Sold for $1.25 million
Town of Boone

buys downtown

post office
By Melanie Davis
melanie@mountaintimes.com

The downtown Boone post office has been sold.

The building was purchased for $1.25 million by the town of Boone.

Recent renovations at the facility were a part of the agreement to ensure postal services would continue at the location.

The renovations sectioned off a 625-square-foot section of the building, which the U.S. Postal Service has agreed to lease at the rate of $18 per square foot for a time frame of 20 years.

The U.S. Postal Service announced plans to sell the historic building in January. The town of Boone assembled and submitted a bid several months ago. The number of bids received is unknown.

A purchase agreement, mural protection agreement and a lease agreement were executed upon notification of a successful bid. The town of Boone closed on the property Friday.

“I am just so thrilled that we have saved this old building,” said Bettie Bond, Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) chair, commenting on the purchase.

The $1.25 million came from the town's general fund without loan supplementation.

Plans for the used portion of the building have not been finalized.

Mayor Loretta Clawson said the only plans currently in the works for the building are aesthetic and repair.

The trim on the front of the building will be repainted, landscaping will be trimmed, and gutters will be added. The roof may require repairs.

The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1938 using native stone by the Works Progress Administration, a government agency designed to provide jobs in rural areas during the Great Depression era.

The post office also features one of only 38 New Deal murals left in North Carolina. The mural, created by Alan Tompkins, depicts Daniel Boone.

Historic covenants are in place on the deed, which establishes mandates for potential buyers to abide by historical preservation regulations.

Town officials have not yet made plans for the remainder of empty space within the building. The total square footage was estimated by the HPC as 7,400. The U.S. Postal Service is renting 625 square feet.

“Now, that you, citizens of Boone, own this building, we are seeking your input,” Clawson said at Monday's announcement, adding that future plans for the facility will develop as funding becomes available.

Among the first actions to be taken will be a thorough cleaning of the historic mural. Watkins said with the help of the Downtown Boone Development Association, an assessment has been completed by David Boyce, a professional painting conservator from Raleigh.

According to and Historic Preservation Commission member Chuck Watkins, the assessment listed the mural as in excellent condition, requiring only cleaning.