106 E. Benson Street

In the fall of 2020, Anderson businessman Danny Walker began the rehabilitation of a commercial building on Anderson’s public square.  Anderson’s historic downtown is primarily comprised of late 19th century brick commercial buildings, many of which have undergone renovations which have lost their architectural integrity.  

The building at 106 East Benson Street was one of the most altered.  Its Victorian ornamentation? Gone. Its façade? Covered in grey painted stucco. The interior floors were covered with vinyl and its dropped ceilings hid the beadboard ceilings. The building had been vacant for years.

Historic images of the block allowed Preservation South and Daniel Builders to identify the building’s remaining original features. Other facades in the vicinity highlighted elements that would be helpful to earning a rehabilitation tax credit. On the interior, additions were removed, the original floors refinished, the plaster walls repaired, beadboard ceilings patched and painted. On the exterior, the gray painted stucco façade was removed thus exposing the original brick and former window openings.

The building now houses a bridal shop on the first floor and a coworking space on the second.  106 East Benson in Anderson is now a landmark on the square and a terrific example of an owner who appreciates the allure of an historic building.