Please visit the Town Properties Task Force page for current information about the Town’s asset management activities.

Beginning in 2012, the Town of Chapel Hill began exploring its real estate holdings to see if there were properties that were potentially disposable. 

At its October 17, 2012 work session, Council received a report on the appraised value of and possible options for property owned by the Town, including 523 East Franklin Street, Old Town Hall at Rosemary and Columbia and the former Sport Art Building on Homestead Road. During the work session, some Council Members suggested that staff seek the assistance of local real estate professionals on thinking about the highest and best use for some of the Town's properties based on the condition and value of existing assets, the asset needs of the Town, and the goals of Chapel Hill 2020.

Real Property Asset Review Group Makes Recommendations

Following Council's charge, staff developed an inventory of Town-owned property assets and began to strategize about how some properties might be used differently to further the Council's adopted goals. The Town Manager also convened real estate and development professionals as the Real Property Asset Review Group to evaluate Town-owned sites and make recommendations to the Town Manager and Council.

The Real Property Asset Review Group’s recommendations were presented to Town Council in June 2013. The full report can be found here. The Group made the following recommendations for specific properties:

Do not pursue sale or development at that time:

• Public Housing units
• Mt. Carmel-Bennett Road property
• Undeveloped sites at Town Operations Center, Millhouse Road

Use differently, consider disposal of:

• Police Center, 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
• Undeveloped Portion of Memorial Cemetery, 1721 Legion Rd.
• Fire Station #2, 1003 Hamilton Rd.
• Fire Station #3, 1615 E. Franklin St./Elliott Rd.
• Fire Station #4, 101 Weaver Dairy Rd. Extension
• Parks and Recreation Offices, 200 Plant Rd.
• Former Library, 523 E. Franklin St.
• Old Town Hall, 100 W. Rosemary St.
• Former Sport Art Building, 2200 Homestead Rd.
• Dry Creek Bed Property, near intersection of I-40 and Erwin Rd.
• Parking Lot No. 2, E. Rosemary St.

Town Solicits Proposals for Certain Town-Owned Properties

In 2014 the Town solicited proposals for the former Library property at 523 E. Franklin St. and sold it to the UNC Arts & Sciences Foundation for $1.25 million for use as office space. In 2014 the Town entered into an agreement to convey 9 acres of the Memorial Cemetery property to DHIC, Inc. for construction of 149 units of affordable and senior housing. In 2016 the Town entered into agreements with East-West Partners to redevelop the Fire Station #2 site as a new fire station and office building. The Town awaits further direction from authorities on mitigating the impact of coal ash infill discovered on the Police Center site in late 2013. More information on that issue can be found here.

In mid-2014 Town staff solicited letters of interest and proposals for the following properties that had been identified as potentially for sale:

• Old Town Hall, 100 W. Rosemary St.
• Former Sport Art Building, 2200 Homestead Rd.
• Fire Station #4, 101 Weaver Dairy Rd.
• Fire Station #3, 1656 E. Franklin St.
• Parks and Recreation Offices, 200 Plant Rd.

As a result of that solicitation, the Town received the proposals for the following properties:

• Old Town Hall, 100 W. Rosemary St. Redevelop: Town facilities; Develop - market needs; Lease – Arc of Orange Co.
• Former Sport Art Building, 2200 Homestead Rd.: Affordable housing; ballroom; expand Bridgepoint development
• Fire Station #4, 101 Weaver Dairy Rd.: Market demand use; property exchange for Town facilities
• Parks and Recreation Offices, 200 Plant Rd.: Affordable housing

The Town also received the following unsolicited proposals at that time:

• Parking Lot #2, 100 E. Rosemary St.: Mixed use - office, retail and affordable housing
• Leased Parking Lot, 121 W. Rosemary St.: Private parking, enhanced development opportunity
• Parking Lot #3, 415 W. Franklin St.: Mixed use - office, retail and affordable housing

In August 2015, the Town issued a Request for Proposals on the Redevelopment of Parking Lot #3 at 415 W. Franklin St.

Site Profiles Developed During the Inventory of Town-owned Property Assets

• Memorial Cemetery Property
• 2200 Homestead Road (former Sport Art building)
• Dry Creek Property
• Fire Station #3
• Fire Station #4
• Police Department Property

Reports to Council

• October 17, 2012: "Report on Real Property Assets"
• June 24, 2013: "Recommendations from the Real Property Asset Review Group"
  • Video of Council Discussion on Item (Item #16)
• November 11, 2013: "Update on Real Property Assets"
  • Video of Council Discussion on Item (Item #8)
• February 10, 2014: "Property Asset Update: 523 E. Franklin Street and 100 W. Rosemary Street" 
  • Video of Council Discussion on Item (Item #7)
• July 2, 2014: "Discuss the Disposal of the Old Library Property"
• January 12, 2015: "Update on Asset Management"