Construction work gains speed

With the winter cold fading, area residents can expect to see the re-emergence of construction projects around town.

In the coming months, various building and renovation projects around the west side of Chapel Hill — including Rosemary Village, The Franklin hotel and the former Avid Reader bookstore — will continue or finish construction.

“It shows life downtown,” Robert Poitras, owner of the Carolina Brewery at 460 W. Franklin St., said of the projects. “It shows a promise for a vibrant future downtown.”

Poitras and many other business owners on or near West Franklin Street noticed that a lot of the construction projects are popping up on their side of downtown.

Just next door to the brewery — in the former site of The Avid Reader bookstore — the sounds of hammers pounding, drills buzzing and nail guns popping have filled the property since preparations began in November for a new furniture store.

“It’s going to be a higher-end gift store with a heavy influence on furniture,” said Wesley Johnson, president of the business’s investment group. He said he chose the location because of the proximity to upper-level dining.

The group, which had been seeking a location for the furniture shop during the last two years, plans to open the store by mid to late March, Johnson said. They now are in the process of choosing a name for the business.

“It’ll complement the other businesses that are already there,” he said.

Another future business expected to bring people to the area has been in planning stages for years.

Down the road at 311 W. Franklin St., GGA Architects is in the process of building The Franklin, a five-story, boutique-style hotel that began construction in November.

The project is slated to be finished by the end of this year and is expected to open by summer 2006, said Josh Gurlitz, partner for the firm.

The hotel will have 66 rooms and other enhancements, including meeting rooms, lobbies and a breakfast room.

“A lot of the target audience will be businesses, people coming to meetings on campus, parents and visitors to Chapel Hill,” Gurlitz said.

GGA completed the design for the building three years ago, but the owners delayed the process.

“In the wake of 9/11, the travel industry contracted significantly, so the owners waited until the travel industry improved,” Gurlitz said.

Construction on another addition to western downtown’s skyline — Rosemary Village, at 400 W. Rosemary St. — will intensify as the weather improves, said Brian Ehrenfeld, co-owner of Build Ex Inc., the property’s builder.

The site, which broke ground in November, is planned to be completed by the end of this year.

Rosemary Village will house 38 condominium units and seven retail spaces for shopping on the first floor.

Ehrenfeld said 24 units have been picked up and all seven retail spaces have been sold. A day spa and a dessert shop are among those committed to the property, he said.

“I think already it’s started to bring the West Rosemary area into people’s thoughts,” he said.

“It seems like the heart of Franklin Street is being pushed more to the west.”

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.