Jump to content

140 West Franklin


DanRNC

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 58
  • Created
  • Last Reply

As far as the real estate prices, I assume most people who live/work in Chapel Hill are in someway affiliated with the university and they are pretty well-off, thus the housing prices are higher. I guess that's unfortunate for the few people who aren't wealthy, still live in Chapel hill, and don't want to live with the rowdy college kids.

Actually there are a substantial number of people living in Chapel Hill who aren't wealthy, have roots here, work heroically to afford it, doing unheralded and often lousy jobs to do the things wealthier people do, like get their kids into Chapel Hill schools.

This plays out in every city that isn't collapsing into ruin, but I do think the local socioeconomic pressurization is uniquely bad here, and not improving. A former housemate of mine worked for the Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce, before jumping ship to RTP, and this person left convinced (lots and lots of anecdotes, after sitting through varied meetings and forums) that this town - unofficially and unadmittedly - very aggressively does not wish to acknowledge the presence of low-income citizens, and would ideally prefer that they shut up or move to Durham. Significant portions of the fire and police here, along with UNC staff - lots of people who do the nuts-and-bolts running of the town and university - long ago ceased to be able to afford living here; I know people who commute here from Clayton, Sanford and Burlington, which - among other ironies - definitely undercuts efforts to get cars off roads. Perhaps it would lend a bit more urgency to such local matters if those individuals opted to divert their contributions and efforts to the towns in which they live instead.

I consider the views of my onetime roommate to be seriously over the top, and partially attributable to stress and burnout with that specific job, but it was also coming from someone with a lot more time and experience in sitting through various local roundtables and get-togethers than most other people I know here. Of course, low income communities in Chapel Hill may well have a very urgent need to get more vocal - politically; no one else is going to really be all that invested in or interested in things like affordable housing issues, on a serious, broad scale at least. Having dealt with landlords who could charge $800 a month on a 500 sq ft apt with space heat (I talked a friend out of renting this firetrap, in spite of its' proximity to downtown, after the owner bluntly told us "I'm charging this because I know someone will pay it."), I'd say landlord issues do go a long way towards shutting people up.

I think it's a great town, with a lot of unique strengths and assets. But I would very strongly urge us to not price out a sizable chunk of people who are the source of some of those strengths. This town will be worse for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know folks renting sub-$700/month, 900 square foot two-bedroom townhomes within a 5 minute walk of Weaver Street Market, or 800 square foot two-bedroom apartments for $650 only a mile further away, all well-maintained, and all in decent, safe, walkable, quiet, and just overall PLEASANT neighborhoods in Carrboro.

Sure, it's no 1700 square foot, brand-new starter home on a cul-de-sac. Those don't exist in Orange County, and I say thank God. Some may balk because because inexpensive rentals have a reputation as "student apartments." Others may just be disgusted at the thought of renting, or even of living in Carrboro (though I can't imagine why). It may also be that my friends have just gotten extremely lucky to find these places.

But if my friends had kids, they would have access to the same schools that somebody in a $500,000 cul-de-sac home has, and (IMO) a more interesting, if slightly unconventional neighborhood to boot. So when people talk about the gentrification and unlivability of Chapel Hill, and how folks who aren't millionares are getting priced out, I have to wonder whether these folks are just looking in the wrong place.

I'm also struggling to see how these new developments downtown will make things worse...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All great points.

From working and living here up and down the economic spectrum, affordable housing has turned into one of my area fixations. Sometimes I get a little carried away, in spite of intentions otherwise. I really don't want to see that drop off the local radar however, and I think these developments could be great advances in revitalizing downtown Chapel Hill - they'll up the quantity of available housing in the area.

