UNC has Plans for Franklin Street

by | Jul 7, 2019 | Town Planning

The Board of Trustees approved UNC’s Master Plan for Central Campus in May but one feature of the plan has just grabbed the public’s attention —  the plan to create a new UNC entrance on Franklin and to raze and replace the old buildings along the 100 block of Franklin housing the Carolina Coffee Shop and other businesses.  UNC did not ask the Town to comment or review their plans, even this portion that affects downtown Chapel Hill.

Here are some interesting facts:

  1. UNC owns a fair amount of property on Franklin, and has its eye on purchasing as much as possible using its foundation and trust resources which put them beyond the oversight of the Council of State.  Example:  UNC recently tried  to acquire the Wallace Parking Deck from the Town and the surface lot at Columbia and Rosemary.
  2. UNC now owns about 40 % of the town and is required to pay no tax.
  3. Mr George Watts Hill gave a set of storefronts to UNC back in the 1920’s in the one hundred block of Franklin Street, the area that would be affected by UNC plans.
  4. Carolina Coffee Shop and other businesses  paid only modest rent over the years, and the tenants were made responsible for their own maintenance and repairs, including the failing sewer system and other utilities. Since that time UNC has neglected their maintenance and the buildings are in poor condition and can correctly say the properties are not in good condition.
It would be a shame for UNC to turn Franklin Street into a grand entranceway, at the expense of downtown Chapel Hill’s present and historic character.

Since the Historic District Commission (HDC) is charged with preserving and protecting the historic districts of Chapel Hill and values the history of our Downtown, Renuka Soll and a number of petitioners requested that the Commission consider and take action on the following:

  1. Ask HDC to form a study committee to look into conservation measures HDC or the Town of Chapel Hill could take to protect the character of Franklin Street;
  2. Report findings to HDC and the Town Council within 4 months;
  3. Request HDC send a letter to UNC asking them to reconsider this part of the master plan and to work with the town and the community on any design changes planned for UNC properties on Franklin Street.
Additional information:

Herald Sun article and video.  : https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/article231937213.html

Tarheel article.    https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2019/07/unc-plans-to-renovate-its-franklin-street-property-in-future.

This petition was presented to the Historic District Commission on July 10. If you would like to sign on to the petition which will eventually be sent again.