gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648
DURHAM -- City Council members voted 5-2 Monday to postpone for another two weeks a decision about whether to give a Fayetteville Street landlord a $175,000 neighborhood-revitalization grant to renovate her property.
The decision came after Mayor Bill Bell -- who sits on the board of the bank from which the landlord intends to secure private-sector financing -- questioned whether the project's income margins are too thin.
Bell noted that the figures landlord Mozella McLaughlin and the city Office of Economic and Workforce Development have presented gauge only the project's income before taxes.
He said he was "not comfortable" there would be enough money left over after taxes were added to the reckoning for it to pay off.
Bell added that he's still interested in seeing if there's a "win-win" between McLaughlin, her family and the building's current tenant, the Know Book Store & Restaurant.
The Know's owner, Bruce Bridges, has been critical of the proposed grant.
The McLaughlins intend to use the city's money, plus a loan from Mechanics & Farmers Bank, to expand the building, 2520 Fayetteville St. They intend to devote the extra space to a jazz cultural center and other businesses.
Bridges, however, has said his landlords are cherry-picking the most profitable parts of his business. He brings in jazz artists on Friday nights and also sells food.
Supporters of the bookstore lined up Monday night to urge the council to avoid doing anything that would hurt Bridges or his business. Bridges himself said the city should provide relocation subsidies if he's forced out.
Bridges added that he's also talked with city economic developers about securing a loan, only to be told that he can qualify only if he owns his own building. He said he's looked for suitable properties in the Fayetteville Street and Alston Avenue corridors but so far hasn't found one that's available, affordable and free of environmental problems.
The debate has produced something of a split in Durham's black community, with prominent members lining up behind the McLaughlins and others behind Bridges.
It's also become an issue in the City Council election. Incumbents Howard Clement of Ward 2 and Cora Cole-McFadden of Ward 1 joined Bell, Councilman Mike Woodard and Councilman Eugene Brown in supporting the delay.
Ward 1 challengers Donald Hughes and Ward 2 challenger Darius Little spoke in favor of McLaughlin's application, while Ward 2 challenger Matt Drew spoke in favor of preserving the Know Book Store.
McLaughlin supporters like bass player Freeman Ledbetter said the proposed renovation would take the property "to the next level," improving its ability to serve Durham's arts scene.
But Bridges partisans questioned why the city would contribute to a project that could displace an established, black-owned business.
"If you do this to Bruce's business, why would you not pay to squeeze out other small businesses?" asked one of them, Chris Tiffany.
Several speakers urged the council to find a compromise, perhaps by offering relocation assistance to Bridges.
"Instead of closing down black businesses, we have to create and find ways to help our young men get employed," activist Victoria Peterson told council members. "I support both of them. But somehow our community, the African-American community, has to come together and figure out a creative way."
