Asheville, NC (Sept. 11, 2020) – Novus is proud to announce that the historic restoration of A-B Tech’s Smith-McDowell house in Asheville, NC is now complete. The Smith-McDowell House is the oldest house (and brick structure) in Asheville, circa 1840. It is on the National Historic Register and is a local historic landmark. Four years ago, the 100-year-old red slate was falling apart and allowing water to infiltrate the building, rendering the home in need of a new roof.
“This was a fun project... a couple of years in the making and finally finished,” says Emily Kite, AIA, NCARB, ALEP and Principal of Education at Novus. “This is the first time I have had a project where actual standing seam copper was in the budget and it was a really fun project to watch during construction. All the panels were field formed, seamed, and soldered to replicate historic dimensions and detailing. We also repaired the four existing masonry chimneys on the main part of the house.”
In partnership with A-B Tech and the WNC Historical Association, Novus worked on several projects to address repairs to portions of the house that have been damaged by water infiltration. The project included a modest initial phase to address as much of the repairs as possible with the anticipation of a larger project at a later date. These efforts will provide lasting repairs within the context of the historic quality and significance of the house.
Novus Architects was founded in 1992 by one architect working for one client. It didn’t take long to grow as the demand also grew for our creative process and commitment to exceptional customer service. Today, with offices in Atlanta, Asheville, Charleston, Charlotte, Jacksonville and St. Thomas USVI, Novus has a mission to create highly functional, beautiful spaces that are more than brick and mortar, or fixtures and furniture – spaces that foster human interaction, discovery and deep connection.
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