The Town of Chapel Hill recently unanimously approved a zoning application for a proposed senior housing community located along Homestead Road. The council held a public hearing to discuss the project, and the rezoning would allow for more affordable housing in town.
A 55+ housing community from DHIC, Maddry Meadows aims to bring a total of 53 units to 2510 Homestead Road, with a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.
Proposed rendering of Maddry Meadows. (Photo via DHIC.)
The proposed development would serve households earning 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less. Sitting across the street from the Seymour Center and south of Homestead Park, DHIC Senior Project Manager Patrick Nerz called the site an excellent location for affordable housing.
“We’ve been working on this project for quite some time to try to acquire it and use it for this purpose,” Nerz said at the April 23 meeting. “It’s got everything we look for in that it is really close to employment opportunities, it’s got great access to transit, and it’s very close to services and it’s amenity rich.”
Nerz described Maddry Meadows as “southern contemporary” with a neighborhood feel, featuring a library, multi-purpose room, computer area, and multiple gathering areas. A multipurpose greenway trail would also run through the property, connecting residents to the senior center and park.
Council Member Melissa McCullough said she believes there is a lot to love about the property, while also recommending to decrease parking, minimize turf in favor of native plants, and include space to charge e-bikes.
“You talk about having EV car charging,” McCullough said. “55 and older is not unreasonable for e-bikes, especially as close as they are to the grocery store and all that just down MLK. It doesn’t take much to make spaces where you can charge an e-bike.”
Considering its intended community, Council Member Camille Berry expressed a concern for how the property would only have one elevator. However, Nerz said that Maddry Meadows will operate similarly to other DHIC senior properties.
“[With] site constraints and smaller projects like this, it’s typical to have just the one elevator,” Nerz said. “But it does make it imperative that the elevator stay up and running because we have people with mobility restrictions.”
While Nerz said those with significant mobility restrictions will be on the first floor, it is important for people on every floor to have access to one.
To view the full Town Council meeting, click here.
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