mw213

Two blocks up from Campbells, H&H Automotive has officially relocated to Wilkinson Blvd. A garage and their semi-scrap yard in the back is not the best use for a rapidly developing corridor like South Blvd but man I'll miss those guys. Living walking distance from dropping off your car is such a nice perk, and everyone who worked there was incredible. They helped me out of a few emergencies, were incredibly knowledgeable, and regularly charged me under what they quoted for a job or didn't perform work that they didn't have to in order to fix the root problem. Who does that? Honest, smart, friendly guys. They also had the Tom Bradbury Dilworth book and some other historical information from their time there in the waiting room (and some of the biggest dogs I've ever seen in my life behind the counter a few years back), felt like a true part of the neighborhood. Please visist them on Wilkinson if it's convenient at all for you. I guess I'm off to CMD now? Anyway... are the plans for that site known yet? I don't think that's part of the Tyber tower, but with all of the meh buidlings (sorry, Leeper&Wyatt) facing South and the huge gravel pit/abandoned church (?) on the Cleveland & Worthington corner, that whole block could change pretty dramatically if the dominoes start falling after the Tyber development.

Agreed that the initial wasn't the most beautiful design in the world, but it at least had some interesting window/glass elements and didn't look like a generic corporate park hotel. Raising the parking and scrapping the rooftop restaurant are what really kill me though, since those were two items negotiated with the Dilworth Community Association to add to the neighborhood and then just unceremoniously dumped likely to save money. You have to admit that what is now being planned is a far cry from the fancy (if abstract) Kimpton plans that initially pushed through the hotel idea/re-zoning. I may have Stockholm Syndrome from seeing the current gravel pit every day, but I was hoping whenever it was finally developed it would be something interesting and not so meh.

More sad updates for the hotel (someday) going in the gravel lot on Cleveland & E Worthington. Sad enough for me to register on UP to complain. Kimpton was going to build a six-story 128-room "lifestyle boutique" hotel with a pool and rooftop restaurant/bar opening in 2017. When those plans cratered, the owner sold to OmShera, who planned a Courtyard by Marriott with more generic design but otherwise mostly similar. Would prefer a Kimpton to a Courtyard by Mariott and lost the appealing design, but still had the rooftop at least. Now they've apparently changed it to a five-story 135-room hotel, no rooftop elements, and above ground park deck rather than burying the lower level. By the time it's built, I just hope it's a Howard Johnson and not something with rooms that open up to the parking lot. This will be the first hotel in Dilworth, has an amazing location, and had the chance to be something special with design elements that fit the neighborhood, decent blending/screening for such a large structure, and a unique rooftop space that would offer something to the community. Now we'll have a beige, nondescript Marriott there for decades. Sweet... Really disappointed in OmShera, Overcash Demmitt, Marriott, Charlotte Planning, and whoever else I can blame for really blowing this opportunity for something great with cost-cutting and mediocrity. Full rezoning doc from Dec 20. So we went from this... ...to this... ...and finally settled on this... There are worse injustices in the world, but still a bummer.