Duke Unveils Plans for Possible Central Campus Development
Duke officials pledge to work closely with neighborhood leaders before moving forward
Thursday, March 18, 2004
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Duke officials publicly unveiled a 50-year plan for their conception of the development of Central Campus last week before an audience of approximately 70 area residents and neighborhood leaders.
Tallman Trask, executive vice president, on March 10 told Durham residents and business owners that he and university consultants want to give the 200 acres between East and West Campus the feel of a "student village."
They want fewer cars, more green space, more attractive buildings and single-family homes for faculty and staff.
"We're not looking to become a destination for non-Duke people," Trask said.
Trask was speaking at a community meeting at Asbury United Methodist Church.
The first phase of the plan, which could start this summer, calls for two multi-storied residence halls on Anderson Street and sufficient eating establishments to accommodate students, as well as a possible medical center building. The 1,000 beds in the existing Central Campus 1970s-era apartment buildings have outlived their use and would be torn down.
Over the next several decades, the university also may consider a string of university and medical center office buildings along Erwin Road, Trask said. Duke Gardens could extend north to Erwin Road, and a monorail system might run the one mile between East and West Campuses to transport students and others between the two campuses.
The university might sell some land to build homes for faculty and staff, much like the Trinity Heights Homesites near East Campus. There might also be a small hotel, a bowling alley and an auditorium.
Frank Duke, Durham's planning director, said he did not foresee any proposed use that would not be allowed under existing zoning ordinances. Representatives of neighborhoods near campus support the general concept of the redevelopment, said John Schelp, president of Old West Durham Neighborhood Association.
Several community residents said they appreciated the university's willingness to communicate with the public. They also liked the university's plan to preserve green space and lessen car traffic on campus and maybe even ban parking on Anderson Street.
Tom White, president of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, did not attend the meeting but reviewed the conceptual plan.
"The Central Campus plan is a work in progress, but it is sensitive to the needs of the community at the same time it addresses the university's internal needs," White said.
Still, there were some concerns. Some people said they worried that Duke's inclusion of retail space on Central would draw students away from Ninth Street businesses and isolate students from the Durham community.
"It doesn't benefit students to stay closeted in what I'm calling 'Dukieland,'" said Skip Anderson. "It's a mental wall created by Duke, by providing for every single student need on campus."
Schelp repeatedly asked Trask for a commitment that not more than 10,000 square feet of space would be devoted to retail that was not university-related. Residents, he said, don't want anything beyond a performing arts center, residence halls, restaurants, a bowling alley, a hotel, a campus bookstore, a coffee shop and a store selling Duke attire.
Schelp said that businesses which locate on the Duke campus would have an unfair economic advantage over off-campus businesses that have to pay property taxes.
In response, Trask said he might hike the rents of retailers to account for what they would have to pay in property taxes and give the money to local government, thereby negating any on-campus economic advantage. He said he could not commit to a limit on the square footage at this time, but he did not intend to exceed 10,000 square feet (which equals about five shops, according to Schelp).
It is in Duke's interest for downtown, Ninth Street and Broad Street to thrive, Trask said, adding that he would like to help Ninth Street revitalize and address its parking issues.
"If anything we do stiffs Ninth Street, then we'll stop," Trask said. He also said that he expected local firms to have an opportunity to provide the restaurants and other services for students, just as they now do in the Bryan Center, Duke's student union, and in on-campus residence halls.
John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, noted that if university land is sold to build homes for faculty and staff, local government would receive a significant boost in property tax income.
Citing the residences in the Trinity Heights Homesites, which used to be on tax-exempt university property, Burness said that the city and county now receive an estimated $100,000 in annual property taxes.
In addition, Burness stressed that the new residents there would likely patronize the nearby shops on Broad Street and Ninth Street.
"It's an issue of density," and what these shopping areas offer, Burness said, pointing out that many students and others now drive to Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. If more people live near Ninth Street, "they will naturally increase the action there."
Duke officials said they will take into consideration the community's concerns as they review the draft plan by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services. Major decisions must be approved by the Duke Board of Trustees and meet all city zoning requirements.
"We've got to go to our trustees for necessary approvals for any of the things now under consideration for Central Campus, but we wanted to first talk with the community," Burness said. "We realize we may not be able to accomplish every single thing we are now contemplating, but we're talking in good faith."
