A comprehensive guide to the more than 30 development projects that are underway in and around downtown Durham
Compiled By Taylor Motley, Kate Loeffel & Renee Ambroso | Map By Kevin Brown
1) BRIGHTLEAF DISTRICT
Includes historic Brightleaf Square at 905 W. Main St., 910-914 W. Main St., 815 W. Morgan St., 810 W. Peabody St. and 112 S. Duke St. In total, the neighborhood aggregation is approx. 220,000 square feet of mixed-use space. – Charlotte-based Asana Partners purchased the property in late 2019. Over the past year, Brightleaf Square has welcomed several new tenants, including Raleigh based Afters Dessert Bar and fitness studio FlowCorps. Most recently, floral design boutique Mood Fleuriste opened its doors, adding a distinctive touch to the district’s evolving retail mix. Natural wine shop and bar Sol House Wines is slated to open soon. These newcomers join Emmy Squared Pizza, Known for its Detroit-style pies, Nikos, an authentic Greek dining experience by restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias, and Fonda Lupita, a Mexican eatery.
2) THE GREGSON, 204 S. Gregson St.
– Developer is Baltimore-based real estate company Wexford Science & Technology, which also developed The Chesterfield building – Nine levels with 218,000 square feet of state-of-the-art lab and office space
– On-site multi-level parking garage
– Currently in predevelopment, expected delivery TBD
3) FORMER DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS, 505 W. Chapel Hill St.
– 4-acre parcel owned by the City of Durham
– Originally built in the 1950s as offices for Home Security Life Insurance Company and most recently occupied by the DPD, the building became vacant in late 2019
– Durham City Council selected Florida-based The Peebles Corporation in August 2024 for a nearly $300 million redevelopment of the site. In June, city council directed city staff to end negotiations with The Peebles Corporation and to instead begin planning for interim site programming.
– It’s yet to be determined if the historic building will be preserved and renovated into a 100-room hotel or replaced with a cultural center and museum.
4) ARBOR VISTA, 512 Gordon St.
56 one-to-three-bedroom townhomes, 1,251-2,043 square feet
– Three distinctive floor plans crafted for downtown living, with rooftop terraces, one- to two-car garages, and 10-foot ceilings in the main living space, plus home offices and/or flex spaces in every home as well as features like quartz countertops, modern cabinetry with a stylish range hood, premium KitchenAid, floating bathroom vanities and LVP flooring throughout
– Features first urban pedestrian malls in the state
– Starting in the low $500,000s; homes available for move-in now through 2025
– Construction slated for completion in winter 2025
5) CITY PORT II 505 Yancey St.
– Adjacent to first phase of City Port (600 S. Duke St.)
– Joint venture of Center Studio Architecture and White Oak Properties
– Focus is on smaller flats with great design and rooftop amenities
– 55 flats, ranging from 347 to 869 square feet
– Construction estimated to commence early 2026
6) THE TERRACES AT MOREHEAD HILL, 783 Willard St.
– 25 townhomes featuring three bedrooms, three and a half baths, two-car garage and a private rooftop terrace, each surrounded by greenspace and Durham skyline views
– Urban development led by The Florian Companies; California Commercial Investment Companies is a development partner
– Phase 1 and 2 are sold out; Phase 3, the final phase, is available now and features 11 townhomes including: seven move-in ready, Parade of Homes-winning, Promenade-style floor plans on Willard Street with designated office space on the third floor; and five larger, terrace-style floor plans on Manor Way, each with a full-size elevator and a first-floor bedroom
– All Phase 3 townhomes include a 2-car garage, an elevator or elevator-ready (prewired and shafted), and unique design selections among the units
– Willard Street is a newly constructed city street with brick borders, streetlights, benches and a new public footbridge at the end of the street that crosses over a creek and connects to the Miracle League of the Triangle field, American Tobacco Campus, Durham Bulls Athletic Park and beyond within minutes.
