Talks surrounding development of Durham's Fayette Place include housing, commercial space

The plot of land has sat empty for years. The bottles, the papers, the old clothing. It's not a good view.

Hilda Smith is a former Hayti resident. She wants to see new development that honors the Hayti community,

"A place where you can meet and greet, where when you come up on that side, there is this glow from within," Smith said.

Fayette Place plans to have about 600 units of housing and more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space.

Durham Housing Authority CEO Anthony Scott said the project includes a homeownership program with plans to make the units accessible for future generations.

"Once they reach a certain point and they decide to sell, then we make sure that those units are still affordable for another family to move into as homeownership units," Scott said.

Scott says each phase of the project will re-evaluate the economic landscape.

Smith wants to make sure Fayette Place can become a welcoming place for everyone.

"You can build better," Smith said. "Maybe have some wellness centers, some art and cultural buildings and make it pleasing for generations to come."

A meeting that was scheduled for Wednesday night to discuss plans for Fayette Place was canceled.