So there's this lot in downtown Chapel Hill in the historic district. It's on Kenan Street. And last year, the house on the lot was destroyed in a fire and torn down.
Land is scarce in downtown Chapel Hill, and vacant land is even scarcer. And, yet, the town’s land use rules, including those in the historic districts, make it difficult to build the housing that we need on this site or others like it.
We've talked about the historic district before and how it limits Chapel Hill's potential. It's likely that a developer complying with the stipulations of the district would propose a single family home on the lot.
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But...what could this lot look like if we changed our restrictive land use rules? For instance, what could be built if the town agreed to remove this lot (which can be done) from the historic district?
Well, we could make about a dozen units. But that project likely couldn't be realized because it would cost more to build then to sell at a modest profit.
But what if we took this lot -- which is located very close to UNC, on a bike route -- and allowed a more ambitious project?
Instead of a single-family house, a developer—either a private builder or a nonprofit—could build 55 microlofts, with a building that would be the same height as The Graduate Hotel that’s literally across the street. Each apartment would be between 379 and 584 square feet.
There are very few studio and 1BR rentals in downtown Chapel Hill, so this project would fill a vital need. While we can’t predict what these units might cost, it’s reasonable to expect that they will be among the most affordable apartments downtown.
And, creating more housing options would likely reduce the rise in rents elsewhere in our community.
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Firms such as N5 Architecture in Seattle specialize in transforming small urban lots into reasonably-priced multifamily and commercial space–which is sorely missing from Chapel Hill. This is 59 homes.
While you might think that this is something that only works on the West Coast, or in big cities, we only have to look to Asheville, where there will soon be an 80 unit apartment building on a lot that’s smaller than 106 Kenan, to see what’s possible.
If we removed 106 Keenan from the historic district, and removed a few unnecessary zoning rules, we could build almost as much housing on this single property as exists on the entire block.
If, instead, we choose to keep current land use restrictions, we’ll continue to see a lot of vacant and under-used land downtown. New large-scale developments will be met with considerable resistance and, even if they’re approved, will only be affordable to high-income people.
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Too often, when people complain about politics, they’re told to vote. A better solution is to get involved in local government, who make decisions on the some of the most critical issues we face—where we live, how get around, and who can be our neighbor.
Contact the Chapel Hill Town Council and let them know that you support land use reforms that will make it easier to build housing in and near downtown. (Here's our guide on how to write to them and what to say.)
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There's another shakeup at The Local Reporter! Keith Barber - the editor for....two months and change...is out. And Terry E. Cohen is in. Read more!
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