Grocery Store Opportunity In Hayti ($6M Gap)

The west side of the Villages of Hayti Development. Fayetteville and Umstead. Video recorded March 1, 2024.

On March 13, 2026, a couple of neighbors from the Grant Street Community had the opportunity to meet with Gerald Taylor, who is overseeing Phase I of the Villages of Hayti development along Grant Street and Umstead. During our conversation, he shared both progress and a key challenge: there is currently a $6 million funding gap preventing the inclusion of a grocery store on the west side of the development.

If this gap is closed, it would make way for a much-needed grocery store at the corner of Umstead and Fayetteville Street—a resource that many in our neighborhood have long expressed the need for.

More recently, at the PAC4 (Partners Against Crime) meeting on April 11, 2026, we heard a detailed presentation on food insecurity across Durham. The research was presented by Lawrence David, Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Principal Investigator with Duke University’s Social Science Research Institute. His work highlighted the real and ongoing challenges many Durham residents face in accessing fresh, affordable food.

Lawrence David presenting at the PAC4 Meeting, April 11, 2026.

This moment presents a clear opportunity. The data shared through this research could play a powerful role in helping to advocate for and fund the grocery store, strengthening the case for investment and demonstrating the need within our community.

If this is something that resonates with you—whether you have connections to potential investors, want to support advocacy efforts, or are simply interested in being part of the conversation—we invite you to reach out. Together, we can help ensure that this development reflects the needs and hopes of the neighborhood.

👉🏾 If you’d like to explore the research or share your feedback, click here.

— The Grant Street Community