Item:
Title
Approval of Budget Ordinance Amendment No.27BCC028 Appropriating $278,200 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department and Authorizing the County Manager to Execute an Amendment to the Contract with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative for Phase I of the Pre-Development Process for the Former Lowe’s Grove School Site - Located at 4505 S. Alston Avenue - to Include the Old Northern High School Site at 117 Tom Wilkinson Road and the Durham School of the Arts Site Located at 400 N. Duke Street by $193,200 for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $265,600.00.
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: September 28, 2026
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No.27BCC028 appropriating $278,200.00 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department and authorizing the County Manager to execute an amendment to the contract with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative to include the Old Northern High School site at 117 Tom Wilkinson Road and the Durham School of the Arts site located at 400 North Duke Street to Phase I of the Pre-Development Process for the former Lowe’s Grove School Site located at 4505 S. Alston Avenue by $193,200 for a total not-to exceed $265,600.00.
Durham County and Durham Public Schools (DPS) requested technical assistance from DFI in November 2025 in evaluating the redevelopment potential of a former school site, Lowe’s Grove, that presents a strategic opportunity for the County and DPS to meet their community development goals. On January 26, 2026, the BOCC approved the Budget Ordinance Amendment and authorized the County Manager to execute a contract with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative for the Phase I of the Pre-development Process for this site. The County and DPS leadership is exploring a range of redevelopment scenarios for DPS-owned properties in the area that align with their mission and local community development goals. This request is to expand the scope of the contract to include the Old Northern High School site located at 117 Tom Wilkinson Road and Durham School of the Arts site located at 400 North Duke Street.
DFI proposes to conduct a community scan, market and community-driven assessment of the redevelopment potential of the properties. This analysis will prioritize potential strategies for redevelopment in collaboration with the County, DPS and key stakeholders. In this phase (phase 1), DFI would perform a pre-development feasibility analysis to understand market conditions, conduct community and stakeholder engagement, and identify viable redevelopment opportunities that would meet the County, DPS and key stakeholder interests. In Phase II, pending the results of this analysis, which would require a separate contract and fee, DFI could assist the County in identifying a private development partner(s) to assist the County in achieving its vision for the redevelopment.
The pre-development process outlined by the Development Finance Initiative is the process that was used on other redevelopment projects being performed by Durham County. By engaging DFI, County staff intends to determine a long-range plan for the site receiving community input on the development, establishing guiding principles for the redevelopment, attracting private sector investment while minimizing public investment, maximizing public interests and ensuring that future redevelopment enhances the County’s existing assets. It is recommended that the County proceed with Phase I of the Pre-development Process as outlined in the attached proposal in the amount not-to-exceed $193,200. The balance of the funding will be used for preliminary activities including but not limited to surveying, appraisals, geotechnical and environmental analysis, third party conceptual design and others as necessary.
This amendment is pending final Legal Department approval.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This request aligns with Strategic Plan Goal #5 - (Accountable, Efficient and Visionary Government) - by providing a phased pre-development process which will allow the creation of a long-range plan for the site while meeting the County’s goals.
Resource Persons: Claudia Hager, Durham County Manager; Peri Manns, ASLA, Deputy Director, Engineering and Environmental Services; Jay Gibson, P.E., Director of Engineering and Environmental Services, David Ades, Assistant Director, Budget and Management Services; Keith Lane, Director, Budget and Management Services; Sarah Odio, Assistant Director, Development Finance Initiative and Marcia Perritt, Director, Development Finance Initiative
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board Budget Ordinance Amendment No.27BCC028 appropriating $278,200.00 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department and authorizing the County Manager to execute an amendment to the contract with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative to include the Old Northern High School site at 117 Tom Wilkinson Road and the Durham School of the Arts site located at 400 North Duke Street to Phase I of the Pre-Development Process for the former Lowe’s Grove School Site located at 4505 S. Alston Avenue by $193,200 for a total not-to exceed $265,600.00.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________