How do you get from West Franklin Street to West Rosemary Street on foot at the 300 block? You walk to a cross street, because no public path runs through the middle of the block. Redgate's plan for 306 W. Franklin St. would add one. The plan includes a public courtyard and a walkway between the two streets for people on foot and on bikes, according to The News & Observer's August report. The Chapel Hill Town Council holds its public hearing on the project Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Most coverage has focused on the apartment count and the 95-foot height. For anyone who walks, bikes or runs errands in the West End, the walkway would change daily routes the most, along with what goes into the ground-floor shops.
What stands on the block today
The site covers about 2 acres. Redgate's plan would replace a one-and-a-half-story brick building built in 1948 and the freestanding Fifth Third Bank branch next to it, according to the N&O. Chimney Indian Kitchen, Bella Nail Bar, Bouquet Garni Foods & Catering and Fifth Third operate there now. In its October 1 business roundup, Chapelboro reported that the new plans mean these businesses can keep operating "without an immediate threat," though "changes could still be coming for the area."
The block has changed before. Purple Bowl's owners planned a move from 306 W. Franklin to a new location closer to Carrboro during the debate over the last proposal for the site, according to the N&O.
The second plan for this site in three years
The November hearing is the second time in three years that the Town Council will weigh the future of this block. Here is how the two plans compare.
| 2023 approval | 2026 proposal | |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Chapel Hill Life Sciences Center | 306 W Franklin mixed-use |
| Developer | Longfellow Real Estate Partners | Redgate |
| Primary use | About 380,000 square feet of research lab and office space | About 225 apartments, from studios to three bedrooms |
| Street level | Retail along West Franklin | Ground-floor shops, market-rate and affordable |
| Height | 120 feet | Up to 95 feet at its core |
| Public space | Not described in the sources | Public courtyard and a walkway from Franklin to Rosemary |
The Town approved the lab plan on November 29, 2023. The N&O reported that it never moved forward. Redgate's project documents say Longfellow found less market demand than it expected. Redgate filed its replacement plan on June 11, 2026.
The site isn't the only approved downtown lab project to stall. The N&O reported in August that Grubb Properties had told town staff it would file a new application for its approved lab and office building at 150 E. Rosemary St. Grubb's separate 150-apartment project at 101 E. Rosemary St. remained in limbo at the time of that report. Taken together, three large sites on and near Rosemary Street are being redesigned on paper. At 306 W. Franklin, that process has reached a hearing date.
Why the walkway matters
The proposed walkway would run from West Franklin to West Rosemary. That second street is already in the middle of a long construction project.
OWASA's West Rosemary Street project page, updated October 30, shows the water main replacement about 70% complete and on schedule to finish in spring 2027. The West Rosemary bike lane between North Merritt Mill Road and Andrews Lane stays closed until then. Once both projects are finished, West Rosemary would have new utility lines underneath and, if the Council approves Redgate's design, a new public entrance from the Franklin side.
According to the N&O, the plan includes these pieces:
- A public courtyard with outdoor seating
- A walkway between West Franklin and West Rosemary for people on foot and on bikes
- A private courtyard with a pool and other amenities for residents
- 237 parking spaces on the first two floors
- Ground-floor shops, both market-rate and affordable
The first two items are public. They would serve anyone heading from a West Franklin dinner to a West Rosemary address, whether or not they live in the building.
The West End's storefronts change hands often
Ground-floor retail matters on this stretch because West Franklin storefronts turn over quickly. Look at the last six months along the blocks around 306.
- 431 W. Franklin St. Several concepts have opened at this address since Kipos moved out in 2020. Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill opened there on July 13, 2026. Chapelboro reported that Kahlovera started as a food truck and now has four locations, including one in Chapel Hill's Meadowmont, one in Durham and one in Cary. The Daily Tar Heel reported that the restaurant served 80 to 120 customers on an average day in its first weeks.
- 504 W. Franklin St. Tikka Tequila is the concept announced by Chef Roberto Mendoza for the former Latin Effect space. It blends Mexican and Indian flavors, as reported in the Daily Tar Heel. WhatNow described a menu with naan tacos, empanadas and pupusas, plus an omelette bar planned for breakfast.
- Carolina Square. A combined Jimmy John's and Baskin-Robbins opened on August 11 in the space that used to house pūrvelo cycle. Chapelboro reported that it is the only active Chapel Hill franchise for either brand.
- The Courtyard on West Franklin. Flow Pilates opened this spring and added a membership for Carolina students and faculty with a valid unc.edu email: eight classes a month for $199. Classes are limited to eight people.
Within a few blocks of 306, the past two seasons brought a regional restaurant group, a national franchise pairing and a boutique fitness studio, and a chef-driven concept has been announced for a fourth address. A new building at 306 would add several more storefronts to this mix.
What the Council can still shape
Redgate is asking for a conditional rezoning. The site's zoning is Town Center-3 Conditional Zoning, and the proposal keeps that designation. A conditional rezoning lets town staff and the Council negotiate for affordable housing, more commercial space and other needs before the Council votes, according to the N&O. The N&O also reported that Redgate could include some lower-priced apartments or contribute to the town's affordable housing fund.
The project has already been through two public steps. Redgate held a virtual public information meeting on August 19, and the Planning Commission took up the conditional rezoning at its October 20 meeting. The November 18 hearing is the Council's turn. The full application, case number CZD-26-2, is on the Town's project page, which links to the files in Chapel Hill's online permitting portal. Redgate's application describes the apartments as a fit for professionals, university faculty, retirees and empty nesters looking to downsize.
Downtown dates between now and the parade
The hearing falls in a busy stretch for downtown.
- Friday, November 13. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2nd Friday Art Walk keeps galleries, studios, shops and restaurants open late, rain or shine. The same evening, Epilogue Books & Chocolate Brews at 109 E. Franklin St. hosts the release of "Talk of the Town: A Chapel Hill Mixtape" and a send-off for Donovan Livingston at the end of his term as the town's third Poet Laureate.
- Wednesday, November 18. The Town Council holds its public hearing on 306 W. Franklin at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.
- Friday, November 20. The Town marks Arbor Day at 11 a.m. at Umstead Park by planting a river birch.
- Saturday, December 5. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Holiday Parade runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. It starts at 140 W. Franklin St. and ends at Carrboro Town Hall.
For three years, the Terra Nova team has followed 306 W. Franklin from the lab approval to the apartment plan now headed to the Council, along with the other downtown sites being rethought. If you own property near West Franklin or Rosemary and want to talk about what a new building here could mean for your block, Terra Nova Global Properties would be glad to walk through it with you. Let's Connect.
