Headed to see ‘Barbie,’ ‘Oppenheimer’ or ‘TMNT’ in Chapel Hill? Watch where you park.

Heather Benjamin and her friends went to Silverspot Cinema last week for the premiere of “Barbie.”

After the movie ended around 10 p.m., they left the theater at University Place to find Eastgate Towing pulling Benjamin’s friend’s car onto the back of a tow truck.

“The tow truck driver was not pleasant at all,” Benjamin said. “He told (her) that if she would come up with $150 before he took it away, then he would take the car off of his tow truck.”

If she couldn’t get the money, her friend was told she’d have to bring $300 to pick up her car at the company’s property in Southern Village, about five miles away.

Luckily for the group, there were ATMs in walking distance and her friend was able to pay the driver, Benjamin said.

“She came back and by then he had released her car, and she asked if she could just get in her car and drive away without paying him,” Benjamin said. “And he told her no, ‘you will be committing grand theft auto.’ I have no idea whether that’s legitimate or not.”

Construction to turn the mall into a mixed-use development has put the squeeze on parking spaces this summer. University Place is getting six buildings on its eastern end, according to Ram Realty, which is overseeing the project.

Several cars towed last week were parked along the medians that border the individual spaces in the parking lot.

According to the Chapel Hill Police Department and Ram Realty, the cars were parked in fire lanes, though the lanes aren’t clearly marked.

There are some signs telling people where they can and can’t park, including by the construction fence outside the movie theater, where parking is prohibited, and along Willow Drive, an entrance to the lot, where parking is allowed.

“Even if you were paying attention, you couldn’t find them,” Benjamin said. “And certainly you couldn’t find them at 11 o’clock at night.”

Eastgate Towing did not respond to The News & Observer’s requests by phone and email for comment on this story.

Towing in NC

Benjamin said at least six cars were towed last Thursday night. She and her friends stayed with other stranded people until about 11:30 p.m. as they waited for friends or family to pick them up.

Someone called the Chapel Hill Police Department, and an officer came to check on the situation, she said.

Alex Carrasquillo, a police spokesperson, told The N&O there is “no ordinance locally or a state statute that prohibits the type of towing.”

“There’s a big difference between calling and requesting a tow truck versus having a contract where the company can come out and just watch for people who are violating,” Carrasquillo said.

In this case, the mall’s owner, Ram Realty, is requesting the towing.

Carrasquillo said because this issue is between private companies, it’s outside the town’s or Police Department’s jurisdiction. If the mall was on town-owned property, the cash-only demand for the release of cars would be illegal, per Chapel Hill’s ordinances.

The N&O has asked Ram Realty if it has a towing contract and sent inquiries to Eastgate Towing for their process.

Parking on the north side of the mall

Monta Hagler, a spokesperson for Ram Realty, said the company understands the current parking constraints.

“But we must maintain the safety and security of our guests by keeping fire lanes open,” she said in a statement. “We have added additional signage throughout the property to emphasize that patrons cannot park in the fire lanes, traffic lanes, or double park along curbs or block handicapped spaces.”

Hagler said visitors should park in the spaces on the north side of the party between Willow Drive and Fordham Boulevard. They can then enter Silverspot Cinema through the mall.

“We also suggest that patrons carpool, bike, or use ride sharing if possible,” Hagler continued. “We will continue to evaluate additional ways to improve our guest experience during construction.”

Wrecking crews start tearing down vacant Southern Season end of Chapel Hill’s mall

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