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 [email protected] or (919) 680-8302 (primary), or Heather Darnell, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, at [email protected] or (919) 680-8326.
| Name | Location | Description | Status | Opening Date |
| 21c Durham | 111 Corcoran St | Plans call for converting the 17-story Hill bank building into a 125-room boutique hotel restaurant/bar and museum showing curated, rotating exhibits of "museum-quality" contemporary art that is open free to the public 24 hours a day, similar to other 21c museum hotels. | Under Construction | 2015 |
| 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 | TBD |
| 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 |
| 605 WEST | 605 W. Chapel Hill St. | Memphis developer EdR and Javelin 19 of Washington, D.C., is building the $46.1-million, 338-unit 605 West apartments on a 3.2-acre tract on 605 West Chapel Hill Street. The complex will include a swimming pool, yoga studio, attached garage and Internet access. | Under Development | 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. | Under Construction | July, 2013 |
| Baldwin Auditorium | Baldwin Auditorium at Duke University | $15 million renovation underway including enlarging the stage, improving acoustics, upgrading lighting and air conditioning and adding box seating. Completion | Under Construction | Spring 2013 |
| Bull McCabe's Covered Patio | 427 West Main Street | Bull McCabe's is adding a covered patio in lot adjacent to the pub. | Under Construction | 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. | Under Construction | TBD |
| Circuit Drive Amphitheatre, Pavilion & Reclamation Pond | Intersection of Circuit Drive, Towerview & Erwin roads | 12-acre site between Erwin Road and Circuit Drive near Towerview Road, which will be transformed into a park like setting. The $9 million initiative will include a 6-acre, 23 million gallon pond, pavilion, bridge, boardwalk, walking paths and amphitheater and with lawn seating. Once operational, the pond will collect rainwater and runoff from 22% of the main campus area and be utilized in the nearby chilled water plants to cool and dehumidify campus and medical buildings. | Ground-breaking, Spring 2013 | Spring 2013 |
| Diamond View III | American Tobacco Campus | Newest building planned for development in the American Tobacco Campus area overlooking the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The building will add an additional 130,000 square feet of retail and office space to the American Tobacco Historic District and will maintain the campus' signature style of rehabbed factories with modern features and amenities. | Under Construction | Mid 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 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. Construction Underway | 2015 |
| Durham Bulls Athletic Park Upgrade | 409 Blackwell St. | The Durham Bulls Athletic Park will receive a $14-million makeover and upfit. Improvements would include a terrace-seating area behind center field, low-water toilets, an improved sound system, LED video signs and a banquet area big enough for several hundred people. New concessions would go above the right-field seats, extending from the existing canopy to the end of the grandstand. Currently, all concessions are on a concourse behind the stands with no view of the field. | Under Development | TBD |
| 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 is building on less than an acre of land downtown,. They will build a four-story, 24-unit condominium to be shared by 20 families. The Community will have 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units with access to common dining room, kitchen, great room, meeting rooms, guest bedrooms, gardens, and rooftop patio. | Under Construction | 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. | Completed, March, 2013 | 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 | June 2013 |
| 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. | Opened March, 2013 | Early 2013 |
| 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. | Opened February, 2013 | 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 |
| Erwin Square Restaurant & Retail Center | Ninth Street & Hillsborough | Shopping center anchored by Harris Teeter with space designed to house restaurants and retail. | Under Construction | TBD |
| 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. | ||
| Hilton RTP Renovations | Research Triangle Park | The 249-room hotel will undergo $7.5 million in renovations including a redesign of the lobby, meeting spaces and guest rooms and the addition of a new restaurant. | Late 2012 | |
| 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 |
| History Hub | 521 West Morgan Street | Museum of Durham history to be located in the former DATA bus hub at 521 West Morgan Street. | Early 2013 | |
| 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 |
