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tephen Raburn reports, “I moved to Durham last November with my wife and two little girls.”
The Raburns are transplants from California. “We were specifically looking for a new hometown that felt like a community; an area that we could truly invest in and impact. Durham has exceeded our expectations. It meets all of our criteria: It’s family friendly, culturally diverse, international (thanks to the universities and Research Triangle Park), committed to smart growth, and it’s unique. Durham is unmistakably Durham, unlike so many towns that seem like AnyCity, USA. We’re proud to call Durham home.”
Few American cities can match the eclectic menu Durham offers: cutting-edge technology firms; great health care, top-rated education and research facilities; a revitalized, dynamic downtown; charming historic neighborhoods with oak-lined streets; two acclaimed universities and a first-class technical community college; six major hospitals; big-city culture and entertainment with a small-town atmosphere and more.
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nce a textiles and tobacco town, Durham now not only prides itself as the “City of Medicine,” but also as being home of the world-renowned Research Triangle Park. Nearly one-third of Durham residents work in healthcare or research and the physician-to-patient ratio is four times the national average. In addition to its major hospitals, Durham houses more than 300 medical and health-related companies. More than 40 percent of North Carolina’s bio-tech companies call Durham County home, and the financial services industry cluster is growing rapidly.
The City of Medicine might also be called the “City of Construction” as former tobacco warehouses morph into downtown offices, research labs, specialty shops, restaurants, condominiums and apartments. Two big projects totaling more than $300 million are transforming downtown into a bustling area without spoiling its historic character. In one, the sprawling old American Tobacco Company warehouses are quickly becoming one million square feet of office space, shops and residences. The former Liggett Tobacco Company, West Village II, will be even larger.
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According to
Fodors, "Durham arguably has the most sophisticated cuisine in
the state."
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Recreational activity abounds in Durham with three of North Carolina’s top 40 golf courses, 100+ public tennis courts, three recreational lakes, 20 miles of greenways and trails, 13 historic sites, the must-see Sarah P. Duke Gardens and its new neighbor, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
There are 20 major festivals, six science and nature centers, five (soon to be six) Civil War historic markers, two symphony orchestras and four national landmarks, plus a wide array of other arts and cultural attractions and activities.
Shopping options in Durham range from the Ninth Street Shopping District, a friendly, funky group of restaurants and specialty shops, to The Streets at Southpoint complex and the expanded Northgate Shopping Center. As for the gourmands, there’s something to please every palate. Durham has 25 regionally or nationally ranked restaurants – offering everything from Carolina barbecue to continental cuisine.
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The Research Triangle
Chapel Hill ~ Raleigh ~ Durham
Put three world-class universities together and you've got all the elements
of great research and ground-breaking technology. Back in 1959, the
Research Triangle Park was established as a joint effort by Duke University,
the University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University.
They wanted to attract research, and with so many superlative minds in close
proximity, success was a sure thing. Today, the Park employs almost 50,000
people and has been honored with three Nobel Prize winners. There also are
more colleges and universities around here, creating even more of a draw for
the finest minds of our time. (This area has the highest concentration of
PhDs in the nation.)
Of course, there's more to this area than research and technology. Those
three schools and surrounding towns have spawned some pretty fabulous
sports, including the ongoing basketball rivals of UNC and Duke in the
highly competitive ACC.
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Alan Breznick
is primarily a business and technology writer, editor and
analyst based in Raleigh, N.C. He has written for scores of
newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post,
New York Newsday, Business Week, Business North Carolina,
Triangle Business Journal, Sport and Parenting. He can
be reached at
albreznick@earthlink.net.
Have some fun. Get some expert feedback. Post your Durham questions,
comments and experiences on the "Carolinas
Message Board."
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