7) MARKET DISTRICT AT AMERICAN TOBACCO CAMPUS – PHASE 1, 601 Willard St.
– Former site of University Ford
Development by CBC Real Estate, a division of Capitol Broadcasting Company, and Hines in partnership with Affinius Capital
– 700,000-square-foot mixed-use project on 8 acres bordering the west side of American Tobacco Campus
– 350,000 square feet of leasable space in two Hines T3 (Timber, Transit and Technology) creative office buildings; 350 multifamily units in a 14-story, high- rise residential building; and 100,000 square feet of experiential retail, like a theater/draft house. prepared foods grocer, shops and restaurants
– Activated central plaza and intimate pedestrian alleyways programmed with events and experiences
– No definitive construction start date at this time
8) ASHTON PLACE, 310 Jackson St.
– Adjacent to the Willard Street Apartments, this 51-unit, 52,000-square-foot affordable housing project is for adults age 55 and older
– Studio, one- and two-bedroom units
– Community gathering areas, bike storage, fitness facilities, tenant storage and a business center
– The project is a partnership between DHIC and SelfHelp Ventures Fund and was developed or city-owned land with a 9% low-income housing tax
credit and a commitment of funds from the city
– Construction started in Q2 2023; finished in Q3 2024
– First residents moved in August 2024
– Building is at 100% occupancy
9) THE NOVUS, 400 W. Main St.
– Close to two acres of land
– Existing South Bank building was demolished and construction is underway
– Austin Lawrence Partners project that will be constructed in two phases: Phase 1 will encompass a mixed-use 27-story high-rise with a residential portion to include 54 condominiums with layouts of up to five bedrooms; 188 apartments; 450 parking spaces
– Ground-floor retail totaling nearly 23,000 square feet; first tenants include local cycling studio Revel and Pilates studio Solidcore, with Dose Yoga + Smoothie Bar slated to open, as of press time, in fall 2026, with other prospective food and beverage tenants in letter of intent negotiations
– Amenities include an outdoor movie theater, resort-style pool with accompanying spa pools, golf simulators, coworking space and expansive indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces plus city views through floor-to-ceiling glass, spacious private balconies, chef-appointed kitchens and modern bathrooms.
– Construction of Phase 1 is slated for completion in late 2025. Leasing of apartments began in July, and the first apartment tenants and condo owners have moved in. The public parking deck is also open.
– Phase 2 is currently in concept design
10) THE JAMES, 320 W. Morgan St.
– 312 mixed-use apartment units, 32-story tower
– 13,000 square feet of retail space
– Craig Davis Properties project
– In planning stages
11) DURHAM INNOVATION DISTRICT
– Total area: 1.8 million square feet, 27 acres, bordered by Duke Street, Morgan Street, West Corporation Street and Roney Street
– 200 Morris – Duke Clinical Research Institute leases entire building; Google is a subtenant in the building; Virge Yoga will opened in early 2025; 2,780 square feet of retail space is available.
– 300 Morris – Hoofprint Biome announced in May that it will lease lab space in the building. Narrative Coffee Company opened in July. The second floor has 1,529 square feet of shell space ready for office build out.
– Morris Green Park – at the corner of Morris Street & Fernway Avenue; offers public green space and a dog park.Enjoy a food truck and live music on Third Thursdays during lunch from March through October
– Future phases will include more than180,000 square feet of lab & office space
– Public parking garage on Roney Street
– Courtyard between 200 & 300 Morris buildings includes seating, signature lighting, Wi-Fi, water features and lawn games. Public art includes Raleigh artist Matt McConnell’s 100-foot sculpture and Charlotte artist Sharon Dowell’s two-part series along Morris Street. Raleigh artist Anna Payne Rogers Previtte’s mural is showcased in the 300 Morris lobby.
12) WYE JUNCTION, 501 Washington St.
– Mixed-use development including 310 apartment unites; 492 parking spaces
– 8,000 square feet of retail space in new construction; approximately 18,500 swore feet in existing historic garage building, which is being upgraded; Atomic Clock Brewing Co., Plum Southern Kitchen & Bar and Bull City Running Co. currently occupy retail space; six additional concepts will open in the next year
– 4,677 square feet of public gathering space, including shaded outdoor seating and a future pocket park
– Delivery of residential unites expected fall 2025
13) DURHAM RAIL TRAIL, Abandoned Norfolk and Southern rail bed
–1.8 mile multi-use trail that reclaims a portion of unused railroad tracks for walking and biking from north Durham to downtown.
– City staff engaged historically under-represented communities in alignment with the city’s Equitable Community Engagement Blueprint
– Construction estimated to begin in fall 2026; trail expected to open summer 2028
– An alignment for the basic trail has been set, which includes generous path widths and materials, neighborhood connections and end points, and specific elements for roadway crossings.
– Trail will have proximity to the American Tobacco Trail as well as major transportation nodes, such as the Amtrak Station and Durham Station.
14) THE GEORGE, 512 West Geer St.
– Raleigh-based Beacon Street Development, on pause for now; originally slated as a seven-story, 40-residence boutique condominium with five residential floors offering one-, two- and three-bedroom penthouse residences over two levels of gate-secured parking
– 3,451 square feet of retail space
– “This project is of immense importance to us, and we are keen to restart it at the earliest opportunity.” – Justin Hime, sales and marketing director at Beacon Street
15) THE CALLISTA, 802 Washington St.
– Three 3,000-sqaure-foot townhomes (three bedrooms, four baths) with private decks and a sky room
– $1.75 Million
– Durham Performing Arts Center architect Phil Szostak of Szostak Design
– Construction anticipated to begin fall 2025
16) GEERHOUSE, 620 Foster St.
– 2.2-acre site near Durham Central Park
– Phase 1 to include 220 new multifamily rental units, averaging 785 square feet (range from 566 to 1,310 square feet) with a unit mix of 20% studio units, 50% one-bedroom units and 30% two-bedroom units
– Amenities include: Landscaped courtyard with water feature, major amenity rooms with west-facing terrace overlooking the historic Durham Athletic Park, ample garage parking and linear park through the site connecting Foster Street to Rigsbee Avenue
– Project includes an expanded Motorco Music Hall, plus 13,000 square feet of new retail space; TaTaco, a Mexican eatery by James Beard Award-nominated chef Oscar Diaz, will occupy a portion of the first floor and Steelo Salon opened in a portion of the first floor, and a new sushi restaurant is slated to open in Q1 2026. As of press time, an artisan food and sundry market is slated to open October 2025
– First units were derived in October 2024 and are now in lease-up
– Phase 2 is in planning stages
17) THE RIGSBEE COLLECTION: NO. 815
– 51 apartments, 2,000-square-foot restaurant with 700-square-foot patio
– Elmwood Development project; architect is ArchitectureFirm; engineer is Coulter Jewell Thames; interior designer is Murphy Waldron Interiors
– Opened in December 2024
18) THE RIGSBEE COLLECTION: NO. 311
– Four-story building with 45 apartments
– Brick and metal facade
– Construction completed in April 2025
– Elmwood Development project with ArchitectureFirm, Counter Jewel Thames and general contractor HITT Contracting
19) NORTH & BROADWAY, 120 Broadway St.
– A Lock7 Development of 24 18- and 20-foot wide townhomes
– Builder is Concept 8; sales and marketing is handled by Chappell [Powered by Compass]
– Construction started Q2 2023; last delivery expected Q4 2025
– 60% sold (15 of 24 units closed)
– Features include roof terraces in all units; one- and two-car garages in all units; large windows (store-front glass on some units); multiple flex spaces in some units; and skyline views in some units
20) 106 BROADWAY
– Joint venture of Center Studio Architecture, White Oak Properties and Chris McGee
– 14 modern two-bedroom, 1,028-square-foot townhomes starting at $499,000; construction slated to begin early 2026
– Private outdoor balconies off top floor living rooms with soaring ceilings and a one-car garage with flex room
– Taking contracts now
– Sold by Urban Durham Realty
21) 501 N. MANGUM ST.
– Developer is Trinsic Residential Group – Carolinas
– 232 unit, 18-story high-rise
– Project is currently on hold
22) THE WILLOW DURHAM, 601 N. Roxboro St.
– Two five-story buildings, constructed in two phases
– South building (Phase 1) completed Q1 2025, with four units still available for move-in
– North building (Phase 2) is scheduled for completion Q4 2026, with five unites still available
– Ground-floor garage and services areas totaling 7,000 square feet per building
– Seven condominiums per building; plans include two- and three-bedroom units of 1,855 square feet, 2,410 square feet and 3,320 square feet; all include a flex room
– Amenities: two to three balconies per unit, dedicated laundry room in each condo, modern mail room with refrigerated delivery, guaranteed parking space per unit; dedicated first-story storage for each unit
– Started in the $900,000s; remaining units start at $1.1 million
– Developed by Lorient Homes and sold by Urban Durham Realty
23) KRESS CONDOMINIUMS, 162 W. Ramseur St.
– Corner of West Ramseur and South Mangum streets, current site of a 0.15-acre parking lot next to the historic Kress building
– Development by Raleigh-based real estate firms White Oak Properties and CityPlat
– Six-story building with 26 residential units, including rooftop units, all with balconies
– 2,000 square feet of ground-level retail
– No definitive construction start date at this time
– First-floor suites are currently occupied by High Dive and Strike Martial Arts
24) DOWNTOWN DURHAM YMCA, Center of Blackwell and W. Pettigrew Streets
– .79-acre site
– 65,000 square feet
– CBC Real Estate project
– Multiple rooftop terraces with outdoor fitness areas, an indoor pool, basketball court, indoor track, group fitness studios, and dedicated space for youth and family programs
– 80 on-site parking spaces and additional reserved spaces nearby
– Construction slates to begin fall 2027, with doors opening early 2029
– Esteemed cost of $46 million
25) 300 & 500 E. MAIN ST. APARTMENTS
Mixed-use buildings with total of 305 affordable residential apartments, 248 market-rate apartments, 16,500 square feet of commercial space and more than 1,600 parking spaces
300 E. Main Street.
– Includes a roughly 753-space parking deck at 115 N. Queen St. with 110 affordable housing units at Renegade, located at 335 E. Main St., which serve households making 30%-80% AMl with a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units
– 3,900 square feet of commercial space and a 10,499-square-foot child care location with two pre-K classrooms, allowing Durham County to serve children from birth to 5 years old; Durham County continues to work with Early Years (formerly known as Child Care Services Association) to finalize the request for applications to get a child care operator on board
– Queen Street side of the building includes a structural public art installation that also serves as a screen wall for the parking deck
– Construction of the parking deck is complete and currently operational
– Affordable housing is nearing completion, with leasing currently underway; occupancy began early September 2025
500 E. Main Street
Redevelopment includes a parking garage with approximately 847 spaces along with 195 affordable housing units at Revive, serving households making 30%-80% AMI with a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units along Ramseur Street
– Includes Maizon Durham, 248 market-rate apartments along Main Street handled by Florida- based developer ZOM Living, which has an office in Raleigh, with a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments (ranging in size from 555 to 1,450 square feet) and 13,000 square feet of street-level retail space that includes plans for an anchor tenant and a cafe
– A linear park between the two buildings will provide a landscaped pedestrian walkway connecting South Dillard Street and South Elizabeth Street
– Construction began August 2022
– Parking deck is complete; opened in August 2025
– Market-rate housing units are complete and currently available for leasing
– Affordable housing construction began in June 2025 with an anticipated completion in Q2 2027
26) CAMDEN DURHAM, 425 S. Roxboro St.
