Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly indicated the new building would have two stories of restaurant and retail space, instead of two bays for these uses. The story has been updated to reflect this information.
As the East Rosemary Redevelopment project continues to move forward, last week’s Chapel Hill Town Council meeting provided a big step toward outlining exactly what that will look like. The council approved the 150 East Rosemary rezoning proposal, which will bring office space, commercial development and a wet lab to downtown.
With a 7-1 vote, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved the Grubb Properties-owned building, which will provide a seven-story office building and wet lab space at the corner of East Rosemary Street.
The 238,000 square-foot building will play a major role in shaping the skyline, as a visible building from Franklin Street and the second tallest in the downtown area.
It could also help shape future business opportunities. The building will have three levels of underground parking and two bays for retail and restaurant space to accompany the office and wet lab space.
Grubb Properties obtained the site in a land swap with the town — the town-owned Wallace Parking Deck for the former CVS parking deck that Grubb owned. The town is replacing the CVS deck with a new, 1,100-space parking deck.
Proposed designs for the office building on 150 East Rosemary St. (Photo via Perkins Eastman).
The council has heard proposals about this building three times prior to last week’s final approval.
While the building is larger than most in Chapel Hill, councilmember Amy Ryan said she believes the project is a major step for the town because it is one of the most imaginative projects the town has undertaken.
“I think this is a really transformative effort we’ve got here,” Ryan said. “It’s a very big building that’s going to be a lot for Chapel Hill to swallow. I think that the design is going to make it work.”
Councilmember Michael Parker echoed that sentiment. He said this building was important for the future generations of town development because it is so ambitious.
“I think it’s really going to give our downtown a huge shot in the arm and really help Chapel Hill take its place,” Parker said. “I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say this is probably the most important single building to go up in Chapel Hill in the last 30 to 40 years.”
View of 150 East Rosemary St. from East Franklin St. (Photo via Perkins Eastman).
The one opposing vote was from councilmember Hongbin Gu. She said she was concerned about the public safety of the lab space.
“For those labs, usually it would require that all air is directional,” Gu said. “There is no air circulation in those buildings in the labs, so if you are planning to accommodate this kind of lab it has direct implication for what kind of building design you should have.”
Gu said she was frustrated by what she believes is a lack of thought put into the lab design by Grubb Properties. The developer said, however, they would accommodate any biomedical partner after the partner was chosen.
Grubb Properties said the purpose of the vote was to approve a general design, and specific design parameters would be implemented later when a tenant for the lab space is approved.
Executive Director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership Matt Gladdek spoke during the public comment period on Wednesday. He said providing the wet lab space in downtown was a vital piece of economic development downtown.
“How many UNC researchers are going off to RTP and to Durham to locate?” Gladdek said. “They have said that they would prefer to stay in Chapel Hill, but there’s no space for them. We know that wet lab can’t be done at home, and it can’t be telecommuted. And this is a really important part of our economic development future for our downtown.”
Featured photo courtesy of Perkins Eastman
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This building, like many other new construction in Chapel Hill is aesthetically ugly and reminds one of what is seen in many communist countries. It may be utilitarian but Chapel Hill and Carrboro need classically trained architects and designers badly to blend functionality with humanistic and aesthetically pleasing design. This building does not fit the property or the aesthetic of what Chapel Hill needs for the future.
I agree. Our daughter was a Peace Corps volunteer in eastern Ukraine living in building that looked exactly as described above. While we’re a growing town, Rosemary and Franklin Streets newest constructions, along with other “mixed use communities” in the north of town near I40 exit 266, have looked this way ever since the horrible green monster at the end of Rosemary West was built. I’m still wondering how many of these new accommoddations are fully rented or owned before new ones are approved. If the university has any part of the building how much would it mean in lost town revenue? Our community has little land left – building “green” has taken on a new meaning due to the extent of “pop=up” communities nestled in spaces next to archival and revival spaces. I wonder what the reaction would be if several sold homes on West Rosemary, e.g., around Boundry St, only to have the land gobbled up by those from out of state petitioning for “exceptions/exxemptions” to building laws? Any thoughts there?