Council ponders lots 2 and 5

The Chapel Hill Town Council should move on to the next phase of its plans for redeveloping parking lots 2 and 5, but council members have been advised to solicit more opinions about the possibility of a four-story Wallace Deck.

The council received comments on the plan at a public hearing Wednesday night, though members will not make any decision on the issue until their Nov. 8 business meeting, when the council will decide whether to authorize developer solicitation on the projects.

"We (at Stainback Public/Private Real Estate LLC) think that the council should continue with its plans and are absolutely confident that developers will be attracted to this project," said project consultant John Stainback.

Regarding the Wallace Deck expansion, the council said that it will have the deck surveyed to evaluate the possible need for ground work to add more than one or two stories.

"If we can't add four stories without more groundwork to Wallace Deck, then we could have a potential problem," Stainback said.

Stainback also provided an update on the soil-borings conducted by Engineering Consulting Services Ltd. of Raleigh on the ground underneath both lots.

Based on a telephone call with the firm, Stainback said blasting would be required under lot 5 before excavation could begin but would not be necessary under lot 2.

Citizens and council members voiced various concerns during the hearing. Council member Bill Strom said the project would "go under the same scrutiny as any other project would go through in Chapel Hill."

Mary Jo Stone, chairwoman of the Downtown Commission, introduced two concerns that were echoed by others at the hearing.

"We need to support old businesses and make Rosemary Street more important," she said.

Stone said that construction would be noisy and messy, and the town must come up with "creative ways to help out the business that exist downtown already."

She said the town could develop a pricing strategy for parking. "People will take their business somewhere else if they can't park downtown," Stone said.

Betty Maultsby, owner of Lucky Stars on Franklin Street, agreed, saying that the town should make an extra effort to keep businesses and people in town. "Once you lose someone it is hard to win them back," Maultsby said. "We need to give everyone a good experience while they are here."

She said the town could hire cleaning staff to make up for the construction.

Rosemary Street also was a topic of discussion, and the council showed its enthusiasm for a "two-street downtown."

"I don't want to glide by Rosemary," said Mayor Kevin Foy. "I want to make Franklin and Rosemary Street equal."

Lots 2 and 5 are estimated to cost $70.9 million to build - the largest project price tag in town history.

The town will hold two public information meetings regarding the lots at the Chapel Hill Public Library on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.