The gourmet food and boutique items shop Southern Season remained open in Chapel Hill for 44 years at University Place mall. But after closing in January 2020, the space sat vacant and largely untouched.

On Monday, the start of a new chapter for the site began, as developers started demolition of the empty store.

Ram Realty Advisors, the ownership group of University Place, held a ceremony at the property near the corner of South Estes Drive and Fordham Boulevard. Town of Chapel Hill officials and mall tenants joined to watch a demolition vehicle crunch the side of the clocktower and entrance to the building. The demolition is the latest step in widescale redevelopment at the mall — with several new buildings and store fronts expected to be built once most of the eastern side of the existing University Place building is scrapped. Leadership of the redevelopment told Chapelboro the entire demolition and removal of materials is expected to last around eight weeks.

For a video of the initial minutes of demolition to Southern Season, watch below.

By Thursday, more work was being done on the outer walls for the former store building.

 

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