More on the Morris Ridge, Ninth St. North projects

Two proposed development projects in the pipeline for central Durham have updates in the public eye this week.

First up: a rezoning proposal appeared before Durham's Planning Commission for the second phase of Ninth St. North, the mixed use development proposed by developer Glenn Dickson on the site of the old Biscuit King, just north of Elmo's Diner.

If you blinked, you missed the agenda item, though, which was continued for 30 days at the mutual request of Dickson and of neighborhood leaders John Schelp (Old West Durham) and Meredith Emmett (Watts-Hillandale), who are continuing to negotiate on committed elements and plan features before providing the project with any neighborhood blessing.

Current committed elements on the rezoning plan under consideration this month included a maximum 45' building height within 50' of Green St., and the eventual construction of a sidewalk along the eastern side of Iredell St. Ninth St. North has been proposed to have up to 145 residential units along with retail and commercial space in what could be a 200,000 sq. ft. development.

Also back in the public eye: Morris Ridge, whose plans we looked at here last month, got some media treatment in this week's Triangle Business Journal. Among the new news in Amanda Jones Hoyle's reporting:

• Hank Scherich expects to spend at least $15 million on the project, and for his firm, Measurement Inc., to become a tenant in part of the space -- assuming the 300 employee firm has grown to the point of needing it by then;
• About 25 condo units are envisioned for the first phase along Hunt St., with more to be built as the project moves forward;
• A 600 car parking deck slated for the center of the block once the project is eventually built out;
• Scherich's director of planning/development Drew Medlyn notes that initial discussions with banks "were very positive," and assuming site plan approval with the City and financing are worked out, a start date of mid- to late 2009 is hoped for.

Comments

[barry]

at least he's not asking the city to build a parking deck for him.