NoDa (N Davidson St Arts District) Projects

[dubone]

I think Optimist Park ought to remain in some capacity, considering there really isn't anything wrong with the historic name, just the current economics of the neighborhood.  Once even Dilworth was a blight and people thought very little of the neighborhood.  Images get rebuilt as the place rebuilds.  I do agree, though, that the area north of Parkwood is very different in character from the residential section south of Parkwood.  It has the most area ripe for redevelopment with large block apartments/condos and general TOD, and could benefit from a distinct brand and neighborhood name just as South End has benefited from a distinct neighborhood branding from the Dilworth neighborhood it was originally a part of.

 

OP was the name of an old baseball stadium in the neighborhood, from what I recall, but it is hard to find that info now that I try to look.

 

I doubt that a new name will avoid the trappings of seeming contrived, trendy, or ill-informed (like SoDa, which was always dumb considering it implies "South Davidson" but is really still North Davidson).  It is usually better to leave the historic name and build back the image than to come up with a totally new one.   It is still baffling to me why the uber-generic and ridiculous "University City" is better than the historic Newell for the area around UNCC.  NoDa had a branding problem for their original names as both North Charlotte and North Davidson caused mix ups with Davidson and with the northern part of Charlotte's city limits now rather than 100 years ago.    Even the term "uptown" however is often mocked as contrived even though it IS historic for Charlotte, so coming up with a name that IS contrived has even more risk of that.

 

I think the best bet is to just let it be considered part of NoDa, as people already think of it, as businesses in the area say they are, and let it be.  It is still along No(rth)Da(vidson) street, and people like being part of NoDa rather than Optimist Park (which I agree is not commonly known).  Even on UP with people who know it is in Optimist Park technically still discuss the area in the NoDa topic rather than in the OP/Belmont topic.

 

I would only support distinct branding if it is something derivative like NoDa Yards or Cordelia Park  something related to what people already call the area and not something cringeworthy.

[ah59396]

^ I like Cordelia Park a lot.

[jednc]

This link is to an article with some of the history of the neighborhoods mentioned. It also mentions several neighborhood names that I have never heard of. Perhaps there is a re-branding opportunity using one of these older historical names?

http://www.cmhpf.org/kids/neighborhoods/belmont-et-al.html

[Guest]

I vote for Cordelia Park, sounds like somewhere I would visit. Optimist Park sounds like a place I'd avoid.

[tozmervo]

The rail line is for the ACWR, its still in use (maybe 10 times per week?) but its planned to be relocated down past Craighead so it will eventually go away. Unfortunately this relocation project is still unfunded. (I may be wrong about that, I would love to be corrected)

 

Looking at the map, doesn't ACWR have to move to accommodate the current blue line alignment? I'm not really sure. 

[southslider]

^No, the BLE goes up and over the existing AC&W RR after going under the Matheson bridge:

http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/planning/BLE/Documents/Public%20Meeting%20Sheet_2%20-%202011%200927%20-%20RE.pdf

[kermit]

NM

Edited June 13, 2013 by kermit

[dubone]

No, it is not a pre-requisite.  The BLE line is bridged over the ACWR crossing near Matheson.  However, there is a plan in the works to relocate it, but I have no clue on the funding.  It is drawn up that way in a number of maps.

[RVA2CLT]

Yards @ NoDa broke ground on Wednesday.
Not much to read but, WCNC has a blurb about it here.
 

[New Name]

Studio 6 NoDa  is framing now. I think this is a very unique project because it is infill on a tricky lot that I never thought would see development. And it's offering an urban location with a protected/garden feel; there is a small creek/duct on one side of the property that will never be developed, and for the most part they protected a lot o f the green and trees on the land.

 

Also - Yards at NoDa is underway now too. I don't have a lot of hope for this one LINK

[nonillogical]

Also - Yards at NoDa is underway now too. I don't have a lot of hope for this one LINK

In what sense? Lack of retail along the future rail trail? Will it at least have ground floor patios?

[New Name]

There was two ways this area could have developed:

1. As an extension of the neighborhood with a continuation of grid streets

2. As a condo development akin to Renaissance Condos (or anything you might see in University).

 

Everything I have seen points to it being more like #2. I'm trying to reserve judgment since I don't know that much, but consider this development starts 1 block from Cabo Fish Taco - and I'd hope there could be some synergy to expand the 'hood in that direction.

[UrbanGossip]

^^^

It's going to be pretty run of the mill apartments.  4 story, surface parked, clubhouse with pool, standard floor plans, etc.  I'm sure it will look a little better than what you might see in University as far as the skin of the buildings; maybe a little more modern and hip.  But the guts of it will be very standard I'm sure.

