Carolina North extension shows how the University grows with the state

When UNC-Chapel Hill breaks ground on Carolina North — projected for late 2027 — it will mark the dawn of a new era for the University. The planned 230-acre development represents Carolina’s largest campus expansion since the cornerstone of the Old East building was laid in 1793.

However, the campus footprint growing isn’t new. Throughout its history, Carolina has responded to the needs of students, faculty and North Carolinians at large through expansion. As the state has grown, so too has its flagship institution.

Prior to Carolina North, UNC-Chapel Hill experienced three distinct periods of campus expansion, according to University Archivist Nicholas Graham:

• 1793 through the 19th century: This period represents the very beginning of UNC-Chapel Hill and the construction of landmarks like Old East, Old West, South Building, Person Hall and the Old Well.
• The early 20th century: Polk Place is the major development of this period, as well as several classroom and administrative buildings still in use today, like Bynum Hall, Peabody Hall and Swain Hall. Wilson Library and the iconic Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower were constructed during this period.
• The late 20th century to early 21st century: This era marks the continuation of Carolina’s southern expansion, like the high-rise residence halls of Hinton James and Morrison, the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School as well as significant growth in Carolina’s medical campus, health sciences buildings and athletics facilities.

Growing with North Carolina

Talks of expansion at Carolina North first began in 2006, before the Great Recession halted construction. Now, plans are moving forward with the development of a 230-acre learn-live-work-play campus located 1.6 miles north of UNC-Chapel Hill’s main campus, building a new engine for research, discovery and public impact.

Carolina North is conveniently close to campus – in a location that many Carolina students already call home – and provides easy access to the rest of the Triangle region. Physical and digital links to the main campus will create a unified research ecosystem that supports hands-on learning, applied research and faster discovery.

This expansion is necessitated by the surging North Carolina population and rising college-going rates, leading to a 40% increase in applications from qualified North Carolinians since 2019.

In the past decade, enrollment has increased by approximately 17%, and Carolina’s current first-year class is its largest ever – and the first in a 10-year plan by the chancellor to grow enrollment by 5,000 over the next decade.

As North Carolina continues to grow, so too will its leading University.

“We have a fundamental obligation to the people of this state,” Chancellor Lee H. Roberts said. “As North Carolina continues to be one of the fastest-growing states in America, the demand from qualified North Carolina students is only going to increase.

“If we do not create the physical capacity to serve more of them at the same level of excellence, we will either have to turn away thousands of our own citizens or diminish the quality of the education we provide. Neither is acceptable for the state’s flagship university.”

Carolina North will be constructed at the site of the former Horace Williams Airport, which closed in 2018 and has been owned by the University since 1940. All 230 acres are in Chapel Hill, providing a unique chance to build a transformative space so close to Carolina’s main campus.

“This campus extension is an unparalleled opportunity for our students and North Carolina’s future and a powerful catalyst for long-term growth,” said Malcom Turner, chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees.

“By creating a place where education, research and industry intersect, the University is strengthening its role as a driver of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment across the state. This kind of forward-looking development benefits our students, fuels job creation, attracts new partners and reinforces Carolina’s competitiveness for decades to come.”