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More info sought on mall-library deal

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Staff

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

CHAPEL HILL —Town officials are not in formal negotiations with University Mall owner Madison-Marquette just yet, but fact-finding efforts kicked into a high gear Tuesday night as the Chapel Hill Town Council delved a little deeper into the details of a possible new home for the Chapel Hill Public Library.

At a meeting at Town Hall delayed for eight days as a result of last week’s foul weather, council members peppered Town Manager Roger Stancil with questions and concerns about the proposal, which would forgo expansion at the current library site and move it into 62,000 square feet of space now occupied by Dillard’s at the north end of the mall. Stancil is due to issue a full report on the plan at the council’s Feb. 14 meeting.

New information at Tuesday’s meeting included the likelihood that the town would have to purchase the property in order for bond dollars slated for the expansion project to be used toward the move and upfit of the Dillard’s space.

Madison Marquette has estimated that a fee simple purchase of the property would cost the town about $4 million, a hefty sum that was not in the original proposal. The news left some council members questioning whether the town would see any savings from the deal at all.

“It looks like a wash,” council member Laurin Easthom said. “It looks like we’re not going to have any savings.”

But Stancil and Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos reminded the council that they have not been given the green light to negotiate with Madison Marquette either on price or the structure of the deal.

Karpinos said he would need to gather more information about what type of purchase would satisfy the requirements and what rights the town would retain over the property.

Stancil said the town would also save a considerable sum by moving the Parks & Recreation Department to Pritchard Park instead of building a new headquarters.

Council member Gene Pease said while the purchase requirement may raise the cost, he’d like to see more information on the actual range of costs. “I think you have to really scrub the numbers,” he told Stancil.

The council heard several concerns raised by library supporters, including Johnny Morris, who said the mall is going downhill and would probably fail. He also said the town had no business taking part of the mall off the tax rolls.

“I don’t believe the town should be buying up properties,” Morris said.

Others reminded the council that the voters approved the bonds for the upgrade of the building at Pritchard Park.

Council member Penny Rich said the responses to the town have been running about 70-30 against the move to the mall.

While the numbers are important, she said, residents are making it known they want to keep the library where it is.

Council member Sally Greene said she was also concerned about a change in ownership of the mall and other issues that might affect library operations.

She asked Stancil to include in his report what would happen if the mall were to be sold and how the rights of the other tenants of the mall might affect free speech and public access at the library.

In other action Tuesday, the council accepted a $623,000 grant from Orange County to install synthetic turf at Cedar Falls Park and set a public hearing for Feb. 21 on improvements to Coolidge Street.

The council was also scheduled to meet Wednesday for a public hearing after The Citizen went to press. The schedule for the meeting included proposed homeless shelter guidelines and the town’s “Complete Streets” policy as well as a concept plan review of the New Life Fellowship Church. The Citizen will include an update from the meeting in next week’s edition.

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