Northlake Mall

[StevenRocks]

A few predictions:

1.  Sears will leave Eastland and will go to Northlake.

2.  Eastland will survive as an inner-city mall since no other Charlotte regional malls cater to urban shoppers.

3.  Uptown retail will increase in scope over the next few years, but the stores that will come will be mainly the types of stores that are already in uptown, catering to office workers who need to shop during lunchtime and to people who live uptown and who don't have time to drive to a mall.  Since people do destination shopping where they live, not where they work, mall-type stores won't come uptown for many years.  Northlake didn't necessarily cause this; Belk's and Ivey's closed uptown even when the only regional malls were SouthPark, Eastland and Carolina Place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

An astute observation, though I think Sears will open at Mint Hill as well as Northlake if and when they leave Eastland.

[DigitalSky]

^Agree. Then that's bye-bye Belk, Dilllard's and Sears probably by 2007-8

[StevenRocks]

^Agree.  Then that's bye-bye Belk, Dilllard's and Sears probably by 2007-8

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing like inner-city abandonment.

[f0xym0p]

Nothing like inner-city abandonment. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well it will be fine if it can be replaced with something, like the Burlington and Fred's stores did, but what do you think could go there and be successful?

I forgot to mention yesterday that the Dick's Sporting Goods at Northlake is already open for business, so you don't have to wait until tomorrow!

[nyxmike]

Well it will be fine if it can be replaced with something, like the Burlington and Fred's stores did, but what do you think could go there and be successful?

I forgot to mention yesterday that the Dick's Sporting Goods at Northlake is already open for business, so you don't have to wait until tomorrow!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think they should just level the mall and make it an open-air international market/mall - the diversity is there - I think??

[Miesian Corners]

If you want density, I recommend getting on a boat and taking a tour of the lake.  700 miles of shoreline being covered with mind boggling houses.  Ive seen outdoor glass elevators on 4-5 story houses,  heliports, and several with sea planes.  (not sure where you would fly them, maybe to lake wylie)  I know there are big homes in the places you mention, but there is absolutely nothing in Dillworth and Myers Park that would compare to this.  There are boats on the lake now that cost more than anything in these nighborhoods.  BTW,  the nuclear plant at the south end of the lake is closer to DT Charlotte than portions of lake norman.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

See attachment for complete run-down on numbers. FYI, retailers look at the number of households as a measurement, not total population.

[monsoon]

Birkdale is not lake housing. Not even close.

But it is an example of how this fairly average development in Huntersville compares to Southpark. And the average income in the 3 mile radius is considerably higher than that in the Southpark area. This would indicate the high end retail is going to be headed to the lake.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

why can't we have two centers of high end retail? One in the south and one in the north? Population growth is going to continue on both sides. The people in the north can go to Northlake and the people in the south can go to SouthPark if they want a mall.

[Miesian Corners]

Metro, I used radii on an intersection (Birkdale: Sam Furr and Catawba Ave.--pretty darn close to the lake, I'd say). I intentionally did not use I-77 and Harris Blvd in order to get more of the lake area. For SouthPark, I simply used the address of the mall.

The three-mile radius for Birkdale includes nearly all of Cornelius (except the eastern part), a good chunk of Huntersville and downtown Davidson.

Why do I even bother, though? I obviously don't know jack about this. Next time a retailer calls for us to assist in site selection, I'll send them your way.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Why are all the private schools on the South Side?

Edited September 14, 2005 by moonshield

[monsoon]

Why are all the private schools on the South Side?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All of the big private schools in Charlotte have their roots in school desegration. When the government forced the schools to integrate many White parents took their children out of CMS and put them in private schools to keep their kids away from Blacks. (both teachers and students) In Charlotte that would be parents living in the Southeast as there simply were no people living in the northern part of the county during this time. This is a history they don't like to talk about but that is indeed the case and if you go back to that time you will find that no Black children went to these schools. These schools were expensive to go to, so only well off parents were able to do this which is another reason they are in the Southeast.

This was an interesting part of Charlotte's history as it was the government's lawsuit against CMS (which lost) that started court ordered busing in the USA. I was a young kid at the time, but I do still remember the riots and fighs on Charlotte streets when the first bus load of Black kids were sent to what was previously an all White highschool. There are a lot of photos of these events including civil right marches right down Tryon, but they are hard to find online.

Since then attitudes have changed a great deal and parents don't take their kids out of school, for the most part, for that reason anymore. That is the biggest reason that you don't see large private schools in other parts of the county.

