Preserving History
Empowering Community
Dr. Dan Richter of Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment describes in this presentation the findings of his former Master's student Enikoe Bahari. Dr.Richter was invited to speak by the Walltown Community Association. Enikoe Bahari found in her research that levels of lead in the soil of Walltown, East End and East Durham Park far exceed the EPA maximums. Lead is poisonous neurotoxin. There is no safe amount of lead exposure and it lead exposure can have debilitating and life-long effects on children.
Each of the parks had formerly been the site of a city trash incinerator before being converted into a recreation space.
Lead in Our Park
Walltown’s Alternative Design for Northgate Mall
The Walltown Community Association with the help and support of the Coalition for Affordable Housing and Transit has developed building proposal for where the Northgate Mall formerly stood. We believe our proposal makes the best use of this unique site while meeting the needs of the community and the developers. Our plan would allow the developers to fully realize their desire to transform the former mall into a life science lab space while also providing 240 units of affordable and market rate housing
What is our plan?
To build three mixed-use, mixed-income apartment buildings through a three-phased construction process on 11 acres on the Northgate site. Phase 1 will be located south of the Guess Road entrance to mall to include the location of the Sears’ automative shop.
Below you can see the location on the site of our proposal. Our plans involve the parking lot closest the Guess Road entrance of the Mall and the Sears Automative center.
DURHAM PROPERTY TAX RELIEF - DEADLINE JAN 31, 2023
You may qualify for an updated version of the Low-Income Homeowners Relief Program. Last year the City and County of Durham launched two separate property tax relief efforts for long-time residents. This year the City and County have combined their programs and eased the eligibility requirements. If you are eligible you can save up to $1500 on your annual tax bill.
Who is eligible?
Durham County homeowners of any age
Homeowners who have lived in their home for at least five years
The household income is below the limit (see chart below)
You do not use other state tax assistance programs
If you’re not sure if you qualify or would like assistance with the application, please contact Reinvestment Partners at: 919-667-1000 ext. 27 or email info@ReinvestmentPartners.org
Why apply?
Depending on your income, the grant will pay up to $1,500 of your tax bill.
This is a grant. You do not pay it back.
If your tax bill has already been paid by you or a mortgage holder, it’s not too late to apply for a grant. If approved, you will receive a letter with the amount that have been approved and will receive reimbursement from the Durham Tax Office.
How to apply
Applications accepted through January 31, 2023.
To apply in person: call the County for an appointment: 919-560-8000.
To apply online -- go to Durham County DSS website:
If you apply online, you will need to upload:
Driver’s license or other photo ID
Durham County property tax bill for 2021 with applicant’s name
2021 household income: 1040 (pages 1-2), W-2, unemployment, Social Security, disability
When are property taxes due?
Durham property taxes are due January 5, 2023.
After January 5, 2023, interest will accrue on unpaid bills.
If your tax bill has already been paid by you or a mortgage holder, it’s not too late to apply for a grant. If approved, you will receive a letter with the amount that have been approved and will receive reimbursement from the Durham Tax Office.
Questions?
Please contact Reinvestment Partners at: 919-667-1000 ext. 27 or email info@ReinvestmentPartners.org
Walltown Community Meeting
Saturday 11/12 10:00 am
Here is a recording of November Community Meeting. The focus of this meeting was on the new Long Time Homeowners Grant. Last year the both the City of Durham and Durham County ran two separate grant programs. Last year’s program was tremendously successful. Over 60 residents had their applications accepted and tens of thousands of dollars were property taxes were reimbursed.
Additional topics discuss were:
November 25th (The Friday following Thanksgiving) there will be creek clean up day
Participatory Budget process has begun and is accepting submissions
Walltown Community Meeting
Saturday 9/10 10:00 am
The meeting is a hybrid event, attend either in person at the Walltown Recreation Center or participate virtually using Zoom. Some of the topics of the meeting will be:
New developments at Northgate Mall
St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church celebrating 25 years of Neighborhood Ministries,
A recap of the community sign dedication
Efforts to memorialize Pvt. Booker Spicely
We hope to see you there either in person or virtually. Zoom link is here.
Walltown Reunion 2022!
The annual Walltown Reunion begins this Friday, September 2nd. The Dance will take place at the Ivy Center (4222 Fayetteville Rd, Durham) at 7pm. Food, drinks and a ticket to the raffle are included in the cost of admission ($30).
On Saturday, September 3rd, at 9am the Walltown Sign dedication will be begin at the Walltown Community Center on Club Blvd. This is the culmination of years of planning and fundraising. Please join us for this as well. Later at 11am the cookout will begin at Walltown Community Center.
On Sunday, September 4th, at 10am the worship service will be held St John’s Missionary Baptist Church.
A Northgate for All Durham
There will be a virtual rezoning application meeting this Thursday, August 25th from 6pm to 7pm, hosted by Northwood Investors. Register here to attend.
Show and let the developers know you will not support any rezoning on the site until the developer addresses their obligations to the community:
Affordable Housing: We want 30% of the housing units on the property to be priced for people at or below the Walltown median income ($37,222 annually).
Affordable Retail: We want a grocery store that pays living wages and retail set-asides for non-chain local businesses, especially BIPOC-owned.
Accessible Community-centered Design: We want a community greenspace that connects the property with Walltown park by opening up along Guess Road. We want a dedicated community space, such as a Durham County library branch containing a Walltown history hub.
Environmental Sustainability: We want enhanced stormwater reduction infrastructure to significantly reduce runoff and excessive flooding in and around Ellerbe Creek.
