Economy & Downtown
Chapel Hill's downtown has long benefited from its proximity to a captive audience of University students without cars. While downtowns around the country have been failing, ours has survived fairly well. However, we have seen an increase in the number of chain stores locating downtown, and instability in the Downtown Economic Development Corporation. In the near future, we will see new Town-directed development on two major parking lots have a big impact.
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Carrboro's downtown has also done better than many towns of comparable size, thanks largely to the presence of Weaver Street Market and progressive shoppers from the rest of the county. The Board of Aldermen has been addressing the evolution of the downtown, and have established a number of community resources in the downtown area including free wireless Internet access, and a low-power radio station.
Will students shop there? Will downtown residents? Will it draw customers away from Carrboro's market?
The Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership is working with local farmers and the town's Parks and Recreation Department to establish an afternoon market on top of the Wallace Parking Deck this spring.
- newsobserver.com | Chapel Hill seeks farmers market, 2/18/08
And my main question: Will the Town finally clean up the scuzz at the Wallace Deck? The place is currently filthy, dark, and smelly. One of the least appealing parts of our downtown.
I'm all about supporting local businesses, fostering vitality downtown, and sustaining local agriculture. But I'm not clear how a farmer's market makes the top priority list, especially when we have a great one established a mile away in Carrboro (and sometimes in Southern Village). I'd like to hear more about the rationale for this.
WCOM 103.5 FM Broadcasts 11th National Homelessness Marathon:
7-10 PM live, Feb 20. Local speakers: Laurie Tucker and Chris Moran of
IFC, elected officials Sally Greene, Mark Chilton, Eric Hallman.
Webcast
www.communityradio.coop.
10PM-8AM Feb 21 Homelessness Marathon National Broadcast.
www.homelessnessmarathon.org.
February 20, 2008 from 7pm to 10pm live on WCOM 103.5 FM, webcast
www.communityradio.coop
7-8pm Who Are the Homeless?
Laurie Tucker, Residential Services Director for the Inter-Faith Council and her guests Abdul and Elaine put a face on homelessness.
8-9pm How Can We Help?
Sally Greene, Chair of Orange County's 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness,
Mark Chilton, Carrboro Mayor and
Eric Hallman, Hillsborough Commissioner struggle to find answers.
9-10pm Your Voice,Your Turn Call 929-9601
Chris Moran, Executive Director of the IFC, a local non-profit
organization that operates two shelters for the homeless, will be
availble to take your calls.
10pm till 8am on Thursday the 21st Homelessness Marathon National Broadcast
The Homelessness Marathon's mission is to raise awareness about
homelessness and poverty in America and around the world. Go to
www.homelessnessmarathon.org. for more information!
Date:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Location:
WCOM 103.5 FM, webcast www.communityradio.coop
Take this with a big grain of salt, as the study comes from the right-wing John Locke foundation (who are constantly in the papers, in spite of the fact that they have shown that ideology trumps ethics in their "research").
According to the Locke Foundation, the per person tax burden in other towns amounted to:
[- $2,424 Holly Springs;]
- $2,198 in Morrisville;
- $2,055 in Chapel Hill;
- $1,991 in Durham;
- $1,976 in Cary;
- $1,945 in Hillsborough;
- $1,935 in Carrboro;
- $1,891 in Knightdale;
- $1,875 in Wake Forest;
- $1,866 in Fuquay-Varina;
- $1,816 in Raleigh
As I read Tom Roche's comment on the new development in Carrboro and the idea of the Developer attempting to get out of building adequate parking by claiming it is the "Green Thing to Do" - Building parking = Less profit. It is nice to see to Progressives and Builders agreeing that more parking is bad, even if it is for different reasons - I am struck by something I had never really thought about - Is Downtown development the problem and not the solution?
I don't know and I don't really have a vested interest in any of this other than being a suburban resident with limited access to services without the use of a car - thanks to zoning and a really big, wide and dangerous street (MLK BLVD) separating me from shopping and services. I am very proud of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and what they are trying to do with their downtowns - better lighting would be my first thought.
But wouldn't it be nice if there was a small development, perhaps with some rental apartments within walking distance of the neighborhoods off Weaver Dairy or if it was less annoying and dangerous to walk to the ones off Homestead?
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