EXHIBIT 10.1
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                                PROMISSORY NOTE

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Principal      Loan Date      Maturity       Loan No        Call      Collateral     Account   Officer   Initials
$3,000,000.00  09-01-1998     06-30-1999     2069136        004A         905                     GRS     
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References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan
or item.
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Borrower:      HLM DESIGN, INC. (TIN: 56-2018819)                     Lender:   First Charter National Bank
               121 West Trade Street, Suite 2950                                P. O. Box 228
               Charlotte, NC  28202                                             Concord, NC 28026-0228

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Principal Amount: $3,000,000.00         Initial Rate:  9.500%                   Date of Note: September 1, 1998

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PROMISE TO PAY. HLM DESIGN, INC. ("BORROWER") PROMISES TO PAY TO FIRST CHARTER
NATIONAL BANK ("LENDER"), OR ORDER, IN LAWFUL MONEY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THREE MILLION & 00/100 DOLLARS ($3,000,000.00)
OR SO MUCH AS MAY BE OUTSTANDING, TOGETHER WITH INTEREST ON THE UNPAID
OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL BALANCE OF EACH ADVANCE. INTEREST SHALL BE CALCULATED FROM
THE DATE OF EACH ADVANCE UNTIL REPAYMENT OF EACH ADVANCE.

PAYMENT. BORROWER WILL PAY THIS LOAN IN ONE PAYMENT OF ALL OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL
PLUS ALL ACCRUED UNPAID INTEREST ON JUNE 30, 1999. IN ADDITION, BORROWER WILL
PAY REGULAR MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF ACCRUED UNPAID INTEREST BEGINNING OCTOBER 1,
1998, AND ALL SUBSEQUENT INTEREST PAYMENTS ARE DUE ON THE SAME DAY OF EACH MONTH
AFTER THAT. The annual interest rate for this Note is computed on a 365/360
basis; that is, by applying the ratio of the annual interest rate over a year
of 360 days, multiplied by the outstanding principal balance, multiplied by the
actual number of days the principal balance is outstanding. Borrower will pay
Lender at Lender's address shown above or at such other place as Lender may
designate in writing. Unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law,
payments will be applied first to accrued unpaid interest, then to principal,
and any remaining amount to any unpaid collection costs and late charges.

VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from
time to time based on changes in an independent index which is the Prime Rate as
published in the Wall Street Journal. When a range of rates has been published,
the higher of the rates will be used (the "Index"). The Index is not necessarily
the lowest rate charged by Lender on its loans. If the index becomes unavailable
during the term of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute Index after
notice to Borrower. Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon
Borrower's request. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on
other rates as well. The interest rate change will not occur more often than
each day. THE INDEX CURRENTLY IS 8.500% PER ANNUM. THE INTEREST RATE TO BE
APPLIED TO THE UNPAID PRINCIPAL BALANCE OF THIS NOTE WILL BE AT A RATE OF 1.000
PERCENTAGE POINT OVER THE INDEX, RESULTING TO THE INITIAL RATE OF 9.500% PER
ANNUM. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the interest rate on this Note be
more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law.


PREPAYMENT. Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed
earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in
writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments
of accrued unpaid interest. Rather, they will reduce the principal balance due.

LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 15 DAYS OR MORE LATE, Borrower will be charged
4.00% OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PAYMENT.

DEFAULT. Borrower will be in default if any of the following happens: (a)
Borrower fails to make any payment when due. (b) Borrower breaks any promise
Borrower has made to Lender, or Borrower fails to comply with or to perform when
due any other term, obligation, covenant, or condition contained in this Note or
any agreement related to this Note, or in any other agreement or loan Borrower
has with Lender. (c) Any representation or statement made or furnished to Lender
by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf is false or misleading in any material
respect either now or at the time made or furnished. (d) Borrower becomes
insolvent, a receiver is appointed for any part of Borrower's property, Borrower
makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or any proceeding is commenced
either by Borrower or against Borrower under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws.
(e) Any creditor tries to take any of Borrower's property on or in which Lender
has a lien or security interest. This includes a garnishment of any of
Borrower's accounts with Lender. (f) Any guarantor dies or any of the other
events described in this default section occurs with respect to any guarantor
of this Note. (g) A material adverse change occurs in Borrower's financial
condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of the
indebtedness is impaired. (h) Lender in good faith deems itself insecure.

