Glen Lennox: A Storied History & an Exciting New Chapter
Nearly seven decades ago, William Muirhead’s vision to build one of the first modern planned communities in the country came to life in Chapel Hill. He named the mid-century development Glen Lennox, a tribute to both his Scottish immigrant heritage and his wife’s maiden name.
From its conception, Glen Lennox was designed to solve a pressing problem for the community. As veterans returned from WWII, enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) swelled from 4,100 in 1941 to more than 6,800 students in 1946. The Town of Chapel Hill experienced similar growth during the 1940s as well, growing by more than 250 percent in just a decade.
Glen Lennox helped address the housing crisis created by the region’s explosive growth. In 1950, the 70-acre development opened with 314 apartments and expanded to 440 units by 1953. The community was laid out with wide curvilinear streets and sidewalks and was complemented by a modern shopping center that included a gas station, grocery store, restaurant, gift shop, laundromat, salon, bank, and pharmacy.
Residents immediately embraced Glen Lennox’s charming atmosphere and convenient, walkable amenities; and in no time, a friendly community vibe had taken root. “I’ve watched the community evolve for the past 30 years, but the one constant is how much people love living in Glen Lennox,” said Vanessa Blackwood-Spinks, senior property manager of Glen Lennox. “On average, 10 percent of our apartments house tenants that have been here five years or longer. We even have three tenants that have called Glen Lennox home for more than 40 years!”
Today, Glen Lennox is stepping up to the plate yet again to meet the needs of Chapel Hill residents and business owners. In addition to 215 new units in the Link Apartments® Linden building, a parking garage, pool, clubhouse, and bike lanes, Glen Lennox is excited to offer its first commercial office space, The Gwendolyn.
Named after Gwendolyn Harrison, the first African American woman to attend UNC, the four-story, 106,000-square-foot Class A office space carrying her namesake aims to inspire a new generation of trailblazers and change-makers. The building will offer tenants every modern amenity and provide workers easy access to retail, restaurants and green space.
Recently, financial news and information site SmartAsset named Chapel Hill number 30 in its list of the best American cities to work in technology, with Raleigh and Durham also being recognized in the top 50. As the technology sector booms in the region, Glen Lennox is proud to offer state-of-the-art office space that will attract and nurture enterprising businesses in Chapel Hill.
As construction on these exciting additions gets underway, Vanessa notes how the community will be even better equipped to serve residents. “Folks are excited about the new apartments, the pool and the ability to walk or bike to work. We’re proud that we’ve built a strong community that appeals to people in every stage of life.”
Source: https://www.townofchapelhill.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=7328
