Living Above The Store in Historic Downtown Elkin, NC

The concept behind 115 Main is quite simple; perfect location + perfect timing = amazing opportunity.

My wife, Kimberly Seipel-Parks, and myself, Joe Seipel-Parks, both grew up in Elkin and have always loved the area. With the backdrop of the mountains and the small town charm, we have thought about moving home for years. After we both graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design and worked for nine years in coastal South Carolina, the time was right. 

In August of 2008 we approached the Town of Elkin about acquiring the granite façade at 115 West Main Street. The Town gave us the opportunity to develop the property in exchange for a new tax-base and a positive example of infill redevelopment in Historic Downtown Elkin. Everything was coming together.

As an architect, this was an opportunity that I could not pass up. I’ve worked on several historic structures in the past, but most of them have had four walls and some semblance of a roof. 115 Main is a little different to say the least, giving me the opportunity to explore many conceptual options. Our plan is to design the most sustainable (green, if you prefer) building possible, attaining the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) highest level of certification, LEED Platinum. Our initial energy plans include an insulating rooftop garden, solar panels, water collection and grey-water reuse.

Personally, we are just as excited. We will be living upstairs on the third floor. Our professional offices of West Depot Architecture and West Depot Creative, my wife’s marketing consulting firm, will have a courtyard entrance accessed from the alley with a rooftop terrace above. We love the idea of being so tied physically and professionally to the community, and what better way to achieve this than living and working on Main Street, the heart of Elkin.