Fayetteville Street Planning Group

    The Fayetteville Street corridor contains the largest concentration of African American businesses anywhere in Durham and also reflects today’s global marketplace with family-owned businesses from many places. Private investment by 150+ small business owners on the Fayetteville Street corridor represents true neighborhood economic development — and the ability of these small businesses to remain in this market to grow where they are is what’s at stake today. The group has implemted the following economic initiatives to stabilize and rebuild the Fayetteville Street corridor and its surrounding neighborhoods:

• Community Economic Development
• Housing Rehabilitation and Development
• Historic Preservation
• Vocational Skills Training for Adults

Causes for Concern

     Despite a booming economy and nationally-acclaimed prosperity from 1990 to 2000, growth in the City of Durham was not uniform for all areas or for all residents. This disparity is most apparent when assessing the difference in physical assets among Durham’s neighborhoods.

  This disparity includes, but is not limited to:

• Double-digit and increasing poverty rate in the five census tracts around Fayetteville Street from 1990 to 2000
• Unemployment rate 2 to 9 times that of Durham County in the five census tracts around Fayetteville Street in 2000
• Little growth in residents’ median incomes
• Aging, deteriorating and vacant housing
• Selective housing code enforcement in low and moderate income neighborhoods
• Disparity in neighborhood planning and zoning actions
• Flat population growth
• Concentrations of low income housing and public housing
• Poor maintenance of public facilities such as bus stops, medians and right-of-ways
• Poor lighting on major thoroughfares
• Low home ownership rate
• High drop out and suspension rates from Durham Public Schools (DPS)
• Lagging academic performance of African American students in DPS

   These and other manifestations signal a pronounced disinvestment in our community, that if left unchecked, would allow the area to bottom out and be sold cheaply to those with superior financial resources and influence. Such actions would again destabilize this community and disrupt its cultural cohesiveness. Although hundreds of jobs have been added on the corridor in the past decade despite these constraints, reversing decades of disinvestment requires a significant and visible investment in public improvements to strengthen economic development for existing residents and business owners.

Community Economic Development

    Urban renewal destroyed Hayti’s infrastructure but not its pride and self-determination. A generation later the pride is back, embodied by a legion of neighborhood entrepreneurs who chose the Fayetteville Street corridor as the place to grow a business. This resurgence of business activity parallels an earlier era when African Americans, only a generation out of slavery, developed the thriving Hayti business district and expanded Durham’s African American community further south along Fayetteville Street. Even Jim Crow, urban renewal and the threat of eminent domain did not dim our ancestors' hopes of sharing in the prosperity of a new day and of being included in the economic growth of Durham. We made a way then when there seemed to be no way by working collectively for the greater good of the community.

     The Fayetteville Street Planning Group has advocated for neighborhood-based economic development to reverse the area's decline  — focusing first on the areas of greatest need and giving those residents in those areas the ability to participate in the economy. It’s long been known that small businesses generate a significant share of the nation’s job growth.

    The group has advocated building on Fayetteville Street’s existing neighborhood infrastructure to stimulate small business growth, employ local residents and increase the wage base. This bottom-up approach is not only more cost effective, but achievable in the short term. But more importantly, physical and economic changes resulting from neighborhood-based economic improvement would speak volumes about our city’s commitment to solving problems in the context where they occur  — in our neighborhoods.

    The group has also advocated for creating the environment where small businesses can start, expand where they are now, hire more local residents and reverse the downward economic spiral. The resulting business growth would boost the earnings of many residents, lift others from the dependency rolls and ultimately increase revenues for Durham County as a result of increased employment and consumer spending. Making Fayetteville Street a cultural destination through heritage tourism, cultural activities and neighborhood retail and service sector growth would position this corridor to compete with other neighborhood business districts in the Triangle region. Key components for achieving these goals are:

· Creating a 24/7 safe pedestrian-friendly community  with protection from crime at the same level as other Durham areas targeted for development

· Community policing with walking and bicycle patrols to deter crime, to establish a relationship with area residents and to provide a linkage with the North Carolina Central University campus

· Historic streetscape improvements such as buried utilities, period street lights, wide sidewalks, wrought iron fencing, inlaid brick crosswalks, new street trees, benches, banners and other historic elements befitting the history of this community

