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Hope Mills approves consultant and staging plan to pursue Thomas Chapel landmark designation
Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission secured a $6,000 consultant contract and board approval to stage the Thomas Chapel interior (reinstall pews and remove red carpet temporarily) in preparation for a state historic-preservation inspection and landmark nomination.
The board authorized two related steps intended to advance a landmark designation for the Thomas Chapel: (1) approve a $6,000 consultant proposal from Hanberry Preservation Consulting to prepare a nomination/landmark application, and (2) allow the Historic Preservation Commission to reinstall historic pews and stage the chapel interior for an upcoming inspection by the state historic preservation office.
Commission members said the inspector preferred to see interiors presented in a near-original condition for evaluation. Staff asked that once the pews and staging are restored they remain in place to avoid repeated heavy handling; a local contractor offered to repair doors and locks at no cost. Commissioners discussed pursuing Certified Local Government (CLG) status as a separate, complementary step to access more preservation funding and recommended that the elected board consider CLG training for commissioners so the town can be eligible for CLG grants.
The board approved the consultant contract (noted a slight budget shortfall in the HPC account that may require a small amendment) and agreed to staging the pews and temporarily removing the red carpet to reveal and assess underlying flooring as part of the preparation.
Why it matters: A formal landmark designation can help preserve a historically significant building and may open grant opportunities for restoration, but certification and grant eligibility require municipal commitment and some staff time.
What’s next: The consultant will proceed with nomination work; staff and HPC will coordinate logistics for staging and the state inspection and report back on costs and CLG training steps.
