The new eatery is scheduled to open today, and restaurant managers say the dining room is booked for dinner tonight. Peter Grills, 23's director of operations, said parking would be available in three separate lots near the restaurant, located at 200 W. Franklin St. 23 will use the lot previously occupied by Hardee's at 213 W. Franklin St., as well as a lot at 317 W. Rosemary St. and one on Church Street.
Chamber of Commerce President Joel Harper said that because the lots were privately owned, the town of Chapel Hill would not lose any parking.
"Those lots were never available for town parking,"he said. "Jordan asked for some town lots before, but that request was denied. The community is not losing any parking."
Harper said the original request was denied by the ChapelHill Town Council in October, but the decision was negated because the lots were not town property.
The Hardee's lot is owned by Boddie Noell Properties, a Chapel Hill company. The lot directly behind the restaurant is owned by the N.C. Association of Pharmacists, and the third lot is owned by West Franklin Preservation Limited Partnership, the company that owns Pavilion II, where 23 is located.
Antoine Puech, a Pavilion II developer, said free parking would be available in Lot 5, on the corner of West Franklin and Church streets. He said he did not think parking would present a problem for customers.
"Between the valet and town parking and the additional parking on the East side of Franklin at the decks, there is more than enough,"he said. "I think there is actually more parking than seating in the restaurant."
Grills said valet service would cost $5. There are more than 100 spaces available in the lots, he said.
Harper said he anticipated increased traffic on Franklin Street for the next few weeks, due to the opening of 23.
