Durham drafting development plan for Lakewood, West End, Lyon Park neighborhoods

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Durham residents are sharing their ideas for the future of a decades-old shopping center and the area around it.

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Right now, city officials are working on a plan for the Lakewood, West End and Lyon Park neighborhoods.

“I think the shopping center can serve as a good community space,” Lakewood Social owner Joel Schroeter said. “I would love for it to have more well-maintained infrastructure, from the traffic flow [to] the pedestrian corridors.”

Guided by public feedback, the Small Area Plan will provide recommendations for future development. 

Community engagement conducted by the city’s planning department shows residents want to see affordable housing, parks, improved pedestrian access, more small businesses, cleanliness, restaurants, shaded areas and better usage of the Lakewood Shopping Center parking lot.

“There’s a lot of things that you could do with this area that would be amenable to the people that are around it and also to make it more appealing,” shopping center employee Julie Altschuler said. “Green space, a park. We have room over there next to The Scrap Exchange for a lot more park land.”

The City of Durham’s Planning & Development Department said they will have draft plans for the area in the coming weeks.

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In the meantime, city officials are hosting a pair of community engagement meetings in August.

The next meeting takes place on August 12 at the Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park. Another virtual session is scheduled for August 20.

“I think there’s a lot of hunger for other businesses that would benefit the residents in the neighborhood,” Schroeter said. 

In August, the Durham city council approved the Walltown Small Area Plan, which aimed to serve as a guide for the redevelopment of the abandoned Northgate Mall site.

The plan envisions a high-density and mixed-use development that incorporates aspects such as affordable housing, affordable retail options, community spaces, and environmental sustainability.

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