Wednesday, September 27, 2023

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Graham, NC 27253
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What Mebane residents said about the downtown apartment complex proposal

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Some residents liked the proposed apartments with commercial space below, preferring it to the abandoned buildings that have been on the site since Kingsdown moved its offices and manufacturing out several years ago.

Among the comments:

Dave Roth said he was “very much in favor” of the project, terming the existing conditions “derelict” and “abandoned.”

Dave Roth

Steve Krans, the co-president of Destination Downtown, a merchants’ group, also expressed support for what he considered the improvement in the location.

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Steve Krans

Dan Shannon said the new project was a “phenomenal opportunity” for the city.

Becky Beedy focused on the need for more handicapped spaces and handicapped accessibility.

Becky Beedy

Josh Woodard was concerned over the entirely rental nature of the proposed residential units. He considered it a “missed opportunity” not to include some availability for ownership, in the form of condominiums.  He also expressed concerns about parking, which he suggested “won’t just be overflow,” but would take up spaces throughout the day.

Josh Woodard

Roger Halchin also expressed concerns about what he considered the likelihood more traffic would be generated on Third Street, just after traffic has been lessened there by the opening of the NC 119 bypass earlier this summer.

Gene Jester, who lives across Holt Street from the proposed development, worried aloud about the “very high density housing” proposed by the developer, as well as its likelihood of attracting “transient” residents, rather than those who could put down roots in the city.

Gene Jester

Jester also said four stories was too high for apartments across from the single-family residential homes in the area.

Mary McFarland emphasized that the vision plan adopted by the city did not envision the number of buildings shown on the developer’s plans.  “This is too dense, too tall,” she summarized.

Mary McFarland

See other coverage of the planning board’s consideration of the mixed-use (apartment/retail) project on former Kingsdown lots:

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