The Walltown Community Association is calling on people around the city to attend Thursday’s meeting and tell Northwood Investors that if they want to change the zoning at Northgate Mall, they need to fully integrate the priorities of Durham residents. Since December 2018, Walltown has led an effort to design a community-centered vision for the redevelopment of Northgate Mall (the details of our work and findings can be explored in the report, Building a Place for All People: A Community-Centered Vision for the New Northgate Mall). We have engaged well over 600 residents via surveys, focus groups, outdoor presentations, and an April 2021 press conference.
Stand with Walltown on Northgate Mall Redevelopment
At the end of July 2020, the Walltown Community Association formed the Northgate Mall Neighborhood Council (NMNC), with residents representing seven neighborhoods: Walltown, Northgate Park, Duke Park, Trinity Park, Trinity Heights, Watts Hospital Hillandale, and Old West Durham. The purpose of the NMNC was to spatialize a collective community vision for the redevelopment of the mall property by creating a set of alternative design maps we can use to engage with the property owners and stakeholders (Northwood Investors, Duke University, and the City and County of Durham). We recently surveyed Durham residents (November 2020 thru January 2021) and received 386 responses providing feedback on our design goals and alternative maps.
Watch our last Meeting 2/12!
Below you can watch our last community meeting. We had a number of guest speakers from the City Of Durham Office of Community Development speak with us and answer questions about the Long Time Homeowners Grant program. The grant can save long-time Walltown residents hundreds of dollars a year in property taxes. The application deadline is March 31, 2021. We also were honored to have our Councilmember Dedreana Freeman in attendance.
As well as the answering questions about the Long Time Homeowners Grant, we received updates about the development at NorthGate Mall, the Community Sign project and the gift from the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.
Watch our Walltown Community Association meeting (9/11/21) and see how you can get involved!
We have resumed Community Meetings! After a year-long pause, as the result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Walltown Community Association has resumed public meetings. This was a special meeting with a number of guest speakers from neighborhood organizations providing updates on their activities over the last year.
If you are interested in getting involved with local organizations please watch the meeting and find the contact information for a representative of an organization you would like to support. All of the organizations listed below are happy to accept new volunteers and donations.
Speaker - Organization - Time Stamp
Audrey Mitchell - President, Walltown Community Association - 00:00
Cynthia Penn-Halal - Founder & Artistic Director, Walltown Children’s Theater - 02:20
Minister Syvlia Belcher - Director, Walltown Ministries - 09:00
Pastor Rev. Robert Daniels - Pastor, St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church - 11:40
Brandon Williams - Chair, Walltown Executive Committee - 16:20
Annie Smith Vample - President, Walltown Reunion Committee- 27:55
Maya Jackson - Founder & Executive Director of Maame, inc - 35:20
Bahari Harris - President, Amy E Kelly Foundation - 40:00
Dan Keegan - Scholars Program Director, Urban Hope - 47:40
Our next public meeting will be November 13th.
Watch our recent press conference outlining why we need “A Northgate For The People”
Walltown’s Vision for Equitable Development
The story of economic growth in Durham over the last decade has been a story of gentrification and displacement. As that growth continues, more must be done to keep residents in their homes, democratize the development process and create economic value for the most vulnerable.
It is time to change the story, and to do that we must shift the power dynamics.
Since the sale of Northgate Mall in 2018, the Walltown Community Association (WCA) has been hard at work understanding the needs, concerns, and desires of neighborhood residents. During that time, we have gathered over 200 surveys from Walltown residents, spoken with people who use and work at the mall, and hosted several community meetings to collectively process the potential changes. As a result of these activities, the WCA has developed a community-centered vision for changes at the Northgate Mall site.
Walltown’s Strategic Vision in 10 Solutions:
Preserve and Build Wealth in the Walltown Community
1. Provide longtime and low-income Walltown residents with an ownership stake (shares of stock, seats on board) in the property developed on the mall site, empowering the community with a role in the governance, success, and economic benefits of the changes.
2. Ensure that Walltown residents can contribute to and benefit from the economic opportunities (construction, retail) by contracting with Walltown small business owners and hiring people from the neighborhood.
3. Preserve the wealth of Walltown’s long-time and low-income homeowners by making grants available to support home repairs and property tax relief.
4. Fund partnerships between local educational institutions and employers to provide apprenticeships and vocational training for Walltown youth and young adults.
Develop an Accessible, Affordable, and Equitable Space for All
1. Establish a significant portion (at least 30%) of affordable units in the property’s housing plan providing first right of purchase and rental to low-income Walltown residents.
2. Create spaces for affordable retail, including a cooperative grocery store (opportunity for community ownership), so that residents can have nearby access to healthy food and other items needed for work, school, and home.
3. Design and enhance the built environment with consideration for pedestrian safety, environmental sustainability, and accessibility for seniors, families with children, people with disabilities, and people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
4. Foster community gathering and cultural enrichment spaces, such as, the Durham Arts Council clay studio, a satellite library branch, and an interactive Walltown history exhibit.
5. Develop a section of the property as a transportation hub for buses and bike riders, including a Park-and-Ride serving nearby universities, hospitals, and downtown Durham.
6. Provide space for a Community Advocacy Resource Center, which can serve as a hub for neighborhood residents about city and county services, access to homeownership and renter’s rights, and other information based on the interests and needs of the community.
In order to make this vision a reality, we propose that Walltown--along with the other Northgate Mall adjacent neighborhoods--engage in a collaborative planning process with Northwood Investors, Duke University and the City of Durham.
Our Community Stories: Walltown
Watch this conversation with recent and longtime residents to learn more about the rich history of the neighborhood and its founder, George W. Wall.