Sugar Creek Station Area Development/Projects

[KJHburg]

This Sugar Creek station area needs its own thread for all the many projects underway or proposed in this area.  I don't want to call this NoNoDa North NoDa but it another node of development.   The Pass is looking good and their 335 apartments under way across the street from the station. 

The Pass - Home (thepassclt.com)

these townhomes at the end of Raleigh St up from the Independent Theater were going to be for sale townhomes by Pulte.  But Pulte sold the entire development to a huge investor now they are all rentals.  (I hate this by the way it robs people of the ability to gain wealth through home ownership now a Wall St backed firm will fetch all the profits in the future)

One development at this station has stalled out it seems the office building to the right of the LYNX station parking garage.  the construction site looks abandoned but plenty of apartment activity around it.  The concrete plant along Sugar Creek Rd or the operation that was there that site is all cleared off Greensboro St and Sugar Creek. 

New apartments along Craighhead next to the Amaze apartments.  

 

[KJHburg]

Here are the apartments by the LYNX line at where Greensboro and Raleigh Streets come meet.

 

[Genesis704]

Sugar creek in general has been changing rapidly, recently 12 million has been allocated to the area for new roads, side walks, bike lanes and electric vehicle charging stations, they’ve even started tearing down the old motels along side i85.

All very promising.

 

if they can successfully transform hidden valley into a nice middle/upper middle class area(they did a great job!), I look forward to what can be done for the sugar creek area.

and I remember Hidden Valley in the 90s, charlottes own south central LA, I’m amazed at the change to that area, complete night and day.

 

 

[Professor]

Sugar Creek was a nice middle-class area before 1971. It was the place you are hoping to see now. Who knows, history repeats itself. 

[Reverie39]

The new Google Earth renderings that came out last week show just how much construction is happening in this area. Lots of dirt 

[ertley]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:15 PM, KJHburg said:

To my untrained eye, those condos/townhouses look really well designed, and a decided elevation in style from what's normally seen. At least for their facades, I give the architect an A. More of this please!

Disappointingly--you can't have everything you want, when and where you want it--the surrounding structures look more par for the course. 

[Genesis704]

Sugar creek area is definitely the next area to watch, it’s got a lot of strength’s but also weaknesses.

1. the main one being it’s close proximity to uptown, about 6 minutes away from the heart of uptown, and 3 minutes from  the heart of noda.

2. It’s a central location right in the middle of charlottes proper growing urban area,  intersecting with charlottes no doubt busiest artery (tryon)

3. 1 minute from university’s expanding coridor

i85 runs straight through it ( can also be negative)

4. it’s relatively “affordable” if you want the city life without south end prices, but the rates are rising quickly and the new units being built are coming in at 3k+ a month starting.

5. the diversity is that of larger cities of 5+ million populations (non metro figures) 

as for weaknesses.

it’s the crime, it’s not as bad as beaties ford, but it’s still up there compared with other areas, they are doing a great job transforming the area… but I think it’s going to be some time before it turns into a safe walkable area like the modern day Hidden Valley area.

they have a lot of work to do on sugar creek, and tearing down those decrepit violent motels is a good start. But if HV is an indication of what the city can do when it puts it foot down, then I’m positive.

 

because man, Hidden Valley was ROUGH and DANGEROUS in the 90s-early 2000s. A complete no go zone after dark, how this city managed to change it into a good community with people jogging and walking dogs and town homes and condos popping up is which craft at this point, or gentrification is just that powerful.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Genesis704

[InSouthPark]

I went to a show at the Blackbox Theater a few weeks ago (great venue by the way) and there were a ton of UNCC kids that had walked from the Sugar Creek Station. Couldn't imagine anyone ever walking that road 10 years ago on purpose. 

[Windsurfer]

13 hours ago, Genesis704 said:

Sugar creek area is definitely the next area to watch, it’s got a lot of strength’s but also weaknesses.

1. the main one being it’s close proximity to uptown, about 6 minutes away from the heart of uptown, and 3 minutes from  the heart of noda.

