Deadlines approaching for Carolina North's approval

Construction for the first project of Carolina North could begin in the next year, and University officials say the flagship project embodies the mission behind the satellite campus.

The innovation center will be used to help start-up companies that use technology based on University research to flourish. The private-public partnership of the project will be one of many for the Carolina North mixed-use development.

"We believe the innovation center reflects the important aspects of what we're doing with Carolina North," said Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and economic development. "We wanted to put it in a prominent position along front door."

The University's Board of Trustees have approved two possible locations for the 80,000-square-foot facility. The most likely location for the center is near the intersection of Municipal Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Plans put Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as the main corridor to the satellite campus.

Bruce Runberg, associate vice chancellor for facilities planning and construction, said the University submitted a request for a review of the project to the town last week and will submit an application for a special-use permit under existing town zoning soon. The town's review of the project could take nine to 15 months.

The developer, which will put up the money to build and operate the business incubator, will collect rent from the tenants. The University will work with the developer to identify venture capitalists to fund the growing companies, Waldrop said.

Runberg said the developer is a "premiere nationally recognized developer."

"We're very excited to be able to attract that caliber of developer to the University and to Carolina North," he said.

The innovation center will be the first project on the University's more-than-900-acre tract. The Board of Trustees saw a draft concept plan for the entire satellite campus in July and likely will take action on the plan in September. The same plan for Carolina North will be submitted to local governments for approval by October.

As University officials make adjustments to the concept plan, Jack Evans, executive director of Carolina North, has been hosting regular community meetings since March, usually attended by about 100 residents, faculty, staff and students. Community members' comments are posted on the Carolina North Web site and used in infrastructure planning.

"There's an open dialogue with community meetings, and feedback has been helpful in moving the project along toward the current concept plan," Runberg said. "The suggestions are evaluated to see if we can work them into the plan, if they make sense. Many comments just give us reinforcement on what we're already doing."

But community support for the various aspects of the plan for Carolina North are mixed, Chapel Hill Town Council member Jim Ward said.

Ward has attended every community meeting so far, and many of his comments are posted on the Carolina North Web site. He said the meetings keep the community aware of the evolving plans for Carolina North.

"I see these meetings as the University publicly airing their thoughts, and I think that is certainly a positive effort on the University's part, but I don't think it should be seen as more than that," he said.

The meetings' attendees are often the same people each time, Ward said.

The next meeting, where Evans will present an overview of potential infrastructure scenarios and gather feedback on water, sewer and energy options for the site, is set for Aug. 28.

The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in room 2603 of the School of Government's Knapp-Sanders Building.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.