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City Council approves rezoning for"The White House"I Arts&Entertainment I mebaneenterprise.com annexed into Mebane's city limits.While the nearly 120-year-old White House property has historically been used for residential purposes, it sat vacant for many years until the Meadors purchased the home.The City Council approved the rezoning request,which opens the door for the White House to be utilized for events such as weddings and arts and craft shows. Photograph by Adam Powell At Monday night's Mebane City Council meeting, the elected board considered a rezoning request by Aubrey and Celine Meador for "The White House," located at 7920 E. Washington Street. The 5.61 acre property had been zoned R-20 (residential) for decades, but the Meadors requested a rezoning to B-2 CD (general business conditional zoning). The Meadors also requested the 3,725 square foot White House and the property to be annexed into Mebane's city limits. While the nearly 120-year-old White House property has historically been used for residential purposes, it sat vacant for many years until the Meadors purchased the home. While the Meadors have made many improvements for residential use to the property, the primary use for the refurbished home is Retreat/Conference Center, with an additional allowance for a Bed and Breakfast. The Meadors envision the White House as an ideal wedding and wedding reception venue, and anticipate utilizing the facility as such. The property is also approved for occasional events such as arts and crafts shows. "This is exciting for us. This is coming at the end of a lot of work with Cy and the Planning Board. It has been a community effort to get here," Celine Meador stated to the City Council before going into a historical background on The White House. The original owners of the tracts of land the White House sits on are members of the Bingham family, with three tracts being combined to produce the current property in the early 1870s. The Binghams were the founders of Bingham School. Eliza Bingham Penick, sister of the Bingham school founders, is believed to have lived in a home on the property in the 1870s. James Samuel White, President of White Furniture, constructed the current home on the property around 1891-92. By the middle of 20th century, Phonse Bean, an executive of White Furniture and future "Makers of Modern Mebane" award recipient, took possession of the home. Phonse Bean owned the home from 1954 until the 1980s, when it was sold to a http://www.mebaneenterprise.com/arts_and entertainment/article_51874c2O-4aO2-flea-97f2-7b732ea9e9d6.html[2/10/2020 9:58:09 AM]