East 54

[plus2]

University Village is proposed to replace the Best Western Hotel on Hwy 54 near the Finley Golf Course. As you enter Chapel Hill it's on the left. Most of you are probably familiar with it. This is great news, as that Best Western was a terrible use of land with a giant front lawn that served no purpose.

The new development also has some environmental and Chapel Hill friendly aspects.

http://www.universityvillagechapelhill.com...H_AtAGlance.pdf

[pdxheel]

Great News!! When will development start?

[orulz]

Looks nice. Nice location, too. It's near the future Durham/RTP - Chapel Hill rapid transit corridor. But even as it is, this spot is on a lot of bus lines - and there are buses every 15 minutes to RTP, and perhaps every 5 minutes (or less) headed towards campus. It's also just a quarter mile walk from the Harris Teeter at Glen-Lennox.

I'd like to see a site plan to get an idea of how this will be layed out.

Slightly related, I wish Chapel Hill and NCDOT would do something to make the Raleigh Rd / Fordham Blvd 'cloverleaf' more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly. Either bring the ramps to a "T" with Raleigh Rd, or build some sort of grade separation here. Perhaps this will happen in some hypotheitcal project decades hence where they replace the bridge and reconstruct the interchange.

[DanRNC]

It will include a decent amount of affordable units as well. Great location as it is literally about a 10-minute walk to campus. I'm just happy that the old Avalon Medical Bldg. will bite the dust.

[ChiefJoJo]

Can somebody point out this site on google maps?

[orulz]

Here is the University Inn site.

[DanRNC]

This project is going to the town council either this upcoming week or next week. I think they are going for LEED Gold certification.

[orulz]

The public hearing for this development was held on January 17th. Item 2c on the agenda includes revised site plans, etc. A continuation of the hearing is on the February 26th agenda. See item 9. The meeting starts at 7:00pm; I'll plan on being there.

I live about 2 minutes walk from this development and it's quite exciting (though unfortunately I probably won't be living here anymore by the time it's built.) I'd say that this is already a TOD based on the amount of bus traffic on NC 54, but with the fixed-guideway transit station planned literally right there, it's even better.

BTW, I believe that they're planning on silver LEED certification, not gold, unless something has changed recently.

[carynative]

Slightly related, I wish Chapel Hill and NCDOT would do something to make the Raleigh Rd / Fordham Blvd 'cloverleaf' more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly. Either bring the ramps to a "T" with Raleigh Rd, or build some sort of grade separation here. Perhaps this will happen in some hypotheitcal project decades hence where they replace the bridge and reconstruct the interchange.

That would be a great suggestion. The best way to get it on DOT's radar is to let the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization know. DOT set's road priorities in Durham/Orange co's based on their wishes. You can find contact info on the dot website.

[DanRNC]

BTW, I believe that they're planning on silver LEED certification, not gold, unless something has changed recently.

I was at the focus group and they said their goal was gold with silver being the minimum.

[orulz]

The development was approved. You were right - they're going for Gold certification.

[DanRNC]

This project and Greenbridge will set a new standard for Chapel Hill for development as LEED Silver may end up being a basic requirement for approval. Architecture wise it begins to shift the paradigm as well-renderings of this project should be released soon but count on a stunning exterior design with unusual interior finishes such as bamboo or cork floors (concrete was even mentioned but reviews were mixed), concrete/stainless steel kitchen countertops, floor to ceiling glass, etc.

[ChiefJoJo]

The council also approved East 54, a 580,000-square-foot residential, office and retail complex that developer Roger Perry plans for N.C. 54 near U.S. 15-501. Construction on both projects is likely to begin later this year.

For East 54, Perry promised a 30 percent affordable housing subsidy, meaning 61 out of 203 condos could be affordable for buyers earning less than 80 percent of the median income for Durham and Chapel Hill.

The council left open the option that Perry could construct only 40 affordable units and make more two-bedroom units than required, or pay $75,000 in cash for every unit of the remaining 21 that doesn't get built.

Wow, 580k sf is a ton! Anyone seen a website or renderings for this? Good to see Perry is fulfilling the affordable housing requirement.

As an aside, Perry (E-W Partners) is on the development team for Site 1 with Craig Davis and White Oak, and is on the Triangle Transit Task Force, the advisory committee that will recommend transit plan to the MPOs this fall.

[DanRNC]

Wow, 580k sf is a ton! Anyone seen a website or renderings for this? Good to see Perry is fulfilling the affordable housing requirement.

These are still being worked out but like I said look for something stunning.

[sax184]

This is exciting. Roger Perry is a pretty smart guy and I expect that this new development will learn from some of Meadowmont's mistakes and improve upon them.

[DanRNC]

This project is a 180 degree shift from Meadwmont design-wise

[pack-man]

Meadowmont wasn't a complete failure, however, it is struggling due to its disassociation from its surroundings. You would never know all that retail is there unless you turn into the shopping center. It looks like this project faces NC54, which will give it the attractiveness for passerbys.

[orulz]

There's a new thoroughfare planned that will be an extension of Meadowmont Lane's current terminus to the Farrington Road bridge over I-40, and following the current alignment of Farrington to 15-501, in the vicinity of No Hope Commons. I think it's supposed to be a two-lane road with bike paths and such. This will be a useful and popular interconnection, and it will also serve to bring traffic right through the middle of Meadowmont.

Meadowmont does a great job relating to the street along W. Barbee Chapel Road, but that street pretty much goes from nowhere to nowhere, so it's only useful for people specifically going to or coming from Meadowmont. I wish the development related much better to highway 54, but that sort of thing wasn't really done around here back in 1998. The retail doesn't even relate very well along Meadowmont Lane, but there's a transit corridor planned there so that was a bit of a constraint, and at least it's visible.

[orulz]

Noticed that the sales center for this development is currently under construction in the Glenn Lennox shopping center across the street (not the office building at the SE corner of 54 and Hamilton as was originally proposed)

[ChiefJoJo]

I ate dinner at the center across from Glen Lennox and next to this property... I keep hoping to see some dirt being turned... any ideas as to a start date for constrution? It looks like a great project.

[orulz]

The upfit on the sales center isn't even done yet; I doubt if they're ready to begin construction just yet.

[DanRNC]

I ate dinner at the center across from Glen Lennox and next to this property... I keep hoping to see some dirt being turned... any ideas as to a start date for constrution? It looks like a great project.

Groundbreaking should be August. The Avalon Medical Group has already moved out of their building which will be demo'ed. I sat in on a focus group for this project and was very impressed with the vision for this development.

[DanRNC]

Looks like the University Inn will shut down mid-September.

Story

[DanRNC]

This project is almost sold out for phase I.

[ChiefJoJo]

Here's the project webpage.

Looking at the renderings, it's going to be *really* nice. This will add some much needed additional housing (along with hotel/office/retail) options and density along NC 54, and the future transit line to Durham.