Massive development proposed for historic former brickyard in east Durham
A former brickyard in east Durham could soon become a dense, walkable development with nearly 1,900 apartment and townhomes.
The Durham City Council will consider a rezoning for the massive project at its next meeting on Monday, Jan. 20.
Charlotte-based urbanist design firm Space Craft wants to build up to 1,880 residential units and nearly 50,000 square feet of commercial space.
The land, 95 acres on the southern end of east Durham at 2801 Angier Ave., is heavily wooded, but surrounded by major roads, including the recently built East End Connector, Interstate 885, which connects the Durham Freeway and U.S. 70.
Borden Brick and Tile once operated a manufacturing facility on the site.
Its bricks were used by Ligget & Myers and American Tobacco Company, as well as homes, businesses and universities around North Carolina, according to the Museum of Durham History.
Birckmaking left some industrial contaminants in the soil and groundwater, according to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. A stream and wetland run through the site.
What’s in the development plan
In addition to the buildings, the development plan includes:
- 5,000 square feet of walking trails, plus a concrete bike path and bus stop along Angier Avenue.
- A maximum building height of 100 feet, under 10 stories.
- A promise that 5% of the apartments will be rented at rates affordable for those making below 60% of the area median income, on average, for the next 30 years. That could mean anything from five to 89 affordable units, depending on the mix of apartments and townhomes.
The development has been in the works since at least summer 2023.
How the Planning Commission voted
The Planning Commission voted 9-1 to recommend approval, despite some concerns around environmental impact and how much the site’s neighbors actually know about what’s coming.
“I commend the applicant’s transit-oriented approach and their efforts to thoughtfully incorporate the site’s natural features into the design,” commissioner Malcolm K. Gregory wrote. “However, I have a significant concern regarding the proposed tree coverage.”
The planning department estimates 316 new students will come with the development, including about 95 high schoolers, which gave some planning commissioners pause. The local high school, Riverside, is already at capacity.
The development could also add around 13,000 cars to the road, traffic engineers estimate. The developer plans to expand the roads with new turn lanes and potentially a roundabout on Angier Avenue.
Monday’s City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
