CHAPEL HILL - The community can learn more about construction plans for the 140 West Franklin project on town-owned Parking Lot 5 at the intersections of Franklin, Church and Rosemary streets at a meeting from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The meeting, organized by the Town of Chapel Hill, will be held at University Presbyterian Church Campus Ministry at 101 Henderson St. Parking is available in the Rosemary Street parking lot and garage.

Town and developer representatives will share information about the project, which is expected to begin in August. The general contractor is John Moriarty & Associates Inc. Completion is projected in about two years.

The 140 West Franklin building will stand four stories tall along the street and steps back to eight stories tall at the center.

The project includes 140 homes (18 will be priced to meet the town's affordable housing guidelines and will be dedicated to the Community Home Trust), and 26,000 square feet of ground-level retail space.

There will be 337 parking spaces. Plans call for a two-level parking deck, including a dedicated public parking level which will be owned and operated by the town. The project also will feature a large outdoor public plaza with art by landscape artist Mikyoung Kim.

The Town Council requested professional peer review of the project by architect Marvin Malecha, dean of the College of Design at N.C. State University. The special use permit application for the project was approved in June 2007 with the expectation that the development should meet the community's high standards for sustainability and design while retaining economic viability.

For more information about construction associated with 140 West, contact the Town of Chapel Hill at 140west@townof chapelhill.org .