SITE UPDATES

Through the talented work of Katherine Gill Land Design and our own designer Kristen Johnson, Golden Belt boasts new planters, sustainable plantings including an edible garden at the front of Bldg 6, trellises and benches.  Some of the boldest additions are the red concrete culverts outside of Bldg 2’s lobby on the north and south sides.  These culverts, typically used as a covered channel to carry water under a road or railroad, have been creatively reused and recycled as decorative planters and, in their inverted state, benches.  The edible garden is accented by custom red and silver poles that act as trellises for growing blackberry and raspberry vines.  The outside dining area in the front of Bldg 6 is now full with tables, chairs and umbrellas.  In addition to all of the exciting exterior finishes, plants and a bench will be added to the lobby.

AWARD WINNING
Since its opening just eight months ago, Golden Belt has won four distinguished awards. In November 2008, Preservation North Carolina bestowed the L. Vincent Lowe Jr. Business Awardto Golden Belt and Scientific Properties for their work in promoting and protecting architectural resources. Downtown Durham Incorporated (DDI) awarded Golden Belt with an Outstanding Downtown Renovation Project Award at their annual meeting in December; and the Triangle Business Journal honored Golden Belt twice. In October, the newspaper recognized Golden Belt for its sustainable practices with the Land Development Green Awardand in January of this year, the TBJ named the project the Top Mixed-Use Development in its annual SPACE Awards.

NEW TENANTS
The GB community is growing with two new artists and a retail gallery. Please join us in welcoming all of these great tenants.

Titus Brooks Heagins
Titus is an African American ethno/photographer. At the core of his work is documenting the lives and experiences of people of color throughout the world. Titus pays particular interest to the descendants of Africa who are now living in the Western Hemisphere. His photography attempts to bring context to social documentation and cultural criticism by exploring contemporary issues through photographic representation.  You can find Titus and his work in studio 111.

Eleatta Diver

Eleatta is an acrylic painter that uses representational and expressionistic means of speaking allegories in paint. Her work explores human capacity for noble aspirations. Showcases for her work include such locations as the Raleigh Center for the Performing Arts, GlaxoSmithKline, the University of South Carolina, and now Golden Belt studio 114. www.eleatta.com

LabourLove Gallery

Slated to open in early summer 2009, LabourLove Gallery (LLG) will sell original artwork and merchandise while also providing services for art rental, children’s art lessons, and art selection (including in-home consultations and installations). Owners John Pelphrey and Kelly Dew of Hillsborough are excited to make their mark on the Durham arts scene. The gallery will be located in Bldg 2, just east of the lobby on the south side. www.labourlove.com.