Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 25, 2008, edition 1 / Page 5
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Shr Daihi &ir Hrrl Apartment fires sweep area BY SARAH FRIER ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR When fire survivor Kelli Gaskill smells smoke or hears sirens, it brings her back to that night in September. “I wake up at night and it’s sort of right there; it’s in my head," she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get that pic ture out of my head, waking up and seeing my dining room on fire." The Highland Hills at Colonial Village apartment blaze that dis placed 20 residents and killed one woman Sept. 30 still haunts the memories of the affected. Former roommates Susan Thome, 26, and Kristin Pietrowicz, 25, still are recovering from the severe leg and spine injuries they sustained after jumping from their balcony to escape the fire. But things are looking up. Next Tuesday, surgeons will remove the structural metal plates and screws that doctors secured in Thome's foot after the fall. And a few weeks ago, Thorne returned to her job teaching math part time at Chapel Hill High School. She had left those same students in September; they sent her “get well soon" cards. ‘lt's only been a short time see ing the kids, hut it’s been great," Thorne said. “It’s going to be hard to leave again and say, Tm sorry™ Pietrowicz, who returned home to Ohio for recovery, will have her "hardware" removed next year. Both of the women can now walk with canes. “It's a very slow walk," Thome said. “It’s still painful." Last fall, Carrboro firefighters were especially busy. A major fire claimed an Ashbrook Apartments building, and six other fires sprung up throughout the town. Crafts ©d the QreeD at Southern Tillage Craft Show and Adopt-a-Thon fJ to benefit 2PawsUp! Sunday, May 4th g * 1-5 pm Handmade Art by 30 Crafters Proceeds benefit local animal rescue www.2pawsupcraftshow.blogspot.com h|^pw j| S~r \M*r t.V*V W jhßk JHB I ' i '% HI DTH FILE/TRACI WHITE Susan Thome and Kristin Pietrowicz jumped 25 feet from their balcony during the Highland Hills at Colonial Village apartment fire on Sept. 30. But the Highland Hills fire was the most severe one. "In the history of the Carrboro Fire Department, that fire would rank in the top five," Deputy Chief Trey Mayo said. “That’s about a hundred-year history. In response, fire Chief Travis Crabtree asked the Board of Aldermen to strengthen fire code enforcement. Under Crabtree’s plan, the fire department would inspect all com mercial buildings yearly and multi family dwellings every two years. “Performing fire prevention inspections creates an opportunity to educate citizens and identify fire code violations before the problem occurs," Crabtree said. He also asked the town to install additional sprinkler heads in newiv built multifamilv homes. Such measures could keep dev astating fires from happening. The fire department responded 20 minutes after the Highland I fills fire started, but little was salvaged. Fire investigators could not deter mine a cause because the destruc tion was so extensive, Mayo said. Everything that would have been used as evidence was destroyed. “You never know. You never know when something like this is going to happen." Gaskill said. Contact the Features editor at features (s unc.edu. 4t Call Us! & UNC CAMPUS & CARRBORO 919-929-0246 412 E. Main St., Carrboro Delivery charges may apply. t "Extra Big | j Fantastic Deal" j Get an EXTRA LARGE 1-Topping Pizza j i I Why not have I xßaiSF’ apartyandget | | 2 or 3?! I -J | After 37 years we are closing our doors. | Iffl il ISlHlillll Entire uwentarf! Hurry, because items wiO gifut! . starts 4/25. f118133 West Franklin Stree m/m back side of University Squar< Km JHuFacing Granville Towers) ES.Sk* 929-7626 bOJ.M;SatJ2i6.Sun. City Downtown business goes niche Franklin Street continues evolution BY ANASA HICKS STAFF WRITER Chapel Hill residents have lost several longtime businesses this year as new ones pop up to replace them. But the new businesses might be moving in a different direction than residents are used to. Toots and Magoo, an antiques and paper goods store, opened Tuesday at 142 E. Franklin St. It’s scheduled a grand opening May 5. The Crunkleton. a bar, furniture showroom and art gallery, is slated to open at 320 W. Franklin St. at the beginning of May. Buns, a hamburger restaurant, will open in the next five weeks. And Noodles & Cos., a “global noodles shop," will open in the middle of July. “The growth patterns for down town are going to be centered around arts, education, culture and entertainment," said Liz Parham, executive director Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership. She said that the downtown is moving toward a niche market and that there isn’t as much of a need for an all-purpose down town anymore. “If you look at East Franklin from 20 to 30 years ago, it defi nitely had traditional businesses like hardware and clothing stores," Parham said. But she said malls and chain stores have taken away the need for independent stores of that type in a downtown. The Crunkleton owner Gary Crunkleton said he hopes to attract graduate students, young profes sionals and neighborhood locals. “We’re hoping it will be the place where Harry met Sally," he said. But some say chain restaurants such as Cluck U Chicken and Noodles & Cos. change the face of Franklin Street. Noodles & Cos. regional mar keting manager Patrick Noone said the Raleigh-Durham area is a “no-brainer" market for his company. “We opened our first East Coast market six or seven years ago in D.C., so it was only a matter of time," he said. He said Noodles & Cos., which has locations in 16 states, is an active member of each commu nity. But Carrboro resident and for mer Chapel Hill business owner Musa Firat said chain businesses are bad for Chapel Hill and the country in general. “Big companies are putting small businesses out of business," he said. “It will monopolize power in the hands of a few people." Firat, who sold Aladdin’s Bar BE C00L... THINK COOL LIVE C00L... When the time comes to ditch the dorm or move in with friends, check out the really cool houses at: www.COOLBLUEBENTALScm 300 Davie Rd Sr SI 840/mo Fantastic floor plan Terrific house 8 * Blf MtIIhI B JEfi with all appliances in great neignborhood' Available June 320 Davie Rd. MKX/'" dM| S 1840/mo. Fantastic floor Available Aug Ist Now signing leases for 2008-2009! We make finding your new place easy... Visit our website where you can see photos of our houses, floor plans, map locations and much more! Complete information on our AiTxlftL houses is on-line. We only 4lAa'A* rent clean, well maintained homes Call us soon to get a v ** gs J chance at yours. www.Coolßlueßentals.com Caucasian Non-Menthol Smokers Needed for Research Stody Compensation up to S2OO duke mrnmum CNSCR HB Charlotte • Durham • Raleigh • Winston-Salem GIU TUff! M-S2HH (#1011) visit: wwwjhikesmokiogjmm e-mail: smokinfl@duke.edu FRIDAY. APRIL 25, 2008 “Big companies are putting small businesses out of business. It will monopolize power." MUSA FIRAT, former aladows owner last year, said it is hard for small businesses to survive because of the high rent and the unhelpful business environment of Chapel Hill. He said one big problem is the lack of parking on Franklin Street. But Parham said businesses that closed in downtown Chapel Hill all closed for different reasons. "Schoolkids (Records) closed because the industry has shifted and changed," she said. “People rarely buy CDs anymore." She said The Rathskeller, although it was comparable to Top of the Hill in its heyday, suffered from competition with the 85 res taurants now downtown. “Downtown’s not stagnant either." she said. “A downtown is an ever-evolv ing environment that always wants to have new businesses opening up.“ Contuct the City Editor at < ityde.sk(a unc.edu. 5
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 25, 2008, edition 1
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