July 16, 2025

The Story Behind the House That Became Dilworth Center

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When development plans met a community’s resolve.

In the heart of Dilworth Charlotte, where tree-lined streets and front porch conversations still define the pace of life, a defining moment in the neighborhood’s modern history began—not with a grand development plan, but with a quiet house on Park Road.

That house still stands today. Not in its original spot, but still rooted in the community. It now serves as the home of Dilworth Center, a trusted presence in addiction treatment and recovery. But decades ago, it was the spark that lit a neighborhood movement.

The House That Nearly Vanished

The Summerrow-Parker House, built in the late 1800s, stood for decades on a parcel near the intersection of Park Road and Ideal Way. Like many homes in Dilworth, it carried the quiet dignity of a family residence—part of the neighborhood’s early fabric and identity.
By the early 1980s, that property was targeted for redevelopment. A developer from Atlanta, A.M. Redd Jr., proposed building a 42,000-square-foot Kroger Sav-On supermarket on the site. The plans called for a large retail footprint, an expansive parking lot, and bold signage—features that stood in sharp contrast to the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood.
And it would require either demolishing or relocating the historic home.

A Community Draws the Line

The proposal set off a wave of public response. Residents packed church basements and city council meetings. Yard signs sprang up reading “No Kroger in Dilworth.” Letters to the editor poured into The Charlotte Observer.
For many, it wasn’t about being anti-grocery store. It was about scale, impact, and the message it sent about what kind of place Dilworth was becoming. Neighbors feared increased traffic on streets like Charlotte Drive and Ideal Way, and the erosion of the neighborhood’s walkability and identity.
Over time, the developer and community advocates hammered out a compromise. The house would be relocated to the back of the lot, rather than destroyed. The store’s design would include brick façades and reduced signage. Landscaping buffers were promised. It wasn’t a perfect outcome for those living in the Dilworth neighborhood, but it was a hard-won fight—and it shaped future development in the neighborhood.

Preservation Through Conflict

The Kroger debate became more than a local zoning issue. It ushered in a broader effort to preserve the integrity of Dilworth Charlotte. Hundreds of properties were proposed for down-zoning to protect residential character. The controversy ultimately led to increased historic district protections, stricter zoning rules, and a stronger role for residents in neighborhood planning.
It also spotlighted the kind of civic engagement that defines the neighborhood today—active, informed, and unafraid to speak up when something doesn’t feel right.

From Resistance to Renewal

The relocated Summerrow-Parker House, once a lightning rod for debate, quietly settled into its new place behind the grocery store. What could have been a symbol of displacement instead became a symbol of resilience.
Years later, that same house became home to Dilworth Center, a licensed and accredited addiction treatment center in Charlotte. It’s a place where people come for guidance, support, and healing. And in its own way, it still honors the neighborhood’s values: dignity, preservation, and people first.

A New Chapter: Weddings, Work, and Full Circles

After its relocation, the historic home at 2240 Park Road entered a new season. In 1985, James Major Hanson purchased the property and opened J Major’s Total Concept Weddings, a full-service bridal shop on the first floor. Couples came to plan every detail of their weddings—from gowns and photography to cakes and catering—all under one roof.
Upstairs, the house took on a different life. Hanson leased out offices to a rotating mix of tenants: a hair salon, a counselor, and even a photography studio. It became a hub of small businesses—each one continuing the story of purpose and productivity within the historic walls.
In 1992, a University of North Carolina at Charlotte college student named Tammy Furr took a job at the wedding shop. She worked there while attending school, unaware that both her professional path and personal life would later connect her to the building in a much deeper way. During that time, she met James’s son and they married in 1998.

A Name That Carries Weight

In a city evolving as rapidly as Charlotte, neighborhood names often become shorthand for style, status, or convenience. But Dilworth has always meant more than that. It reflects a sense of place earned through preservation, community involvement, and a deep respect for history.
The stories told by porches and preserved homes, by decades of advocacy and community action, speak for themselves. And so does a house that was saved, moved, and repurposed—not for profit, but for purpose.

A House Finds Its Purpose—Again

Years later, Tammy Hanson (formerly Tammy Furr), while earning her master’s degree in social work, began an internship with Dilworth Center, then located at 429 East Boulevard. Eventually, the Center needed a new home when its landlady announced plans to sell the original location.
Around the same time, James Hanson was preparing to sell the historic Summerrow-Parker home to local developer—but for unknown reasons the deal fell through.
Tammy then connected CEO, Charles Odell and Dilworth Center’s board of directors with her father-in-law, and the decision was made to launch a capital campaign to purchase the property. In September 2005, Dilworth Center purchased the Summerrow-Parker home that had once sparked such fierce neighborhood preservation efforts. It was fully renovated to serve as a drug and alcohol treatment facility.
As Dilworth Center’s presence in the community continued to grow, so did the need for additional space. In 2014, a 4,000-square-foot addition was constructed—but care was taken to preserve the home’s original charm and structural integrity. To maintain the building’s historic character—including its distinctive rough mortar joints—the renovation used refurbished bricks salvaged from an old Schwinn bicycle factory, since the original bricks were no longer available.

Celebrating 35 Years of Purpose

Today, in 2025, Dilworth Center celebrates 35 years of helping those in the community. The building that once rallied a neighborhood to action has become a place where recovery begins, relationships are repaired, and futures are rebuilt.

For the thousands who have walked through its doors, 2240 Park Road is more than just an address—it’s a place of renewal and strength, where the hard work of recovery is met with support, structure, and dignity. And for those who have dedicated their careers to this mission—like Charles Odell (current CEO and President), Cori Trotman, Abier Thornton, and Christina Melber, who were here in Dilworth Center’s earliest days and remain committed today—it is a daily testament to the power of perseverance and purpose. The house has stood the test of time, and so have the people in it.

