10 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/05/10 3:42am)
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.Mark Vevle, spokesman for Greenbridge Developments, said the solar panels will help power both the East and seven-story West buildings.When the Chapel Hill Town Council approved the commercial and residential complex in 2007, environmental friendliness was one of its main selling points.Construction is expected to be completed by the end of June.Greenbridge’s solar panels are made by Solar Tech South, a Chapel Hill company specializing in commercial and residential solar technology.Greenbridge is using what Solar Tech South calls commercial solar thermal technology. The heating system is primarily used for large facilities that use large amounts of hot water.The solar panels take heat from the sun and use transfer fluids to increase the temperature of the water in the water storage tanks.The solar panels are sized in such a way that the heat generated can heat the exact amount of water needed in Greenbridge.The four-by-eight-foot solar panels are connected to two 800-gallon heating tanks, said Ed Witkin, director of solar operations for Solar Tech South.He said the panels and their installation cost $155,000.When the solar panels stop generating energy because of lack of sunlight, the development will switch to using gas-powered heat.Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said Greenbridge has prompted other major Chapel Hill development projects to adopt energy-saving techniques.The three other major planned Chapel Hill developments — 140 West, East 54 and University Square — plan to consume 20 percent less energy than national standard, Kleinschmidt said.“Greenbridge has really influenced other projects in the Chapel Hill area moving towards energy efficiency,” Kleinschmidt said.“The town wants all kinds of sustainability.”Witkin said Solar Tech South has recently seen more local commercial and residential businesses buying solar panels, whether or not it’s inspired by Greenbridge’s purchase.Vevle said Greenbridge’s other building, the West Building, will be outfitted with a “green roof” in the coming months.The gardening area will provide natural insulation and prevent excess water runoff.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/26/10 4:57am)
Tim Cooper is about to close on a condo in Chapel Hill so he can have a place to stay when he comes on the weekends to watch UNC sports.
(02/03/10 4:18am)
As other development projects in Chapel Hill experience delays, one local condominium project is on track to break ground in June.140 West Franklin, a planned condominium development at the intersection of Franklin Street and Church Street in the current location of a town parking lot, has sold 40 of its 140 residences.It’s a number developers say was a milestone target they didn’t expect to hit — not this early and not with as many local buyers.At last week’s Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce meeting, Peter Cummings of Ram Development, the developers of 140 West Franklin, spoke of the project’s success.Construction is set to begin in June, but a finish date isn’t known, said Kim Counts, public relations director for Ram Development.Shari Meltzer, Ram Development marketing director, said for the time being, they are going to celebrate their first achievement. “We’re going to have some private events and banquets for the first 40,” Meltzer said.She said the names of the first 40 property holders would be memorialized on the building’s cornerstone.And for the groundbreaking in June, there will be an event for the entire community, she said.The project has managed to stay on track while other developments have struggled. University Square has an uncertain timeline, and the environmentally-friendly Greenbridge has fallen behind schedule in the past.Developers said lowering prices and gathering interest from future residents’ down payments has contributed to the recent success of 140 West Franklin.According to a news release, one-bedroom homes that were planned to sell for $275,900 are now $180,000, and the cost of three-bedroom homes originally planned to go for $510,000 has been reduced to $320,000.“The lower prices are a result of effective and carefully analyzed construction costs,” Meltzer said.She said the construction company they hired offered a lower cost for building than anticipated.Meltzer said 18 of the development’s 140 homes are designated for the town’s 15 percent affordable housing recommendation. Ideally, those residences could house people such as teachers, police officers and firefighters.Developers expect many of the remaining residents to be University alumni, professors and Rams Club members in search of a place to stay on game day weekends.The developers said 140 West Franklin aims to contribute to the environment of Franklin Street. A public, open-air plaza will run through the property.“Part of the vision of the town is to create a development that fits in with the feel of Chapel Hill,” Meltzer said.On the seventh floor, terrace homes will feature a gardening area for residents and a self-sustainable water system.Developers said they hope the building will fit in with the culture of the town.“We don’t just want a big building in the middle of Franklin Street,” Meltzer said.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/01/10 5:04am)
