A plaque on the wall outside the Pie Hole Restaurant in Old Towne Orange Commercial Historic District commemorates “Zirkle Corner,” and is dedicated to Wally and Ruth Zirkle, owners of Wally’s Market from 1950-61. DSEA was charged with historically preserving and refurbishing the 1906 building for the Zirkle Family that continued to own the building. This included removing stucco that had covered beautiful brick walls since the 1960s. Original signage painted on the brick was revealed, providing a true glimpse into the building’s past.

When a restaurant is being opened in a historic district, the level of coordination between the city, client and consultant needs to be highly synchronized. DSEA helped the first tenant, Old Towne Grinder, and the current tenant, The Pie Hole restaurant, solve their interior space needs to retain all the building’s historic character while creating a more contemporary interior space. The existing building was completely refurbished with new 800-amp electrical service, a grease interceptor and full compliance with ADA requirements. Construction Management Services were also provided.