J-Rob

So what is the consequence if it's not? The county starts over and negotiates with someone new?

So this one company did three developments in downtown Concord? I didn't realize it was one company. That's pretty bold. Is their strategy to build density in suburban downtowns alone? Is this a public-private partnership? I thought the Concord boom seemed a little unusual, but I didn't realize it was so coordinated. Kudos to whoever is behind it. Though interestingly, the announcement about the three Novi projects mentions The Grounds at Concord. It's close(ish), but it's not like you can walk there. Its 5 miles away. "The three communities that comprise the Novi portfolio will be the first mid-rise products of their kind in downtown Concord and signal the success of the town’s ongoing multi-million-dollar revitalization spearheaded by the Concord City Commissioners and the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation. The transformation is highlighted by the reimagining of the town’s former Philip Morris plant into The Grounds at Concord, a 2,000-acre site soon to be anchored by a $2B Eli Lilly pharmaceutical plant and a $1B Red Bull manufacturing facility. Just a few blocks from Novi Rise, the renovation and expansion of the Cabarrus County Courthouse will further enhance the area and soon make it one of the most desirable places to live in North Carolina." @KJHburg - I assume you have insights to share?

Vanguard officially bought Centene campus. This is super exciting in my opinion. Hopefully Vanguard continues to grow into the space. Also of note, Centene apparently still owns about 50 acres, but sold ~90 acres to Vanguard today as part of the overall campus. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2024/04/02/vanguard-centene-campus-university-office.html

Maybe I am just being naive, but it seems like there are competing push-backs here. Some think the development is too suburban and some people think it is an ecological disaster. My naivety is giving the developer the benefit of the doubt their plan addresses these competing priorities with balance. Saving 550 acres in the manner they did inherently leads to fewer connecting roads. They were also working around the topography near the river and several parcels they don't control. Given that, developing a town center with residential to the west (near the river) and office to east (near the interstate) seems pretty strategic to me, and also allows for some level of walkability. Are there better examples of master-planned communities that both create an urban, car-free environment, while also preserving 500 acres?

I am perplexed by most of the push back on the River District. The area is 20 minutes from Uptown, with no existing infrastructure, no public transportation, and under the shadows of major airport. Of course it will be car-oriented. Compared to Ballantyne, which was mostly just office parks and sprawling parking lots initially, this seems very well planned. The River District is dense mixed use, with a heavy emphasis on residential (which is needed), built around town square, and I think will have connecting trails. The office component is mostly concentrated next to the interstate. I understand regretting the canopy loss, but it is private property and the developers are working to save as much canopy as possible. I have trouble envisioning a project here that is more urban and less car-oriented.

I am just hopeful it has more of a pedestrian-friendly, urban-living presence than what Lincoln Harris created with Legacy Union.

Can you only imagine levineland and brooklyn village looking like that?!?

Is there any chance this could draw a relocation for Vanguard (if it is Vanguard)? While unlikely, I can't help but ask the question, lol. I mean, this seems nicer (by far) than their other campuses.

^^^ I wonder if they will do something like this on the property of the Centene campus. Centene bought a ton of land and originally planned to build a mirror of the existing building across from the plaza/water feature. If the new owner/tenant doesn't want to build more office space, it make sense to me to build out a mixed use campus to fully utilize the land. I think building out residential and retail might also make this an even more enticing place to work. The building is world-class, but the big downside is that it is isolated. There aren't that many lunch spots around, and they aren't that easy to get to. Campuses like that might have worked in the past, but the quote in the article about Spectrum/Vantage that stood out to me is that "Successful office buildings over the next decade will not be successful because of just the amenities in the building but also because of the amenities outside the building and close by."

Does anyone know if the bridge will be engineered to also work above a river in the future?

^^^ If they build the quality/style facility previously envisioned in Rock Hill, this could be pretty cool.

I don't think the practice facility itself will spur much development, but they are including a Novant sports medicine clinic that would be open to the public, which would be a nice add. Also, I think the Hornets have the option to add a hotel adjacent to the practice facility, which (combined with Moxy) would have some downstream impacts to foot traffic, potential retail, etc. Plus, to your point about surface lots, getting rid of vacant lots and adding people (two hotels and the Novant clinic) should inherently help the surrounding blocks.

I was thinking about this last weekend. It sure would be significant if Hugh McColl could convince the UNC system to open a full-scale law school in Uptown, alongside whatever tech programs they are planning. I know this is not a new thought, but the timing could be right.

Interesting list, which aligns with what many of us have said. Lack of obvious stadium location and lack of ownership group make Charlotte a hard sell vs. Nashville. MLB is unlikely to choose both TN and Carolina. The article also mentions Nashville is likely more alluring than Raleigh. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39563422/mlb-expansion-potential-cities-candidates-teams-austin-montreal-nashville-orlando-portland-raleigh-salt-lake-city Charlotte: Nashville: Raleigh:

I've wondered about what they will do about an indoor facility too. That world-class headquarters would be close to opening if it wasn't razed, right? It's surprising they haven't announced their plans for, well, anything. Stadium? Practice/Training facility? Entertainment district?