Optimist Park / Belmont Projects

[SgtCampsalot]

based on conversations with folks who have made offers on the land NO amount of money can get Hunter towing to move from his spot.  His whole business hangs on his location.

What is it about the location that makes it so great? (honest question, I have no idea). At a glance I would think that distance from I-85 and the constrained footprint would be a significant problem for Hunter now. Rising neighborhood complaints are certainly going to be a problem in the near future. Environmental liabilities aside (which there may be a bunch of) I would have thought they would 'get while the gettin is good'

He may just be playing hard to get. Who knows.

Edited October 23, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[michaelef]

Well I already made a complaint about his trucks blocking the side walk. Let the fun begin. 

[SgtCampsalot]

Hunter: "In the good old days no one gave a crap about my sidewalks."

[Niner National]

What is it about the location that makes it so great? (honest question, I have no idea). At a glance I would think that distance from I-85 and the constrained footprint would be a significant problem for Hunter now. Rising neighborhood complaints are certainly going to be a problem in the near future. Environmental liabilities aside (which there may be a bunch of) I would have thought they would 'get while the gettin is good'

I'm guessing it is because most of their business probably comes from towing cars illegally parked in Uptown and the surrounding neighborhoods. His current location gives him quick and easy access to those areas.

I also see them towing buses and garbage trucks sometimes, so towing those to / from the maintenance facilities the city owns nearby is probably also very lucrative for him. It's really a shame that he is such a blight on the neighborhood. He doesn't even try to hide it. Pull a Part on N. Tryon did a pretty nice job masking their junk yard with evergreen bushes and trees. You can't see in their facility at all from the street. If Hunter did the same, it would still be a terrible utilization of that space, but at least it wouldn't look quite as bad.

[archiham04]

Hunter has contracts (Gov and private) that are tied to towing distance.  Towing companies are allowed to charge a rate per mile towed... if you are a land owner or the city for that matter, you don't want to overly burden whoever you are towing so you look for someone close by that will minimize the cost.  Hunter is the ONLY one in the area so they get ALL the business.  Their location pretty much solidifies their monopoly.  So basically: Never. Going. To. Move.

[kermit]

^ unless Charlotte pipe decided to welcome Hunter to their pastureland on Morehead...

(thanks for the details on the towing industry, I learned some stuff)

[Niner National]

Hunter has contracts (Gov and private) that are tied to towing distance.  Towing companies are allowed to charge a rate per mile towed... if you are a land owner or the city for that matter, you don't want to overly burden whoever you are towing so you look for someone close by that will minimize the cost.  Hunter is the ONLY one in the area so they get ALL the business.  Their location pretty much solidifies their monopoly.  So basically: Never. Going. To. Move.

Unless they decided to just take a huge lump sum and retire. Can't imagine that is very likely though. I'm sure they do good business with high margins there.

I wish the city would at least make them hide their junk. Makes the neighborhood look terrible.

[Bikeguy]

Finding groundwater or runoff contamination into the Little Sugar Creek and forcing them into remediation would probably do the trick.  But any potential buyer would face the same set of issues..  

[SgtCampsalot]

I wish the city would at least make them hide their junk. Makes the neighborhood look terrible.

Sounds like an issue for the Neighborhood organization.

[tozmervo]

As is often the case as areas like that develop, we have to be cognizant that they were there first, by a lot. It would certainly be neighborly of them to screen the junk, but it's their property until someone buys them out.

[archiham04]

I think it is an opportunity for innovation. What about surrounding the blocks with "linear buildings" right up on the sidewalk?  Maybe they are 10-12 feet deep, one or two floors.. no windows on the back, no parking of course...

[Niner National]

Took my dog for a walk on the greenway on Friday and realized that two huge high-tension power poles were installed in the middle of the soccer field at 12th street park.

Who needs park space, right?

I'm surprised that this happened because Trinity Episcopal just spent like $650,000 last year to install bathrooms since they use that as their athletics fields. The city also spent most of the summer completely redoing the playing surface because it had fallen into disrepair over the winter. They spent almost the entire summer getting it back into great condition, only for two massive poles to be put in the middle of the field with support wires extending probably 30-50ft from the base of the poles on each side.

[SgtCampsalot]

Took my dog for a walk on the greenway on Friday and realized that two huge high-tension power poles were installed in the middle of the soccer field at 12th street park.

Who needs park space, right?

I'm surprised that this happened because Trinity Episcopal just spent like $650,000 last year to install bathrooms since they use that as their athletics fields. The city also spent most of the summer completely redoing the playing surface because it had fallen into disrepair over the winter. They spent almost the entire summer getting it back into great condition, only for two massive poles to be put in the middle of the field with support wires extending probably 30-50ft from the base of the poles on each side.

Yeah, everyone in the area is pissed about it. Is there nowhere else they could have placed them along that route? To the side? WTH...

 

[Niner National]

One thought I had was that maybe they're temporary? It looks like they have a support structure similar to the one that currently holds the lines staged on site. Maybe they're attaching the wires to these poles and replacing the existing one, then removing the poles?

 

Doesn't seem like it since they're putting these poles in all along the route, but it just seems stupid that they'd spend that much time and money over the last year to improve that soccer field only to destroy it. That park is heavily used in the spring and summer.

[jednc]

Yeah, everyone in the area is pissed about it. Is there nowhere else they could have placed them along that route? To the side? WTH...

 

At least they're decorative...

[Niner National]

That photo actually makes it look like they're off to the side of the field. They're not. They almost in the middle and the support wires extend well over the middle of the field.

[SgtCampsalot]

The NRP Group, the company building the project at that Parkwood Station corner, talked with a neighborhood group last night. Here is the packet they shared with us. It contains the basic site plan, as well as other examples they've done. They seem interested in installing art on the main corner. I'm hoping to push for benches, at least.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4SdARtu_sQLb0lDc3BIVFZYRWc/view?usp=sharing

Thoughts?

Edited November 10, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[archiham04]

Our neighborhood group starts with Pedestrian accommodations. Review their site plan and make sure that they are providing 100% of the pedestrian amenities without exception.  Examples we have seen for staff approved exceptions:  "existing grade makes sidewalk width and buffer planting strip not possible"....  Don't except that, and don't let the city bend on things like this... Existing grade is irrelevant when you are talking about large urban projects.  They should have the budget to provide excavation when needed.

Edited November 10, 2015 by archiham04

[Guest]

[archiham04]

In Elizabeth they(the "influencers") pushed the developer to abandon the "street canyons" or as they are referred to along Parkwood on this plan "pocket parks".  When I first heard this I didn't necessarily agree... but the more I think about it, having a consistent building fronting the street does a better job defining the street space...

So I would encourage the developer to bring units flush out to the street along parkwood.

... also, having a loading dock right on the street at caldwell is bad.

Edited November 10, 2015 by archiham04
corrected typos

[SgtCampsalot]

Thanks for pulling out the relevant pages, Ricky  

So I would encourage the developer to bring units flush out to the street along parkwood.

... also, having a loading dock right on the street at caldwell is bad.

Interesting and good point for the pocket park portion. I'd rather have a very nice street-wall up to the sidewalk with a bench to sit on, which then terminates at a nice street corner. I'd rather they save the park-like amenities for the street corner.

Also, re: the parking garage entrance: would it be better on 21st St?

Edited November 10, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[archiham04]

i'd be less concerned about where the entrances are than how they are treated.  For example, the Brevard street entrance is pretty nice.  It is part of a inset plaza area where pedestrians would expect to see an occasional car approaching and would have some sight distance to see them approach.... The Caldwell entrance, because it is associated with this dumpster pad and loading area, is a street killer.  I am not sure exactly what should be done, or where it should go, but it's not going to look pretty right there.

Keep in mind that this is an entire city block with only 2 curb cuts.  All in all that is a pretty good scenario for pedestians...

[SgtCampsalot]

Quick rebut about the pocket-parks carved into the sides of the building... That does seem like kind of a cool idea considering that side of the building will be right on the 12 ft multi-use path curving from Parkwood as its sidewalk, it could possibly allow it to function like a linear park. Which could be advantageous given it will be right there next to the bustling light rail station.

Could you expound on the Cons of it? I totally understand and, quite honestly agree, with keeping a flush, consistent urban wall to define the street space. I just want to wrap my head around all angles as I go forward with my neighbors to discuss this.

Edited November 10, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[Niner National]

The Mediterranean restaurant on Seigle Ave that was approved in a rezoning back in the spring is finally under construction.

Based on the renderings several pages back, the guy is investing some serious money into this spot. Not a good location for this kind of restaurant IMO. 

Low income neighborhood to the north and north-east, unattractive empty lot to the south. Garbage truck parking to the east. Income restricted apartments across the street.

Maybe he knows something we don't with regards to the future of the 7-8 acre tract of empty land on the corner of Seigle and 10th.

[archiham04]

^^ the "pocket parks" probably won't be for "the neighborhood", but rather for the residents...   they will likely be gated off and the result will be more like a landscaped courtyard:

Elizabeth Square

Circle / Post Southend

Metro 808

Edited November 10, 2015 by archiham04
google map link broke