Durham is relaunching its effort to redevelop the former police headquarters at 505 W. Chapel Hill St. The 4-acre downtown site has been vacant for eight years. A previous deal with Peebles Corporation collapsed without producing anything.
- A community working group recommended building roughly 80 affordable and 55 market-rate units on the site. Preservation NC wants the original 1920s building preserved.
- The city is targeting a developer selection by July 2026. The RFP has not been issued.
- Peebles Corporation, the developer in the previous attempt, never broke ground. The city terminated that agreement.
Eight years is a long time to leave a 4-acre downtown parcel empty. The community process produced clear guidance on affordability and preservation. Whether the new RFP can translate that into binding commitments is what this round will determine.
Developer proposals are expected this summer. The city has not announced when construction could begin.