Though plans for a new Harris Teeter in Carrboro are well underway, local residents remain vigilant in their opposition to a planned entrance for the grocery store.Construction of the Harris Teeter, which will be located in a new shopping center on Jones Ferry Road, began in 2007.But development of the site came to a halt later that year when citizens expressed their concern about the Barnes Street entrance to the grocery store.Some residents of the area are concerned about increased traffic through their neighborhood.Residents took the issue to court and won. But Northwest Property Group, the development firm in charge of the project, successfully appealed the ruling.The N.C. Court of Appeals wrote in the decision that the Carrboro Board of Aldermen has not produced sufficient evidence that an entrance on Barnes Street would be detrimental to public health or safety.The property is planned to consist of three buildings, including the 52,250-square foot Harris Teeter.“The legal issue with Barnes St. has kind of limited the project recently,” said James Thomas, Carrboro development specialist.Residents fear trafficResidents said they will continue the fight.Esther McCauley, a resident of Barnes Street, said she has nothing against a new Harris Teeter being built but opposes an entrance on Barnes Street.“Big trucks, little trucks, Harris Teeter name brand trucks — that’s just extra traffic,” said McCauley, who said she has already been in two accidents at the Barnes Street intersection.“It’s a little residential street. We have one way in and one way out.”Robert Dow, another resident of Barnes Street, said he thought the recent appeal was simply unfair.“Why should we have to prove that an entrance on Barnes Street is not OK?” Dow said. “Why doesn’t Northwest have to prove that they won’t damage an old neighborhood with people who have been here over 40 years?”Northwest Property Group declined to comment about the Harris Teeter property.Alderman respondsAlderman Dan Coleman said the board will work with residents to prove a Barnes Street entrance is not a good idea.“We are going to be meeting again soon with the Carrboro town attorney,” Coleman said.He said he sympathizes with those who are concerned with the residential street entrance.“The residents were pretty convincing in their explanation of their safety concerns,” Coleman said.Coleman said he believes there should only be a Jones Ferry Road entrance.The town can still appeal the case once more.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/20/10 4:18am)
An already controversial plot of land has taken another shot this weekend — this time from vandals.
(11/09/09 4:07am)
A local newspaper is taking a self-described hiatus to develop a new business plan to address the struggling economy and a homegrown venture that grew too big too quickly.Although the Carrboro Free Press continued printing through October, Director of Advertising Relations Erin Redfern and Managing Editor Rebekah Cowell decided to pause normal operations and evaluate the newspaper’s future.Ashley Atkins, founder and editor of the Carrboro Free Press, said she didn’t know when the paper would resume regular activity.Atkins said she moved to Carrboro in 1982 with a love for media and hopes of creating her own newspaper.“I wanted to create a newspaper that tells the little stories that make up the big stories,” she said.Atkins said she initially wrote the articles, took the pictures and distributed the copies on her own. “The first response I got was standing ovations from supporters,” Atkins said. “I even saw tears from them.”The newspaper began with eight-page magazine style editions. One thousand issues were printed per week and distributed around Carrboro.Distribution recently grew to 2,500 20-page issues before the newspaper’s management decided pause printing.“The readers wanted more, and all of a sudden, these readers felt like it belonged to them,” said Atkins.“Paying writers, distributors and publishers gets expensive for a newspaper like this, and we just couldn’t do it.”Atkins said she stepped away from the newspaper in July.Redfern and Cowell said in a Facebook press release the newspaper is not permanently shutting its doors, but they plan to develop a business plan to grapple with economic woes.Managers of other local newspapers said they will miss the newspaper during its hiatus.Mark Schultz, editor of the Chapel Hill News, said he thought the Carrboro Free Press was a fun read.“They had interviews with dogs and told readers where to find the best ice cream,” Schultz said. “They didn’t have the same mission as our paper, but it’s a loss of good talent.”Robert Dickson, publisher of the weekly Carrboro Citizen newspaper, said he regularly read the Carrboro Free Press and held the grassroots nature of the paper in high regard.“The CFP was doing something admirable,” Dickson said. “They got a lot of hyper-local voices, like their ‘man on the street’ pieces.“That truly represented what Carrboro was about.” Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/30/09 4:42am)
