University Place (uP) Mall

CT Wilson Construction played a key role in the multi-phase redevelopment of University Place, a 1970s-era enclosed shopping mall being transformed into a vibrant, outward-facing mixed-use retail destination. Led by Ram Realty Advisors, the redevelopment reimagines the aging mall into an open-air lifestyle center featuring new retail, restaurants, public gathering spaces, and residential components designed to reconnect the property to the surrounding community.

Working under four separate contracts from 2019 through 2025, CT Wilson delivered demolition, renovation, new construction, and site improvements that helped reposition the eastern portion of the property while maintaining operations for existing tenants. The work included the demolition of the former Southern Season wing of the mall (112,485 SF), clearing the way for the redevelopment’s next phase and the creation of new retail and pedestrian-oriented spaces. The closure of the iconic Southern Season store in 2020 marked a major transition point for the property and set the stage for redevelopment efforts across the site.

CT Wilson’s scope also included approximately 80,000 square feet of interior and exterior renovations to portions of the existing mall structure, transforming inward-facing retail space into modern storefronts designed to engage surrounding streets and new outdoor public areas. In addition, the team constructed nearly 18,000 square feet of new retail shell buildings and outparcels, performed extensive site and infrastructure improvements, and completed multiple tenant upfits, including the stand-alone building for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

The work required careful phasing and coordination across an active redevelopment site, as CT Wilson executed multiple contracts over several years while adjacent construction, tenant operations, and future development parcels remained in progress. The result supports Ram Realty’s vision of transforming University Place from an inward-facing mall into a walkable, community-focused retail district centered around outdoor gathering spaces and street-oriented storefronts.

Through selective demolition, strategic renovation, and new construction, CT Wilson helped lay the groundwork for the continued evolution of University Place as one of Chapel Hill’s premier mixed-use destinations.

  • Location: Chapel Hill, NC
  • Cost: $35,600,000
  • Size: 346,617 sf. (existing) (80,000 sf. renovations) – 112,485 sf. (demo) + 17,802 sf. (new)
  • Year: 2019-2025
  • Duration:  Varies per project from 60 – 730 days
  • Architect/Engineer: BB+M Architects / Hill Foley Rossi & Assoc. (Jeni’s Ice Cream)
  • Categories: Community / Adaptive Reuse