New Visitor Developments
Listed below are some changes and renovations expected with existing visitor-related features in Durham as well as new items currently under development or in the planning stages. If you have any questions or would like more information about any of these visitor developments, contact Shelly Green, President & CEO, at shelly@durham-cvb.com or (919) 680-8302 (primary), or Margaret McNab, Public Relations Coordinator, at mcnab@durham-cvb.com or (919) 680-8326.
| Name | Location | Description | Status | Opening Date |
| 106 W. Parrish Renovation | 106 W. Parrish | Plans call for the renovation of the three-story, brick building located on Black Wall Street into residential, office and possibly retail or restaurant space. | 106 W. Parrish Renovation | Spring 2012 |
| 300 East Main | 300 East Main | A 10,000 square-foot New York / Miami inspired facility built to hold 275 people featuring state of the art lighting, sound, and video. | Under Development | Spring 2012 |
| 320 E. Chapel Hill Renovation | 320 E. Chapel Hill St | Plans to renovate the exterior of the historic three-story building at 320 E. Chapel Hill St. to allow for two condos, office space and two different café/bar businesses on the building’s ground floor. | Under Construction | TBD |
| Alston Avenue Expansion | Alston Avenue to Holloway Street | $19.2 million widening of one-mile stretch of Alston Avenue from the Durham Freeway north to Holloway Street. North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to make Alston Avenue a four-lane road divided by a median. | Under Consideration | May 2014 |
| American Tobacco Campus Expansion | American Tobacco Campus | Two buildings featuring 158,000 square feet of offices, retail, residential or hotel space. One 81,000-square-foot building would sit directly northwest of DPAC; the other would wrap around the center's parking deck. | TBD | TBD |
| American Tobacco Trail (Segment from Hwy 54 South) | N.C. 54 South to the Chatham County Line | This project includes the completion of four miles of the American Tobacco Trail (ATT) from NC 54 to the Chatham County line and will include a bridge across I-40 west of the I-40/Fayetteville Road interchange. The trail will be paved and will include several pedestrian signals at roadway crossings along the route. | Out to bid | TBD |
| Baldwin Auditorium | Baldwin Auditorium at Duke University | Renovations to Baldwin Auditorium slated to begin in Fall, 2011 with an anticipated re-opening in 2013-2014 academic year. $15 million in infrastructure upgrades to Baldwin - which was part of the original campus in 1924 - as well as upgrade the acoustics of the auditorium and furnish it with new seats and other amenities. | 2013 | |
| Chesterfield Building | Former Liggett & Myers Factory | Plan to renovated the seven-story, 360,000-square-foot former Liggett & Myers factory at the corner of Main and North Duke streets into 140,000 square feet of office space, 93 apartments, 10,000 square feet of retail space, some storage space and a rooftop swimming pool, jogging track and green space on top. | Pending Financing | TBD |
| Circle Ninth Street | 2109 Hillsborough Road | $47 million four-story apartment complex with 303 units, central lawn, community park, dog park, pool and fitness courtyard. Architecture style will mirror the existing style of historic Erwin Mill. | TBD | |
| Diamond View III | American Tobacco Campus | Newest building planned for development in the American Tobacco Campus area overlooking the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Construction slated to begin in April 2012 with completion targeted for mid-to-late 2013. The building will include 115,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of retail space. | Mid-to-late 2013 | |
| Documentation of African American Sites | Historical Significant Sites in Durham | Preservation Durham is conducting a three year project to identify and preserve sites of historical significance in and to the African American Community in Durham County. | Currently Underway | Anticipated completion date: Summer 2012 |
| Downtown Durham Parking Deck | Corner of Parrish and Church Streets | 320-space, $7.4 million parking deck which is a joint plan between Greenfire and the county. The garage will be built in 5 years on what is now a 0.8 acre city-owned surface parking lot. The county will lease 210 spots in the new deck to Greenfire and the additional 110 spots will be available to the public at an hourly rate. | Construction Start 2013 | TBD |
| Duke University Central Campus Redevelopment | Campus Drive, Duke University | $400 million dollar redevelopment includes 500 bed spaces for students, new space for the visual arts departments, the languages, literatures, and cultural studies departments, the John Hope Franklin Institute, new classrooms, a library commons, and dining, recreation and other services that will serve the needs of the campus community. Minimum of LEED Silver certification is the target for all construction with some buildings to be identified for higher goal. | Construction Underway | TBD |