When town leaders said they would restrict Halloween festivities on Franklin Street last year, students didn’t think they could be successful.But when the crowd was downsized by more than half — from 80,000 to 35,000 — and police cleared the street without a hitch at midnight, efforts to limit the celebration were deemed a success.Their plan, called Homegrown Halloween, will be implemented for the second time Saturday, with the support of Student Body President Jasmin Jones, Mayor Kevin Foy and police chief Brian Curran.Police will once again close Franklin Street at midnight. Restaurants and bars will stop allowing new customers in at 1 a.m.Some students have resigned themselves to the new rules.“We wouldn’t be successful against such a big group like the businesses,” junior Gavin Rex said.West End Wine Bar owner Jared Resnick said the celebration started to become less about the community and more about partying. He said the smaller crowd makes for easier traffic in and out of the bar.“It only affects the businesses in a positive way,” Resnick said.Town officials announced last week that the ultimate goal was a maximum crowd size of 10,000 to 15,000 — less than the University’s undergraduate population.Some students are concerned that continuing to restrict a Halloween celebration will change the tradition forever.“The government is paying attention to the harm done by the students before they pay attention to what the students want,” junior Neil Backus said.Franklin Street and the nearby business area will be patrolled by 323 police officers from at least eight districts from as far as Durham and Wake counties, said Catherine Lazorko, town spokeswoman. That’s 30 fewer than last year and 73 fewer than in 2007.Senior Jerel Applewhite said he does not plan to return to Franklin Street this year.“I showed up at, like, 12 last year thinking there was no way they could shut it down,” he said. “But they did — everyone was gone.”Steve Woodham, who owns Four Corners and Goodfellows, said he hopes the crowd doesn’t get any smaller than 35,000.“I like what they are doing, but that is not to say that I eventually want Halloween to be whittled away to nothing,” Woodham said.Not everyone sees a smaller expected crowd as a downside.Senior Zach Griffin said last year’s celebration felt no different other than ending earlier.“With even 35,000 people, when you’re right in the middle of it, not much difference exists.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/15/09 5:00am)
One candidate is continuing to outraise and outspend the others in the race for mayor of Chapel Hill, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he has more support.Matt Czajkowski raised $23,629 — more than his opponents, Augustus Cho, Mark Kleinschmidt and Kevin Wolff, combined, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday.Czajkowski, a Chapel Hill Town Council member, has spent $13,043, almost four times any other candidate’s spending, for everything from a reception with former UNC men’s basketball coach Bill Guthridge to a $400 photo shoot for his Web site.His money comes from more than 200 donors, several of whom gave the maximum $250 allowed by Chapel Hill ordinance.Although Czajkowski’s private donations are more than quadruple those of Kleinschmidt, the finance reports show Kleinschmidt as having nearly as many donors — 196 compared to Czajkowski’s 201.Czajkowski raising more than $21,000 triggered a “rescue fund” payment to Kleinschmidt, who is part of voter-owned elections.The program uses public funds to help finance the campaigns of those who participate. In addition to the $9,000 he can receive from the program, Kleinschmidt will receive $4,000 in rescue funds, N.C. Board of Elections spokesperson Amy Strange said.Kleinschmidt’s September report shows he has raised $4,505 from individual contributions and a political committee. Voter-owned elections rules prohibit participants from raising more than $4,500, so the extra $5 will have to be returned.Kevin Wolff originally signed up for voter-owned elections and would have received rescue funds. But he was disqualified after loaning himself $10,000.Wolff has raised $10,275 so far, which includes 14 individual contributions and the loan to himself.Cho’s latest report, filed Friday, shows he has raised $1,642, which, besides a $200 donation from his campaign treasurer, all came from his own money.Czajkowski hosts receptionsDonors to the Czajkowski campaign include UNC Health Care CEO Bill Roper, the Kenan family and Guthridge.The reports also show Czajkowski spent hundreds of dollars on invitations to receptions featuring Guthridge and John McAdams, CEO of the John R. McAdams Co., a land development design firm.These types of gatherings are commonplace during election season, said former Chapel Hill mayor Jonathan Howes.“That is the bread and butter of politics in Chapel Hill,” said Howes, mayor from 1987 to 1991. “Receptions at private homes, by people who are public figures, well-known, people whose houses you want to go to — that’s a very important element to any campaign in Chapel Hill.”But no other candidate has reported events or receptions.Howes said the gatherings help candidates personally connect with voters in small communities like Chapel Hill.Cam Hill, a former council member who donated to Kleinschmidt, said Czajkowski spends more than other candidates on these events.“It’s normal to have gatherings, but usually they’re absolutely as bare bones as possible,” Hill said. Czajkowski beat Hill for the final council seat in 2007 by only 63 votes.Czajkowski also outraised his opponents that year, collecting $20,777. He loaned himself $12,000, more money than any candidate spent. This year, he hasn’t used any of his own money so far.“Some people argued I bought the election, which to me is a little insulting to the electorate in Chapel Hill,” Czajkowski said. “I spent $10,000 more than somebody else, and people were dumb enough to think somehow I swayed them with that? I have real issues with that view.”The golden ruleSugarland Bakery owner and Czajkowski campaign donor Katrina Ryan said campaign financing is especially important in Chapel Hill due to its limited media coverage.“You don’t have a lot of free opportunities to get your message out to people,” said Ryan, who ran for Carrboro’s Board of Aldermen in 2007. “Every voter that you talk to costs.”But Czajkowski and his supporters have emphasized the importance of the campaign’s issues rather than its funds.“I don’t think money raised should be viewed as a negative impact on a candidate’s ability to do a job,” said Randy Cox, who supports Czajkowski.But more money gives candidates more exposure.“In politics the guy who spends the most money does win,” Ryan said. “It’s sort of the golden rule.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/02/09 4:59am)
