Van Allen & 555 Mangum

I’m sure others saw this in the last few days but Policygenius announced that it chose 555 Mangum for its second HQ here in Durham. Great for the city and downtown business community. Really strong to pull in a high profile tech startup with NYC roots to create nearly 400 jobs here over the next few years.

Yah, Policy Genius here is gonna be big. I know the whole area isn't perfect, the Lennar project isn't the best, and Bullhouse is kind of bland. However, when I look at all of this as a whole, plus the SLI/Kane project and ATC2, it is really incredible and it is going to be super busy here in a few years.

Agreed - Durham has the momentum. If we could just fix the downtown loop so it didn't create such a barrier, that would really set the table for a robust downtown.

I'm encouraged by all the development and density - certainly better than vacant land - but not nearly as optimistic as you that this area will be "busy." There's barely any ground floor retail planned other than a couple of spots in the Lennar development, Mangum, and Venable Center. The rest is just super blocks of massive apartment complexes, which will lead to a very unfriendly environment for pedestrians. Such a wasted opportunity. I truly feel that a decade or so from now, we're going to look back on this and wonder why no one had the foresight to activate this area and help it connect with the E Main St. corridor across the tracks.

I could be (and hope) I'm wrong in my understanding of plans -- this is just off the top of my head -- but highlighted areas in yellow will have retail from what I recall. And even this is not a given -- 555 Mangum is advertising the ground level as retail OR office space.

I do wish there was more retail, but at least there is some promise. The parking deck that will connect to 555 will have retail facing Roxborugh. I think I counted three store fronts when was I exploring the construction.  As long as there is double wide side walks, multiple entrances to the sidewalk you will see tons of people walking. The foot traffic has increased a ton since I started working downtown. The prison makes a huge pedestrian gap and it sucks as it creates a large empty gap between downtown and this area. No idea how to solve that one... maybe they can add some retail billing between the prison and street 🤨

I agree. On another note, I have been trying to answer the question "what else besides retail?" It can't be that retail is the only way to make a place vibrant and walkable. If it is, I think we are kinda screwed due to the struggles of retail in general (maybe less so in a place like Durham where there is a thickening up of the downtown core, but still).

I don't really have an answer, but is it more public plazas? CCB plaza seems to have more and more activity all the time. The Durham Belt Line is an exciting possibility. In NYC, they have spectacles, tourist attractions, and TV stations where you can watch the news anchors from the streets.

Durham doesn't really have much in the way of street performers. Why is that?

Of course, ALL of these non-retail solutions need at least some retail to compliment them, but is there a more holistic approach to vibrant, walkable downtowns? And what ideas are right for Durham? I'm not really sure yet.

I love seeing the city from these new perspectives!

This morning around 930 AM on Jan 21, 2020

From the street level

From Jackie Robinson


From inside the ball park near American Tobacco restaurant

Just want to say I really appreciate the updates!

From Friday

looking like exterior is mostly done

I really love the design of this building but I have to wonder...are they going to have blinds/shades? The sun glare on the south/west facing offices is going to be unreal.

It's really a missed opportunity not to get more retail in there.

There was a push when the new courthouse was built to get the garage to have ground floor retail. If I remember correctly, the county engineer caved and the garage was at least built to be convertible in the future to turn some of its ground floor into retail, but it's probably been a decade or more since that project and I'm hazy on the details.

@BullCityRising,
Did you publish the BCR blog? I loved that blog, I was sad to see it go.

Thanks! Yes, I did (with the help of a number of great people over the years, including Rob Gillespie (later of Monuts fame), Matt Milliken (former Herald-Sun writer), and Lisa Sorg (who's now doing awesome environmental journalism.)

I've been in CLT since 2017 but still make it back to Durham some for my wife's work and we may try to find a place closer downtown for more weekends back. I hope to move back someday in the future!