Friday, December 21, 2012

Regado Biosciences, Raises $51M


Regado Biosciences, which maintains a development lab in Durham, is developing drugs to control bleeding, and has raised $51 million in new financing, including backing from Triangle-based Aurora Funds.


Durham Chamber Joins Immigration Coalition

The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce has joined the 25 founding members of a national business coalition called "Business for Skilled Worker Immigration," which wants to overhaul the nation's broken immigration laws for skilled workers.

Bayer CropScience buys 70 acres in RTP

Bayer CropScience bought approximately 70 acres adjacent to its Research Triangle Park site to give the company the ability to expand its operations.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Durham Woman Honored For Breast Cancer Volunteer Work


Duke Cancer Center in Durham honored Cindy Atkins, a local volunteer who helps patients cope with self-image issues that often arise during breast cancer treatment, received the Light of Hope.

Windsor Circle Raises More than $1 Million


The Durham-based retention marketing software start-up Windsor Circle Inc. has raised more than $1 million in a Series A financing round, the company announced Wednesday.

Durham Woman Named 2012 Newsmaker of the Year

Durham resident Andrea Harris was named the 2012 Newsmaker of the Year by The Triangle Tribune for her work helping minority businesses as president of the NC Institute for Minority Economic Development.

Durham Care Community 3rd Largest in Triangle

Durham's Croasdaile Village was acknowledged by the Triangle Business Journal for being the third largest continuing care retirement community in the Triangle.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Durham Man Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list


Josh Sommer of the Chordoma Foundation, a cancer research foundation in Durham has made Forbes magazine’s annual “30 Under 30” list, a who’s-who of the nation’s top young entrepreneurs and executives. Forbes chose Sommer, 24, as its top winner in its “science and healthcare” category.

Duke Student Named College Entrepreneur of 2012

Duke University student Bryan Silverman has been named College Entrepreneur of 2012 by Entrepreneur Magazine for his work with Star Toilet Paper, an advertising agency that uses printed toilet paper to sell ads.

Durham's Lincoln Apartments to be Redeveloped

The Durham Housing Authority says it plans to demolish the Lincoln apartment complex on Lakeland Street where dozens of families are being evicted and build a multi-income housing development in its place.

Duke Medicine Professor Named Harrington Scholar-Innovator


Wolfgang Liedtke, an associate professor at Duke Medicine, has been named one of 10 Harrington Scholar-Innovators, which includes a grant of up to $200,000 over two years. Liedtke won for his work in pain control, specifically helping to develop a new class of drugs that inhibit the pain response in skin with potential applications in painful skin conditions including sunburn and wound pain.

Windstream Building New Data Center in Durham


Little Rock, Ark.-based web company Windstream Hosted Solutions is building a new enterprise-class data center in Durham. The planned 22,0000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in 2013 and could be expanded to 88,000 square feet.

Papas Grille Reoens As Bleu Olive Bistro & Cafe

The owners of the Papas Grille closed the restaurant in June to allow for interior renovations, and re-opened the eatery Nov. 20 as the Bleu Olive Bistro & Café with a more casual atmosphere and an updated menu. The restaurant is at the shopping center at 1821 Hillandale Road in Croasdaile Commons.

Argyle Social Appoints New CEO


Adam Covati has been appointed CEO at the Durham-based social marketing technology company Argyle Social, following the resignation of the company’s former chief executive.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Triangle Business Journal Announces 2013 Real Estate Award Finalists


Triangle Business Journal announced the list of finalists for its 2013 Real Estate Awards. More than five of those finalists were Durham businesse

Duke Primatologist Featured on Animal Planet


A Duke University primatologist’s fight to savethe silky sifaka lemurs is the focus of “Madagascar, Lemurs & Spies,” an episode of Natural World on the Animal Planet network tonight at 8.

Durham Schools Receive Biogen Grants


Durham's Biogen Idec Foundation in collaboration with Triangle Community Foundation announced it has awarded 28 grants totaling $48,914.55 to Triangle area schools (seven from Durham) and nonprofits as part of its Micro-Grants in Science Education program. The program provides small, one-time grants ranging from $250 - $2,500 to schools and nonprofits to support science education initiatives.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Durham's Historic Stagville Has New Management


After three staff members resigned within weeks of each other, Durham's Historic Stagville has hired manager, Stephanie Hardy, assistant manager, Jeremiah DeGennaro, and maintenance head Tony Strother.

Durham County Board of Health Member Elected to NALBOH


Durham County Board of Health member Nancy Short has been elected by the membership of the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) to a three-year term in the Director-at Large position.