 

It's the first of a 2 large developments coming NoDa's way.  The other will be the (now) Woodfield site behind the Theatre which will probably be leasing in a couple years too.  Between the two it will be 600 new units in the next two years.  Then will come the Mills - they will probably look to open right as the BLE is operational (though they still say it will be sooner I don't believe it).  Around the same time I would expect one more large development in the 300 unit range to announce (maybe down N. Davidson past Craighead or possibly MPV's Newco Fiber Building) and that will round out about 1,000 new units in 5 years leading up to the BLE.  It will cool off after that.

 

It's an exciting and scary time for the neighborhood with the BLE coming on line.  No doubt it will drastically change things.

[dubone]

http://www.johnrmcadams.com/project-gallery/the-yards-at-noda

 

There will be a two story deck along the freight corridor.  That does mark a slight improvement over the U-City standard apartments.  The siteplan does act as a grid extension connecting primarily to 33rd, but with a perpendicular cross street with a roundabout intersection, which then extends to the end of the parcel so that it can connect eventually to 34th if the next lot is ever redeveloped.   This is not much more they could do on that front considering they only have one street connection to the land they control. 

 

I would have preferred to see them add another level to the parking deck and turn the surface parking in the rest of the parcel used for some greenspace. 

 

It reminds me a lot of Junction 1504 in SouthEnd more than the low end apartment projects all over the suburbs.

[Prodev]

http://www.johnrmcadams.com/project-gallery/the-yards-at-noda

 

There will be a two story deck along the freight corridor.  That does mark a slight improvement over the U-City standard apartments.  The siteplan does act as a grid extension connecting primarily to 33rd, but with a perpendicular cross street with a roundabout intersection, which then extends to the end of the parcel so that it can connect eventually to 34th if the next lot is ever redeveloped.   This is not much more they could do on that front considering they only have one street connection to the land they control. 

 

I would have preferred to see them add another level to the parking deck and turn the surface parking in the rest of the parcel used for some greenspace. 

 

It reminds me a lot of Junction 1504 in SouthEnd more than the low end apartment projects all over the suburbs.

That plan is actually the old condo plan that Gateway Homes had. Gvest's plan is all surface. I'll see if I can dig up the site plan and post. 

[dubone]

All I can see of the new siteplan is channel 9 video.  Here is a shaky screenshot of it:

 

 

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/noda-neighborhood-receive-new-340-unit-condo-compl/nYHDh/

 

 

It makes it seem even more like Junction 1504 with the smaller separated buildings with only surface parking.

[tozmervo]

I hear tell that Steel Gardens is pushing to get the last phase of that development - around 54 more townhome units between Anderson and Academy streets - underway by September/October.

[Guest]

new Mercury Noda Rendering... Meh

[ah59396]

I kinda like it.  I wonder if those roads will have more of an "alley" feel because of the back side of the businesses.

[tozmervo]

NoDa residents don't really strike me as "condo pool" people. 

 

I do recall some discussions way back about letting that parking deck be shared parking for NoDa visitors, though, which would be excellent.

[nonillogical]

What IS on the 1st floor on that alley side, since there's no retail in this? Other than that missed opportunity, I'm also disappointed that its an aesthetic we've seen 20x already in other neighborhoods, for such a prominent building for NoDa. That said, it seems a bit higher-quality than most of what we've seen lately, and a good level of density.

[Guest]

What IS on the 1st floor on that alley side, since there's no retail in this? Other than that missed opportunity, I'm also disappointed that its an aesthetic we've seen 20x already in other neighborhoods, for such a prominent building for NoDa. That said, it seems a bit higher-quality than most of what we've seen lately, and a good level of density.

I was looking for Mercury's formal plans, which I cannot find for some reason... :-( and I came accross this... Boudreaux is adding a second floor and rooftop terrace!!!! Thats amazing! 

[rjp212]

The Boudreaux in Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) has a roof top terrace and is often the most packed part of the place.  Interesting enough, the other Cabo Fish Taco is also in Blacksburg just down the street from Boudreaux.

[New Name]

Last updates I heard were:

-No shared/public parking in the deck as the City opted not to fund

-The owner of the existing site (here at Salud, NH Theater) plans to upgrade the rear facade of his building with art/mosaic but probably no retail fronts

-The new units on 36th Street will be available as live/work conversion fronts. I'm not sure about the alley front, but they are all stoop/walkups from sidewalk.

 

I think the pool is kind of silly too, but they have to compete with Renaissance and Highland MIll Lofts which both offer pools.

[tozmervo]

I dunno, I think "cheapest HOA in NoDa" would be a pretty strong selling point. Having exactly what everyone else has has always seemed like a lousy selling tactic to me.