Every Day is Earth Day at Glen Lennox
At every step in the redevelopment of Glen Lennox, the team has remained committed to preserving the character, culture and community of this historic neighborhood while building a more sustainable future. The exciting next chapter in Glen Lennox’s history will make it easier and more accessible for our residents, office tenants and visitors to reduce their carbon footprint and live a greener lifestyle.
Before breaking any ground, Grubb Properties consulted with professional arborists to create an urban forestry management strategy. With a detailed, long-term plan in place, extreme care has been taken to preserve the community’s giant oak trees that are a hallmark of the 70-acre property.
Any trees that posed a risk or needed to be removed to make room for new construction were upcycled into custom countertops, tables, shelving and artwork on the property. This practice ensures existing trees remain healthy, new plantings are continually being introduced, communities can fulfill their lumber needs and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by keeping lumber out of landfills.
Around the property, 157 trees representing 18 native species, 1,000 shrubs, and nearly 400 flowering annuals and perennials are being planted. Over 10 years, those new trees will offset more than 7.5 metric tons of CO2 — or the equivalent of driving more than 18,000 miles in a car.
Trees aren’t the only material being reused in the Glen Lennox redevelopment. Bricks from old buildings are being repurposed for new structures too. Inside our new buildings we are installing energy-efficient windows and appliances, water-efficient plumbing and fixtures, and using low-VOC paints and flooring. These measures reduce our buildings’ environmental impact, increase their energy efficiency, and have earned the Gwendolyn a LEED Certification and the Link Apartments® Linden a Silver Certificate from the National Green Building Standard.
Whether you live or work in Glen Lennox or just come through to visit, you will benefit from the community’s design that promotes multi-modal transportation. With a heavy emphasis on being bicycle- and pedestrian- friendly, Grubb worked with urban planning firm, Copenhagenize Design Co., to create infrastructure that is safe and convenient. Upgraded intersections and protected bike lanes have already been incorporated into the community, and Grubb commissioned a study that devises a way to connect a bike trail from Glen Lennox to downtown Chapel Hill. With support from the community and other partners, we hope to be a part of getting this bike path built and enhancing connectivity throughout Chapel Hill and beyond.
To further encourage the use of public transportation, state-of-the-art bus shelters are being installed throughout the neighborhood where riders can comfortably wait for their ride. By 2030, Grubb’s goal is to reduce reliance on personal vehicles and for 50 percent of the trips to and from Glen Lennox to use multimodal transportation.
For Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, we invite you to celebrate with us! There are lots of everyday activities you can do to lessen your environmental footprint. Learn about Orange County’s recycling program guidelines and keep more waste out of the landfill when you sign up for a composting service. When shopping, bring reusable grocery bags with you to reduce the use of plastic bags. Lastly, take advantage of the warm spring temperatures and plant your own veggie garden with supplies from Southern States in Carrboro so you can enjoy homegrown produce all summer long.