LENDER'S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal
balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, without
notice, and then Borrower will pay that amount. Lender may hire or pay someone
else to help collect this Note if Borrower does not pay. Borrower also will pay
Lender that amount. This includes, subject to any limits under applicable law,
Lender's reasonable attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses whether or not
there is a lawsuit, including reasonable attorneys' fees and legal expenses for
bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay
or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated post-judgment collection services.
If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also will pay any court costs, in
addition to all other sums provided by law. THIS NOTE HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO
LENDER AND ACCEPTED BY LENDER IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. IF THERE IS A
LAWSUIT, BORROWER AGREES UPON LENDER'S REQUEST TO SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF
THE COURTS OF CABARRUS COUNTY, THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. THIS NOTE SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NORTH
CAROLINA.

RIGHT OF SETOFF. Borrower grants to Lender a contractual security interest in,
and hereby assigns, conveys, delivers, pledges, and transfers to Lender all
Borrower's right, title and interest in and to, Borrower's accounts with Lender
(whether checking, savings, or some other account), including without limitation
all accounts Borrower may open in the future, excluding however all IRA and
Keogh accounts, and all trust accounts for which the grant of a security
interest would be prohibited by law. Borrower authorizes Lender, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sums owing on this Note
against any and all such accounts, and, at Lender's option, to administratively
freeze all such accounts to allow Lender to protect Lender's charge and setoff
rights provided on this paragraph.

COLLATERAL. This Note is secured by THIS FINANCING STATEMENT COVERS THE
FOLLOWING TYPES (OR ITEMS) OF PROPERTY: ALL PRESENTLY EXISTING AND FUTURE
ACCOUNTS, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, RECEIVABLES, CONTRACTS, CONTRACT RIGHTS, BOOK
DEBTS, GENERAL INTANGIBLES, CHECKS, NOTES, DRAFTS, INSTRUMENTS, CHATTEL PAPER,
DOCUMENTS, ACCEPTANCES, CHOSES IN ACTION AND ALL OTHER OBLIGATIONS FOR THE
PAYMENT OF MONEY CREATED BY THE DEBTOR FROM THE SALE OF INVENTORY AND FURTHER
PROCEEDS THEREOF, ALSO SECURED BY UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTY FROM HLM OF
NORTHAMERICA, INC., HLM DESIGN OF THE SOUTHEAST, P.C. AND HLM DESIGN OF THE
NORTHWEST, ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND PLANNING, P.C.


LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a revolving line of credit. Advances under
this Note may be requested orally by Borrower or by an authorized person. All
oral requests shall be confirmed in writing on the day of the request. All
communications, instructions, or directions by telephone or otherwise to Lender
are to be directed to Lender's office shown above. The following party or
parties are authorized to request advances under the line of credit until Lender
receives from the Borrower at Lender's address shown above written notice of
revocation of their authority: JOSEPH HARRIS, PRESIDENT; VERNON SHANNON, SENIOR
VICE-PRESIDENT; and KAREN KAPLAN, SECRETARY. Borrower agrees to be liable for
all sums either: (a) advanced in accordance with the instructions of an
authorized person or (b) credited to any of Borrower's accounts with Lender. The
unpaid principal balances owing on this Note at any time may be evidenced by
endorsements on this Note or by Lender's internal records, including daily
computer print-outs. Lender will have no obligation to advance funds under this
Note if: (a) Borrower or any guarantor is in default under the terms of this
Note or any agreement that Borrower or any guarantor has with Lender, including
any agreement made in connection with the signing of this Note; (b) Borrower or
any guarantor ceases doing business or is insolvent; (c) any guarantor seeks,
claims or otherwise attempts to limit, modify or revoke such guarantor's
guarantee of this Note or any other loan with Lender; (d) Borrower has applied
funds provided pursuant to this Note for purposes other than those authorized by
Lender; or (e) Lender in good faith deems itself insecure under this Note or any
other agreement between Lender and Borrower.

GENERAL PROVISIONS. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or
remedies under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who
signs, guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive
presentment, demand for payment, protest and notice of dishonor. Upon any change
in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no
party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or
endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender
may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan, or
release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or
perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action
deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such
parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or
notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made.

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09-01-1998                  PROMISSORY NOTE                              Page 2
Loan No 2069136                (Continued)


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PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS NOTE, BORROWER READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS NOTE, INCLUDING THE VARIABLE INTEREST RATE PROVISIONS. BORROWER AGREES TO
THE TERMS OF THE NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED COPY OF THE NOTE.

BORROWER:

HLM DESIGN, INC.

By: /s/ Vernon Brannon  (SEAL)
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    VERNON BRANNON, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT