CHAPEL HILL -- Seven members have been appointed to a Downtown Steering Committee that will explore creating a new entity to lead efforts to revitalize Chapel Hill’s downtown business district.

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser and Downtown Commission Chair Charles House today (Nov. 5) jointly announced the steering committee’s membership.

Foy and Town Manager Cal Horton will represent Chapel Hill. UNC appointees are Roger Perry, a Chapel Hill resident and member of the Board of Trustees, and Nancy Suttenfield, vice chancellor for finance and administration. Along with House, the commission’s representatives are downtown business owners Betty Kenan and Dana McMahon.

The most recent deliberations initially resulted from the commission’s hiring of a private consultant suggested by the university to assess current conditions and strategies for change. Foy also appointed a downtown task force, which reported to the Town Council last June. The council held a special workshop on the new development entity – recommended by that task force – in October. Earlier this fall, the university offered to partner on those efforts with the town, commission and community leaders. Suggestions included providing academic expertise from UNC faculty and units such as the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the School of Government.

Key goals for the new steering committee include finding a structure for the new development entity that can effectively promote the economic viability of downtown at a pace consistent with that of other commercial retail centers, according to Foy, Moeser and House.
Among the additional priorities are to focus sustained attention on the joint redevelopment efforts and to enhance communication and teamwork among all key stakeholders, including other commercial interests in town, they said.

The downtown business district represents the heart of Chapel Hill and the front door to the UNC campus. Downtown is a unique resource because of the diversity among its business and building owners, which include the university.

To be successful in the future, the downtown district needs to unify its common interests to have the same capacity to address challenges that other parts of the town’s business community already have achieved, Foy, Moeser and House agreed.

The committee’s first meeting has been set for Monday, Nov. 10, at 8 a.m. The committee’s meetings will be open; community members are expected to have opportunities to provide input.

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Contacts: Chapel Hill Mayor’s Office, 968-2714; Office of University Communications, 962-8593; Downtown Commission, 810-6122.