Shelton Station development progresses

The Shelton Station development is no longer just an idea — it’s a work in progress.

The developer of the project — which would be located at 500 N. Greensboro St. and include retail, office and residential space — held an informational meeting Tuesday for neighbors.

Kenneth Reiter, owner of Belmont Sayre and the developer of Shelton Station, spoke on the development’s progress in obtaining permits.

After meeting with six committees and advisory boards last summer and receiving input from the town of Carrboro in October, Reiter said the next step is to host a public hearing in January.

He said plans for the development include retail and office space and 94 apartments, 20 percent of which are to be affordable housing.

“In all reality, it’ll probably be half offices, maybe one restaurant use, and the rest will be retail use,” he said.

He thinks the development will fill the need for more office space in Carrboro.

“I probably will move my offices there,” he said.

But many nearby residents have expressed concern about traffic patterns and the possibility that Greensboro Street may need to be widened in the future.

“It seems almost inevitable that we’re going to see some sort of pressure to widen the road,” said Lisa Hamill, a property owner in Carrboro who attended the informational meeting.

She said she is concerned neighbors near the development could lose some of their yard space if the road is widened, even if it is a right of way.

“I think Carrboro is going to grow one way or another,” she said.

“If it can grow in a thoughtful, well-planned, environmentally wise, community-minded way, then that’s a blessing for Carrboro.”

Reiter said the company has revised the permit to address neighbors’ concerns about traffic patterns.

He said he has reduced the size of the project to keep the road from being widened — which he doesn’t think is the right solution for Carrboro.

“You can’t necessarily build as much as you would like because of traffic patterns and stuff like that,” he said.

David Jessee, Shelton Station’s property owner, said he understands increased traffic is part of the deal with the development.

“When we don’t have traffic, we have a problem,” he said.

Reiter said he also wants to focus on reducing the carbon footprint of the development by encouraging alternate forms of transportation like bikes and public transit.

Reiter, who is also a Carrboro resident, said he has kept the needs of the town in mind throughout the development process.

“No project addresses every plus and minus, but I think there are a lot more pluses,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.