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- 🌳 Developer Withdraws Heritage Square Rezoning
🌳 Developer Withdraws Heritage Square Rezoning
Plus: UNC Taps Michael Lombardi as Football GM
Jordan Parker
August 07, 2025
Hey Durham!
We are officially on Instagram now. Give us a follow @hey_durham.
Also, check out Bull City Workshop, which is a non-profit that works with youth on woodworking.
-Jordan
In this issue:
Developer Withdraws Heritage Square Rezoning
Durham Town Hall Covers Development, Schools, ICE
Westside Bottling Lands Sprouts and More
UNC Taps Michael Lombardi as Football GM
Developer Withdraws Heritage Square Rezoning
Sterling Bay abruptly pulled its three-year-old application to rezone the 10-acre Heritage Square site in Hayti at the August 4 City Council meeting, ending months of intense negotiations over a proposed life-sciences campus, apartments, and retail. The 5–2 vote to accept the withdrawal leaves the site’s future up in the air and hands the community a moment to regroup on its vision for the corridor.
Council Vote: Durham City Council voted 5–2 to accept Sterling Bay’s withdrawal, with Councilors Nate Baker and DeDreana Freeman dissenting.
Community Proffers: Over 53 stakeholder meetings produced offers like scholarship funds, discounted retail space, and event parking, though accountability mechanisms remain unclear.
Next Steps: Sterling Bay may still develop “by right,” return with a new rezoning in six months, or sell the parcel—leaving residents and officials to forge a fresh plan for Hayti’s future.
Durham Town Hall Covers Development, Schools, ICE
Durham’s top local leaders convened on August 2 for a “State of Durham” town hall, moderated by Kids Voting Durham and INDY’s Justin Laidlaw, to unpack the city and county’s most pressing issues. County Commission Chair Nida Allam, City Council Member Javiera Caballero, School Board Chair Bettina Umstead, and State Rep. Marcia Morey tackled debates over growth, school operations, federal immigration actions, and state-level gridlock, setting the stage for fall elections and ongoing community challenges.
Ongoing Growth Debate: City council candidates pressed questions about balancing rapid development with neighborhood character, with discussion around the Hayti Square project and Durham’s urban growth boundary.
DPS Functionality Focus: Umstead stressed the district’s push for operational efficiency, ensuring students are fed, buses run reliably, and staff are paid, while Allam noted the county’s $224.5 million funding contribution this fiscal year.
Federal and State Challenges: Leaders recounted community mobilization against ICE activity, urged residents to document incidents, and warned that a gerrymandered legislature will likely block progressive bills on housing, transit, and gun safety.
Westside Bottling Lands Sprouts and More
A new mixed-use project on the former Coca-Cola bottling site off Hillsborough Road is taking shape: Westside Bottling will offer over 70,000 sq ft of retail alongside 370 apartments and 35 townhomes, anchored by Durham’s second Sprouts Farmers Market and featuring first-to-market and local-favorite brands.
Anchor Tenant: Sprouts Farmers Market will open its second Durham location, securing the development’s grocery draw.
Retail Lineup: Shake Shack debuts its first Durham spot; Ulta Beauty, First Watch, Club Pilates, and Vernis Nail Salon join the mix, plus the existing First Citizens Bank remains on site.
Timeline & Scale: About 50,000 sq ft of shops are already leased; roughly 60% of tenants will open by late 2026, with full completion expected by mid-to-late 2027.
UNC Taps Michael Lombardi as Football GM
North Carolina has signed Michael Lombardi to a three-year, $4.5 million deal as its first-ever football general manager under new head coach Bill Belichick. Lombardi, Belichick’s longtime NFL confidant, will oversee roster building and report directly to the coach, solidifying the Tar Heels’ head-coach–driven organizational model.
Premier Compensation: Lombardi earns $1.5 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid administrators in college football, with relocation support and a sign-on bonus included.
Performance Bonuses: His contract awards extra pay for reaching bowl games, the ACC Championship, or the College Football Playoff, as well as for finishing in the AP Top 25 and meeting academic benchmarks.
Proven NFL Track Record: A former GM of the Cleveland Browns and front-office executive in New England, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Denver, Lombardi brings decades of professional expertise to Chapel Hill.
Council Advances Relief, Resilience, and Oversight
Durham City Council’s August 4 meeting delivered a series of pivotal votes including pausing a major rezoning, securing federal housing funds, deploying flood aid, strengthening infrastructure codes, and upgrading civic accessibility.
Consolidated Plan Approved: Unanimously adopted the 2025–29 Consolidated Plan, 2025 Annual Action Plan, and Citizen Participation Plan for HUD submission.
Flood Relief Deployment: Emergency Services and SBA staff will be stationed at the Northern Regional Library through August for disaster-loan assistance, and an August 12 city–county–schools town hall will update flood-affected residents.
Stormwater Ordinances Adopted: Unanimously passed amendments to City Code Chapter 70—enhancing stormwater performance standards and creating a Stormwater Facility Replacement Fund.
Accessibility & Tech Upgrades: Ratified ADA-compliant podiums, upgraded sound and voting systems, improved lobby audio, and installed new chamber screens to make meetings more accessible and efficient.
Volunteer Exposé Details Shelter Neglect
An APS volunteer revealed welfare issues at the Durham County shelter: broken kennel doors held by collars, unsanitary living conditions, inadequate air conditioning during heat waves, a paused foster program despite full capacity, and frequent euthanasia without robust rescue outreach. The post called for transparency, greater volunteer input on social media campaigns, extended public hours, and accountability from shelter leadership to improve animal care.
APS Leadership Responds with Reform Plans
In an official Reddit reply, APS executives acknowledged the volunteer’s concerns, citing the challenges of an aging, county-leased facility and large animal populations. They outlined immediate measures: emergency fan installations, revised kennel protocols, enhanced cleaning routines, and committed to expanding foster capacity, improving volunteer communication channels, staff conduct training, and partnering on a future state-of-the-art shelter to ensure long-term welfare and accountability.
Take Action
A local advocate’s data crunch shows Durham’s APS receives just $312 per animal (only 29% of Chatham County’s $1,172, 50% of Granville’s $470, and 50%–67% of Wake’s $625), while euthanizing a third of surrendered dogs in 2024.
To reverse this crisis and save more lives, urge county leaders to boost shelter funding:
Attend the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee meeting on 9/23/2025.
Email Durham County Board Chair Nida Allam: [email protected]
Uproar Festival of Public Art
Downtown Chapel Hill, Carrboro & Hillsborough
August 1–23
Discover 60 outdoor installations across three towns.
Summer Concerts in the Park
Piney Wood Park
August 9, 6–8 PM
Free, family-friendly outdoor concert series featuring Durham artists Emma Jane (Indie Pop) and Tre. Charles (Indie Soul); bring your own blanket or chair and enjoy rotating food trucks.
APS Dog Meet & Greet
Dram & Draught, 701 W. Main St., Durham
August 9, 2–5 PM
Meet adoptable dogs from APS of Durham, enjoy a special cocktail, and learn how to support local rescue efforts.
OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival
Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 W. Morgan St.
August 14–17, various times
Marking its 30th anniversary, the festival screens over 130 queer shorts, documentaries, and features celebrating LGBTQIA life.
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