GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some residents in the Friendly Homes neighborhood are expressing concerns about a potential new neighbor.
Cone Health is looking to buy land and rezone the area.
The land, currently home to the Centenary United Methodist Church, is situated across from Cone Health’s Wesley Long Hospital. At present, the 5.26-acre property is zoned for single-family homes only. However, if rezoned, it could potentially accommodate facilities such as hospitals, museums, or community centers. The future of the land, however, remains uncertain.
“We do not have immediate plans for the 5.26 acres. However, this purchase allows us to combine this property with many other properties we own in the North Elam Avenue, Pasteur Drive, and Walter Reed Drive area,” Cone spokesperson Doug Allred said in a written statement. “This will allow us to develop new health and wellness services adjacent to the Wesley Long campus and convenient to neighbors and community members.”
That uncertainty has some neighbors feeling uneasy. They fear that if the property is repurposed, the additional traffic will be overwhelming.
“We’re in a completely residential area. There’s no sidewalks, there’s no lines on the road,” Joe Joplin said. “I mean, just having that influx of becoming a cut-through is just super threatening to us.”
Others worry that with no specific plans in place, the building could sit vacant and become a hotspot for squatters.
“The church could sit empty for up to two years. We know that in Greensboro, there have been other buildings that have been inhabited,” Kristen Cheshire said. “And what usually happens is that, you know, we get some unhoused people that might take up residence, which can cause a lot of public safety concerns for the neighborhood.”
The city is hosting a rezoning meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the possibility.
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