New Project Aims to Revitalize Catawba Avenue in Cornelius

Cain Center for the Arts this week announced a new revitalization effort to preserve the history of downtown Cornelius and enhance north Mecklenburg’s cultural landscape. 

The project, which the Cain Center has dubbed “Sculpting the Future,” will repurpose two historic homes on Catawba Avenue to serve as new civic spaces that celebrate the arts and highlight the area’s deep-rooted connection with ceramics. 

Both built in 1906, the Gabrial-Puckett House and Perry Goodrum House have been the subject of preservation efforts for years. In summer 2023, Preserve Mecklenburg obtained a one-year option to purchase the parcels where the two homes sit in hopes of finding a buyer who would preserve them. 

The Cain Center’s new project will not only preserve but repurpose the two houses, “serving as a tangible link between the community’s past and its vibrant future,” according to a release from the center. 

The new facility will offer expanded resources and dedicated spaces for ceramic artists to create and teach, ensuring that the cherished art form can continue to thrive for generations to come.

“Ceramics has long held a special place in the hearts of Lake Norman residents, and with the unveiling of this project, Cain Center for the Arts will finally provide ceramics with a permanent home to flourish,” Wednesday’s release read.

The restored exterior of the homes were inspired by the work of local artists, namely beloved ceramic instructors Rennee Calder and Keith Meyers.

Central to the revitalization project is the introduction of a new courtyard between the two historic homes. The space will serve as a hub for creative placemaking and a community gathering spot, hosting events, workshops and performances and giving the community a chance to celebrate the arts just outside of Cornelius’ downtown area known as Old Town Cornelius.

Along with the new public spaces, Cain Center for the Arts will open new office spaces for the organization’s growing staff. The new property will also accommodate room for future expansion, as a corner parcel is included in the project that has not yet been planned for.

“Not only will this opportunity deepen our commitment to ceramics, but it will also allow us to continue in our commitment to the revitalization of the downtown Arts and Cultural District,” stated Cain Center executive director Justin Dionne in March, when the center announced it was exploring the opportunity to buy the property. 

After years of planning and construction, the Cain Center for the Arts opened at 21348 Catawba Ave. in Old Town Cornelius in January 2023. The 32,000-square-foot facility includes a gallery area, two large classrooms, a dedicated dance studio, a 400-plus-seat theater with a balcony, and a large greenspace with an outdoor plaza.

The properties that will be repurposed as part of the Cain Center’s Sculpting the Future project are located at the corner of School Street and Catawba Avenue in Cornelius, about a block from the Cain Center for the Arts.