· Attractively landscaped commercial corridors and residential neighborhoods with more intense buffers separating homes and businesses

· On and off-street parking to accommodate residential and commercial development

· Creation of pocket parks with access to historic landmarks and markers to boost tourism

· Land use and zoning policies that favor local ownership of land, homes and businesses

Housing Rehabilitation and Development

     Durham County has the lowest home ownership rate in the state of North Carolina — and conversely the state’s highest rental housing rate. As the ability of residents to own homes decreases with chronic unemployment and stagnant earnings, it becomes even more important for current home owners to afford to stay in their homes and to protect the wealth in equity that they have created over the years. Commercial encroachment, rising taxes, aging population and gentrification are threats to the ability of current residents to keep their homes and to keep their property in their families for future generations. This threat is particularly great to elderly homeowners and those on fixed income.

     The Fayetteville Street Plan recommended several initiatives to protect current home owners’ equity and to develop future home ownership opportunities in the surrounding neighborhoods.

· Rehab assistance for owner-occupied homes with preference to elderly and existing home owners instead of punitive housing code enforcement

· Change in city’s code enforcement policy denying rehab funds to those cited for housing code violations

· Purchase-rehab program for substandard and aging structures for home ownership

· Preference for development of single family mixed-income housing

· Local business participation in housing development from concept stage, design, construction, sales and leasing

· Development of housing capacity for indigenous community residents and businesses

· Wider community participation in government-sponsored redevelopment discussions

Historic Preservation As Catalyst for Economic Development

                                    The preservation of historic neighborhoods and restoration of area homes is quietly underway by residents who are returning these homes to their former glory. Attracted by proximity to shopping and entertainment as well as architecturally interesting designs, new and existing residents are working together to protect the area’s heritage.

· Establishment of neighborhood protection areas and expansion of historic districts to protect neighborhoods from encroachment by large-scale commercial and institutional development

· Set design standards to improve the quality of life

· Creation of façade grants for residential properties of historic significance in the area

· Creation of neighborhood protection overlays for all neighborhoods in the area

· Expansion of Fayetteville Street Historic District to include additional streets west to Concord and east to Alston Avenue

· Creation of historic gateway entrance to the Hayti Commercial Corridor on Fayetteville Street

· Additional and larger-sized historic markers throughout the corridor commemorating African Americans who have made contributions to our community

Vocational Skills Training for Adults

    In assessing the need for skills training for students and adults in the neighborhoods surrounding Fayetteville Street, it is helpful to understand why the Fayetteville Street corridor has unemployment rates 2 to 9 times that of Durham County’s rate and why the poverty rate is also greater in this corridor and in other in-town neighborhoods.

      The economic shift from manufacturing to technology left much of Durham’s workforce behind -- a fact that decision-makers seemed willing to overlook as long as the competitiveness of selected groups was protected. But now that the economy has gone global, these policies have created an unintended consequence -- a resident workforce not skilled enough to get the high-skills jobs created in our own backyard. Additionally, the influx of immigrants has added competition for jobs to the equation and has further aggravated the situation for long-time Durham residents. The Durham Chamber of Commerce estimated that over half of Durham’s jobs go to people living outside Durham County who spend their wages in their home counties.

     Durham is therefore in the unenviable position of having to import workers, effectively subsidizing the growth of counties like Wake, Person and Johnston while depriving Durham of the tax revenue generated by its own wages. This also explains the paradox of how Durham can generate some of the state’s highest wages yet have one of its highest poverty rates — and lowest home ownership rates. The inability to earn a competitive wage lies at the root of poverty, crime, family disintegration, low home ownership rate, aging housing and a host of other social ills that plague our city.

     Statistics for African Americans students in the Durham Public Schools have been cause for concern for well over a decade. Lagging test achievement scores, high suspension rates, high truancy rates and high dropout rates are symptoms of underlying issues driving the achievement disparity between African American and other students.

     However, not all the issues are academic. Administrative issues governing the distribution of resources to specific schools, the closing of inner city schools, the construction of new suburban schools, use of Title I federal monies, teacher certification, teacher assignment, teacher turnover and teacher pay are equally important in determining educational outcomes for DPS students.  

