By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON — After days of public debate and months of behind-the-scenes planning, the Edenton Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with a revised Harbor Towns project that includes relocating Martinique — one of northern Chowan County’s oldest surviving homes — to Edenton’s downtown waterfront.

The vote came less than 24 hours after the Edenton Historic Preservation Commission met in council chambers on South Broad Street and approved the project’s conceptual site plan during a meeting Monday night, clearing the way for council’s final authorization Tuesday.

More about the town council meeting will appear in a future story.

The proposal drew intense discussion online and at public meetings after The Albemarle Observer reported that Harbor Towns grant money could be used to relocate the historic structure roughly 18 miles from northern Chowan County to Colonial Waterfront Park near the Penelope Barker House.

Supporters described the project as another defining preservation effort for Edenton. Critics questioned whether the move would obstruct waterfront views, alter the character of Broad Street, reduce parking or divert Harbor Towns funding away from previously promised waterfront infrastructure improvements.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Town Manager Corey Gooden said town officials and project partners have been quietly working on the concept since December while reevaluating Harbor Towns priorities and project costs.

“Chris and I have really dove in since December,” Gooden said. “Rubbing nickels together to really trim where we could.”

Officials estimate the Martinique relocation and maritime center project will cost approximately $750,000 and be funded entirely through existing Harbor Towns grant proceeds. The town received $2 million of a $10 million state grant to fund work needed to support Harbor Towns.

“The taxpayers aren’t paying for it,” said one councilmember before correcting himself about the state grant funding the project. “Well, at least the local taxpayers aren’t paying for it.”

To make room within the budget, officials said several previously discussed Harbor Towns concepts were either reduced or eliminated, including a proposed waterfront gazebo structure, portions of a larger lighting project, elements of earlier Barker House renovation concepts and a previously discussed two-story harbor pavilion in Edenton’s Waterfront Park.

Other Harbor Towns projects

Much of the criticism surrounding the proposal stemmed from public concerns that Harbor Towns was drifting away from the waterfront infrastructure improvements initially discussed when the project launched several years ago, according to previous reports.

Harbor Towns was originally proposed as a multi-boat ferry system connecting Elizabeth City, Columbia, Hertford, Edenton and Plymouth. It has since become mainly a sternwheeler offering dinner cruises, event-related cruises and private event hosting.

During Tuesday’s presentation, Harbor Towns engineer Chris Morris, with AR Chesson, outlined several projects already underway or nearing construction.

According to Morris:

• Fuel service improvements at the Edenton Marina have already been completed.
• Structural repairs to the harbor breakwater are expected to begin in early June. Morris said divers recently inspected the harbor breakwater and identified 12 cracked concrete piles requiring repair. Construction is expected to begin the week of June 1.
• A photometric lighting study for waterfront walkways is nearly complete and being reviewed by the town. The town received a $850,000 grant that will help fund the actual lights.
• Marina restroom and shower renovations have already gone out for bid. The current building at Waterfront Park will not be replaced.
• Barker House electrical, mechanical and exterior repair plans are underway.

Concerns addressed

Public concern over the Martinique project largely focused on how the relocated structure could alter the appearance and traffic flow at the foot of Broad Street.

Residents raised concerns online and during public comment about potential parking loss, blocked views of Edenton Bay and changes to the landscaped area surrounding the existing parking lot and playground.

On Tuesday, Morris said that the redesigned site plan was intended to preserve parking capacity while improving traffic circulation and pedestrian safety.

“There is a net zero loss here on parking,” Morris told council. “There’ll be as many parking spaces afterward as there exist now.”

Under the proposed redesign:

• the landscaped island at the foot of Broad Street would be shortened,
• The existing brickwork and cannon display near the water would be relocated,
• some existing trees would likely be removed,
• and new parking patterns would convert the area into a one-way traffic flow intended to reduce vehicle conflicts near the playground.

Morris and Town Manager Corey Gooden said at least one of the large trees framing the waterfront view is expected to remain, while others may be replaced due to declining health.

Gooden noted that town officials have monitored the condition of the trees for years.

“They are in decline,” he said. “Replacement is more than likely the right option to design the site versus fitting a house to trees that were there prior to the house.”

Councilman Patrick Sellers (at-large) said the redesign could improve safety around the heavily used playground area.

“The thing that I don’t like about that parking lot is you have people backing up in the same direction, and you have children running around,” Sellers said.

Morris also attempted to calm fears that the structure would obstruct Edenton’s iconic waterfront vista down Broad Street.

Officials said the building would sit farther back and lower than many residents appeared to believe.

“Nothing is going to block that view of the water,” High said during Tuesday’s discussion.

Restoration contractor Andrew Ownbey said the structure itself is significantly smaller than many residents likely imagine.

The building is expected to sit on an elevated foundation roughly four feet above grade. The Barker House is about 50 feet wide without the chimneys, while Martinique is 30 feet wide without its chimneys. It is approximately 10 feet shorter than the neighboring Barker House.

Preservation advocates rally

Tuesday’s meeting drew extensive public comment from preservation advocates, historians and waterfront supporters.

Several speakers compared Martinique to earlier preservation projects that helped define modern Edenton.

“There are many beautiful small towns in the South,” Edenton Historical Commission Chairman Chris Bean told council. “But what makes Edenton so special is our commitment to preservation.”

Bean said the project continues the preservation legacy that saved the Cupola House and Barker House generations ago.

“You’re preserving the only surviving 18th century building in northern Chowan County and using it for a wonderful purpose,” he said.

Vonna O’Neill, president of the Cupola House Association, reminded council how long historic preservation projects can take to complete.

“It took us 106 years to bring the woodwork back,” O’Neill said of the Cupola House. “You guys have an opportunity to save Martinique.”

Stuart Proctor, whose family owns Byrum Hardware, referenced the controversial relocation of the Barker House decades ago.

“My grandfather, along with other business leaders, moved a dilapidated, ugly, worn-out, no-good-for-nothing termite-infested building two blocks down the street,” Proctor said of the Barker House. “I encourage y’all to move forward with Martinique.”

John Morehead called the structure one of the last surviving links to northern Chowan County’s colonial-era history.

“There could not be a better opportunity for us to preserve the last of the great things that’s left in the north end of the county than this,” Morehead said.

Not everyone supported the proposal without reservations.

Edenton Yacht Club Commodore Doug Lane said harbor infrastructure improvements should remain the top priority.

“Edenton’s waterfront is grossly underutilized,” Lane said. “You can make all improvements to transient boater services and amenities, but they still won’t come until we provide them a safe place to moor their boat.”

Lane said Martinique “should not come at the expense” of other harbor projects.

Review still required

Although the council approved the amended Harbor Towns agreement Tuesday night, the project will still face multiple rounds of review before construction and restoration are finalized downtown.

As the project advances, the Edenton Historic Preservation Commission will review architectural details, exterior materials, landscaping, accessibility features and other visible site changes to ensure the project remains compatible with the historic character of Edenton’s waterfront district.

“Everything that we would do would actually fall under the purview” of the preservation commission, Ownbey told council. He noted that some restoration work will be done at Martinique’s current location in Rocky Hock so there will be less work to do in the limited space downtown.

Councilman Sambo Dixon (2nd Ward) made the motion approving the revised Harbor Towns amendment and site plan. The measure passed unanimously.