My favorite hideout is Durham’s abandoned urban garden

8 May

I found this secret garden hidden in downtown Durham a few years ago. It’s on the roof of the Durham Centre parking garage across from the Carolina Theatre. Head to the top of the parking deck and you’ll see a warped boardwalk winding in a labyrinth-like pattern covered in overgrown brush.

It’s a cool spot to eat your lunch, have some coffee or watch theater-goers file in and out of the Carolina Theatre. The garden is on the spot where developer Franklin Wittenberg once envisioned building another glass tower filled with luxury condominiums. I’ve been out of the Durham development loop for some time, so I’m not sure where that project stands, but my guess is it was abandoned long ago.

Anyone know more about what’s going on with Durham Centre? Are there any hidden gardens or spots you take a timeout in?

14 Responses to “My favorite hideout is Durham’s abandoned urban garden”

  1. Beck May 8, 2008 at 9:57 am #

    Great find! Thanks for sharing it.

  2. RaleighRob May 8, 2008 at 10:28 am #

    I think most folks have given up on that project…he’s been talking about it for years but nothing has happened.
    The next highrise tower that’ll come to downtown Durham will most likely be built by Greenfire…not Wittenberg.

  3. Shawnf May 8, 2008 at 10:32 am #

    wow – I’ve spent a lot of time there in the last two months.
    Duke is moving a large number of the Clinical Research Institute there. Renovations of the 5 floors are going on now. If you’ve noticed – the lobby has recently been redone and the garden will be soon as well. The City of Durham is working on the parking garage below to fix the structural problems and spruce it up.

  4. Toastie May 8, 2008 at 10:57 am #

    It’s a nice place to walk a socially-challenged dog without having to worry about running into other dogs (as long as no one else takes this up as a suggestion).

  5. Joseph H. Vilas May 8, 2008 at 10:57 am #

    A friend of mine got marred up there a couple years ago. It was neat.

    My understanding is that if Wittenberg ever completes his original design (I hope no one is holding their breath), that garden would be replaced by a parking deck, perhaps with more building atop it.

  6. Ginny May 8, 2008 at 11:02 am #

    I take it you speak from experience ;o)

  7. Ginny May 8, 2008 at 11:03 am #

    Ooh, that would be a cool spot for a wedding, especially with that big, brick patio adjoining it. Clever.

  8. arse poetica May 8, 2008 at 11:38 am #

    Nice! Now I’ll have to walk to the top next time I’m there.

  9. Lesley May 8, 2008 at 1:10 pm #

    I just found the url for Wittenberg’s condos, which are supposed to be ready next year.

    http://www.therenaissancedurham.com/intro.htm

  10. Toastie May 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm #

    Bull City Rising wrote about Durham Centre back in December. I think the twin towers plan is defunct and that the website just hasn’t been updated in awhile.

  11. Lesley May 8, 2008 at 2:32 pm #

    On the subject of special spots in Durham, one of the Duke mags solicited favorite spots from Duke employees back last year. My submission (Duke Chapel Benches) made the article. I enjoyed reading what others wrote as well. Check it out at: http://news.duke.edu/2007/07/secret.html

  12. tetriskeyring May 8, 2008 at 6:11 pm #

    Wow, thanks for posting about this. Durham just gets more and more interesting all the time.

  13. Ginny May 8, 2008 at 7:59 pm #

    That’s cool that they featured your secret spot. I’ve been to the chapel several times and have never noticed the benches you wrote about. I’ll have to pay more attention next time.

  14. Valerie May 13, 2008 at 9:05 pm #

    I like the little Peace Garden near the Durham Farmer’s Market.

Leave a Reply