A major Chapel Hill development aims to protect one of the town’s largest remaining tracts of private land.
The Beechwood Organization of New York recently conserved approximately 80 acres at its $500 million South Creek development, a 120-acre mixed-use community along U.S. 15-501 near Southern Community Park. The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit focused on conservation and economic development, recently acquired the land and intends to transfer it to the Triangle Land Conservancy.
The preserved acreage includes mature woodlands, stream corridors and wildlife habitats along Wilson Creek, which flows into Jordan Lake, a major source of drinking water for the region.
Orange County deed records show The Conservation Fund bought the conservation tract for approximately $2.2 million. The Conservation Fund partnered with state agencies to secure funding for the purchase. Discussions about the property date to 2021.
The area will feature hiking and biking trails, with a bridge connecting the preserve to South Creek. Visitors can park near South Creek’s retail area, then access the preserve via the trailhead and bridge.
Steven Dubb, principal and president of The Beechwood Organization, said their development vision included land preservation from the beginning.
“We certainly considered doing it ourselves, but we began conversations with The Conservation Fund early in the process,” Dubb said. “We knew that making this happen with The Conservation Fund would probably be the best outcome we could achieve.”
The conservation area covers two-thirds of the overall South Creek property. The remaining acreage will become an 815-home mixed-use community that will include apartments, condominiums, townhomes, retail space and public amenities.
Dubb said the team recently began pre-leasing 95 Market, a 92-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space. The building will also house Sounds and Colors, a Reggio Emilia–inspired, Spanish immersion preschool, with enrollment details expected later this summer.
The project’s first condo building, known as Hawthorne, is under construction and remains on track to be completed early next year. A second condo building, Weaver, is expected to break ground this summer and will include community amenities such as a swimming pool and clubhouse.
Dubb said the company regularly incorporates conservation efforts into its projects.
“It’s part of our development philosophy to find nature preserves, parks, or public uses adjacent to our developments,” he said. “We think this approach creates better communities.”
The preservation effort follows years of community discussions about the property’s development and reflects an emphasis on balancing housing growth with environmental stewardship across the Triangle.
As Chapel Hill adds housing and commercial space, The Conservation Fund advocates that permanently protecting the Wilson Creek corridor will help preserve water quality, wildlife habitat and public access to nature for future generations.