UNC Health’s proposal for the Eastowne campus has been part of discussions at Chapel Hill Town Council meetings for six months, and the idea has been debated for much longer. An 8-1 vote last week approved the conditional plans of the development, including a $5 million commitment to create an affordable housing loan fund.
President of UNC Hospitals Janet Hadar said UNC Health looks forward to expanding access to health care in Chapel Hill.
“UNC Health appreciates the Chapel Hill town council’s approval of our Eastowne project. Expanding much-needed health services for the residents of Chapel Hill within their community will allow for much easier access. We look forward to planning the next phase of expanding our Eastowne campus, and continuing to improve access to care in our region for many years to come,” Hadar said in a statement after the council’s passing vote.
UNC Health’s decision to include a $5 million commitment for affordable housing in their proposal came after council members voiced concerns about needing spaces for the eventual Eastowne campus employees to live. The commitment played an important role in the vote made by several town council members, including Michael Parker.
“UNC has made an unprecedented financial contribution to affordable housing in our community but it’s also, I believe, the beginning of where UNC Health is acknowledging and exhibiting a willingness to work with the town on mutually solving an enormous problem which is our affordable housing crisis,” Parker said.
During the meeting, UNC Health also committed to preserving at least 12 acres of the nearby forest — anecdotally called the Northern 20 — which was an increase from its prior 10-acre offer in May.
Many town council members continued to cite concerns about a potential parking deck on that portion of the land, which is an important hickory oak forest.
Still, they acknowledged the other benefits of the development, like decreasing traffic and adding accessible medical offices for patients. Karen Stegman said she believes it’s a worthy trade-off.
“This decision really reflects that so often this job that we have up here so often is about tradeoffs and about balancing priorities and they’re actually often in conflict,” Stegman said.
“I think this is one of those times when there’s a lot of good and then some things that we wish were different but, in my opinion, having health care like UNC so close is such a huge benefit and value to this community,” Stegman added.
Adam Searing was the lone vote against the Eastowne development, citing the proposal’s coupling of both the parking deck and medical office building developments.
“I don’t like the fact that those two items are joined together. I am all for negotiation and compromise but joining these two things in this proposal I think is a mistake and I really wish they weren’t joined,” Searing said.
Camille Berry said she is committed to improving traffic in Chapel Hill so that the parking deck on the Northern 20 isn’t needed when it comes time for UNC Health to build it within the next 20 years.
“I am for this project, which means I also have to take responsibility for seeing how we can move in the next 2 years, because that’s what I am committed to, to see how we can improve our traffic so that a parking deck is not needed. This facility is needed. I’d rather take a chance on this, than take a chance on losing it to another developer who will not work with us,” said Berry.
Berry said she has used the current medical building located on the Eastowne campus and she appreciated its free parking and the easy access to her providers, without having to drive through town.
“UNC Health, right here in town, provides services that cannot be had elsewhere,” Berry said, “How do we make it easier for them? And then, how do we make it easier for our community?”
Paris Miller-Foushee’s remarks echoed the same sentiment as the other seven council members who voted affirmatively for the development.
“I’m excited as well to be able to, for the first time, have this partnership with UNC to address town needs. I’m glad that you all are coming to the table. It’s something that we’ve been asking. Community will benefit, UNC employees will benefit, this is a great benefit to our community.”
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