University planners say this is a first pass at the initial phase of development at Carolina North. Source: UNC Chapel Hill
By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer
Planners for Carolina North concluded their series of community meetings last week with the third presentation of the school’s efforts to craft a design for Carolina North.
Jack Evans, the project’s executive director, said that the first 15 years of buildout at the site will add roughly 2.5 million square feet of university programs, partnerships, housing and retail, commercial service and civic space.
The first phases of construction would likely begin at a realigned entrance across from Piney Mountain Road. At last week’s presentation, planners pointed to a “dogleg†design along a north-south transit corridor. The initial cluster would likely include university programs, an innovations center for public/private partnerships, a transit center, services, retail and housing.
Law School
In an interview prior to the last presentation on Thursday, Evans said discussions are still being held on a possible move by the law school. The school, which just completed an expansion, is already looking at another expansion project. What they are finding, Evans said, is that the cost of building the expansion and building a new school altogether are not that far apart. The nature of the school, which is not as closely linked to other departments as most programs, makes it a more likely candidate for a move.
Parking
For the first 15-year phase, UNC is estimating that it will need between 4,700 and 5,200 parking spaces on the site, with most of those clustered in decks near transit corridors. The 50-year parking projection calls for between 10,500 and 11,600 spaces.
Energy
Evans said plans are still in the works for to site a co-generation plant somewhere on Carolina North. The plant, which planners say would reduce Carolina North’s overall energy efficiency, would produce both steam and electricity. A fuel source has not been picked, Evans said, but quickly added, “We know it’s not going to be coal.â€
The project is scheduled to be presented to the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees in July and presented to the Town of Chapel Hill for review this fall.
Comments and feedback from the community meetings along with the school’s plans for Carolina North are at http://research.unc.edu/cn/community.php.
Kirk, UNC actually plans a few additional community outreach meetings throughout the Summer.
Oh, and it was the 4th round (though few people are counting ;-) ).
Next meetings:
* Tuesday, July 31, 2007 at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. (School of Government, room 2603)
* Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. (School of Government, room 2603)
The 5:30 sessions will be repeats of the 3:30 sessions.