[monsoon]

Why do I even bother, though?  I obviously don't know jack about this.  Next time a retailer calls for us to assist in site selection, I'll send them your way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I said the most expensive housing that I have seen anywhere in Mecklenburg is on the shores of the Lake and beats anything that I have seen in Southpark. You then responded on something about density and I replied there were plenty of houses like this now, all they way past 150. And you counter with a report on Birkdale. True that radius includes a few Lake houses, but it that is a small part of the housing that is actually on the lake. I am not disputing your numbers but they have no bearing on my earlier statement except it does go to prove that people here have more income than those living around Southpark. This is especially surprising since this area was virtually uninhabited 15 years ago, whereas Southpark was built in 1971.

[monsoon]

The local news is reporting that 80% of the stores will be open tomorrow, and that 30 of the stores are unique to this mall and the first in NC.

[Miesian Corners]

There are nearly 40,000 households within a three-mile radius of SouthPark, compared to 13,000 within three miles of Birkdale, a difference of 68%. There are simply more people making high incomes within the SouthPark trade area than there are in North Meck, even though incomes may be higher on "The Lake". I am not disputing the proclivity of wealth in North Meck and South Iredell, I am disputing that on a percentage basis, SP makes more sense for Prada. Simply put, there are more households with high income leveles around SP than on the Lake as a whole, even though Lake folks might make more. The relative small number of weathy households around Lake Norman don't really matter to "upscale" retailers. Yes, they want rich folks, but they want LOTS of rich folks.

Besides, SouthPark is a unitque animal. It is the premier shopping center in the Carolinas. It not only is surrounded by wealth, it is also surrounded by nearly 6 million square feet of Class A office space (about 25,000 workers) that contain corporate headquarters for four Fortune 500 companies.

Completely irreleveant to a retail discussion is home values. But since you brought it up, median homevalues in those same geographies are $256K and $230K, respectively. So on average, a house is worth 10% more within three miles of SouthPark than three miles of Sam Furr @ Catawba. Even at five miles, median home values are nearly the same (Birkdale $235K, SP $240K), but there are 99,000 households within five miles of SP, as opposed to 22,500 households five-miles around Birkdale).

[monsoon]

Even at five miles, median home values are nearly the same (Birkdale $235K, SP $240K), but there are 99,000 households within five miles of SP, as opposed to 22,500 households five-miles around Birkdale).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would think that would be obvious. Southpark went up more than 3 decades ago. In comparison, in 1990, there were only 3000 people living in Huntersville with the vast majority of that being on the east side of 77. 22,500 new households in just a few years is phenominal growth and the retailers are taking notice. Especially if they have income levels that exceed what is found in Southpark.

The relative small number of weathy households around Lake Norman don't really matter to "upscale" retailers

There are over 700 miles of shoreline on Lake Norman and there are a huge number of homes going up. I would expect that every national retailer in town are looking to serve this crowd. Again if you read what I posted, I stated this is the trend on where retail is headed in this county. Not where we are today.

[DigitalSky]

back to Northlake, not a surprise but not all stores will open on time. http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/storie...g.595b379a.html

[DigitalSky]

and WSOC is reporting neighbors are worried about potential crime that will come along w/ the mall http://www.wsoctv.com/news/4973875/detail.html

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/loc...=102393&SecID=2

and news14's got pics/vid

Edited September 15, 2005 by cantnot

[DigitalSky]

hey look it's 9/15/05 happy opening day Northlake.

they've got a new look @ shopnorthlake.com

[SmellyCat]

If anyone's going to the grand opening today, let's hear a report!! I'm curious about the traffic, both inside the mall and out

[f0xym0p]

I got to work around 9:20 and traffic at exit 18 didn't seem any different to me, though on Harris I turn the opposite way from the mall. I did notice that they are having their employees park east of 77 by Hickory Tavern and take a shuttle over to the mall. I guess they think they will need every parking space today!

I may try to go over there--if so, I'll report back.

[ilektronik]

my wife works across the street from the mall on Perimeter Drive and she said that it is all out insanity there right now. She said that a chick from her work took an early lunch and headed over there and it took her 40 min to find parking.

[f0xym0p]

my wife works across the street from the mall on Perimeter Drive and she said that it is all out insanity there right now. She said that a chick from her work took an early lunch and headed over there and it took her 40 min to find parking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe I won't go over there then.

It would have taken her less time to walk, although she probably would have gotten killed trying to cross the street.

[DigitalSky]

I'll probably go there next time i'm home, but that won't be til fall break and by then i'm sure the crowds will have thinned out

[skylinedrive]

One of the local channels had their helicopter out there and it showed every single space in their parking lot was filled.

[DigitalSky]

One of the local channels had their helicopter out there and it showed every single space in their parking lot was filled.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, remember SouthPark opening day