GREENSBORO, N.C. — A boarded-up building could be recognized as a historic site in the city of Greensboro, according to the city.
The Pilot Life Insurance Co. building on High Point Road was nominated to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.
The property sits at 5300 High Point Road. Behind the trees, an older, boarded-up building with broken windows peers through the branches.
Mike Cowhig, a planner with the City of Greensboro, said Greensboro used to be well-known for its insurance companies that employed thousands, one of those being Pilot Life Insurance.
"Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company and Pilot Life Insurance Company were two homegrown businesses that employed thousands of people in this area," he said.
To preserve that rich history, the old Pilot Life Insurance Company building is now nominated to be put on a national list of historic places in America.
Cowhig said before the nomination can move forward, the public needs to weigh in.
"The city is responsible for making sure an opportunity is provided for that public input," he said.
The City of Greensboro does not own the land, nor does it have control over what's done with it.
Cowhig said the national recognition opens up the door for the developer to take advantage of tax credits, which could lead to improvements being made.
"The National Parks Service would have some control over how those renovations are handled. They'd have to meet historic preservation standards," he said.
But Cowhig said if the building just makes the list alone, and the tax credits are not used, those historic preservation standards wouldn't need to be met.
Some neighbors in the community have expressed concern over the future of the land, even with this nomination.
Candida Wurman Yoshikai said she wants to see the city's history preserved and hopes that will be the case with this property.
"Hopefully this new designation and the plans they have for the development around it will be a turn for Greensboro to start respecting the history of this town," she said.
A public hearing will take place virtually on Wednesday, April 27 at 4 p.m. before the Historic Preservation Commission, according to the city.
The city said after that, the Greensboro city council will consider the nomination at one of its upcoming meetings before it goes before the NC National Register Advisory Committee in June.
The National Park Service will need to approve the property before it's listed on the national register.
The city is inviting the public to share comments with Mike Cowhig at 336-382-8353 or Stefan-leih Geary at 336-412-6300 by May 13.