A new tenant to _¶ ll the Gap

Demolition crews have begun working inside but owner Riddle Commercial Properties is staying tight-lipped about the future tenant at the corner of Franklin and Columbia streets.

The commercial space at 108 E. Franklin St. housed a Gap clothing store until 2004 and the Carolina Theatre until 2005 but has been empty since.

Chris Rhodes an executive assistant with Riddle Commercial Properties" said Tuesday that the company has signed a lease with a new tenant.

The unnamed tenant will use the spaces previously occupied by both the Gap and the Carolina Theatre.

She said demolition crews now are at work inside the building.

""We've signed a lease" and we're going to start working here real soon" Rhodes said, adding that Riddle Properties has agreed not to release the tenant's name.

We don't want to jump the gun or anything. We just recently got the lease back.""

Pat Evans" chairwoman of the Friends of Downtown" said the corner ­— where Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery occupies the third floor — makes a good location for a variety of businesses because the commercial space is large and at a busy intersection.

""That corner is a very advantageous site"" she said.

Riddle Properties also has kept town officials in the dark about the identity of its future tenant.

The town does not require this information for a demolition permit, but officials said it will become necessary in later development stages.

Dwight Bassett, a town economic development officer and interim executive director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, said that in spite of flying rumors, no town officials really know who signed a lease with Riddle Properties to use the space.

At this point" they don't have to divulge what they're doing" he said.

 But Riddle will have to name its new tenant when the company finishes its current demolition work and submits plans to Chapel Hill's fire marshal to rebuild inside 108 E. Franklin St.

Rhodes said she doesn't know how long the demolition process will take and can't say when the space's new tenant will come forward.

Capt. Doug Kelly, assistant fire marshal, said he has tried without much luck to find out who plans to lease the space.

I have no clue what's going on in there"" Kelly said. We haven't seen or heard anything yet.""



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.