I recently attended a lecture at the Chapel Hill Public Library by Chuck Flink, an award-winning author, planner and landscape architect who has designed greenways in 250 communities, in 35 states, and in Europe, Asia, and South America over the past four decades. Flink is known worldwide for his greenway work, and has received four […]
Posted inChapel Hill, Chapel Hill Town Council, Housing
They Said Yes: For the first time in years, the Chapel Hill Town Council Approves New Housing Downtown
They said yes. After years of rejecting proposals to build new apartment buildings downtown, on Wednesday night the Chapel Hill Town Council voted 9-0 to approve a seven-story apartment building on the corner of Columbia and Rosemary. This new project will be built by Grubb Properties, who is already building several buildings (including a wet […]
Posted inChapel Hill, Housing, Public Comment, Transportation
Six Joni Mitchell Songs Other Than ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ That People in Chapel Hill Should Listen To
It’s happened again. Someone has written to the Chapel Hill Town Council imploring them not to “pave paradise and put up a parking lot.” When I hear someone use those lyrics when discussing the possible development of housing, I immediately know I have encountered an unfortunately not-so-rare breed: the Boomer NIMBY (BoomBY™). Blending the worst […]
Posted inHousing
Does the local real estate market respond to both supply and demand?
The big argument in Chapel Hill housing politics is a simple one: Does the local real estate market respond to both supply and demand? I think it does. There is a massive local and national demand for housing in the Triangle region. Chapel Hill is a great place to live. Other people think that Chapel […]
Posted inThings to do with kids, UNC
A love letter to the UNC Surplus Store
There are thick plastic drapes that you have to push aside to enter the UNC Surplus Store, a squat building located at 846 Estes Drive Extension. But what magical things await you behind that vinyl curtain. If you haven’t been, the UNC Surplus store is worth the trip. It’s cash only, and it contains […]