Carolina Alumni Review - November/December 2008

AROUND TOWN

Center Overhaul Would Keep Cradle in Place

Since the beginning of the decade, Carrboro planners, aldermen and developers have been batting around ideas for a complete overhaul of the shopping center at 300 E. Main St., anchored by the Arts-Center and Cat’s Cradle. For years, it was only talk. Over the summer, Cat’s Cradle dropped hints of moving to Durham if the town did not act on the redevelopment proposal.

On Sept. 1, the Board of Aldermen approved plans for four five-story buildings, including a Hampton Inn, Carrboro’s first hotel, and a parking deck. Many residents expressed concerns that the new center would be too large and would attract chain stores to a village that encourages mom-and-pop, one-of-a-kind businesses.

Construction of the first phase — the hotel and 18,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space — is scheduled to begin in 2009 and open for business in 2010. Developers said that Cat’s Cradle need close for only a few days during renovation and would reopen with larger capacity.

Campaign Targets Football Fans

Eight Chapel Hill area organizations recently teamed up to bring business to downtown. Each home football weekend, more than 50,000 fans stream into Kenan Stadium. Local businesses would like them to sample what the town has to offer. Businesses report anecdotally that customer traffic has increased since the “Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” campaign kicked off this season.

The GAA joined with the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, town of Chapel Hill, UNC’s athletics department, the Rams Club and Tar Heel Sports Properties to bolster the community, hometown spirit and economic activity during football weekends. The campaign is an extension of the “Fifth Quarter Chapel Hill” promotion begun in earnest last year.

After hints that Cat’s Cradle might move to Durham, Carrboro aldermen approved a redevelopment plan for its shopping center.

Laurie Paolicelli of the Visitors Bureau said at mid-season that downtown businesses were pleased so far with the results but that the booster organizations expect it will take a year or two before the full effect of their efforts will be felt.

Mint Brings More Indian
Food to Franklin

Franklin Street is home to a battle of the basmati. Mint, a restaurant specializing in Northern Indian cuisine, opened at 504 W. Franklin St. (formerly Shorty’s Grill and Bar) in September a couple doors down from India Palace, 508 W. Franklin.

Mint owner Deljit Singh ran Tamarind, a similar restaurant in Apex, before selling it and returning to India. He and his family recently returned to the U.S. and scouted restaurant space in Chapel Hill. Singh’s son, Rupinder Singh, manages the restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, as is its full bar.

Mint, 504 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, (919) 929-6188

Downtown Condo Complex
Opens Sales Office

The sales team for 140 West, the condominiums at 140 W. Franklin St. (Parking Lot No. 5 in its humbler days) opened its sales office in October. A few days later, the sales agents hosted a tailgate party before the UNC-Connecticut football game.

Though the project stirred controversy during its town approval phase, sales agent Tracey Kunz reports that 29 out of the 149 units sold between the kickoff announcement in June until the sales office opened

DANIEL COSTON

at 126 W. Franklin St. Units range from 960-square-foot studios to two-story penthouses of 3,400 square feet. Pre-con-struction prices run from $360,000 to $1.8 million.

140 West, 126 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, (919) 942-3381

University Mall Reaches Out

A UNC alumnus has a say in how University Mall presents itself. Ed Camp ’ 80 took over as mall manager in May. Since then Susan Reda joined the staff to take charge of special events, and the mall has shown community outreach by including booths for 10 nonprofits at its annual Hot Diggity Days sale in July and through a sandbag levy display in August to raise money for Midwest flood victims.

Mall owner Madison Marquette also opened an online suggestion box. The development company has been considering a makeover of the mall, maybe even to include residential space. Over the summer and into the fall, 78 people shared opinions, ranging from pleas to sign more local vendors in lieu of big-box stores, to bringing in more light and plants and increasing bus service between the mall and campus.

Mall owners have yet to submit a redevelopment proposal to the town

In and Out at Eastgate

Massage Envy opened its fifth franchise store in the Triangle by easing into a space between The Loop Pizza Grill and Great Outdoor Provision Co. in September at Eastgate Shopping Center. Franchise owner Jock Johnston has hired 13 massage therapists to staff this, his third Massage Envy shop in the Triangle, and expects to hire more to keep up with demand. (919) 442-0500 … Fillipo and Sylvia Tornetta have likely tossed their last pizza in Eastgate. Sal’s Pizza and Ristorante there closed at the end of June when the rent for the Tornettas’ nook almost doubled. Pizzas at Sal’s had been a neighborhood tradition for 28 years. The couple hopes to find another space in the area. The Sal’s at the Station at Homestead on Homestead Road is still open. (919) 932-5125.