402 Morgan Street

1940s (William Franklin Warren Collection, Durham County Library)

The north side of the 400 block of Morgan (between Morris and Roney) and the north side of the 300 block of Morgan (between Roney and Foster) contained primarily small, commercial structures. Morgan St., even more so than Chapel Hill St., contained fewer retail establishments and more industrial/service-oriented businesses. Many of these replaced residential structures during the first decades of the 20th century. A Sinclair gas station was built on the northwest corner of Roney and Morgan Sts. in the 1930s.

By the 1950s, it had been converted to a bus station.

The "Camp Butner Bus Station" - 10.05.53

(Courtesy Herald-Sun)

A view of the rear of the structure, looking north on Roney St., 1959

(Courtesy Bob Blake)

And further into a produce stand and "Hastings Hot Dogs | Hamburgers" by 1957.

01.28.57

402-404 Morgan, late 1960s (Urban Renewal Appraisal Photograph, Durham County Library)

406 Morgan, late 1960s (Urban Renewal Appraisal Photograph, Durham County Library)

Finally, a view of the block in the late 1960s, looking west-northwest up Morgan.

Several of these structures were torn down for urban renewal, although a few peristed.

416-426 Morgan demolition, 11.17.69.



In 1986, a shiny new set of office buildings (twin towers) was proposed for this site.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Breaking ground was quite the celebratory affair.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Including demolishing the structures that survived urban renewal.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Roney St. was closed in the first block north of Morgan St. as well, and the two blocks cleared as a single site for construction.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

The city, I believe, paid for a parking deck to be built below the building, and Frank Wittenberg built one out of two towers on the eastern part of the site.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Here is my attempt to take the entire streetscape, as viewed form the south side of Morgan St., 2006

2006 (G. Kueber)

I find this one of the most regrettable streetscape decisions in Durham. Two entire blocks, fronted by parking garage. I have no idea where the entrance to this building is. There are these odd touches, like a plaza atop the parking deck and the odd waterfall - none of which work. While this was a decision of 20 years ago, Durham remains behind the curve with parking structures in downtown: first floor retail is essential so you don't kill the streetscape.

The luxury condominiums to be built in the second tower have been supposedly been pre-selling for several years now. I'm dubious that this project will actually ever come to fruition. I'd rather see adapative reuse of the parking deck.