Bull City Rising

Golden Belt: Previewing the commercial/retail/entertainment space

On Friday, we took a look at the 37 apartment units and the 35 artist lofts available at Golden Belt, the important adaptive reuse redevelopment project taking shape on E. Main St. just to the east side of downtown. Today, we'll look at the remaining buildings in the Golden Belt project and their planned uses -- as commercial office space, retail, and dining, including (the developer anticipates) a space for live music or other entertainment.

To make sense of the mission and vision for these spaces, though, it's important to understand the project in the context of its arts focus. Scientific Properties' past projects include the redevelopment of 401 Foster Street after Andy Rothschild's purchase of the Venable -- and the resulting inevitable displacement of a number of local artists when redevelopment began -- created an awareness for the need for arts-focused space in Durham, as the Indy noted in this January 2007 article.

The development team for Golden Belt reports that is has been reaching out to artists and the arts community both here in Durham and in more established arts centers like New York, San Francisco, L.A., and Boston, among other major metros. No matter what the audience, though, Scientific has expressed an interest in working with tenants and entities beyond the corporate that dominate the scene in so many developments.

Unlike the vast majority of developers, who approach tenancy from a perspective of finding proven, high-revenue tenants wherever possible, Scientific maintains it's looking at providing opportunities and space for small businesses, design pros, and restaurateurs that may not yet be established, but which are looking for opportunities to succeed.

Unconventional? Sure. Surprising? Not in the least. After all, it's the result of a perfect compatibility between Golden Belt's presence as the largest-scale private sector redevelopment in East Durham and its arts mission.

Holiday lights, parade to sweep through downtown Durham this weekend

Is the holiday season getting you more bah-humbug than happy? Or are you the kind of person who loves the bright lights and evergreens and waits for it all year round? Either way, this weekend marks the time pageantry comes to downtown Durham with a wide range of events to officially kick of the holidays in the Bull City.

First up: Friday night's ceremonial lighting of the Lucky Strike water tower at American Tobacco. The white light bulbs going up the tower have been replaced with more seasonal colors to add a bit of flair to the centerpiece of the complex. Creekside Elementary, Carrington Middle, and Northern High students will provide some holiday entertainment, while WRAL's Ken Smith will stop by to host the evening's events. (What, we don't rate David Crabtree or Pam Saulsby this year?) The first five hundred folks in attendance, we're told, get a "souvenir light wand," too. Things kick off at 7pm tonight.

Then, from 9am to 1pm, Light Up Durham is sponsoring Talent All Over Town, a musical showcase of performances from DPS students in four venues (the ATC, the Carolina Theatre, 108 Morris St., and the Hayti Heritage Center.) There will be three blocks of performances in each space; check out the Light Up Durham web site for more details.

Finally, the highlight for many of the weekend festivities: the city's annual holiday parade, culminating in the first-ever "holiday tree lighting ceremony" on the CCB Plaza, with Bill Bell and Santa Claus present to bring the fun to a close. The parade this year starts later than before -- at 4 p.m., at the corner of Blackwell and Jackie Robinson Sts. by the DBAP.

The parade route will wend up Blackwell/Corcoran/Foster to E. Chapel Hill St., then will head past Rue Cler and the wreck-a-deck up to Mangum St. The parade then heads up Mangum St. to Morgan, down to Foster, and ending at Foster & Geer. Charlie Nelms, NCCU's new chancellor, will serve as the grand marshall for this year's event.

At parade's end, we'll have the aforementioned tree lighting at the CCB Plaza at 6:30. Durham Parks & Rec and the day's sponsors are also planning musical entertainment in the hours before the parade in both the CCB Plaza and the pavilion at Durham Central Park. Find out more details at the City's web site.

Hope to see you out for the fun downtown over the next couple of days.

305 South to close by end of October

Forwarded news from a reader: the 305 South Anti-Mall on Dillard St. is set to close by the end of the month, with an auction scheduled for Oct. 27 to close out most of the remaining inventory at the business.

As owners James and Michelle Lee noted in their email announcing the closure, "We are having such a hard time making it with out the music venue that we are just getting too tired to continue on this path. We have been in business 9 years in Durham now starting with the little house so we are sad. Come hang out with us at the auction and some friends have donated special things and art for our cause."

The music/performance space at 305 South has been closed since mid-May after the City of Durham determined the establishment needed a minimum number of bathroom stalls. The facility has operated as a 'furniture store and art gallery' since the venue shut down for live shows earlier this year.

The Lees report that the fate of the Electric Blender store is less certain; it will be open at least through Sunday Oct. 28, and they'll continue selling items online after the store closes.

The Lees have had a long run in Durham in a number of spaces, including the Ooh La Latte cafe (now Broad Street Cafe). It's always tough seeing a small business close up shop, and it's doubly unfortunate to see an outlet for live music -- particularly acts that are not commercially viable for larger venues -- shut down. For all the arts focus in Durham, outside of Ringside and BCHQ, there's a decided lack of live performance venues around, and the number just shrunk by one.