Good news for everyone who ever wanted an old window frame, a cheap sink or some flooring. Wake County Habitat for Humanity will locate a ReStore in Wake Forest in about mid-July. It will be in the Market of Wake Forest on Durham Road (N.C. 98) next to Capital Boulevard.
Monique Delage, who is director of media relations and marketing for Habitat, said they are happy to locate the store near Goodwill because “we will take what they won’t take.” Food Lion and Dairy Queen are also in the shopping center.
Habitat still maintains the large ReStore in Raleigh but in the past couple years has located smaller stores, similar to what will be in Wake Forest, in Cary, Apex and Fuquay-Varina. Delage said Habitat uses the money raised in the small stores to fund its local building program. That began with building 10 new houses throughout the county each year, now they are able to build 15 with plans to expand that to 20.
Habitat has built 25 homes in Wake Forest since 1992, beginning with Jubilee Village on East Juniper Avenue, and last year with the help of 150 members of AmeriCorps built three houses in five days, completed two more and made exterior repairs at eight existing houses. The new houses went up along Spring Street.
The group recently completed a house on East Juniper Avenue, and Delage said they plan to build another house in the area early next year. “We have three additional lots that will need to be subdivided and are looking for additional land for future building.” One lot is the former site of the Spring Street Presbyterian Church, which partially collapsed and was razed two years ago.
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Another project that will be built soon is the Siena Townhome project for 99 townhouses on the north side of the N.C. 98 bypass. Senior Planner Charlie Yokley said this week the construction plans are now being reviewed by the town.
The protracted fight by nearby homeowners against the project ran for three years. In 2012 the town board voted unanimously against a special use permit for the plan, then 102 townhouses. Part of the reason was the lack of a clubhouse and because the open space was around a bio-retention pond across Siena Drive from the townhouses. There were also concerns about the lack of sidewalks and walkable connections to other parts of town.
Ninety Eight Bypass Associates headed by local commercial realtor Russell Gay returned in 2013 with an adjusted plan and again the town commissioners voted not to approve it. Ninety Eight Bypass Associates filed an appeal with the Wake County Superior Court on Oct. 16, 2013, and the matter was heard on Sept. 2, 2014. Judge Paul Ridgeway issued his ruling on Nov. 25, 2014, saying the board’s decision should be reversed and the plaintiff granted the right to build the townhouses. In December the town board decided, on its attorneys’ recommendations, not to appeal the judge’s ruling and let the order stand, allowing the project to be built.
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A reader sent in the following notice.
“A synagogue in Wake Forest?
Is it possible to start a synagogue in Wake Forest? Let’s find out. I offer my home to host a meeting of interested or curious people Sunday, June 14 at 10 a.m.
Call with any questions or to respond and assure that there will be enough coffee and ruggelach for everyone. 610-248-1588.
My phone number reveals that I just moved here from the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania.
Jonathan Gerard
1032 Federal House Ave.
rsvp 610-248-1588
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No one has asked recently, but there is no news about the two Fifth Third Bank buildings, one planned for South Main Street and one for Capital Boulevard.
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Three of the troublesome intersections in town should see traffic signals this year – see article in last week’s Gazette – but a fourth intersection meets the state Department of Transportation “warrants” for a signal, Heritage Club Road and Heritage Lake Road. It is not on the list for improvements, but the situation will probably grow worse faster as drivers have to use alternate routes while the Forestville Road and Rogers Road bridges are rebuilt.
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Here’s a date to put on your calendar: Carl Pearce sent a note to the Gazette that said: The 60th Gathering of the WFHS class of 1955 will be held at the Forks
Restaurant on August 21, 2015, at 12:00.