| Duke University Health System | The Cancer Center will adjoin the Morris Cancer Clinic | Duke University Health System will spend $800 million on a new cancer center, medical school learning center, medical pavilion in addition to an open space quad and connectors. The seven-story cancer center, which will adjoin the current Morris Cancer Clinic, will consolidate outpatient cancer services and clinical research, functions currently spread across the health system's campus. It will add 140 exam rooms, 75 infusion stations and a pharmacy. The medical tower will include an eight-floor pavilion, which will have 16 operating suites and 96 critical care beds. | Construction Underway | Phase I Opens Feb 2012 |
| Duke University Special Libraries Renovation | West Campus | Modernization of the Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collections Library and transformation of the 1928 West Campus library building and its 1948 addition into a state-of-the-art research facility. | David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library | 2015 |
| Durham Central Market | Downtown Durham | 10,000 square foot neighborhood co-op grocery located on Mangum Street between Hunt and Broadway Streets with a parking lot and 3500 sq. feet of green space. | TBD | |
| Durham Central Park Cohousing Community | 132 Hunt St | Durham Central Park Cohousing Community closed on the purchase of less than an acre of land downtown at 132 Hunt St., which is where they plan to build a four-story, 24-unit condominium to be shared by 20 families. Construction is slated to begin in Sept 2012. | November 2013 | |
| Durham County Courthouse Art Wall | Durham County Courthouse | Compilation of the photographs for the art wall in the new Durham County Courthouse is complete, final selections will be reviewed before the project is assembled. | Under Review | TBD |
| Durham County Human Services Complex | 400 block of E Main St, Government Services District, Downtown Durham | $70 million 277,000-sq. ft. complex that will house the Durham Center, Public Health Department, and Department of Social Services. Phase 1: Construct a 4- to 6-story building to house the Public Health Department. Phase 2: Demolish the former health department building and construct another 4- to 6-story building across a central courtyard from the first. | Under Construction | November 2011 |
| Durham County Justice Building | Between South Mangum and Roxboro Streets | $116 million dollar project to build an 11-story, 298,500 sq.-ft. building. Project will include a 900-space parking deck and a public plaza. Office will house Superior Court and District Court, various court-related offices, and provide space for the Durham County Sheriff's Office. | Clear the site as soon as possible with courhouse bidding to be done by the end of 2009. Construction to begin March 1, 2010. | August 2012 |
| Durham Rescue Mission Expansion | 507 East Knox Street | $4.5 million 34,000-square-foot expansion of Durham Rescue Mission to begin with Center for Hope addition which will add 88 more beds and include an expanded kitchen and dining room. Phase two will be dormitory buildings and the third phase will be to build permanent supportive housing. | Groundbreaking in early 2012 | TBD |
| East End Connector | Durham Freeway and U.S. 70 | $162 million, 16-mile project, which includes a 3.6-mile expressway between the Durham Freeway and U.S. 70 as well as improvements to U.S 70. | Construction begins 2013-14 | TBD |
| Five Points Project | 102 Morris Street | Renovation of Five Points Buildings into residential, restaurant, office and retail space. Flagship businesses include: Bullseye Bicycle, All City Pizza, The Cupcake Bar and Center Studio Architecture. | Under Construction | Spring 2012 |
| Greenfire City Center Redevelopment | Downtown Durham | $284 million in downtown Durham to redevelop and create over 1 million sf (not including parking) of mixed use space. Greenfire is working with the City of Durham on a public/private partnership to redevelop within a 12-block area surrounding the Parrish Street corridor. Projects include: Rogers Alley, Boutique Hotel and Spa, Orange Street Mixed Use, Parrish Street Office Tower, Ramseur Residential, East Parrish Street Mixed Use. | ||
| Historic Durham Athletic Park Redevelopment | Corner of Corporation St and Morris Street | Second phase includes building the Minor League Baseball Fan Experience and Museum. Also, plans are to build a large facility that would overlook center and right fields. | TBD | TBD |
| Historic Parrish Street Forum | 112 W. Parrish Street | A 2,500 square foot interpretive space honoring the legacy of African American entrepreneurs and businesses that developed America's "Black Wall Street." Located in the original 1908 headquarters of Mechanic & Farmers Bank. | February 2012 | |
| Hollow Rock Access Area at New Hope Creek | 32 acres in Durham County along Erwin Road | Phase 1 consists of building nature trails, information signs, bird-watching platforms, a parking lot, pedestrian bridges, bike racks, a picnic ground; renting portable toilets; and moving the old Hollow Rock Store building to the site and restoring it for a visitors' center. Phase 2 adds permanent restrooms and more trails, but is contingent upon closing the dirt section of little-used Pickett Road. | Under Development | TBD |
| Hummingbird Bakery | 725 Broad Street | Amy Tornquist's new bakery project "Hummingbird" to be located on the first floor of 725 Broad Street. | Under Construction | TBD |