     The past is gone but we can address the current and future needs of residents to earn a living. This is why the Fayetteville Street Plan recommended vocational skills training for adults and for students who have dropped out at sixteen to improve the skills base of neighborhood residents.

     The plan also recommended developing employment density through environmentally-friendly industry along the Pettigrew Street corridor so area residents could walk or take public transportation to work. These jobs would position neighborhood residents to receive higher wages, lift many families out of poverty and stabilize neighborhoods through increased home ownership in areas close to employment. One of the best ways to ensure the future of our young people is to make sure their families are able to provide for them. The Fayetteville Street Plan also recommended partnering with public, private and faith-based institutions to position area residents to acquire skills for higher-paying jobs.

Want to get involved?

     Rebuilding our community in the manner that respects our culture, history and economic reality will require the efforts of all segments of our community. We invite you to join us and put your talents to work on any of our initiatives. Contact us at info@fayettevillestreetgroup.com.

Links to Articles and Publications by the Fayetteville Street Planning Group

   For more information about the community issues raised by the Fayetteville Street Planning Group, click on the links below.

Plans by Fayetteville Street Planning Group:

Historic Fayetteville Street Neighborhood Master Plan

Professional Journal Articles:

Sociation Today Volume 4, Number 2, 2006 “We Shouldn’t Have to Move Out to Move Up”

 Op-Ed Articles by Fayetteville Street Planning Group:

City Should Invest in Fayetteville Street  June 2005

Neighborhood Economic Development Can Solve Durham’s Problems  January 2006

Sidewalks are Economic Necessity on Fayetteville Street Corridor  April 2006

Fayetteville Street Corridor Needs Sustained Public Investment   June 2006

We Shouldn’t Have to Move Out to Move Up   August 2006

Planning Commission Used Double Standard   October 2006

Durham’s Tale of Two Streets   January 2007

Fayetteville Street Shouldn’t Be Last in Line for Funding   May 2007

Media Articles about Fayetteville Street:

   The following bibliography lists articles that reference and discuss issues of concern about the Fayetteville Street corridor. Because some media will no longer allow links to their sites, we have opted to list the articles -- which can then be found by using any number of search engines such as Google. 

“Coalition eyes more protection of homes” Herald-Sun  8/30/05

“Development plan stirs worry” News & Observer  8/30/05

“Fayetteville Street group gets council nod”  Herald-Sun  9/20/05

“Land-use designation draws fire”  News & Observer  9/20/05

“Focus: bring in more jobs” News & Observer  10/19/05

“Residents gain small win over density”  Herald-Sun 11/10/05

“Group says more needs to be done to improve Fayetteville St. corridor” Carolina Times 12/03/05

“Ordinance rewrites likely to be passed”  Herald-Sun 12/0405

“TTA-tied rezones derailed for now” Herald-Sun 12/27/05

“Groups wins Council decision”  Herald-Sun  12/27/05

“Neighbors reclaim Fayetteville Street”  Triangle Tribune  1/08/06

“Reaching back for the glory days”  News & Observer  1/21/06

“Ammons seeks growth along Fayetteville Street”  Herald-Sun  2/14/06

"NCCU plan ok, traffic circle not" Herald-Sun 2/15/06

"Land use policy changes sought" Herald-Sun 3/15/06

“City delays vote on NCCU biotech plans”  Herald-Sun  4/5/06

“NCCU gets City OK for biocenter”  Herald-Sun  4/7/06

"A compromise to grown on at NCCU" Herald-Sun 4/9/06

“NCCU area residents satisfied”  Herald-Sun 4/16/06

“Fayetteville Street Group told to give costs:  activists have lengthy list of projects for neighborhood” Herald-Sun  5/10/06

