The town is moving ahead on removing the trees, dam and pond at Legion Park in eastern Chapel Hill (CSN, Oct 2026). It’s another step of preparation for affordable housing, a constructed wetland and years later a new park.
Morgan Corp (industrial heavy construction) was the sole bidder and bid winner . The contract is $1,472,400. There’s a project manual which the consultant engineer Tetra Tech created, and Morgan Corp is agreeing to adhere to that manual. It’s over 400 pages.
The town’s Legion project team said the manual doesn’t dictate the timeline, but their goal is to begin work later this fall/winter. This timeframe will help meet some eventual deadlines around a tax credit for the future affordable housing work. The developer plans 150 units on 8-9 acres of the 36.2 acre property. Also, removing the trees and pond in the wintertime will help avoid disrupting the green heron nesting season.
Last month the town council voted to name the future town park in honor of former Mayor Howard N. Lee and educator Lillian W. Lee. They also voted to name the road into the park Howard N. Lee Street. The Lees lived in the Ephesus neighborhood years ago. The park is years away. There’s no plan for the park or money to build it.
J.B.