Grubb Properties Honors Gwendolyn Harrison Smith on Her 100th Birthday and Commemorates 75 Years of the Glen Lennox Community

August 8, 2025

Two milestone anniversaries converge this August and tell the story of courage and vision in Chapel Hill—one of a trailblazing woman who broke barriers at the University of North Carolina, and another of a community that has transformed.

Grubb Properties celebrates August 9th as what would have been Gwendolyn Harrison Smith's 100th birthday. She is first Black woman to enroll at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and the namesake of The Gwendolyn, the commercial building developed by Grubb Properties in the historic Glen Lennox neighborhood. Smith, already a professor, intended to pursue a Ph.D. at UNC Chapel Hill, but her enrollment was cancelled in 1951 because of her race. She fought for her right to stay and university trustees overwhelmingly reinstated her admission. 

The Gwendolyn brings a fresh take on modern to Chapel Hill with a striking architectural presence influenced by the mid-century legacy of Glen Lennox. To honor Ms. Smith, the building lobby and entry hall feature several pictures, writings and other communications related to her story to ensure that her legacy is shared into the future. We are deeply grateful to Smith’s family for sharing these photos and mementos. 

In August, we’re also marking the 75th anniversary of the Glen Lennox community. It was founded in 1950 by William Muirhead, a visionary entrepreneur and developer who believed in the power of modern design to impact and improve societies.

Grubb Properties has helped restore and evolve this historic community with unrivaled residential, retail and office settings. In 2018, we devised a 20-year vision for Glen Lennox aimed at lessening the community’s car dependency. We worked hand in hand with local residents who wanted a “bike-first and walk-first” neighborhood with dedicated bike paths, plenty of sidewalks, greenspace and easy access to mass transportation.

In the past two years, we’ve delivered Link Apartments® Linden in 2022 and Link Apartments® Calyx in 2023, expanding housing options for those earning between 60% and 140% of the area median income—a group often underserved by traditional housing markets.

These additions are key steps in honoring Glen Lennox’s history while continuing its legacy of growth and innovation.

Learn more about Glen Lennox’s past, present and future here.