About us:

Lewis & Clark is a partnership of Chuck Lewis, developer/general contractor, and Wendy Clark, Durham entrepreneur.

The mission of Lewis & Clark is to provide quality commercial space in an environment of growth and support in order to serve the needs and dreams of the entrepreneur.

Chuck Lewis has been a developer/general contractor since 1984. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University. He has a wide range of development and construction experience in Orange, Wake and predominantly Chatham Counties. He has built over 200 homes, developed several subdivisions, and built or renovated several commercial buildings. His experience of creating excellent spaces that people enjoy is the special touch that makes the John O'Daniel Business Center a great place to house your office.

Wendy Clark is a successful Durham businesswoman with a solid track record of Durham community involvement. She founded Carpe Diem Cleaning, Inc. in 1994 with $100 and 3 clients. Today, she manages 18 employees and the cleaning of 350 homes and businesses (www.carpediemcleaning.com ). Her company will be an anchor tenant of the John O'Daniel Business Center. Through her years of management and leadership experience she brings real life knowledge of what entrepreneurs need and want to succeed.

Building and Neighborhood History

The history of 801 Gilbert Street and the immediate neighborhood is one of thriving commercial, industrial, and agricultural activity, at least until the 1970's. 801 Gilbert was built around 1917 as a hosiery mill and purchased in 1919 by Julian Carr, Durham tobacco and hosiery baron. He named the building for his "right-hand man" (and former Carr family slave) John O'Daniel. O'Daniel was one of the earliest African-American landowners in Hayti and he contributed to the building of St. Joseph's Church there. He likely handled for Carr the recruitment and hiring of African-American mill employees, a very rare practice at the time.

After Carr's death, the building became The Farmers' Exchange, a farmers' cooperative that had 900 members by 1935. Small business thrived there in the form of "curb markets," where primarily women sold "poultry, eggs, baked and pickled goods, fresh flowers and vegetables." The site later became a poultry processing plant, and a feed mill built just behind the site later became Southern States mill, still in operation. Financial statements from 1955 and 1956 that were found in the building show it was a significant place of commerce for the city. The Farmers' Exchange appears to have shut down in the early 1980's. During the 1990's, "Cobra," a Hispanic nightclub operated in the building. The site has had little to no commercial activity since then.

Lewis & Clark chose 801 Gilbert to be a business center to see strong neighborhood commercial activity restored, in the form of businesses owned and operated by those within the community. The closest neighborhood to Downtown Durham, the Cleveland-Holloway District, is experiencing the benefits of revitalization both commercially and residentially. We are glad to be a part of this great community.

The Business Center

The business center has office space Upper floor plan and Lower floor plan from $295 to $595 a month (180 sq. ft to 430 sq ft) and includes wireless access, a work center (copier, fax, shredder, and mailing area), a break/working conference room, rental storage space, and rental multi-purpose room (90 person capacity with A/V equipment). We will also offer regular entrepreneurial education opportunities.