From the archives: The Nova Building in the center of Wilmington becomes a landmark – Starnewsonline.com

He was named after Oliver T. Wallace, a real estate developer in the 1920s with projects in Wrightsville Beach and Havana, Cuba, model the office building after the popular Spanish style seen in the southern resorts.

As the building was on the other side of the street from the original Hanover County Court, many lawyers took his offices.

Carol Gunter, then the city planning to protect the city, said state historians were not at first inclined to admit that the building was worth protecting. The habit of equating the “history” with the 19th century and before it died hard, she said.

The building lives in the same Spanish colonial style of revival with tenants reflecting yesterday and today’s center. It includes a lawyer, Bond Board, Vine Wine, Little Olive Co. Gourmet Grocery and Downtown Nutrition Ilm.