| Library - Main Branch | Durham County Library on North Roxboro Street | Proposed $10.8 million renovations 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 | Plans call for the renovation of the former Y.E. Smith School building to house the Maureen Joy Charter School which would allow the Charter to double its capacity. | 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 |
| Nicholas School of the Environment | A 70,000-square-foot five-story, glass-and-concrete building to serve as the new home of the Nicholas School of the Environment; incorporates the highest sustainable features and technologies, and meets or exceeds the criteria for LEED platinum certification. | Breaks ground in late April 2012 | Summer 2013 | |
| North Carolina Central University Construction and Bond Developments | 1801 Fayetteville St | $121 million, state-bond-funded building program that is making NCCU one of the fastest-growing schools in the University of North Carolina system. Between 2002 and 2004, five new buildings, additions, or renovations were completed, including a $2.8 million renovation/expansion of B.N. Duke Auditorium. Other projects include a $35 million, 120,000-sq.-ft. New Science Complex and the $4.4 million renovation of Shepard Library. | New Science Complex: Construction began Late 2003 | New Science Complex: Complete June 2005 |
| North Carolina Central University Construction and Bond Developments | 1801 Fayetteville St | $121 million, state-bond-funded building program that is making NCCU one of the fastest-growing schools in the University of North Carolina system. Between 2002 and 2004, five new buildings, additions, or renovations were completed, including a $2.8 million renovation/expansion of B.N. Duke Auditorium. Other projects include a $35 million, 120,000-sq.-ft. New Science Complex and the $4.4 million renovation of Shepard Library. | Shepard Library: Renovation began May 2004 | Shepard Library: Complete August 2005 |
| Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice | 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, Under Construction | 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 |
| Southside East Phase I | Lakewood Avenue between South Roxboro and Fayetteville streets | A mixed-income apartment complex, complete with a community center, playground, swimming pool and retention pond. $11 million for Phase I, which is being built on 6.2 acres along Lakewood Avenue between South Roxboro and Fayetteville streets. The Southside project area encompasses approximately 125 acres located south of the Durham Freeway and just north of North Carolina Central University. Construction of the first phase of rental development will begin in the spring of 2012 and will consist of 119 rental units and 13 “live-work” units located at Lakewood Avenue and Roxboro Street. McCormack | Under Construction | TBD |
| 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 Holland Hotel | 315 E. Chapel Hill St. | The Gentian Group, made up of Durham investors, plan an $11 million transformation to the former home of the Mutual Community Savings Bank into the 54-room Holland Hotel with a restaurant and rooftop bar. | Under Development | Spring, 2014 |
| The Powerhouse Building | 300 Fuller St. | The property was sold for $2.275 million to Durham Realty, which is a support corporation for Duke University. Duke University will renovate the property and use it for Duke purposes. | TBD | TBD |
| The Renaissance at Durham Centre | Next to existing Durham Centre tower at 300 W Morgan | 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 |
| 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 to begin in early 2013 | 2014 |
| 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 | $75 million mixed use redevelopment project featuring 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. | Preleasing | 2013 |
| West Main Street Repair Work | Campus Drive at Duke University’s East Campus | The City’s Water Management Department is making long-term improvements to the City’s water infrastructure by replacing major waterlines that were built in the early 1900s. Short sections of West Main Street will be closed while work is performed. Will coincide with bridge replacement project. | West Main Street Repair Work | 2013 |
| West Union Building Renovation | Duke Campus West - Events Pavilion | West Union building renovation calls for a completely revamped student life center as well as the creation of an events pavilion, a new 25,000 square foot meeting and event space. Completion is scheduled for summer of 2013, but the facility will be used as a temporary dining facility while the adjacent West Union building is renovated until summer of 2015. | July 2015 | |
| Woolworth Site Redevelopment Project | 124 W Main St | Project to redevelop the corner of Main and Corcoran, on which the historic Downtown Durham Woolworth store sat. The five-story base (25,000 square feet), and tower will be as much as 26 stories tall and include some retail, some office and a fair amount of upscale urban apartments. | Site sold to Colorado developers Greg and Jane Hills in Nov. 2012 | 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.