| Leigh Farm Park | Southwest Durham | 89-acre park will include an 18-hole disc golf course, three buildings for Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic; and restoration of the historic garden of heirloom flowers. | Constuction Underway | 2013 |
| Library - Main Branch | Durham County Library on North Roxboro Street | Proposed $10.8 million renovationo to the current building including a reorientation of the entrance to the Liberty St. side straight into the second floor of the building, providing a more visible entry to improve the perception of security and to align the entry with downtown, regrading the eastern side of the site to replace the two long, sometimes distant parking "strips" with a parking lot closer to the building itself, and interior renovations to recapture space lost to inefficient mechanical systems and stairs, with a net addition of possibly 9,000 sq. ft. in a 65,000 sq. ft. shell. | TBD | |
| Maureen Joy Charter School Relocation | Y.E. Smith School Property | Proposed deal to convert the former Y.E. Smith School building to a home for Maureen Joy Charter School which would allow the Charter to double its capacity. | Pending Zoning Approval | 2013 |
| NCCU Expansion Project | NCCU, 1801 Fayetteville St | Four phases of development will expand the growing NCCU campus. Expansion includes: adding two new parking decks, a new student union, a new library and renovation of the current library, several new commons areas, a new convocation center on Fayetteville St. | NCCU Expansion | All Phases Complete 2017 |
| Pauli Murray-Robert Fitzgerald House | 906 Carroll St | Plans by a consortium including Duke's Pauli Murray Project to purchase and renovate the Durham childhood home of the famed activist. | TBD | TBD |
| RDU Terminal Renovation, Expansion, and Redevelopment | Terminal 1, RDU International Airport | Delta, United, Continental, US Air and JetBlue have relocated to Terminal 2 as Terminal 1 is closed to passengers in preparation for a $60 million makeover. Terminal 1 will reopen with modern amenities including new bag handling system and glass elevators and with Southwest as its anchor tenant. The building's northern appendage will be closed permanently. A small museum, "Heritage Hall" will be located behind the Delta Air Lines Ticketing Counter in Terminal 2. | Phase 2 | 2014 |
| Rizzo Center Expansion | Rizzo Center | The Rizzo Center is looking at an expansion to include an additional 65 rooms and 8,000 sq ft more meeting space. | 2014 | |
| Ronald McDonald House Expansion | Alexander Avenue | Expansion that will add 25,000 square feet, 21 more suites and five more rooms to the house on Alexander Avenue. | Under Construction | Fall 2012 |
| South Durham Farmers' Market | South Durham | The Durham County Farmland Protection Advisory Board and the Durham and Orange county Extension offices are organizing the south-Durham market which will most likely be in the area of Woodcroft and Southpoint Mall. | Under Development | April 2012 |
| The Durham Sculpture Project | Downtown Durham | A monumental 30ft sculpture designed by Durham artist John Wendelbo, to be built in Durham and donated to the Durham community. Grassroots fundraising effort underway to pay for the $800,000 in fabrication and materials expense. | Fundraising Stage | TBD |
| The Measurement Building | Downtown Durham | 74,000-square-foot office and retail building in downtown Durham. Measurement Durham, a spinoff from Measurement Inc., has formed a company called Measurement Building LLC to finance and construct the five story, $12 million project. | Under Construction | July, 2012 |
| The Renaissance at Durham Centre | Next to existing Durham Centre tower above the Morgan Street parking deck across from Carolina Theatre | 15-story tower of 186 plush condos, a restaurant, and potentially a five-star hotel. Estimated cost: $50 million. Amenities could include a doorman, health club, concierge service, valet parking, security, swimming pool, and meeting and entertainment space. | Construction to begin when 40% of condominiums are reserved | TBD |
| The Spark: Downtown Boutique Hotel | 111 Corcoran St | Plans call for converting the 17-story Hill bank building into a 165-room boutique hotel featuring penthouse condominiums, a restaurant, upscale services and spa offerings. When finished, it could be the first hotel to be LEED certified in North Carolina. A permit was issued July 5, 2011 for internal demolition work. Denver, Colo.-based Magnolia Hotels Management Co will be partnering with Greenfire on the project. | Under Construction | Mid 2013 |
| The Straw Valley Project | Intersection of Interstate 40 and 15-501 | Phase 1 & 2 include a $2 million renovation of existing buildings on 4.5 acres between 15-501 and New Hope Commons. Plans will preserve wood beams and other historic details from the original artistic enclave. Will include a mix of specialty retail, banquet, and office space. Phase 3 calls for a luxury boutique hotel. | Renovations Underway | |
| Tower at Lakeview | Intersection of Erwin Road and Downing Street | A $54 million, 14-story tall apartment tower. If built, it will be the tallest apartment building constructed in the Triangle in more than 30 years. | Construction could begin as early as summer 2012 | 2013 |
