University Place mall in Chapel Hill will begin undergoing the first in a series of efforts to refresh pieces of the property later this year.

The mall, which was built in the early-1970s, was sold to Ram Development in late 2018. The new ownership group then announced in January that plans were being developed for a “multi-phase” effort to “modernize the property and create a true town center for Chapel Hill.”

An update sent to mall tenants on Wednesday evening said that the initial scope of the work will focus on exterior-facing spaces on the Estes Drive side of the facility.

“Specifically, new storefronts will be created adjacent to Bartaco, existing storefronts will be renovated, and the long‐vacant and half‐finished restaurant space once slated to be Tacos y Tequila will finally be finished and occupied with an exciting concept that should be announced very soon,” officials said Wednesday.

The message from Ram said that the goal was to “continue the momentum” at spaces around Silverspot Cinema “by filling in some of the gaps and adding uses complementary to those already there.”

The work is tentatively scheduled to begin this summer, but that is “subject to change as approvals and permitting are still under review.”

WCHL moved its studios to University Place in 2016.

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