[Durham INC] Fw: Public Meeting - proposed demolition of the Durham Social Services Building

Tue Nov 12 16:01:58 EST 2013

John is right.  We need another useless “public plaza” like a hole in the head.  If we are willing to covert this property into a revenue-neutral of revenue-negative proposition, I say let’s lease it to a developer for 20-30 years for a minimal amount of rent and impose conditions that the property be renovated and maintained to a certain standard.  During the life of the lease, the developer would get the value of his investment back and at the end of the lease, the county would have the building back none to worse for wear.  AND downtown Durham wouldn’t wind up with another gap in its skyline.

Tom

From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On Behalf Of John Martin
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 10:28 AM
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
Subject: [Durham INC] Fw: Public Meeting - proposed demolition of the Durham Social Services Building

I'm forwarding this appeal from Preservation Durham for citizens to show up at tonight's hearing on the future of the former DSS  office building at 200 E. Main St.  

Regardless of whether you are a preservationist or not, tearing down this building and leaving the site empty makes no sense.  Downtown Durham is already suffering from too much empty space (and this goes double for the areas around Roxboro St. and east).  If the building is truly not worth rehabbing, and it is going to be torn down, the empty lot should be offered for sale to a developer who will actually build something desirable on the site.

The idea of a plaza there is a fiasco in the making right out of the 1950's urban renewal playbook.  Those of you have been around Durham as long as I have can remember the Redevelopment Commission which did a lot of tearing down, and not much redevelopment.  

I hope to see you there tonight.

John

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Preservation Durham <info at preservationdurham.org>
To: bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com 
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 5:40 PM
Subject: Public Meeting - proposed demolition of the Durham Social Services Building

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 JOIN US - VOICE YOUR OPINION

on the proposed demolition of the former DSS office located at 200 E. Main Street

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 @ 6:00 pm

Human Services Building, Countywide Meeting Room A

414 E. Main Street 

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Durham County Government is holding a public input session regarding the proposed demolition of this building, located at 200 E. Main Street, for the creation of a public plaza.

Why this issue matters: 

*	This is an awful location for a plaza.  Constant street noise and exhaust from the Durham Freeway and Roxboro Street will omnipresent and will not support a relaxing atmosphere. 
*	What purpose does the proposed plaza serve that is not already met by CCB Plaza, American Tobacco and other downtown open spaces?
*	Demolition will further reduce the connections from Downtown Durham to East Durham and Golden Belt
*	Demolition does not support the Downtown Durham Master Plan which specifically sets out the need for connectivity along main street.  A gap where this building is would be would further decrease the number of people on E. Main Street, and the number of people willing to venture east.
*	Creation of a public plaza, that does not generate tax revenue and requires continual maintenance, is not in the best fiscal interest of the City or County.
*	Demolition will erase part of Durham's history
*	Demolition will decrease the supply of office space, and further increase downtown rents

Other Options:

*	Rental office space or sale of the building

*	Selling the building would bring further commercial development to East Main and make further connections to the city's investments in East Durham. 

Preservation Durham

P.O. Box 25411

Durham, North Carolina 27702

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Preservation Durham | P.O. Box 25411 | Durham | NC | 27702

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