| Ultimate Frisbee Complex | Hamplin Road, North Durham | Plans call for a six-field private park for Ultimate Frisbee players on a 22.6-acre site off Hamlin Road in north Durham. Zoning was approved by County Commissioners in September, 2011. | Triangle Flying Disc Association Ultiplex | TBD |
| University Marketplace(Regency Plaza) Redevelopment | 3117 Shannon Rd | $50 million project that includes razing the current Regency Plaza and building a mixed-use community with retail shops on the ground level and apartments or condos stretching four or five floors. Plans call for up to 140,000 sw.-ft. of commercial space and up to 389 residential units. | On Hold | TBD |
| West Union Building Renovation | Duke Campus West | West Union building renovation calls for a completely revamped student life center as well as the creation of an events pavilion. The project is entirely funded by a $80 million gift by the Charlotte-based Duke Endowment; construction will begin July 2013 and will be completed July 2015. | July 2015 | |
| Woolworth Site Redevelopment Project | 124 W Main St | Project to redevelop 0.54 acres, on which the historic Downtown Durham Woolworth store sat, for mixed uses, including office and retail and amounting to more than 75,000 sq. ft. (at least 4 stories with potential for as many as 13 stories). | Greenfire Development purchased the site. | TBD |
Developments Under Consideration
Bethpage Office Park
Proposed office park to be developed by Tri Properties. Plan to develop 55 acres off Chin Page Rd in southeastern Durham. Initial plans call for 3-5 office buildings ranging from 100,000 to 150,000 sq.-ft—to total 1 million sq.-ft. of office space.
Carver Street Extension
Extending Carver Street one mile in northeastern Durham from Danube Lane east to Hamlin Road.
City Park and Athletic Field Complex
Snow Hill Rd, just southwest of Little River Reservoir, opposite Northwood Forest neighborhood - proposed $9 million, 105-acre complex featuring 8 athletic fields and adjacent to a planned middle school. Once funding is in place, site development could take 2 years.
Downtown Loop Two-Way Conversion
Conversion of the streets that comprise the “downtown loop” (Roxboro Street, Morgan Street, Great Jones Street, and Ramseur Street) from one-way to two-way traffic to improve vehicular and pedestrian access to the downtown core and potentially facilitate continued economic redevelopment.
Duke Park Bathhouse
Firm has been hired to perform field work to assess the state of the bathhouse and determine its future.
Hayti Museum Project
Former Mechanics & Farmers Bank building on Fayetteville St becomes an artifacts museum including Blues History.
Heritage Square Redevelopment
Current Heritage Square shopping center in the historic Hayti business district to become an 800,000-square-foot collection of shops, offices and residential units. $125 million dollar project would need both private and government investment. Rezoning of district has been approved. Timelines and funding have not been established.
Joven Northeast Creek
188-acre project at the northeast corner of Ellis Rd and NC 147 to develop 209 single-family homes, 207 townhouses, 260 apartments, 235,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, and 89,000 sq. ft. of office/other space.
New Hope Creek Corridor Regional Park
43 acres of former Duke Forest land purchased in April 2005 by the City and County of Durham, Orange County, and Chapel Hill to be developed for recreational use; it is the first regional park partnership between the four local governments; inter-governmental agreement, grant funding, and plans approved.
Ninth Street North, Second Phase
Nearly 225,000 square feet of apartments, retail and office space to the block between Ninth and Iredell streets. Project approved by the Durham Planning Commission in January 2009.
Ninth Street Redevelopment
200,000-square-foot project that would include a mix of street-level retail, office space and multifamily units along the 600, 700 and 800 block of duplexes, parking lots and small commercial buildings.
Regional Rail Transit
The Triangle Transit Authority, Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Triangle Council of Governments, NC Department of Transportation, and Regional Transportation Alliance are rethinking inter-city transit throughout the region.
Southside/Rolling Hills Redevelopment
Concept of a mix of apartments and townhouses, "flex buildings" for residents or businesses, new parks, and reconfigured streets to restore physical aspects of Hayti in the Rolling Hills subdivision and the adjacent, Southside.
Van Alen Project
1.86 million square feet of offices, shops, residences, hotel rooms and parking decks on the former Elkins Chrysler-Mitsubishi dealership, a six-acre site bounded by Jackie Robinson Drive and Roxboro, Mangum and Dillard streets. Rough plans include a building with up up to 200 hotel rooms and up to 200 condominiums, plus two office buildings.
Water Connection
Durham, Orange Water & Sewer Authority (Serving Chapel Hill and Carrboro), Chatham and Orange counties are considering joining in on the construction and operation of a water connection to provide extra reservoirs during future droughts. Construction of the intake would be more than five years down the road, but less than 10. It is roughly estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars.
