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The highly-controversial Greenbridge development opened in mid-2010 and was designed by William McDonough and Partners. The development, two towers with 10- and 7-stories of condominiums, also offers mixed-use commerical space on the ground and second floors of each tower. Total there are 100 condominium units and more than 25,000 square feet of retail space available.
The entire development has been billed by its developers and the Chapel Hill Town Council as the ‘most environmentally sustainable’ structure in the state. The building is energy efficient and environmentally sustainable and will be the first development in North Carolina to receive gold certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard, a national standard for energy-efficient, environmentally conscious architecture. The site’s developers, Greenbridge Developments, are selling the condos for upwards of $500,000, with the top floors of each tower offered at more than $1 million.
The site’s close proximity to the town of Carrboro and the traditionally black Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill has led detractors to question the long-term effects of gentrification in the wider Chapel Hill community. Despite the developer’s promise to set aside 15% of the site for affordable housing units, the high prices have led many in the Northside community to express concern over a possible tax-increase in the area. Additionally, the height of the development and the noise of construction have led to further complaints.
Greenbridge has sat mostly empty and mired in financial troubles since April, when Bank of America started the development’s foreclosure process.
The LIGHT Art and Design shop, located in the bottom of Greenbridge Developments, could face problems when the luxury condominiums are foreclosed upon in November. But the gallery owners said they have no plans to move right now.
Greenbridge faced foreclosure sale today for the second time in four months — but Bank of America has again postponed the date to give developers more time to repay debts. Tim Toben, one of the development’s partners, said he received a letter from the bank telling him that the sale had been delayed until Nov. 7.
Greenbridge faces a foreclosure sale Sept. 22 for the second time this year, just months after its bank delayed a June 27 sale date.
Town officials say the developers’ poor relationship with their bank and the national economic downturn — not Chapel Hill’s business environment — caused Greenbridge’s troubles.
At LIGHT Art Design, Lucky Strike cigarettes and red Bibles embossed with gold crosses decorate the walls.
Controversy surrounding Greenbridge Developments continued Saturday evening when about 15 area residents stood in nonviolent protest against the condominiums.
After months of opposition and financial uncertainty, animosity towards Greenbridge Developments climaxed Saturday morning when a riot left three in handcuffs.
On Friday, the works of former UNC associate professor Kimowan Metchewais were put on display in the Greenbridge Developments building.
Greenbridge, the 10-story Rosemary Street development that opened last fall, faces the threat of foreclosure by its bank. The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported Friday that the Greenbridge development could foreclose after Bank of America refused to pay $1.6 million in invoices on the project in October.
With fewer than half of its 97 residential apartments filled, Greenbridge Developments has struggled to find its niche in Chapel Hill real estate and the surrounding low-income neighborhood since it opened in October.
James Richardson has lived in Northside neighborhood for five years and has seen the impacts of a newly constructed development in the area — Greenbridge.
By today’s end, Greenbridge will be one step closer to achieving its environmentally friendly claim.
Greenbridge, a two-building development property on West Rosemary Street, began the installation of 45 solar panels on the roof of its 10-story East Building.
Streets are clear after a bomb threat targeted Greenbridge Development around 7 a.m. Thursday.
The caller said the bomb was in the Greenbridge development at 400 W. Rosemary St. Police performed a sweep of the building and did not find one.
A metal fence is all that divides a small funeral home on North Graham Street from the Greenbridge construction site.
It was also the first official notification Knotts Funeral Home received of Greenbridge’s construction, said Michael Parker, the funeral home branch’s manager.
“They didn’t let us know anything until they started coming in and putting up a fence,” he said.
An already controversial plot of land has taken another shot this weekend — this time from vandals.
Damages to the Greenbridge development totaled about $11,000 after it was spray-painted in several areas Saturday night, including 14 concrete columns, 21 walls, five doors and a fork lift, according to Chapel Hill police reports.
A glance west down Rosemary Street confirms the progress of a controversial 10-story development among low-slung businesses and homes.
Future occupants have purchased more than half of the units set to be built in the skeleton framework of the Greenbridge development.
The environmentally-friendly Greenbridge development approved Monday by the Chapel Hill Town Council will be something new for North Carolina and a benchmark for Chapel Hill.
CORRECTION: This article incorrectly states that Kate Wheeler is a Northside resident. She lives in Carrboro. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
Residents of the Northside community spoke for and against plans for a development slated to go in near their neighborhood at a Chapel Hill Town Council public hearing Wednesday.
More than 50 people gathered Wednesday to recognize the opening of Greenbridge Development's design center in Chapel Hill.
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