Some buildings get repurposed. Others become something more: living symbols of what a community can achieve when it chooses preservation, intention, and people over profit.

Fun Fact: Tammy Hanson, the college student who once sold bridal gowns there, now serves as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, with 24 years of service to its mission.

Gallery of Historic Photos and Newspaper Clippings

Please tap on the images to view larger.

In in her later years, Sue Parker, a key figure in the story above, visited Dilworth Center with a folder of original photographs and newspaper clippings. She expressed heartfelt gratitude that the house had become a place of hope and healing. The materials were carefully scanned and digitally preserved to honor and protect the legacy the house.

Full Timeline:
Land History, and The Dilworth Kroger Debate  (1879–1984)

1879

  • April 14, 1879: John W. Miller sells a large tract of land (including what would become 2240 Park Road) for $3,088.75 to R.E. and Ellen McDonald and George W. and Mary Ellen Carr.

    • Notably, Miller keeps the rights to “one-half of any gold the land might produce,” hinting at historical mining interest in the area.

1911–1919

  • November 28, 1911: McDonald and Carr heirs sell the land to Thomas McGinn for $3,000.

  • September 6, 1918: McGinn sells to J. Clyde Witherspoon for $12,500.

  • October 14, 1919: Witherspoon sells the land to B.J. and Lizzie L. Summerrow for $13,250.

1931–1940

  • June 25, 1931: B.J. Summerrow secures a $3,000 loan using the house as collateral.

  • July 16, 1940: The Summerrow family defaults on the loan. The property is foreclosed and bought at public auction by “Granny and Pa” for $2,000.

1979

  • June 28, 1979: The property is sold to "Mama" (Sue Parker), marking the beginning of the modern controversy when the Parker family becomes involved in development discussions.

1980

  • DCDA Mobilizes: The Dilworth Community Development Association (DCDA) begins organizing to request zoning protections and preservation efforts.

  • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission appoints a neighborhood task force, including residents and business leaders, to draft the Dilworth Small Area Plan.

1981

  • Down-Zoning Discussions: More than 900 parcels in Dilworth are recommended for down-zoning to preserve the character of the neighborhood and discourage large-scale development.

1982

  • March 2: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Properties Commission notifies the Parkers of a hearing to designate the Summerrow-Parker House as a historic property.

  • March 3: The Commission agenda includes consideration of this house alongside the broader historic preservation and gold mining site concerns.

  • March 10: A formal hearing is held on whether to recommend the Summerrow-Parker House for historic designation.

  • March 16: News breaks that developer A.M. Redd Jr. is proposing a 42,000 sq ft Kroger store at 2226 Park Road. Strong community opposition emerges.

  • March 23: Charlotte Observer editorial “A Healthy Fight” reflects the divided public opinion and civic energy behind the controversy.

  • April 1: Editorial “Dilworth’s Deal: Now the City Should Help” encourages the City Council to consider mitigation efforts as the development moves forward.

  • April 6: The Planning Commission discusses zoning proposals and debates involuntary vs. voluntary rezoning procedures.

  • April 7–8: Residents express concern over “cosmetic” concessions, increased traffic, and harm to local small businesses.

  • April 13: Work begins to move the Summerrow-Parker House to the rear of the lot. Redd agrees to cover up to $60,000 in costs as part of concessions.

  • April 14: The Planning Commission votes to reduce the rezoning proposal from 928 to 372 parcels.

  • May 5: A compromise “Dilworth Plan” is approved by the Planning Commission, balancing historic preservation with development.

1983

  • January 20: Van Parker (son of the property owner) writes a personal letter defending his mother’s decision to sell the land. He criticizes selective historic preservation efforts and argues that the Kroger project meets zoning requirements.

  • March 30: The DCDA votes 12–3 to drop formal opposition to the Kroger development in exchange for concessions.

    • Concessions include:

      • Brick on all sides of the building

      • Landscaping buffers

      • Reduced signage size

      • Reduced lighting after 10 p.m.

      • Preservation of the Summerrow-Parker House

  • May 1983: City Council moves forward with rezoning approval, and the project advances toward completion.

1985

  • July 9: Developer A.M. Redd seeks further rezoning to add shops behind the now-operational Kroger.

    • The plan includes converting the relocated Summerrow-Parker House into a retail structure.

  • James Major Hanson purchases the relocated house and opens J Major’s Total Concept Weddings, a full-service wedding planning business, on the first floor.

  • The second floor is leased to a variety of tenants, including a hair salon, counselor, and photography studio.

1992

  • Tammy Furr, then a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, begins working at the wedding shop, where she meets her future husband Mark Hanson, James’s son.

2001

  • Tammy Hanson (formerly Tammy Furr) earns her master’s degree in social work and begins an internship with Dilworth Center, then located at 429 East Boulevard.

2005

  • Dilworth Center is forced to find a new location when its current property (429 East Boulevard) is listed for sale.

  • At the same time, a deal to sell the Summerrow-Parker House by James Hanson to local land developer falls through.

  • Tammy connects the Dilworth Center CEO and board members with her father-in-law, James Hanson. A capital campaign is launched to buy the building.

  • September 2005: Dilworth Center purchases the historic home and renovates it for drug and alcohol treatment use.

2014

  • A 4,000-square-foot addition is constructed to expand services.

  • The renovation preserves the building’s historic character using reclaimed bricks from a former Schwinn bicycle factory.

2025

  • Dilworth Center celebrates 35 years of operation.

  • The house stands not only as a symbol of neighborhood preservation but also as a beacon of recovery and service to the Charlotte community.

*  Fun Fact: Tammy Hanson now serves as Dilworth Center's Chief Operating Officer, with 24 years of service to the organization.

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