
By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL – In a unanimous decision, the Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday approved Shortbread Lofts, a seven-story, 85-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail planned for 333 W. Rosemary St.
Council member Donna Bell was absent and council member Laurin Easthom recused herself from the vote because her husband’s law firm is working with the developers on the project.
The 144,290-square-foot project is planned for 1.4 acres located across from Breadmen’s Restaurant and includes a rooftop track, pavilion and community garden; 121 parking spaces; and 37 bicycle parking spaces. Developers said rental rates would average $724 a bedroom, including utilities. Managing partner Larry Short also developed Warehouse Apartments on West Rosemary, which opened in 1999.
A number of West Franklin Street property and business owners had expressed concern about the closure of the Dawson Place right-of-way that the development will require, as it merges the properties on either side. However, developers agreed to maintain access to the West Franklin properties at all times during construction, and the council approved the closure of the right-of-way.
A number of residents spoke in favor of the development, citing a need for dense student housing close to campus.
“We believe Shortbread Lofts is exactly the type of project that downtown needs,†said Jim Norton, director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.
“We also think this relieves some of the pressure to try to convert some of the single-family dwellings in the Northside community,†he continued.
Robert Humphreys, owner of the property at 422 W. Franklin St., adjacent to the project, said he felt the project would increase the residential density of downtown, thereby increasing the customer base of downtown businesses.
“Unlike some of the other new residential projects downtown, Shortbread Lofts is being built primarily as student-based rental housing,†he said. “It will open full, and it will stay that way for years to come.â€
Alexander Stephens, associate director for the Northside-based Jackson Center for Saving and Making History, said he had concerns regarding the affordability of the development for both families and students.
“It’s still not going to draw those students away from those houses when they have much cheaper options in single-family residences in the neighborhood,†he said.
Council members said they felt the project would add to the overall development of downtown.
“A lot of the council’s movement through this decade … has been to populate downtown with full-time residents,†council member Ed Harrison said, adding that while he felt they should think about limiting the number of high-rise projects downtown, “I don’t think we have hit the limit on this one.â€
Council member Penny Rich said she felt the project would be good for downtown, regardless of its focus on student housing.
“I really don’t want to judge it on the merit of whether it’s going to be student housing or not, or whether it’s going to take people out of Northside,†council member Penny Rich said. “We need to judge it on whether it’s a good project. … Overall, I think it’s a really good project.â€
Developers said construction is planned to start in June.