On Thursday night, The Chapel Hill Town Council started the negotiation process with the future developer of the Obey Creek project near Southern Village.

“We have a lot of commonality of interests in a lot of areas,” said Roger Perry, president of  the development company East West Partners. “It’s in the town’s best interest and our best interest that this works.”

Perry presented details of his development proposal to council members, focusing on the specific mix of uses and the design principles at the Obey Creek site.

Perry proposed minimum and maximum numbers for the amount of retail, office, residential, and hotel space at the property.

Here is the full chart:

Retail – 200,000 sf minimum – 475,000 sf maximum
Office – 150,000 sf minimum – 600,000 sf maximum
Residential – 250 units minimum – 800 units maximum
Hotel – 0 rooms minimum – 400 rooms maximum

Perry said an upper limit of 1.6 million square feet would be developed on 35 acres, and he said East West Partners would not build in a way that increases traffic beyond a threshold identified in a traffic impact analysis.

Perry said many of the residential units will be rentals available only for senior citizens. He also said “there will be almost no kids” in the proposed residential units.

Several council members expressed concern about the lack of age diversity.

East West Partners hired the architecture firm Elkus-Manfredi to work on the project. “The very fashionable word in planning now is that you have to curate the retail,” said architect David Manfredi. “It’s a little too cute for me, but the message is right that you don’t build space and then put a ‘for lease’ sign on it.”

Manfredi said the developer should plan spaces to accommodate particular uses. For example Perry proposed building a space to accommodate a large grocery store. He also said he wants to bring in a large department store.

Council member Jim Ward said that in addition to these large stores, the developer should plan spaces for “micro retail” or “affordable retail.”

Council members talked briefly about affordable housing, but they decided to discuss this issue in greater detail at the next Obey Creek meeting on December 8 at Chapel Hill Town Hall.

Related Stories
‹
What Happened to Obey Creek? Developer Says Project on Long-Term Hold
The Chapel Hill Town Council gave final approval for the Obey Creek Project in 2015. Since then, however, the project has ground to a halt.
CHTC Talks with Obey Creek Developer About Affordable Housing
Three Chapel Hill Town Council members volunteered to lead a working group to discuss affordable housing options for the proposed Obey Creek Development.
Chapel Hill Council Approves South Creek Project, Recommends Redesign for Old Durham Road Housing
As Chapel Hill looks to improve its housing variety, the town council recently approved one project and sent another back for a redesign.
650 Homes Proposed at South Creek to Neighbor Southern Village
After the Obey Creek development failed to find retailers to fill its mixed-use project in 2015, a new development may be slated to take its place. The South Creek development is proposing more than six hundred townhomes and condos in the space across from Southern Village.
New Senior Living Community Proposed Next to Southern Village
At the beginning of May, the Town of Chapel Hill’s Economic Sustainability Committee heard a presentation for a potential luxury housing development for residents 55 and older. The proposed South Creek development would replace the previously approved Obey Creek Project.
New Fire Station Starting To Feel Like Home for Chapel Hill Crews
Chapel Hill Fire Department’s newest ladder truck is doing a test run of its ladder. Clifton Brooks, who has been with the department for almost two years, mans the ladder from the bucket in the air. “You’ve got to be kind of careful because it can be kind of touchy,” he said as the ladder […]
Chapel Hill Holding Dedication Ceremony for New Fire Station
Chapel Hill will hold a dedication ceremony this weekend for the newly constructed fire station on Hamilton Road. Fire Station No. 2 has been functioning with Chapel Hill’s fire department for a brief period, but the ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin 11 a.m. on Saturday. The facility is a unique project for Chapel Hill, thanks to […]
Chapel Hill Considering Remedy for Fire Station 2 Cost Overruns
The Chapel Hill Town Council has a packed agenda Wednesday for its final meeting before four new council members are sworn in next week following this month’s election. The council will be considering whether to authorize the sale of a retiring ladder truck from the Chapel Hill Fire Department in an attempt to mitigate costs […]
Berkshire Group Buys Apartment Complex in Chapel Hill
A real estate investment company based in Boston has spent over $70 million to add a newly developed apartment complex in Chapel Hill to its regional asset portfolio. The sale of Alexan Chapel Hill was announced on Monday, with ownership of the 265-unit residential property having been transferred from East West Partners to Berkshire Group. […]
East West Partners Sells Environs at East 54 Housing Complex to Private Investor
East West Partners has sold the Environs at East 54 multi-housing community in Chapel Hill to a private investor, according to a release. Environs at East 54 is a 58-unit complex that was completed by East West Partners in 2015. Officials with Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P., who represented East West Partners in the sale, say […]
›