UNC digs deep with the town at Carolina Square

The sky matched the Carolina Blue balloons gliding around the former University Square as UNC and the town of Chapel Hill saw their collaboration come to life — and it was groundbreaking.

“It may be one of the greatest things to ever happen to Franklin Street,” said Aaron Nelson, president and CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce.

When town, University and development representatives donned hard hats and grabbed shovels, they symbolized the start of the construction phase in their latest collaboration: Carolina Square.

Carolina Square is a joint effort between the town, UNC, Cousins Properties and Northwood Ravin development firms.

“This is an example of collaboration where people are able to come together across all kinds of differences and boundaries,” said Chancellor Carol Folt.

The square — projected to open in August 2017 — will feature residential space, office space, retail, performance space and a 0.6 acre park.

Situated next to Granville Towers, UNC will occupy more than 50 percent of the $123 million development’s office space, as the Carolina Population Center and the Gillings School of Public Health will eventually conduct research there.

“We are really excited, it’s a long time coming,” said Kristen Smith, vice president for advocacy and engagement with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce.

“This is a place where collaboration lives, where residential and commercial opportunities are available, but also artistic ones, as well as more green space than we’ve ever seen downtown,” she said.

Carolina Square will embrace artistic opportunities through The Core at Carolina Square, an almost 8,500 square-foot innovation lab, studio and theatre, which will be run by Carolina Performing Arts.

“I think probably everyone would agree with me, that when you bring art and performance into a place, you always make it a place where people want to be,” Folt said.

Folt said this is an example of a win-win project.

“This really is an example of how our University can leverage all of the enthusiasm, excitement and expertise of the private sector to achieve something that can support the mission of the University,” she said.

Atlanta-based Cousins Properties will oversee the commercial leasing.

“We partnered with the University, so we have been working with them seven years developing the plan, making sure it’s consistent with what the city wants,” said Larry Gellerstedt, president and CEO of Cousins Properties and UNC graduate.

With diverse features, the partners involved with Carolina Square hope everyone will feel invited into the space.

“I hope the public shares my excited anticipation,” Nelson said. “This is the kind of a project that downtowns all over America would wish for, and we are lucky enough to have it.”

@kianamcole

city@dailytarheel.com