Students and administrators may be anxious for the day when the anticipated Central Campus University Village opens, but some of Duke's neighboring communities do not share that sentiment. Debate has erupted between the University and several members of the 12 neighborhood Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership over a suite of issues, including commercial zoning for shops in the Village and the possibility of Duke's building a wall around East Campus. Disgruntled neighborhood leaders assert that Duke only looks out for its own interests and that the partnership is not a collaboration.
The Duke-Durham Partnership is aimed at improving the quality of life for neighborhoods near campus and boosting student achievement in local public schools. Several Durham leaders are pleased with Duke's efforts in the later category, but believe that Duke is prepared to subvert the neighborhoods' interests to ensure the success of the commercial venue in the planned Central Campus Village.
Specifically, certain members of the Partnership are concerned about the zoning designations in the new Village. If commercial enterprises, shops and restaurants received university-college zoning slots, they would pay significantly less in property taxes than Durham businesses. This tax break, coupled with the shops' proximity to campus, would put neighboring establishments in Durham at a significant disadvantage.
Additionally, some Partnership participants are upset that Duke has not explicitly renounced its right to construct walls around campus. The presence of such a wall, they argue, would send a negative message to neighboring communities.
While it is important to give consideration to these complaints, Duke has actually been very honest and forthcoming with the Partnership members. Duke has not committed to any zoning formats because it wants to keep its options open for future development. It does not make sense for the University to commit to anything until the plans for the Village are finalized and they attain a better idea of what vendors are interested in coming to campus. Duke is also considering charging higher rent to offset the breaks in taxes. Further, Duke retains the right to build a wall in case it becomes absolutely necessary for the safety of its students. The administration has been as open as possible about these issues.
The bottom line is that Duke cannot be faulted for looking out for Duke's interests. Without a doubt, the best interests of the surrounding communities should be taken into account, and the University has made every effort to do so.
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