Development in Chapel Hill has long been a controversial subject.
Those who want the town to keep pace with the changing world are in favor. Those who prefer retaining the “Village on the Hill” aura are often against it.
Clay Grubb knew that when his company, Grubb Properties, decided to buy the iconic Glen Lennox neighborhood, which had once been owned by his father Bob Grubb and his wife Rochelle, who oversaw all interior and exterior design plans, including landscaping.
Glen Lennox had been built to accommodate the influx of students, many on the GI Bill, after World War II. The land east of the UNC campus along route 54 was turned into an enclave of cozy apartments with on-street parking and front yards and backyards, where residents socialized, and tree-lined streets.
The 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units were leased quickly, and for years it was the preferred rentals for young graduate students and families and retirees who were downsizing from larger homes. Vacancies were rare and a waiting list was long. Now, the average lease is five years, but several residents are approaching 50 years living there.
After Grubb bought Glen Lennox from a local group that included Frank Kenan, Jr., Terry Sanford, Jr. and Clay Hamner, his first proposal for redevelopment was rejected by the Chapel Hill Town Council because it was too extreme. He tore up that land plan and, after more than a year of weekly visits from his corporate office in Charlotte to meet with residents, returned with a plan that spoke to the retention of uniqueness that remains today.
The plan called for a combination of new apartments on unused land along 15-501 and condominiums and some office space along the north side of route 54. It also included a pledge from Grubb to carefully examine the viability of keeping and upgrading many of the apartments along Hamilton Road.
Knowing this transformation would continue to be controversial, Grubb made perhaps his most important move. He retained Vanessa Blackwood-Spinks, the long-time employee and now Senior Property Manager who had worked at the property for many years. A Chapel Hill native and UNC graduate, Blackwood-Spinks knew the history of Glen Lennox and learned what changes Grubb planned to make.
“It’s just such a unique place,” Blackwood-Spinks told Chapelboro.com. “People to this day feel comfortable living here. We have folks who come back whose parents, grandparents lived here. Due to the convenience and location, it’s still one of the places to be. We have some exciting things going on that have been well received.”
That has a lot to do with Blackwood-Spinks, who is a liaison between the corporation redeveloping the property and the questions people have about its future. The stylish Link Apartments Linden have been at near capacity since they opened two years ago, and the neighboring Link Apartments Calyx will be finished and ready for occupancy by mid-2023. Each has multiple levels but is far from the high-rise buildings that have concerned some Chapel Hillians.
The long-range plans include refurbishing the Glen Lennox Shopping Center, one of the oldest in the state that once had a grocery store and coffee shop and was a regular walking destination for neighbors. Now they join customers from all over town at Coco, the new restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the ground floor of the Gwendolyn office building adjacent to Link Apartments Linden.
“Our residents have discovered Coco, which is a short walk, and they take their dogs with them and sit on the patio,” Blackwood-Spinks said. “Other people who don’t even live here come and walk the neighborhood. There is nothing quite like it in Chapel Hill.”
She added that Grubb Properties has retained and grown the maintenance staff that promptly makes repairs requested and the landscaping crew that takes pride in treating the lawns and flower beds with the same care they have had since Rochelle Grubb created an enhanced landscaping plan for the property.
“She wanted things to look nice and professional,” Blackwood-Spinks recalled. “And to this day, I think about how Rochelle would like things maintained. She always inspired us to present a positive image.”
Ron Cox is the regional maintenance director for Grubb Properties who makes regular visits, and veteran on-site supervisor Rodney Alston has been there for 21 years. They recently celebrated Maintenance Appreciation Week, where Grubb Properties treated the entire staff to lunch at Top of the Hill.
“Grubb is the leader to me,” Blackwood-Spinks said. “They treat folks with high standards and we just want to provide excellent customer service, to always go above and beyond.”
While some of the original 440 apartment homes have been taken down to make room for the construction of Link Apartments Linden and Link Apartments Calyx, Blackwood-Spinks says the notice “is about a year” for residents who have had to vacate, and Grubb has offered assistance if residents want to relocate on the property or elsewhere. She said that current residents are aware that more changes are coming but feel like they will receive plenty of notice if they have to move.
“We’re honest,” she said. “Residents see activity going on, but we wouldn’t just send a notice to vacate to someone 60 days out. That’s what’s required if you don’t renew a lease, but we’re not going to send a letter and say, ‘You’re going to have to move in 60 days.’ We care about our residents and want to give them as much notice as possible in the event they have to relocate.”
“The unknown can be concerning to all of us, but I think residents have seen how things with Redevelopment have progressed in a positive way,” she said.
“And we have been very, very open about it. We still hold regular community meetings. During the pandemic the last couple years, we have held on-line Zoom calls. We include residents and interested neighbors. We’ve invited them to call in to learn about Redevelopment activities and ask questions.”
Members of Grubb Properties Executive and Senior Development teams and property staff are present on the calls.
(featured image via Grubb Properties)
“Glen Lennox Stories” is a series on Chapelboro sponsored by Grubb Properties
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