Durham Invention District
Durham, North Carolina
Longfellow Real Estate Partners and Measurement Incorporated, in collaboration with Duke University are developing plans for the Durham Invention District a nascent life science and technology cluster located in Downtown Durham. They have selected a team led by Greenberg Consultants and CBT Architects to develop a Master Plan for this “Invention District”. This project builds on the significant growth in technology, arts and cultural activity over the past four years and the anchoring of the District by Duke University with the concentration of 170,000 SF in Duke life science research activities. The goal is to create a dense, urban research cluster that is integrated into the other residential, retail and cultural amenities of Downtown Durham. The primary uses within the district would be (a) R&D uses with office and lab components (b) office uses and (c) accessory uses including some ground floor retail and possible residential components if appropriate. In short, it needs to be a place for people to work, gather and collaborate. To date, the redevelopment of Durham has been pocketed with "nodes" of redevelopment and increased urban activity in specific blocks of the city. The pedestrian connections between these "nodes" are increasing as additional development occurs. A priority for the District is to create pedestrian linkages through and between other established areas of Durham to take advantage of established amenities in Durham and future amenities within the District.