In a search for expansion property, the Chapel Hill police, fire, and recreation departments came up empty-handed this week.Chapel Hill Town Manager Roger Stancil released a memorandum Wednesday declining to purchase Dawson Hall, a site off of Interstate-40 with more office space.“The site was not a perfect fit — it’s incompatible” Assistant Town Manager Bruce Heflin said.The memo cites a lack of parking, incompatibility with zoning laws and the concern that the building is too far from the center of town.Town staff said that while the building itself is acceptable, the site does not have enough space to suit the workers and other Chapel Hill businesses.This decision poses a problem for the Chapel Hill Police Department, which expected to have a station in Dawson Hall.Twice as many people are working in the station at 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. than planned for when the building was constructed in 1981, Chapel Hill Town Council member Ed Harrison said.The size of the parking lot at the proposed site was a major factor in the decision to nix purchasing plans, Heflin said. When combined with police officers’ personal vehicles, the squad cars would fill up parking spaces, he said.The board considered ways to avoid parking congestion at Dawson Hall.In his memorandum, Stancil said police vehicles could park further away or officers could take squad cars home.But the Town Council concluded there is not enough time to fix details to establish Dawson Hall as a permanent site, Heflin said.“We couldn’t all get to the same point at the same time,” Harrison said, referring to the different town departments.Some said the location wasn’t central enough. The current police station is by the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Hillsborough Street, but Dawson Hall is on the outskirts of town.“The location is a bit too remote for our departments,” Heflin said.The town also would have to obtain a special use permit for the site.This leaves the police department still in need of a new station.“Our priority is to get better space for these departments,” Harrison said.Departments will have to make due with the current facilities until the council discusses the subject again in November. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(09/29/09 4:46am)
The reopening of Four Corners bar this week has the potential to revive surrounding bars.Owners of bars on East Franklin Street say if one is crowded, they will reap profits from bar hoppers and improved perception of the area.“Any activity on our end of Franklin Street will add to our business,” said Howard McDonald, owner of East End Oyster and Martini Bar.UNC alumni Steve Woodham and Chris Brewer bought Four Corners at 175 E. Franklin St. in July after it closed due to slow business and a struggling economy.“It was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Woodham said.Woodham, who co-owned Players for the past five years, sold his share with plans to go on an extended vacation.Before stepping away from Chapel Hill, Woodham and his best friend, Brewer, said they saw Four Corners for sale and were drawn in by the place that had been their hangout when they were students.The two have put between $200,000 and $250,000 toward the renovation of Four Corners.They decided to cancel plans to leave Chapel Hill, and Woodham picked up right where he left off — the bar business.“We’ve been kickin’ ass to get Four Corners up and ready,” said Woodham, who also owns Goodfellows.Other bar owners are looking forward to the reopening, which is slated for later this week.“Any building without a closed front does our business good,” said Marshall Payne, owner of the smaller Blue Horn Lounge. “Four Corners will help us out when it’s really jammed and people just want a more quiet, less packed place to be.”Woodham and Brewer said when they reopen Four Corners’ doors, they hope to create an atmosphere that lives up to Franklin Street expectations and to their undergraduate memories of the bar.“Four Corners hasn’t reached its full potential in 10 or 12 years,” said manager J.P. Gandy, who moved from Atlanta to help Woodham manage the bar.Woodham plans to transfer many of his Goodfellows employees to Four Corners.“All the bars have been a tradition on Franklin Street. We thrive together and add flavor to Chapel Hill,” said Derrick DePriest, employee of Bub O’Malley’s.Woodham wants Four Corners to be different from Players when he ran it.“We don’t need a wet T-shirt contest for everyone to have a good time here,” Woodham said.Woodham and Brewer have called Chapel Hill home since their graduations in the early ’90s. Previous owners were from out of state, Woodham said.He said he wants Four Corners to cater to a majority student customer base. “No Michael Jordan Slam Dunk Cheeseburger or corny crap like that,” Woodham said.Still, the bar will display signed Carolina jerseys on the wall and a Carolina basketball hardwood replica near the entrance.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu