Optimist Park / Belmont Projects

[nonillogical]

The only street they could reconnect to Hawthorne is Independence Blvd.  How Hawthorne is, is basically how it was built. 

I don't understand that, how would that be possible? Besides the fact that nobody would want it.

Tozmervo was talking about neighborhood streets...it looks to me like Chestnut and 16th could be connected to Hawthorne with very little demo needed...anything else would require getting rid of a few houses or warehouses. But anyway, I imagine a lot of PM residents are glad of the divide right now considering how sketchy much of Belmont has been until very recently, but it is showing signs of improving and I would be surprised if the grid weren't reconnected eventually. 

[DEnd]

I don't understand that, how would that be possible? Besides the fact that nobody would want it.

Tozmervo was talking about neighborhood streets...it looks to me like Chestnut and 16th could be connected to Hawthorne with very little demo needed...anything else would require getting rid of a few houses or warehouses. But anyway, I imagine a lot of PM residents are glad of the divide right now considering how sketchy much of Belmont has been until very recently, but it is showing signs of improving and I would be surprised if the grid weren't reconnected eventually. 

 

In order to reconnect the grid it would have to be connected originally, that part of Hawthorne was never connected, mainly due to the creeks and streams in the area, residential areas that supported the mills couldn't justify the expense of bridges to cross those streams and creeks.  PM as a streetcar suburb had little need to connect to that part of Hawthorne. 

 

Considering the routing of the CityLynx Gold Line Streetcar Tolley line Tram for the City of Charlotte, I do think new neighborhood connections to Hawthorne would be appropriate.

[southslider]

 

Considering the routing of the CityLynx Gold Line Streetcar Tolley line Tram for the City of Charlotte, I do think new neighborhood connections to Hawthorne would be appropriate.

 

And yet it's also why the CIP stopped short of Plaza-Midwood, because the current route requires building new streets.  Crossing the CSX will be an expensive challenge for CityLYNX.  Crossing Independence Boulevard will be expensive enough.  Maybe the Urban Land Institute was right, and a streetcar should turn on 7th Street to head out Monroe Road.  ULI was thinking of that alignment in addition to Central, but perhaps, cost-wise, it should happen instead of Central.

[tozmervo]

This was brought to my attention - Bloc90 is being marketed as "Edgeline Flats" and is supposedly leasing. 

 

http://www.759ventures.com/case-studies/#prettyPhoto

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/apa/3939359989.html

[New Name]

I think the guy from "Edgeline Flats" was on here a couple weeks ago asking about rebranding... If he's still here, I'll say good job with the name! Thanks for not using a cliche "sleek/hip/(is this sushi bar or an apartment?!)" kind of name... Also, great choice with "Flats." Very Euro. 

[Niner National]

The building is very cool, but it is basically in a junkyard. I certainly wouldn't want to live there. You're not a short walk from anything and you have to live around a tow lot / junkyard. I just don't see the advantages of living there.

 

 

Also, unrelated to Bloc90, but relevant to the topic...The Lofts at Seigle Point are making pretty solid progress, although it has been slow the last couple weeks. They've poured part of the foundation and were working on more this morning. Hopefully the weather cooperates the rest of summer so we can see some good progress. 

 

I know the last townhome in Seigle Point was sold this month, so hopefully they'll finally move forward with the remaining 19 to get the total up to 50. The homeowners just agreed to a 5 year extension with Grubb to build them though. Originally they were required to build 50 by 2014 and they did not want to dump 19 unsold units on the market (and the homeowners did not want them to either). They said they would do a presale for the remaining 19 and that they would have the same original design when they are built.

Edited July 16, 2013 by rworkman09

[Niner National]

Bailey Gardens in Belmont turned out to be a pretty nice looking infill project. Definitely doesn't fit in with its current surroundings.

 

 

[Guest]

Fuuunnnnky, I didn't even know these existed. I like them.

[archiham04]

Seems they are turning to old mill on Hawthorne just as you cross under the tracks into 150 multi-family units and some office space.

 

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2013/055-061/2013-059%20site%20plan.pdf

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but I ran across a 6/12 update:

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2013/055-061/2013-059%20site%20plan%202nd%20rev.pdf

apparently they will be re-construct? ing a watch tower over the mill.  Here is existing conditions:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=hawthorne+ln+charlotte+nc&ll=35.224774,-80.818571&spn=0.002309,0.00327&hnear=Hawthorne+Ln,+Charlotte,+North+Carolina&t=h&z=19

[Guest]

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but I ran across a 6/12 update:

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2013/055-061/2013-059%20site%20plan%202nd%20rev.pdf

apparently they will be re-construct? ing a watch tower over the mill.  Here is existing conditions:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=hawthorne+ln+charlotte+nc&ll=35.224774,-80.818571&spn=0.002309,0.00327&hnear=Hawthorne+Ln,+Charlotte,+North+Carolina&t=h&z=19

WOW! That'd be quite a dramatic transformation. Amazing that what is there currently looked like that at one point.

