A prominent Raleigh architect could be forced to tear down his new, modernist home in Oakwood.
Louis Cherry began building his new home at 516 Euclid St. in December, three months after receiving a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Raleigh Historic Development Commission.
Last week, the Board of Adjustment voted 3 to 2 to reverse that decision in response to neighbor Gail Weisner’s appeal, filed in October. Discussion about the house has also prompted a review of Raleigh Historic Development Commission guidelines.
The quasi-judicial board will make those findings official at its next meeting on March 10.
Karen Tam / Raleigh Public Record
A resident has requested that Councilors deny a Certificate of Appropriateness for this project at 516 Euclid St. in the Oakwood neighborhood
Cherry, whose home is still under construction, can legally continue to work on the house until the Board of Adjustment makes its findings official next month. Once the board certifies its findings, however, construction must stop.
Cherry has the option to appeal the board’s decision to the Wake County Superior Court.
City Attorney Thomas McCormick told the Record if Cherry doesn’t file an appeal, he will be required to bring the house into compliance with a new Certificate of Appropriateness. If that can’t be done, the house will need to be torn down.
McCormick said that Cherry was notified of the appeal, but continued with construction at his own risk.
Council Involvement
Legally, the City Council can’t overturn a decision made by the Board of Adjustment. It can file its own appeal with the superior court, which McCormick said the city won’t do.
During Tuesday’s meeting, McCormick recommended that Councilors wait until after the March Board of Adjustment meeting before having a conversation about the case.
“At that point we can review those [findings] to see if there is anything particularly relevant to the RHDC’s performance that might require city intervention,” McCormick told Councilors.
At the time of publication, Cherry did not respond to the Record’s interview request.
