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I am also disappointed in the downtown of Chapel Hill. There isn't that much to it and I find myself uncomfortable around the panhandlers and the loiterers. The residential parts of Chapel are pretty nice for the most part, fortunately. In contrast, State College, PA, where we live now has a great downtown full of shops, sidewalks, activities, and is very safe. Oh, well...
Then why not stay in State College? The cost of living there is certainly lower than CH.
Well, to be fair to downtown, we went back this afternoon and it felt better than last night. The homeless were still around, but the gangsta wannabe types were missing, so that was a plus. Perhaps they only come out at night. I thought the area away from the college seemed nicer (over by Aveda) and we didn't make it down that far last night. It still wasn't as nice or upscale as I expected but on Saturday afternoon there were plenty of normal looking people milling around and it seemed like there was some energy there.
We also drove through Carrboro downtown and could see some interesting little shops and places to eat. Only problem with that area is, it's not very pedestrian - you have to drive to stores or race across a few lanes of traffic to get to a new shop.
I'm glad that you went back during the day because it's a totally different atmosphere. I actually love Chapel Hill and the downtown area (shock!). I think it's one of the few places in the triangle where you can be outside, walk around, and really enjoy all that is going on around you. During the week and on the weekend during the day, Franklin Street usually has a lot of people walking around and I love the atmosphere. On Sunday, lots of stuff is closed, so don't expect it to be really busy then.
Also, I have to disagree that Carrboro is not very pedestrian. On really nice days, there's a HUGE abundance of people running, walking, riding their bikes, and it seriously feels like the happiest place ever.
Keep in mind, that if you've mainly been visiting this weekend that it's been extra cold here, and the atmosphere is much happier when it's warmer than 60 degrees.
I don't know why people have this expectation of Franklin Street being a quaint white picket fence place that is perfect...it's not. It has character, great atmosphere, and actually for a minute looks a little like a real city, which is much more than many places in the triangle have to offer.
I didn't really expect it to be perfect but I did expect upscale. Not really sure why I got that impression, probably because I had never read anything at all negative about it and it's such an expensive town. The homeless were totally shocking to me, I think that was the problem - I just wasn't expecting that. I'm trying to leave that behind in NYC!
Just so you know, the problems at Apple Chill seemed to be caused by gangs based out of Durham. Also note that most of the problems occured during "After Chill" - the nighttime after-party. Still, it's very unusual activity & definitely does not represent your average weekend along Franklin Street. Why on earth these gangs chose to come to a family-friendly street fair in CH is beyond me, though. It's a shame because I hear that Apple Chill used to be great fun, with lots of local arts and foods. Guess we'll never know.
Here's a story about the offical cancellation of Apple Chill.
http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/432485.html (broken link)
But like I said, there are still wonderful things about the area. There is much much more to Chapel Hill than a cancelled street fair. There are gorgeous homes, a repertory theater company (based out of the university), good schools, etc. Just like in any town, you usually have to do a bit of research to find the truly exceptional places, but they are there. And maybe Franklin Street isn't as quaint as some might have imagined, but I have always felt perfectly safe walking around there even at night.
Just curious...why do you assume that the problems at Apple Chill seemed to be caused by gangs based out of Durham? Not everyone that commits a crime are gang members. The article posted didn't say it was caused by gang members.
However, Chapel Hill and Carrboro are infested with gangs as well by natives and all backgrounds. It's a growing problem for the Triangle. Gangs who once called the streets of Los Angeles and New York City home are now stretching beyond their big city bases as they find it harder and harder to operate in those big cities.
Cris, I got the impression from local media outlets in the weeks following Apple Chill that the shootings had ties to gangs from Durham. Of course, impressions aren't facts. Can any of the locals verify this? I had trouble finding stories on the internet with any additional information.
And just so you all know, I'm certainly not trying to say bad things about Durham. Indeed, I'm hoping to buy a home in Durham in the coming months.
At any rate, my point was just that, yes, Franklin Street isn't perfect. And since we're coming up on the first anniversary of those events at Apple Chill, it may be easier for people to come across some negative press. But even despite the negative information that can be found, Chapel Hill is still a lovely town and one can still have an enjoyable evening on Franklin Street. I certainly have.
We are moving from State College to Chapel Hill because my husband insists we move to a warmer place. State College is a great family town. I would stay if I had any choice.
Chapel Hill DOES have cute cafes, bars and clothes shops. You just weren't looking at the right places. Franklin St. is pretty long. There's quite a bit to do and see. I've lived here for 9 months and still haven't explored all Franklin Street has to offer. I'm constantly finding new shops and restaurants I didn't notice before.
The only problem with it is the homeless people (or, better put, the people who claim they're homeless-- most of them actually aren't and do this for a living). They're annoying, and in the other college towns that I'm familiar with, Champaign, IL and Columbia, MO, that was never a problem. This is possibly because of the weather, and most likely because Chapel Hill's downtown is that actual little collegiate part of town next to UNC-- Champaign has a separate downtown away from the University of Illinois, as does Columbia away from the University of Missouri. Downtowns in general seem to attract that sort of thing.
The wannabe gangsters were probably college students. The street is very safe, much more so than New York City (and NYC's pretty safe now compared to most cities).
I think you're definitely too quick to jump to conclusions. Appearances are not always what they add up to be. The problems that CH may have in these areas are nothing compared to most parts of New York City. Franklin Street has so many businesses and so few empty spaces in comparison-- and those empty spaces fill up fast! Already since I've moved here, many shops and even a hotel have opened on Franklin. I'm surprised that that's the impression you came away with. Progress requires empty spaces sometimes to get something better, you know? I know in Champaign, retailers had a tough time staying around sometimes because they did 95% of their business 9 months of the year. It was tough when the students weren't in town. That's a big liability in a college area.
There is really a vibrant cultural life in CH and Carrboro. It's similar to Champaign in that you could eat at a different restaurant every week and not be done in years. I find Carrboro (along with Chapel Hill) to be very pedestrian-friendly-- cars will always wait for someone walking across the street in Carrboro, and there are lots of crosswalks and cute shops along the way. In fact, the huge number of people you'll find walking their dogs, running, riding their bikes and walking around with groups of people pretty much proves that Carrboro is VERY pedestrian-friendly. Give it another chance and actually walk around this time!
Chapel Hill is expensive because:
1. It is a university town, with one of the world's best universities
2. Professors/students' parents/administrators/staff, etc. need a lot of housing
3. It has UNC hospitals and some of the best medical care around
4. It's a college town with a great atmosphere and a lot to do (restaurants, etc.)
5. It has the best schools in the area, and people move there just to give their kids a great education
Whatever you may say about Princeton, Chapel Hill holds one thing over Princeton, permanently: the weather! While Princetonites are tramping around in two feet of snow, Chapel Hill denizens would be found shivering in 50-degree weather. That's a big attraction for many people.
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