– 420 apartments; average unit size around 900 square feet; most units (about 75%) will be either studios or one-bedrooms, with the remainder two-bedrooms
– A budgeted cost of $145 million
– Construction began 2021, completed Q4 2024
– 6,000 square feet of retail space
27) HERITAGE SQUARE, 606 Fayetteville St., 401 E. Lakewood Ave.
– Joint venture among national development firms Sterling Bay, Acram Group and Harrison Street to create Multistory Class A office, purpose-built laboratory space and residential units on a 10-acre site located in the Hayti District
28) BORDEN BRICK II, 618 Ramseur St.
– Four tenants, which will include Peace & Saint, an upscale dessert and hookah/cocktail bar, and Fizzwerks, a craft seltzer brewer
– Vida Dulce, an ice cream and dessert shop, is slates to open Q2 2026
29) DILLARD CO-LIVING, 218 N. Dillard St.
19 co-living townhomes, each with five private suites and shared kitchen/laundry
– Affordable rents, all utilities included, and flexible lease terms
– Community Cafe coming in 2026, offering prepared foods, coffee and tea and is open to the public
– Leasing now
30) VANGUARD APARTMENTS, 544 Liberty St.
– 72-unit, $23.9 million project; first phase of Liberty Street/519 E. Main St. redevelopment
– Mixed-income development that includes one:, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes tor individuals and families. Building amenities include storage lockers, a multipurpose room, fitness center, computer lab, playground and outdoor picnic space
– Durham Housing Authority co-developed the property with its instrumentality, Development
Ventures Inc., as well as Laurel Street Residential
– Construction completed in Q2 2025; grand opening held in September 2025
31) DILLARD STREET APARTMENTS, 540 Liberty St.
– Mixed-income development that includes 146 affordable and market rate apartment homes; third phase of Liberty Street/519 E. Main Street
redevelopment
– A community center will be built as part of this phase, which will include a community room, fitness center, computer lab and playground.
– Durham Housing Authority co-developing the property with Laurel Street
– Construction began on the first 48-unit, $22 million project in Q4 2024, with substantial completion
estimated for Q2 2026
– Construction on other 98 units slated to begin this fall
32) COMMERCE STREET APARTMENTS, 115 Commerce St.
– Public-private partnership of Laurel Street and the Durham Housing Authority broke ground July 2024
– 172-unit, $56.6 million project; second phase of Liberty Street/519 E. Main Street redevelopment
– 88 of the units will be reserved for older adults, while 84 will be available to individuals and families of all ages
– 71 of the apartments will be public housing replacement units, while another 58 will serve households with incomes below 60% of area median income
– 19 units will be accessible for people with physical disabilities in accordance with the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard: 4 units will be accessible for residents with hearing or vision impairments
– Substantial completion estimated for Q3 2026
– Walking distance from a senior center, Edgemont Park, a police station, convenience store and an elementary school.
33) GOLDEN BELT CAMPUS, 800 Taylor St., 807 E. Main St.
– Mixed-use: adaptive re-use renovation
– 320,000 square feet of rentable space
– LRC Properties and Alliance Architecture renovated Mill No. 1 and have welcomed occupants including, but not limited to: 25 artist studios, Couple and Stein, Mettlesome, Durham Art Guild, Hi-Wire Brewing, WillowTree, Two Roosters Ice Cream, Cugino Forno, MetaMetrics, Urban Tails Veterinary Hospital, MHAworks, 19Fifty-One and The Tipsy Bull.
– The Mill Stage features free music programming during the summer in conjunction with Third Friday Art Walk each month.
– A trellis walkway connects Mill No. 1 to the Golden Belt side of campus, which includes 37 residential lofts, office and lab space, and retail tenants such as Moshi Moshi Salon, The Cotton Room/Belt Line Station, Dogstar Tattoo Company, Tribal Fit and Yaya Tea.
