The goal of the Office of Downtown and Economic Development (OEWD) is ambitious but straightforward: To support the commercial revitalization of downtown Durham. To do that, the department provides services designed to help any business — from the smallest start-up to the biggest redevelopment projects.
OEWD is fortunate to be partnered with Downtown Durham Inc. (DDI), a high-energy non-profit business development group whose sole purpose is to build a healthy, thriving city center. In conjunction with DDI, OEWD offers technical assistance, redevelopment services, project coordination and general business assistance. Our services are available to property owners, businesses, developers and individuals.
Neighborhood Commercial Development Projects — are areas across Durham that OEWD has identified as historic and significant small-scale business districts. Areas such as Old Five Points, West End, Fayetteville Street Commercial Corridor, Ninth Street, Northeast Central Durham and East Durham need support to gain vibrancy again. While the building stock remains, much of the business presence has been lost. For a continued sense of community through neighborhood business success, OEWD is working to develop an incentive program in these targeted neighborhood commercial districts to encourage expansion and relocation of existing businesses and the start up of new businesses in these areas. The incentive program would be added to loans and small façade grants to assist property owners and small businesses thrive in these key strategic areas.
This site provides information on the City of Durham's EPA Brownfields Program. Here, you can find out about the program's latest events and happenings, report a brownfields site in your area, and track progress at selected properties.