Downtown committee gives answers

The Chapel Hill Town Council's Committee on Lots 2 and 5 received and reviewed Monday preliminary documents that will initiate the search for a project developer.

Project consultant John Stainback, of Stainback Public/Private Real Estate LLC, presented a request for qualifications draft at the committee's meeting Monday.

Stainback also presented a preliminary request for proposals draft, which the committee will review Jan. 10.

"I think it's important for them to see the work that's been done," Stainback said.

Parking lot 2, behind Spanky's restaurant, and parking lot 5, across from University Square, will be developed into mixed-use facilities.

The latest estimates state that the project will cost about $82.3 million.

On Monday, committee members reviewed and commented on several sections of the RFQ draft.

Notable changes included a revised draft project schedule, a clause on developer teams and a lengthened "town facts" section.

Committee member Sally Greene said the RFQ will give the committee a better idea of how to filter developers.

"You can tell pretty quickly which ones are giving you a cookie-cutter design and which ones will work with you," she said.

Stainback said he had already identified five to eight regional developers to contact. Committee members will choose three to five from the respondents to the RFQ.

Additional portions of the project call for a new parking deck to be built on Rosemary Street in place of the RBC Centura building, which will move to the lot 5 development.

Plans also call for adding between two and four levels to the Wallace Parking Deck. The exact number of levels will be known Nov. 30, when Stewart Engineering Inc. completes a feasibility study, Stainback said.

"It's pretty standard to have three or four levels above garages," he said.

The committee also reviewed a memorandum sent by Janet Kagan, a member of the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission.

The memo addresses several issues the commission identified with respect to the public arts portion of the project, which committee members voted to refer to the council for review.

The committee also decided to add a stipulation to the Tax Increment Financing section that states that the council hasn't yet determined its position on the new form of financing.

Voters approved TIF, or self-financing bonds, in this year's election. Half of the $6.2 million budget for the proposed RBC parking deck could potentially be offset by using the bonds, Stainback said.

Stainback also discussed with the committee the pre-proposal conference, a meeting with potential developers set for Jan. 11.

"I think we're going to have to be very in sync. ... We've got to come off very professional," he said. "This is your chance to attract developers."

Between 50 and 100 developers might attend the conference, Stainback estimated.

The RFQ draft will be revised and presented to the council for review Dec. 6. It will tentatively be distributed to developers Dec. 13.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.