THE LOFTS AT SOUTHSIDE

LOCATION Durham, North Carolina

PROJECT TYPE Affordable Housing

CLIENT McCormack Baron Salazar

TOTAL AREA 317 Units

Due to a lack of affordable housing, the City of Durham Office of Community Development initiated a planning study of the entire Southside neighborhood to determine the quantity and most appropriate locations for both rental and homeownership affordable units.  The Southside neighborhood is immediately south of downtown Durham, however it is physically and psychologically separated by I-47.  The highway creates an east-west barrier that isolated the predominantly African-American Southside neighborhood from downtown.  While more affluent neighborhoods saw growth, development, and investment, the Southside neighborhood fell into disrepair, vacancy, and abandonment.

The goal of the master plan was to build energy and enthusiasm for change and set the stage for redevelopment.  McCormack Baron Salazar was selected as the developer for new affordable rental opportunities in Southside East (east of Roxboro Street) and Self Help was selected as the developer of homeownership opportunities in Southside West (west of Roxboro Street).  Although acting independently, the developers collaborated as they guided their scope of redevelopment.