Some good news from the folks over at Golden Belt, who report that pre-leasing of the nicely designed live/work loft apartments is going well ahead of schedule. As of this writing, a little less than half of these units are pre-leased, according to a representative of Scientific Properties.
Which is a very decent clip indeed, especially when you consider that the entire complex has yet to open, and represents a first foothold in an historically disinvested part of the Bull City.
Meanwhile, the artist studio spaces adjacent to the residential section are almost completely reserved at this point, with just a small number remaining.
The first artists residential units are slated to get their inaugural occupants on July 1, with nine loft residents able to move in then. Another round comes in mid-July, with the remaining units available August 1. The artist studios will begin to be occupied on July 17.
Scientific notes it's still working on more announcements to come in the next few weeks, including a likely announcement of Golden Belt's first artist-scholar studio in residence. Scientific is also gearing up for the Jacob Lawrence exhibition -- the first of its kind outside of NYC -- in the coming months, as announced on WUNC's The State of Things back in May.
No definitive word yet on restaurant or entertainment/live music tenants for the complex, though the hint of more announcements to come in the coming months holds promise for more news of interest from the east-of-downtown redevelopment.
(For more on Golden Belt, see the earlier BCR posts on their residential and office/work spaces.)
hi - new to town here, love the work you do on this site - so informative...hoping you could satisfy my curiosity...have seen a lot of activity over the last couple weeks at the old tobacco warehouse across Main Street from the Duke East Campus (near the Dominoes Pizza)....is that affiliated with the University or other development? Thanks!
Posted by: s | July 03, 2008 at 02:26 AM
@S: My understanding is that that building (the Smith Warehouse) is being 100% converted to Duke office and classroom space. Classroom space in the form of a digital media classroom and arts space was already added several years back on the western side of the building, and now the remainder of the building has been exited by Liggett and is available for university use. More over at Endangered Durham (http://endangereddurham.blogspot.com/2008/04/smith-warehouse.html)
Posted by: Bull City Rising | July 03, 2008 at 05:46 AM