2. It’s a central location right in the middle of charlottes proper growing urban area,  intersecting with charlottes no doubt busiest artery (tryon)

3. 1 minute from university’s expanding coridor

i85 runs straight through it ( can also be negative)

4. it’s relatively “affordable” if you want the city life without south end prices, but the rates are rising quickly and the new units being built are coming in at 3k+ a month starting.

5. the diversity is that of larger cities of 5+ million populations (non metro figures) 

as for weaknesses.

it’s the crime, it’s not as bad as beaties ford, but it’s still up there compared with other areas, they are doing a great job transforming the area… but I think it’s going to be some time before it turns into a safe walkable area like the modern day Hidden Valley area.

they have a lot of work to do on sugar creek, and tearing down those decrepit violent motels is a good start. But if HV is an indication of what the city can do when it puts it foot down, then I’m positive.

 

because man, Hidden Valley was ROUGH and DANGEROUS in the 90s-early 2000s. A complete no go zone after dark, how this city managed to change it into a good community with people jogging and walking dogs and town homes and condos popping up is which craft at this point, or gentrification is just that powerful.

 

 

 

 

Wasn't there a huge effort to disband "The Kings"?

Edited December 20, 2023 by Windsurfer
left out a word

[videtur quam contuor]

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article274163015.html

City buys two crime ridden motels at edge of Hidden Valley

[RANYC]

13 minutes ago, videtur quam contuor said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article274163015.html

City buys two crime ridden motels at edge of Hidden Valley

Lawana Mayfield, Braxton Winston, and Ed Driggs voted against the motel purchases.  Lawana actually cautioned residents against change that might result in the area going the way of Brooklyn Village.  But yes, I've heard Hidden Valley has been radically transformed thanks to bold steps and the actual removal of nettlesome gathering places.

[Urbanography]

Removing motels like that really just removes the few units of affordable housing we had left. Poverty is being pushed to a different place with less public transport; it's not actually being attenuated.

[KJHburg]

45 minutes ago, Urbanography said:

Removing motels like that really just removes the few units of affordable housing we had left. Poverty is being pushed to a different place with less public transport; it's not actually being attenuated.

I think the best uses for some of the older motels is conversion to single occupancy housing and transistional housing.  I did not agree to bulldoze that motel at Sugar Creek and I-85 as I wonder how long the vacant land will sit.  The better model is transformation to some other kind of housing like what the Roof Above did with a budget motel at 77 and Clanton.

from their website

""SECU THE RISE ON CLANTON, APARTMENTS BY ROOF ABOVE
A hotel that was converted into 88 studio apartments for individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness. 

Case management is funded through a partnership with Mecklenburg County. 
Additional staff includes an on-site nurse, tenant services coordinator, and operations/facilities staff.
Apartments come fully furnished.  ""

Permanent Supportive Housing - Roof Above

 

[Genesis704]

22 hours ago, Windsurfer said:

Wasn't there a huge effort to disband "The Kings"?

Yes, one of the biggest busts in south east, the city literally wiped the kings off the map, so HVK was dissolved in the late 2000s after all the leaders/founders were captured and sentenced, with some eye widening prison times. 

https://www.wbtv.com/story/9493621/hidden-valley-kings-gang-members-sentenced/?outputType=amp

[CLT Development]

2 hours ago, Urbanography said:

Removing motels like that really just removes the few units of affordable housing we had left. Poverty is being pushed to a different place with less public transport; it's not actually being attenuated.

pretty sure I voted on this and they are being converted from hotel rooms to affordable housing.

[Urbanography]

The plan claims to build affordable townhomes, but didn't list any number specifying what was considered an affordable range. 

Quote

The Economy Inn across Interstate 85 from Baymont is being demolished and will be replaced with affordable for-sale townhomes.  [1]

 

Do we have numbers on how affordable these units will be? I'm skeptical that it will be an improvement, especially since there are many empty plots available to build new housing, as opposed to replacing existing units. 

 

Roof Above seems to be a welcomed change, providing Charlotte with desperately needed Housing First "permanent" housing. However, the requirements for documentation, being an unaccompanied adult, and going through "official" channels greatly reduces accessibility of these units. This is especially the case for undocumented immigrants and disabled people who lack the ability to go through official channels (calling, filling out documents, and other actions that require executive functions).  

Quote

Eligibility

• Referrals come from Coordinated Entry. Individuals must call 704-284-9665 to determine their eligibility for applying to any housing program in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area.
• Must be an unaccompanied and documented individual, 18 years of age or older.
• Must meet the federal definition of chronic homelessness and provide documentation. 

[2]

 

Additionally, we're still concentrating these housing opportunities geographically, subsequently maintaining concentrated poverty in these areas.  Dispersing these types of housing opportunities throughout the city (as opposed to relegating this type of housing exclusively to dedicated complexes) would desegregate economic enclaves more effectively.

 

Suppose the city purchased a few units in each of the luxury apartments that span the blue line for housing first programs. It would remove unaffordable units from the market (reducing negative impact on low-income individuals), diversify income enclaves (like South End and NoDa), and distribute competition for income-earning opportunities (so everyone isn't competing for the same job).

 

[1] https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/affordable-housing-crisis/heal-charlotte-takes-over-baymont-hotel-to-expand-its-temporary-housing-program-charlotte-seeking-solutions/275-441cca10-2e00-4cbe-b2a4-5b9ebf8deaa4
[2] https://www.roofabove.org/permanent-supportive-housing/

[Genesis704]

On 12/20/2023 at 4:14 PM, videtur quam contuor said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article274163015.html

City buys two crime ridden motels at edge of Hidden Valley

The worst one, and possibly the worst in the Carolina’s, the charlotte economy inn has been gone for some time. It’s amazing the change this brought to the edge of HV, as this was a hotbed of a lot of criminal activity. Overall crime plummeted for the entire area, so I’d say it was success. 
as modern Hidden valley is considered as a safe neighborhood.

 

and while most of the community is excited for the ongoing change, there are still neysayers.

https://www.wcnc.com/amp/article/money/markets/real-estate/residents-new-townhomes-coming-sugar-creek/275-103327f1-c201-4bde-9e61-e999e9511773

 

and more on the 12 million being allocated for revitalizing Sugar Creek area, pretty similar to what was done with Hidden Valley,  repaying roads, public cross walks ,new sidewalks, new smart street lights, bike lanes, electrical vehicle charging stations and updated bus stops.

https://www.wcnc.com/amp/article/money/markets/real-estate/residents-new-townhomes-coming-sugar-creek/275-103327f1-c201-4bde-9e61-e999e9511773

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Genesis704

[ArchiCLT]

I would caution against celebrating the safety of this area. Two juveniles were just shot and killed at the "Evoke Living at Sugar Creek Apartments" on W Sugar Creek this morning. Just because there's new development here and there doesn't mean the crime is moving out. Prostitution and homelessness are still big issues in this area. On a positive note, CMPD and Meck County Parks & Rec have done a lot over the past decade to clean up Sugaw Creek Park as much as possible, for example.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/2-taken-hospital-with-life-threatening-injuries-after-northeast-charlotte-shooting/TO2GDKRRINAJJMCH74JMJ6LH6A/

[CLT Development]

This was a tough one to figure out, but this project will more or less wrap Independent Picture House, and will be developed by DC-based Capital City Real Estate,  

• 109-unit townhome complex and a 280 multifamily apartment complex. The townhome units come complete with 2-car garages

https://jidinvestments.com/projects/willowwood-and-dorton/

[KJHburg]

Wonder if those townhomes are for sale or rental?  It seems like the townhomes have their own pool and amenity area so maybe they are.  Since Pulte sold their townhome development up the street to a rental property owner maybe this company will seize the for sale market.  

[CLT Development]

 

 Those who have traveled through here have likely noticed this stalled project right beside the station's parking deck. I hope it comes together because its not half bad.

Edited December 29, 2023 by CLT Development

[KJHburg]

^^^ is this what you are referring to next to the Sugar Creek station parking deck?

and I like it and the colors and materials used.