“City council ponders revitalization” Herald-Sun  5/23/06

“Budget ruffles citizens, nonprofits”  Herald-Sun  6/6/06

“Residents speak out on city spending”  News & Observer  6/6/06

“Sidewalks work likely on Fayetteville Street”  Herald-Sun  6/9/06

“Council OKs 3.4% rise in property tax”  Herald-Sun  6/20/06

“Council reviewing bridge problem”  Herald-Sun  7/21/06

"Heritage Square project hits snag" Herald-Sun 8/9/06

“Council revisits Apex St. bridge”  Herald-Sun  8/11/06

“Officials might call for details in plans”  Herald-Sun  8/17/06

“A heritage renewed?”  Herald-Sun  8/20/06

“Traffic counted on Apex St. option”  Herald-Sun  8/25/06

“Council: demolish Apex St. bridge” Herald-Sun  9/6/06

“Urban removal or change for the better?”  Triangle Tribune  10/8/06

"Developer's project faces resistance in Hayti" News & Observer 10/9/06

“Bridging the gap: group wants to save nearby bridge”  Campus Echo  10/18/06

“Heritage Square change backed”  Herald-Sun  10/11/06

“Planning body supports developer’s Hayti proposal”  News & Observer 10/11/06

“Forum addresses black Durham”  Triangle Tribune   11/12/06

“Couple wants stipulation on development”  Herald-Sun  11/27/06

“Project in Hayti gets go-ahead”  News & Observer  12/5/06

“Council OK’s rezoning of Heritage Center” Herald-Sun  12/5/06

"Plans for Rolling Hills expand" News & Observer 1/20/07

“Hayti Plan: benefits, faults could take years to see”  Carolina Times 1/20/07

“Gardeners spread roots”  Herald-Sun

“Bell vows to tackle service issues, crime”  Herald-Sun  2/6/07

"Bus shelter at Durham health center can be wet, nasty" News & Observer 4/28/07

"Council favors $ 6.1M incentive package " Herald-Sun 5/8/07

"Fayetteville Street Shouldn't Be Last in Line for Funding" Carolina-Times 6/16/07

"Council hires firm to plan sidewalks, road repair" Herald-Sun 10/21/07

"Durham wants $20M to repave, build roads" Herald-Sun 10/20/07

"NC Central plan draws criticism" Herald-Sun 1/29/08

"NC Central plan creates suspicion" Herald-Sun 1/30/08

"Tread lightly" The Independent 1/30/08

"Good NCCU relations essential" Herald-Sun 2/4/08

"NCCU expansion worries neighbors" News & Observer 2/9/08

"Nelms believes NCCU can fly" News & Observer 2/23/08

"NCCU plan put on pause"  News & Observer  2/27/08

"NCCU neighbors want satellite campus vs. demolition" Triangle Tribune  2/27/08

"NCCU eyes more master plan input" Herald-Sun  2/28/08

"Home near NCCU marks activists' last stand" News & Observer 3/1/08

"Commission delays Rivera House decision" Triangle Tribune 3/9/08 

"Expansion is a balancing act,' says NCCU chief" Herald-Sun 3/27/08

"NCCU owns this old house, but can't tear it down" News & Observer 3/29/08

"NCCU gives old house a chance" News & Observer 4/2/08

"Durham meeting addresses human impact of redevelopment" Triangle Tribune 4/2/08

"Public takes interest in Old Hayti meetings" News & Observer  4/12/08

"Meeting addresses projects' impact" Triangle Tribune 4/12/08

"Huge change may be afoot at NCCU" News & Observer 4/21/08

"NCCU expansion irks neighbors" Herald-Sun  4/22/08

"NC Central trustees OK expansion" News & Observer 4/23/08

"NCCU plans raise real estate issue" News & Observer 4/24/08

"NCCU trustees approve master plan" Herald-Sun 4/24/08

"Treat NCCU's neighbors fairly" Herald-Sun 4/25/08

"Declaration saves historic house" Herald-Sun    5/2/08

"Rivera house gets historic status" News & Observer 5/3/08

"Don't displace neighbors" Herald-Sun  5/19/08

"NCCU's Nelms is in 'juggling act'" Herald-Sun 5/22/08

"Neighbors wait as NCCU scrounges" News & Observer 5/31/08

"Nelms stands by NCCU plan" Herald-Sun 8/12/08

"NCCU plan foes: Grow, but don't uproot"  Herald-Sun 8/17/08

"NCCU expansion impacts seniors" Triangle Tribune 9/21/08

"Bridge divides community" Triangle Tribune 9/21/08

"Slights of Hayti still linger" News & Observer 10/4/08

"Bars will not close in on churches"  Herald-Sun  11/27/08

"NCCU plan to raze house stirs a furor" News & Observer  11/28/08

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