Edenton Street United Methodist Church is quietly teeing up a big decision about a 1.2-acre parking lot it owns in downtown Raleigh, a stretch of asphalt that could eventually trade tailpipes for tenants. Over the next several months, church leaders say they plan to listen closely to congregants and neighbors as they weigh options that include mixed-income housing, community space or other mission-driven uses.
According to Axios, the Dawson Street parcel at 310 W. Edenton St. is valued at nearly $20 million, based on county land records. The outlet reports the church formed a steering group in February and brought on a consultant to guide a months-long discernment process about the lot’s future.
What the church is proposing
On its Edenton Street United Methodist Church Dawson Lot Project page, the church lays out several “must be true” principles that any redevelopment plan has to hit. Those include keeping parking available, centering marginalized communities in the decision-making and requiring any housing component to be mixed-income rather than exclusively market-rate or affordable.
The site also outlines a three-phase roadmap: a listening phase, a phase to test potential concepts and a public reveal of a preferred direction. A small core team is named to work with outside consultants and community partners as they sort through what is possible on the property.
Why housing is on the table
Local numbers help explain why housing keeps bubbling up in conversations about the lot. WRAL reported last year that Wake County faces a major housing shortfall that is projected to grow through 2029…