[dubone]

Finally an example of rebuilding lost architecture to original specs.   A surprising number of the historic buildings we have seen in European cities have been repaired or rebuilt, there is no reason we shouldn't do that as well to regain our lost heritage here (the architectural part at least).   This will be a good project to help anchor an otherwise no-mans-land section between Belmont and Midwood, and if this ends up being part of the streetcar line, then it will be good to have the area on a solid footing.  

[TotalLamer]

I've been by that building on trains quite a few times relatively recently and the 1-story, 60s looking addition on the side facing the tracks has been torn down for a few months now, so there's definitely movement at the site. 

[Niner National]

In other Belmont news, the Lofts at Seigle Point have made a good bit of progress. First floor framing is mostly finished and the parking garage looks to be finished. They were flying along for a few weeks, but the last 2-3 weeks have been slow.

[kermit]

I have heard from a source of unknown reliability that a live music venue is going into Area 15 (the side facing N Davidson) and the house at the corner of 15th and Caldwell will become a Pizza place.

[Niner National]

I have heard from a source of unknown reliability that a live music venue is going into Area 15 (the side facing N Davidson) and the house at the corner of 15th and Caldwell will become a Pizza place.

I had no idea there was a stretch of street front buildings back there where that house is. Would be nice to have a little entertainment district form there in the future.

[Bikeguy]

I had no idea there was a stretch of street front buildings back there where that house is. Would be nice to have a little entertainment district form there in the future.

 

^ also home to one of the best friggin bike shops in the city.  The Trips for Kids Recyclery.

[Guest]

This is charlottes best shot at a truely gritty cool neighborhood. Let hope someone does it right.

[rjp212]

Interesting rezoning for a new restaurant at Seigle Ave and Greentrail.   

 

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2014/033-038/2014-034%20site%20plan.pdf

Edited March 14, 2014 by rjp212

[southslider]

I actually looked at that property last year for my own business interests, but didn't like the public housing vibe across the street. People enjoying their balconies were yelling. Hopefully, the restaurant can be a popular destination to overcome that, especially if there is patio seating directly facing the units. Of course, a major redevelopment on the large vacant corner of 10th wouldn't hurt either in changing the area's feel.

[kermit]

^ the renderings look good, but gezzz that is a weird location for a restrauant. Between the lack of visibility and the risk of the wind shifting direction, which would bring 'eau de garbage truck' to the patio,  I give the place seven months.

-- Pessimistic guy signing off --

Edited March 14, 2014 by kermit

[tozmervo]

Between the design aesthetic and the location, I expect this is someone trying to start a black-oriented nightclub. 

[nonillogical]

I don't know what to think. That neighborhood has a ridiculous amount of potential so I'd like to believe that this is just a really ballsy step towards turning its perception around. The rendering looks like way too much glass to be a nightclub, it definitely looks to be a restaurant.  

[Niner National]

Very interesting. I own one of the townhomes in Seigle Point, so I'd love it if this was a popular spot. I do fear that it'll be a nightclub though and that noise/violence/non-resident guests could be an issue.

 

 

I actually looked at that property last year for my own business interests, but didn't like the public housing vibe across the street. People enjoying their balconies were yelling. Hopefully, the restaurant can be a popular destination to overcome that, especially if there is patio seating directly facing the units. Of course, a major redevelopment on the large vacant corner of 10th wouldn't hurt either in changing the area's feel.

The neighborhood is really quiet actually. I was a little worried about how the neighborhood would be when I bought my place there. It's almost exclusively families and I've never had any issues with anyone that lives there. I looked at the crime report extensively before I moved in and it had fewer incidences of crime than first ward just across 277.

 

I keep hoping when I open this thread that there will be an announcement for the rest of the 19 planned townhomes being built. CHA is trying to buy the property from Grubb right now though, so I doubt anything will happen until then. CHA would still develop the property as 19 market rate townhomes though, so I don't really care who owns it. They have a contract with homeowners and a deadline to build the rest. The original deadline was December 2014 and Grubb doubted they'd pursue it that quickly, so they gave us all $1000 to extend their deadline for a few more years. The market is good right now though and interest rates will go up at the end of the year, so I wish they'd strike while the iron is hot rather than delaying.

[atlrvr]

Updated renderings on Phase 2 of Block 90 or Edgeline Flats, or whatever its called now.

 

http://ww.charmeck.org/planning/rezoning/2014/023-027/2014-023%20site%20plan%202nd%20rev.pdf

 

Not bad....Davidson and Caldwell sort of get ignored, but decent presence along 16th.  This would be a decent finish to that block.

[ChessieCat]

^Nice.  The BLE corridor between the Parkwood and Sugar Creek stops has a ridiculous development potential.