This ca 1935 commercial building was on the brink of despair, with a collapsing roof and significant water damage, when David Maurer purchased it in early 2019. The first floor was originally an ice cream shop and then evolved into a restaurant and multiple later uses. The upper floor was originally the ice cream owner’s residence but later was transformed into three small apartments. The entire floor structure and roof was unsalvageable, so the interior was entirely rebuilt. Using federal and state historic tax credits and a City of Lenoir façade grant, Maurer renovated the upper level into a spacious two bedroom apartment and the main floor into an open retail/service establishment. The tax value of the property is now more than ten times the original value at purchase and now contributes to the economic and social vitality of downtown Lenoir.