Durham Housing Authority buys Lincoln Apartments


The 150-unit Lincoln Apartments complex has a new owner in the Durham Housing Authority, which this week paid $300,000 to buy the property from the foundation that had long controlled it.

Triangle Community Foundation Appoints New President

Durham nonprofit Triangle Community Foundation has named Lori O’Keefe as its new president, effective Jan. 1. O’Keefe currently serves as vice president and chief operating officer for the foundation.

Duke Gardens Going Smoke-Free


Sarah P. Duke Gardens will be a smoke-free environment beginning January 1, 2013. This new policy joins a list of existing regulations designed to ensure the safety of visitors, plants and wildlife.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Talk of the Town Recognized by Durham County Commissioners


Talk of the Town, the 21-year-old restaurant and nightclub at 108 E. Main Street was recently was recognized by the Durham County Board of Commissioners for its contributions to the downtown social scene. Owned by Sam and Audrey Sellars, TOTT is an intimate place to play card games, listen to live music or poetry and enjoy great soul food.

Stationary Business Relocating to Durham's Golden Belt


Salutations, an award-wining stationery and invitation boutique is relocating from Meadowmont Village in Chapel Hill to Golden Belt as of January 2, 2013.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Biogen Idec, Eisai to partner in RTP

Biogen Idec will be using Research Triangle Park facilities of Eisai Inc., the U.S. pharmaceutical business of a Japanese company, to make oral, solid dose products such as tablets through a partnership announced Wednesday.

Duke Accepts 753 Early Decision Applicants


On Wednesday evening, 753 high school seniors will find out they are the first members of Duke University's Class of 2017. This year, 2,540 students applied under Duke's Early Decision program, the second-largest number recorded. Those who apply via this process have already selected Duke as their first-choice college, and commit to enroll at the university if they receive an offer of admission in December.

RTI to Acquire California-based Education Research Firm


Durham-based RTI International has reached an agreement to acquire Berkeley, Calif.-based MPR Associates Inc., an education research and consulting firm that has about 80 staff members with backgrounds in the social sciences, public policy, teaching and technology.


Square 1 Bank Announces Credit Facility to Heat Biologics, Inc.


Square 1 Bank, a banking partner to entrepreneurs and the venture capital community, announced that it has provided a credit facility to RTP-based Heat Biologics, Inc., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company. Proceeds of the credit facility will be used to support ongoing clinical trials and company growth.

Developer Proposes Second Apartment Complex


Charlotte-based Crescent Resources, the developer behind the apartment complex that’s already under construction near Ninth Street, is planning to build another complex nearby, a 208-unit apartment complex  near Main and 15th streets, near the existing Erwin Square development.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Counter Culture Coffee Team Sweeps Southeast Regional Barista Competition


Members of Durham's Counter Culture Coffee Team won both the Barista Championship and Brewers Cup titles in the 2012 Southeast Regional Barista Competition this past weekend.

Pop's Backdoor South to Have New Owner


Pop’s Backdoor South, a pizza place in the Hope Valley Square shopping center on Shannon Road in Durham, will be sold to the eatery’s chef and manager, Jefe Lubiano.

Little Dipper Fondue Restaurant To Open In February


Little Dipper Fondue Restaurant plans to open a new restaurant in Durham's Brightleaf Square in February.


Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Durham Businesses Win 2012 Triangle Green Business Challenge


The Triangle J Council of Governments recently named award winners for the 2012 Triangle Green Business Challenge. Awards were presented to three Durham businesses; Ninth Street Bakery, Self-Help Credit Union and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals. Twenty-one companies and organizations participated in the challenge to help businesses improve the efficiency and sustainability of their day-to-day operations.


Data Center Under Construction in RTP


Texas-based Compass Datacenters has begun construction on a data center project in Research Triangle Park at 99 T.W. Alexander Drive in Durham County where Compass Datacenters is planning to eventually build three data center buildings.Completion of the first building is targeted for the second quarter.

Monday, December 10, 2012

DDI Presents Awards to 6 Durham Recipients


Downtown Durham Inc. has recognized six businesses and individuals that have been, “instrumental to the ongoing physical, functional, and cultural transformation of Downtown Durham.” Recipients include Alice Sharpe, Dame's Chicken and Waffles, 5 Points Project, 502 Rigsbee, Mateo's Bar de Tapas and Morris RidgeAwards



Milk & Honey Bakery Opens with Mobile Business


Shelley Stewart has recently launched a mobile business called Milk & Honey Bakery, which sells bite-sized cheesecakes made in Durham-based commercial kitchen The Cookery.

Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas To Open Durham Location in May


Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas will open a 7,000-square-foot building in Durham at the Hope Valley Commons shopping center which is located near the intersection of N.C. 751 and N.C. 54 in Durham.

Kemp's Seafood Changes Name to Louie & Charlie’s Grille & Tavern

The former restaurant Kemp’s Seafood House at 115 Page Point Circle in Durham has changed its name to  Louie & Charlie’s Grille & Tavern. The restaurant is under the same ownership, but the concept has changed and a full bar has been added.

Saké Bomb to Open This Month


The Asian bistro and bar Saké Bomb is slated to open in the shopping center off University Drive that also houses Food Lion and AutoZone in Durham.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Durham Businesses Win Healthiest Employers of the Triangle Award

Triangle Business Journal honored 20 local companies as the 2012 Healthiest Employers of the Triangle at an awards luncheon held Thursday at the Marriott in downtown Raleigh. Durham businesses Syngenta, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority of North Carolina, Durham Regional Hospital, Alston & Bird LLP received awards

Fashion Boutique to Open at Southpoint in 2013


A third location for fashion boutique Apricot Lane is expected to open in early 2013 at The Streets at Southpoint mall in south Durham.

Independent Music Store Expands in Durham


SoundPure, an Independent, Durham-based professional audio business, has expanded its guitar and drum retail storefront at 732 Washington St in Downtown Durham.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

New Condo Project Proposed for Downtown


Scott Harmon, a partner the development firm Re:Vamp Durham, said he’s partnering with Raleigh-based White Oak Properties to develop property at 130 E. Main St. into a condo project known as Church + Main.

Downtown Durham Inc. President to Step Down in April

Bill Kalkhof, the first president of the downtown revitalization-focused group Downtown Durham Inc., announced Wednesday that he’ll be retiring from the role April 30 after 20 years in the role.

Metabolon Renews Accord with Syngenta


Durham biomarker research firm Metabolon has renewed its multi-year agreement with Swiss agrobiotech Syngenta. The deal means Metabolon will continue to provide Syngenta, which has a Research Triangle Park campus, access to its biochemical profiling technology for use in agriculture applications.

Tranzyme Pharma’s CFO to Step Down


The vice president of finance and chief financial officer for the biopharmaceutical company Tranzyme Pharma, Richard Eisenstadt, announced Wednesday he has resigned effective Jan. 4.

Durham County IT Director Announces Retirement

Perry Dixon, Durham County’s Information Technology Director, has announced his plans to retire effective April 1, 2013. Dixon has led the department since January, 1996.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Durham Senior Apartments Sold for $23M


Greensboro apartment investment firm Bell Partners Inc. has sold the Alta Walk property in Durham, to Capital Senior Housing of Washington, D.C. for $23.25 million. The property was built in 2008 on Fayetteville Street in Durham.

Bayer CropScience Building Bee Center in RTP


Bayer CropScience has announced that it will break ground in February 2013 on a new North American Bee Care Center in Research Triangle Park.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

City of Durham Grant Gives History Hub a Boost

The Durham City Council has awarded a $47,145 grant to the Museum of Durham History for capital improvements to its History Hub and for the installation of an area combining a map of local heritage sites and an interactive, touch-screen display.

Duke Student Selected as Marshall Scholar


Duke University senior Kenneth Hoehn has been selected to receive the Marshall Scholarship, a prestigious award that sends 40 American students each year to the United Kingdom to pursue graduate degrees at the university of their choice. Hoehn will study at Oxford’s Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Freelon Group Receives Intern Development Award


The Intern Development Program Advisory Committee has awarded The Freelon Group the 2012-2015 Intern Development Program Outstanding Firm Award.

John Avery Boys and Girls Club Adds Board Member


The John Avery Boys and Girls Club announced that Jesse Boulerice has joined the nonprofit’s board. Boulerice is a retired NHL player who currently works with Merrill Lynch as a financial adviser.

Liberty HomeCare Nurse Receives National Award


Liberty HomeCare nurse Kelly Bennett of Durham has been awarded the national Sharon Baranoski Founder’s Award, which honors the overall pursuit of excellence in the field of skin and wound care.

BioCryst, Presidio Call off Merger


Durham-based BioCryst Pharmaceuticals and Presidio Pharmaceuticals terminated their merger agreement, according to an announcement made by the companies on Friday.

Duke Trustees Approve $10 Million Chilled Water Project

The Duke University Board of Trustees approved the construction of a chilled water project to cool the buildings on East Campus, at an estimated cost of about $10 million.