Durham Centre

page type::article page type::address thing type::building usage::office space street::US/NC/Durham/roads/West Morgan street number::300 name::Durham Centre - for listings location::US/NC/Durham

Overview
The Durham Centre is an office building skyscraper in downtown Durham, NC. It is sometimes referred to as "The Blue Pickle".

The Durham Centre was built in the 1980s, when Durham's downtown was near the nadir of its decline; when downtown began its recovery in the late 1990s, it soon became apparent that the Durham Centre's monolithic, isolated position was somewhat out of tune with the more street-level oriented (and renovation-oriented) development which constituted the vast majority of the new projects.

On or about 2007-06-27, the building was purchased by Craig Davis Properties of Cary, NC for the sum of $19.2 million.

Similar Name
The Durham Centre should not be confused with:
 * The Durham Center, a social services agency also in Durham, NC.
 * The Durham Centre, a similar agency in County Durham, England which apparently closed in 2004.

Contact

 * Address: 300 West Morgan Street,

Specs

 * Suite 100 - 1,922 ft2 (restaurant)
 * Suite 530 - 2,262 ft2
 * Suite 600 - 15,401 ft2
 * Suite 800 - 14,111 ft2
 * Suite 900 - 14,540 ft2
 * Suite 1000 - 14,540 ft2
 * Suite 1450 - 7,159 ft2

Source: Google cache of CB Richard Ellis page (should have saved the page; Google has updated its cache to show the 404 error)

Tenants

 * Suite 4xx: Fourth Floor Creditors Meeting Room
 * Suite 700: apparently used by the Department Of Veterans Affairs (and perhaps others) for job interviews (source)
 * Suite 1150:
 * Science Communicators of North Carolina (SCONC)
 * The Shodor Education Foundation, Inc.
 * Suite 1200: Midway Airlines Corp (same as this company? May no longer be in existence at this address.)
 * Suite 1400: Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce (official contact info)
 * Suite 1402: Department Of Veterans Affairs
 * Suite 1500: Hutson Hughes and Powell (not known if they are still there)
 * Roof (antennas): Sirius satellite radio

suite unknown

 * James H. Hughes, Attorney
 * TheraSim moved out to RTP in 2012 or earlier
 * William A. Hatch (lawyer)

future tenants

 * The Renaissance at Durham Centre (occupancy scheduled for 2009)

former tenants

 * Per-S&eacute; Technologies (source): recently acquired by McKesson as of 2008-02-15
 * Knowledge Vector, Inc (formerly Suite 1200) moved to 2530 Meridian Parkway, Suite 300 sometime between 2008-01-09 and 2008-02-15 (source: Google cache)

Advertising Copy
The Durham Centre is a unique "Class A" office building with a magnificent stepped pyramid roof rising above the downtown skyline. The Durham Centre is the city's landmark for business. Distinctive in architectural design, the fifteen story, 223,193 square-foot office tower combines deep blue reflective glass and distinctive red granite imported from Finland to make a dramatic visual statement of the region's commitment to the future.

Complementing the Durham Centre's exciting exterior environment which reflects the prestige of the building, the tower's interior is a magnificent three story lobby atrium. The atrium accents the geometric patterns of the building's pyramid roof design and features a second floor open balcony overlooking the lobby. Tastefully combining polished red granite floors and cherry paneled walls with gleaming stainless steel accents, the lobby atrium projects an image of refined elegance.

Ideally located, the Durham Centre has benefited from its convenient access to the work environment in the RTP (Research Triangle Park), as well as easy access to public transportation, the airport, city government and surrounding communities. &mdash; CB Richard Ellis via Google cache, 2007-04-17.

Reference

 * Craig Davis Properties page about the DC

News

 * 2007-06-28
 * Durham Centre goes under Craig Davis' ownership: blog entry commenting on the N&O article, with additional links and reader comments
 * Office tower sells at cut rate
 * 2007-06-27 Craig Davis pays $19.2M for Durham Centre
 * 2007-04-13 AT & Durham Centre: Lease is more

Images

 * 1988 People's Security Insurance Building, the Durham Centre's original incarnation