Design Districts and Corridors: Why Some Streets Have Different Rules

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Design Districts are Durham’s way of saying: in certain places, the “how” matters as much as the “what.” Two projects with the same uses and similar height can feel totally different depending on whether the code requires strong street frontage and better parking placement.

If you’ve ever looked at a proposed project and thought, “Why does this one have rules about storefront windows, sidewalks, or where the parking goes?” you’re probably looking at a Design District area.

Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance uses Design Districts to put extra emphasis on how buildings meet the street, especially in places where the city wants a more walkable, mixed-use pattern (downtown, key corridors, and activity centers).

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