpt does not include an explicit final council vote on a specific ordinance in this segment.