My little screed hits upon other issues that are somewhat pertinent - rather than pay through the nose for desirability, perhaps some of that effort should go into valid communities that aren't percieved as so desirable (apologies for deviating a bit from the topic at hand). I have NC friends - both artists - who moved to San Fran in recent years, and I know what they are paying and how they have to live to afford it. I also know that those moves were about aspiration as much as need - they had decent opportunities here in the Triangle, knew lots of folks, and are no slackers in their work-ethic. In some ways, I took it as something of a betrayal, because I feel that this area, or the Triangle, or NC, needs those kinds of creative thinkers (who will work, and who will invest in local communities) far more than San Francisco does. But San Fran has an international reputation and a history, and - as difficult as it is to buy into that (economically), once you've done it, you're in a place that already has that track record, whereas staying here and doing the grassroots work still involves a huge amount of community building, and even well-intentioned people can burn out.

I guess my point here (slap me on the wrist for rambling if you must), is: while I'd like to see a focus on affordability and economic issues continue in Chapel Hill (and continue to remain a discussable element of develpoment plans), I'd also like to not overlook other areas/cities that have the intellectual capital and the work ethic, but none of (or less of) the Richard Florida "creative class" seal-of-approval.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know folks renting sub-$700/month, 900 square foot two-bedroom townhomes within a 5 minute walk of Weaver Street Market, or 800 square foot two-bedroom apartments for $650 only a mile further away, all well-maintained, and all in decent, safe, walkable, quiet, and just overall PLEASANT neighborhoods in Carrboro.

Sure, it's no 1700 square foot, brand-new starter home on a cul-de-sac. Those don't exist in Orange County, and I say thank God. Some may balk because because inexpensive rentals have a reputation as "student apartments." Others may just be disgusted at the thought of renting, or even of living in Carrboro (though I can't imagine why). It may also be that my friends have just gotten extremely lucky to find these places.

But if my friends had kids, they would have access to the same schools that somebody in a $500,000 cul-de-sac home has, and (IMO) a more interesting, if slightly unconventional neighborhood to boot. So when people talk about the gentrification and unlivability of Chapel Hill, and how folks who aren't millionares are getting priced out, I have to wonder whether these folks are just looking in the wrong place.

I'm also struggling to see how these new developments downtown will make things worse...

The problem in Chapel Hill/Carrboro isn't really the rental market- it's the homeownership market. You can rent a nice place in either town without too much trouble. However, if you are looking to buy a home, it gets to be very difficult.

You pretty much cannot buy a single family home in either town for under $200k. Those that can be had for such a price are either extremely old or decrepit/falling apart, or have some other flaw that make them non-viable choices for most people.

If you use the "multiply your salary X 3" rule to get the mortgage you can qualify for, and you get a household income of $66,666 to buy into the smallest single-family unit in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Not many creative class types or young couples are clearing that much money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the link Dan. I'm going to bombard you guys with images--good stuff from the presentation on the site...

Lot 5 rendering:

img37.jpg

Lot 5 rendering with existing context:

img35.jpg

Lot 5 section model

img26.jpg

Lot 5 Church St elevation:

img28.jpg

Wallace deck rendering:

img49.jpg

Wallace deck rendering with existing context:

img48.jpg

Wallace deck section model:

img42.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Public hearing on Lot 5: Some say development is too risky for town. It looks like there was a tremendous debate about what to do last night at the hearing. There was a discussion of cash flow, and rturn on the town's investment, which I would say is important. I guess I'm thinking purely of how nice that area could be with a new mid-rise development replacing a surface lot--which is exactly where reasonable tall buildings should go. I'm sure a lot of resources have already been expended to get to this point. I sense that although the public is unsure, the town council may be behind the project.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Tonight the Chapel Hill town council is voting on the Lot 5 Ram development--EDIT: they are voting to finalize the contract with Ram. The N&O says it's supposed to pass. I guess we'll find out soon.

* Total cost: $75 million

* Town investment: $7.25 million

* Height: 8 stories, 104 feet

* Number of condominiums: 137

* Number of subsidized units: 21

* Commercial space: 28,000 square feet

* Public parking spaces: 161

* Estimated annual town revenue: $1 million

I think it's great to see CH move into the urban redevelopment era. Chapel Hill has so many anti-growth regs, I think it keeps some potentially good development out. It will be interesting to see what happens eventually with Greenbridge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.