MORRISVILLE - With a March deadline looming, the Town Council voted 4 to 3 to save at least one tobacco barn important to Morrisville's African-American history. The barn, built by Shiloh community leader Luther Green in the 1940s, will be moved to Shiloh Park.

Currently two of Green's barns sit on land slated to become part of the the Shiloh Crossing shopping center near N.C. 540. The barns were to be demolished, but in January the developer's agent reached out to the town. Shiloh Crossing developers agreed to give the town until the end of March to move the barns.

One of the barns may not salvageable because of deterioration in the roof.

Three council members, Margaret Broadwell, Michael Schlink and Mark Stohlman, voted against the project because of the $90,000 cost.

Staff said the project could be phased in over two budget cycles. The cost of moving the one barn is about $11,000. The remainder of the money is needed to restore the building to make it accessible to the public and add interpretative displays, said Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Allen.

Because the measure didn't get enough votes to approve the funding outright, the council will need to take a second vote on a budget amendment for the project. The council's next meeting is March 13. The council did consider another site.

Duke Realty offered about $15,000 to move the barns to a donated site at Perimeter Park. However, performing the site work, installing parking, restrooms, foundations and engineering costs at Perimeter Park almost tripled the cost of the project, at about $250,000.