Economy & Downtown
Chapel Hill's downtown has long benefited from its proximity to a captive audience of University students without cars. While downtowns around the country have been failing, ours has survived fairly well. However, we have seen an increase in the number of chain stores locating downtown, and instability in the Downtown Economic Development Corporation. In the near future, we will see new Town-directed development on two major parking lots have a big impact.
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Carrboro's downtown has also done better than many towns of comparable size, thanks largely to the presence of Weaver Street Market and progressive shoppers from the rest of the county. The Board of Aldermen has been addressing the evolution of the downtown, and have established a number of community resources in the downtown area including free wireless Internet access, and a low-power radio station.
WCHL is reporting that
Orange County Economic Development director Brad Broadwell has resigned. This is on the heels of the Town of Carrboro Economic Development Director James Harris announcing his retirement. Is this a opportunity or a disaster for local economic development? Is this a coincidence or a shake up by local government to prepare for change?
Its been a really intersting six months or so for economic development in Orange County. Change is definatly afoot. But what will rise from the ashes? I don't think anyone really knows for sure. But that isn't going to stop me from guessing.
I'm the guy who wrote the letter to the Chapel Hill Weekly in September suggesting that people supporting a Costco in Orange County should consider moving to Cary. Those who chose to respond rightly condemned me for the arrogant tone of my writing, but if I read the terms of Orange Politics correctly, we should strive to deal in ideas, not personal attacks. I care a lot about this place, so sometimes my rhetoric gets away from me. I apologize for my tone, but not my ideas. One may argue that it is obnoxious to be anti-growth since I was once a new person here myself some forty years ago. (And I know something of struggling here as a state employee. I lived in a house with three room mates for some sixteen years before I was able to buy a home in Carrboro.)
Our local governments should partner with smart people in the creation of a new private community development corporation for all of Orange County. (aka Orange CDC) This CDC's main mission would be to assist and fund new for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in business sectors traditionally not supported by our local governments. Such as web and green technology. Why these sectors? Because they are high growth, create high paying jobs, and support companies that pay big commercial office rents. Another one of the Orange CDC's primary goals would be to TRANSCEND business leakage from the county. Not to stop leakage but to benefit from it when it does happen.
James Harris, the Town of Carrboro Community and Economic Development Director, will retire February 1, 2011 according to a email from the Carrboro Business Association email list sent today.
Mr. Harris has under his belt over twenty nine years of service to the Town. Of great interest to our community is his management of one of the States most successful revolving loan fund programs. The very shape of Carrboro's downtown is due to this program. Successfull businesses such as Weaver Street, the Cat's Cradle, Orange County Social Club, and Neil's Deli were all participants in the CRLF program. Please share in the comments the memories you may have of Mr. Harris and his service to the town.
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