Plans for redevelopment of the block between Sadlack’s and the Bell Tower Mart on Hillsborough Street are still up in the air.
The University owns the land between Maiden Lane and Enterprise Street and accepted a proposal from Washington, D.C . based land developer Bernstein Companies over the summer to change the block’s look. Business owners had no idea when their businesses would be closed, and not much has changed, according to Ralph Recchie , director of University real estate.
“Things are slow going,” Recchie said.
There have been no changes between Bernstein and the University since the summer and there will not be for the next 12 to 18 months, according to Recchie .
Bernstein has been “in meetings” with Sadlack’s owner Rose Schwetz regarding her restaurant and the property it sits on. Schwetz gave information off the record about what she would do if Sadlack’s were shut down, but said she preferred to wait to comment on the record until negotiations are finalized and papers are signed.
Although the land between Maiden Lane and Enterprise Street will be redeveloped first, Recchie said a phase two option is on the table.
The block between Maiden Lane and the roundabout at Pullen Road contains three businesses including Scooterz , Inc. and Wing Zone. The owner of Scooterz , Inc. said she had not heard a word of the possible takeover.
“Nobody has heard anything about that, as far as I know,” the owner said.
She said her and her husband, co-owners, have been seeking alternative locations anyway, even though they have no information on the phase two option.
“Everybody knows we’re here, and we are a fairly well-known name around. However, I don’t necessarily believe being here is to my advantage. There are college students, but they are not the majority of my customers,” she said.
The owner said if she does move, the new location will probably not be on Hillsborough Street since she could be around the corner “and it probably wouldn’t make much difference.”