The ownership group of the University Place mall recently received its first feedback from the Town of Chapel Hill regarding concept plans submitted for renovations to the mall.

When it purchased the mall in 2018, Ram Realty announced it would aim to make updates that would modernize the property and create a “town center” for Chapel Hill. Concept plans presented to the town’s Community Design Commission on September 24 show part of the existing central building being removed to create an outdoor green space and increased pedestrian access. It also shows creating more office, retail and hotel space from existing parking areas.

But feedback for the concept plans from the design commission was consistent across most of its members. Routinely describing the plans as “underwhelming,” many commissioners said they failed to see how the proposed renovations would significantly update the mall beyond its current existence.

Commissioner Susan Lyons said it seemed to her the three plans being considered by Ram Realty did not achieve the concepts used by other city centers and malls to change their layouts.

“I see lots of parking space,” she said at the meeting, “looking just like it does now. This concept is not new around the country. Even if it’s done in pieces, there was a plan initially that pulled it all together. I don’t see that here.”

University Place’s location in a flood plain creates certain levels of constraint to renovation. The mall’s parking lots have been flooded in the past, with the most severe recent incident during Hurricane Florence. Improving stormwater retention and renovating to prepare for floods was one of the top suggestions the design commission made to improve the concept plans.

The commission also emphasized creating affordable residential units if any housing space is built and improving pedestrian travel to the mall by connecting two nearby greenways, the Bolin Creek Trail and the Booker Creek Trail.

Chair of the commission Susana Dancy said to the Ram Realty representative that keeping those elements in mind would improve the town and the mall’s importance. She said the ownership group has the flexibility of more creativity for the land’s use, compared to the Blue Hill District where the land is all separately owned.

“You are in the situation where you own all of this,” said Dancy, “so you have the opportunity of better defining where the public place is going to be and what it’s going to feel like.”

Ram Realty will now take the concept plans for University Place to the Chapel Hill Town Council, which is expected to discuss and provide additional feedback at its meeting on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

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