Mordecai Historic Park Interpretive Center

Clearscapes
Kimley-Horn
SUD

Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) District: Mordecai

After an extensive public participation process on the master plan amendment, City Council approved the location and purchase of 1101 Wake Forest Road to serve as the new interpretive center.

Design Phase

Mordecai Historic Park is located at One Mimosa Street, near downtown Raleigh in the historic Mordecai neighborhood. It offers unique structural and site features of historical significance such as the Mordecai House dated to the 1700's. The 1989 adopted master plan for the park recommends a 5,500+/- square-foot visitor center to be used for interpretive displays, offices, and educational programs. The original building design was intended to keep with the historical context and architectural character of the surrounding area.

Construction of a new interpretive center on the historic park site would have required an amendment to the original master plan. However, after an extensive public participation process on the master plan amendment, City Council approved the location and purchase of 1101 Wake Forest Road to serve as the new interpretive center. The new site and building are located outside of the existing park site and therefore no master plan amendment is required.

The originally proposed building program included a vestibule, lobby, reception area, open floor exhibit space to accommodate wall display and moveable modular cases, gift shop, multipurpose room, offices, library/archive, breakroom, restrooms, storage and accessory spaces.

The property at 1101 Wake Forest Road consists of nearly half an acre of land and a 4,700 sf house that was constructed in 1920's. The existing house will be renovated to accommodate a revised building program.

Master Plan Amendment: October 2010 - February 2012
Design Development and Construction Documents: Spring 2012 - Fall 2012
Bidding and Construction: 2012-2013

$1,500,000