Good morning, readers.
On Tuesday evening, nearly 200 Durham residents joined a virtual meeting hosted by Morningstar Law Group to weigh in on the potential redevelopment of the Lakewood Shopping Center.
Nil Ghosh, a lawyer at Morningstar, said the developer plans to revitalize a 8.35-acre portion of the property by refreshing the retail storefronts to the left of the Food Lion and adding climate-controlled self-storage to the site, which Ghosh said will help underwrite the improvements.
Many residents voiced concerns during the Q&A portion of the meeting about the lack of housing in the plan and said that self-storage added little value to the community.
Lakewood has struggled to maintain its once vibrant attractions. The shopping center was previously home to a movie theater and small amusement park early in its history. Over the years, it has lost its appeal as shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retail has declined. Food Lion has remained an anchor tenant for decades, and other service-oriented businesses like El Centro and Lincoln Community Health Center have found success in the district.
The district’s other major tenant is the reuse arts nonprofit Scrap Exchange. The organization moved to Lakewood in 2014 and purchased a 10-acre portion of the district two years later in hopes of eventually transforming the shopping center into a “national center for creative reuse.” Ghosh said the two groups have been in communication about future plans but no formal collaboration is expected.
Lakewood Shopping Center is not the only historic shopping district with an uncertain future. Northgate Mall has been sitting in limbo since Northwood Ravin bought the property in 2018. Residents of Walltown and other surrounding neighborhoods have been negotiating with the new owners for years, but the two opposing sides have yet to find common ground on how to best reimagine the mall. Both the Lakewood Shopping Center and Northgate Mall require rezoning approval from city council, which gives the neighbors significant negotiating power, so long as they continue to have allies at City Hall.
Have a great weekend, readers.
—Justin
Durham
Kevin “Rowdy” Rowsey II, a North Carolina hip-hop icon and the executive director of Durham’s Blackspace, has died.
Durham’s city council members instructed city staff to begin the process of adding a $200 million bond referendum to the November ballot for improvements for the city’s parks, streets, and sidewalks. The bond proposes $115 million for streets and sidewalks and $85 million for parks and would add 3.45 cents to every $100 of assessed property tax value. [Paywalled]
Voices: Durham-based tattoo artist Terin is making $100 tattoos a form of high art.
Wake
Armadillo Grill on Glenwood South is closing after 20 years in business.
Orange
Carrboro town leaders heard a presentation from the town’s finance director about the upcoming budget at a council meeting Tuesday evening.
The UNC Chancellor Search Committee held its first meeting with search advisory firm Parker Executive Search.
North Carolina
North Carolina lawmakers have a long to-do list for the upcoming legislative short session.
Today’s weather
Cloudy with a high of 83 degrees, a chance of storms.
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