Chatham Park: Pittsboro’s new hub for community and innovation

DEVELOPMENT

By Sarah Atkins
Correspondent

As the Triangle area continues to grow as a center for research and innovation, places for people moving to the area to live and exist in the community must rise to the occasion. Chatham Park has been designed for that very purpose.

Chatham Park is a master-planned development built to prioritize “community over commuting” and ensure residents have close access to daily essential services.

The Beginnings and Development of Chatham Park

The vision of Chatham Park began around 2006 when the initial property for the development was purchased. The developer for Chatham Park, Preston Development Company, broke ground in 2014 and began building a UNC Health location and Penguin Place shopping center.

Preston Development Company owns Chatham Park Investors and is at the forefront of planning what Chatham Park will look like once completed. According to Venessa Jenkins with Chatham Park Investors, having one developer working on the project allows for more excellent connectivity and cohesion throughout the property.

Chatham Park is currently in two stages of development. The two parts of the development are divided by Business 64. What is North of that dividing line is only about a third of the project. The South Village—south of Business 64—makes up for the other two-thirds of the project and is primarily undeveloped aside from a solar farm. However, more development in the South Village is expected to begin within the next few years.

Chatham Park As a Center For Community

The majority of the North Village has either already been developed, is being created, or is under contract. This part of Chatham Park currently includes many amenities that are already open or opening soon, including a grocery store, medical care services, restaurants, and a YMCA.

The YMCA is a 36,000-square-foot facility that opened to the public on March 15. Chatham Park built the facility to donate to the Y so the community would have an accessible and modern recreation center.

Chatham Park also includes a mixed-use community called MOSAIC. This area serves as a center for entertainment and includes office spaces, retail, and restaurants. MOSAIC often hosts events such as “Wellness Wednesdays,” which are open to the public.

Over 850 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to townhomes, are currently occupied in the North Village of Chatham Park. Though housing in planned communities tends to be more expensive, Chatham Park agreed to a Workforce and Affordable Housing program with the town of Pittsboro to increase accessibility.

Chatham Park is designed to be a community education center with multiple schools and a private daycare on the property. Thales Academy, a private K-12 school, opened a campus in Chatham Park in 2022, and the Park is currently zoned for three schools to be part of the Chatham County Public School System.

Upcoming Projects

A number of projects are in progress for the North Village, including a UNC Medical Campus office building, a school that will be donated to Chatham County Public Schools, and a new home community by Disney called “Asteria.”

Asteria is part of the “Story Living by Disney” initiative and is planned to include approximately 4,000 residences, a clubhouse, a wellness center, a community garden, and a trail system. Development is expected to begin this year, with homes available by 2027.

Sustainability and Outdoor Recreation in Chatham Park

Chatham Park is a community being built with the arrival of megacities to the Triangle in mind. As the Triangle continues its trajectory to becoming a center for technology and development, Chatham Park seeks to stay ahead of the expected growth.

Not only is Chatham Park seeking to provide a center for community in the Triangle, but it aims to do so in an environmentally friendly way.

The Park’s solar farm, water recovery center, pollination garden, and partnership with Duke Energy aim to build an innovative and sustainable community.

Tinker Solar Farm generates power for 750 homes, and the water recovery center works to reduce and reuse water in the community. According to Preston Development Company, it is the most technology-driven sewer plant in the country, processing up to 1.25 million gallons daily. Chatham Park also has rainwater harvesting and filtration systems through active landscapes that accept water rather than repel it.

Chatham Park offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, with three miles of property on the Haw River and 30 miles of trails for walking and biking.

Realtor Chris Faughnan said Chatham Park “isn’t a neighborhood; it’s a metropolitan development.”

Chatham Park’s Economic Impact and Future

Once completed, Chatham Park is expected to bring $7 billion to the North Carolina state economy in spending and economic activity. The Park will create approximately 110,000 jobs and contribute $440 million to annual tax revenue.

However, the completion of Chatham Park is many years away. With the South Village still in the beginning stages of planning and the North Village unfinished, much is yet to come from Chatham Park.

“We’re almost 20 years in, and there’s another 20 years to finish this project,” said Jenkins.

Sarah Atkins is a student at UNC and the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, studying journalism and history. She has worked as an intern and freelance journalist with the Mitchell News Journal and is excited to contribute to TLR. She enjoys photography and is always eager to find the deeper human interest in her work. She can be reached at information@thelocalreporter.press.