As a resident and cross-street neighbor of the proposed development at 500 N. Greensboro St., I find myself conflicted regarding that particular piece of property. I will agree this property is not being used at its highest and best use and what with vacant land being such a premium in Carrboro; however, the proposed development is not the answer.
To put such a high-density cluster in this space would not only change the whole dynamic and atmosphere of this area but also create a traffic nightmare.
This area of Greensboro Street, even on a good day, can be a traffic headache what with traffic at a virtual standstill on most mornings and late afternoons. Additionally, the corner of Greensboro and Shelton streets is a main corridor for buses and vehicles to Carrboro Elementary School, and while the developer is proposing a project with limited parking to hopefully limit increased traffic, in theory, this project will still dump additional traffic into an already overburdened intersection. And the proposal of redesigning this section of Greensboro Street to add turn lanes while eliminating the front yards of the old mill homes on Greensboro Street seems a high price to pay for simply more apartments. Couldn’t a more neighborhood-friendly mix be just as appropriate, like row homes or tasteful duplexes? I guess that simply does not bring rewarding enough revenue on an initial investment – ah yes, the bottom line.
I think just as troubling as the potential traffic nightmare is the proposal and reality of some similiar developments. A developer notices and wants to capture and be a part of a particular area, whether for its beauty or some other facet, and yet by bringing this development to that particular area it destroys what it was trying so hard to be a part of. Bringing this high-density mix to Greensboro Street will forever alter this historic section of Carrboro. What a sad loss that would be.
This proposed development for 500 N. Greensboro St. is not the right mix for this neighborhood. Surely there is a better solution.
William Derey
Carrboro