East Belmont Rehabilitation

Prefabricated metal slipcovers were introduced in the mid-20th century. Building owners across the country applied these slipcovers to their older historic buildings from the 1950s to the 1970s to refresh their businesses and create a more modern appearance to keep up with the urban malls being developed.

When the slipcovers were applied to the buildings, a framework was built and anchored into the facades of the original buildings. The interlocking metal panels were then applied to the framework. Some of the original building details were removed or damaged when the metal framework was applied to the buildings, but the historic facades remained relatively intact underneath the added metal panels. As a result, slipcovers changed the face of many historic downtowns, including East Belmont. The Downtown Belmont Development Association (DBDA) committed funding to cover the removal of the metal slipcovers from the buildings in East Belmont. The DBDA applied for and received a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to assist with this façade restoration work.

The City of Belmont’s Main Street Façade Enhancement grant program also assisted with funding the restoration of the building facades after the metal slipcovers were removed. Bower Traust Construction worked with the building owners to remove the slipcovers and complete the restoration of the six buildings. This partnership between the DBDA, City of Belmont, Duke Energy, Bower Traust, and the property owners has transformed this block of historic buildings, breathing new life into East Belmont!