Cimarron Receives Award
Cimarron Homes President Craig Morrison is pleased to announce the company was recently recognized with a Silver Award for Restoration/Historic Preservation in the 2014 Best in American LivingTM Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The winning entry was for work Cimarron Homes completed in 2014 on the massive whole house remodel/renovation in the Franklin – Rosemary Historic District of Chapel Hill: 115 Battle Lane.
The company goal in this project was to preserve, protect, and restore this magnificent historic property; by all accounts, the goal was quite successfully achieved. Only footsteps away from Franklin Street and the UNC – Chapel Hill campus, Edward Kidder Graham built this home of Colonial Revival architecture in 1908 when he moved to Chapel Hill to become an English professor. He went on to teach the first journalism class at the university, and eventually became the ninth UNC president in 1913. Graham nicknamed the home “The Bulrushes,” referring to the forest of bamboo in the backyard of the property. He enjoyed living in the home until his untimely death in 1918. His cousin, Frank Porter Graham, also a past UNC – CH president (1930 – 1949) and United States Senator (1949 – 1950), lived in the house as well.
The original 3,200 square foot home had six bedrooms and one bath. Cimarron re-purposed the bedrooms as needed in response to requests by the owners; the home now consists of 3,674 square feet with four bedrooms and five bathrooms. The foundation, framing, and exterior walls of the home are the originals, with new shakes of authentic character, very similar to those used when the house was initially built. The renovation included all new insulation, structural renovation to 80% of the sub-floor, and all new windows, lighting, appliances, and mechanical systems. Cimarron preserved as many original elements as possible. If original items couldn’t be utilized, Cimarron worked with local artisans to have them salvaged or replicated, in keeping with sustainable practices. Cimarron obtained Silver Certification for the home under the 2012 National Green Building Standards Remodeling Certification Program, with an estimated 40.3% reduction in energy use and a 59% increase in water efficiency based on the renovations. The current owners are enjoying low utility bills as well as the satisfaction of knowing that they are making a minimal impact on the environment. In honor of the bamboo for which the house was nicknamed, a small stand of “Bulrushes” is currently housed in the backyard.
The Best in American Living Awards program recognizes outstanding achievement by builders and design professionals in all sectors of the residential housing industry including single-family production, custom, rental, affordable, interiors, remodeling, community and international, based on the principle that good design is not, and should not be, limited to high-priced and/or custom homes. Even the simplest, most affordable homes can receive an award if they showcase good design
Award winners were announced during the annual NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas in January 2015.
