University City Projects/News

[KJHburg]

Yes University City Blvd the IKEA exit is being extended to the new realignment of Mallard Creek road which will avoid the Derita area. It should be done fairly soon and it is a major 4 lane road. http://www.universitycitypartners.org/graham-street-mallard-creek-road-realignment-and-u-city-blvd-extension-moving-forward/

[Matthew.Brendan]

Oh excellent. When I drove by it didn't look like it was being worked on, I was worried it was stalled. Thanks!

[KJHburg]

Demo has begun at the old Old Navy formerly a Food Lion building in University Place. New shops and restaurants going in right by the light rail. And believe me University Place needs revitalization the newer Old Navy store is empty as is the Dicks Sporting Goods. The old Walmart there has been turned into Conns and Fitness Connection but there is a lot of small shop vacancies. Hopefully the once the light rail construction ends and it opens up the traffic will return to this area. 

[AP3]

The site plan is now visible in Accella:

 

[kermit]

^ that looks like a comical parking to building ratio for a new project adjacent to a rail station.

[southslider]

^Easier to hide and ride when the deck is full.

[tozmervo]

Certainly don't interpret this as approval of that very suburban plan, but it does at least reduce the surface parking from what's there now. I'll also try to appreciate the clear pedestrian plaza connection they're making to the light rail station (which is to the bottom right on the plan).

Basically, I'm not expecting anything better from University City at this point. 

[SgtCampsalot]

So I'm still not clear: 

1) Is that entirely retail?

2) Are the entrances to face the parking lot?

[Niner National]

25 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

So I'm still not clear: 

1) Is that entirely retail?

2) Are the entrances to face the parking lot?

I'm sure all the entrances will face the parking lot. If there are restaurants, maybe they'll have entrances on both sides, but retail stores are unlikely to do so.

[videtur quam contuor]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Certainly don't interpret this as approval of that very suburban plan, but it does at least reduce the surface parking from what's there now. I'll also try to appreciate the clear pedestrian plaza connection they're making to the light rail station (which is to the bottom right on the plan).

Basically, I'm not expecting anything better from University City at this point. 

If I recall correctly, in about 1990, with the Harris Boulevard project, the County Commission was to decide which of the three corners at the NC 49 intersection would have a shopping center. They fairly quickly decided to allow it on all three corners. That was the beginning, and the end, of University City.

[SgtCampsalot]

One of my favorite things is finding little nuggets of urbanism in our suburban and rural landscape, and one of my favorite local examples is the little "Shoppes at Newell" businesses on Old Concord Rd, part of the Newell neighborhood area:

Yes, it's next to a gas station, and yes the railroad is right across the street, but Old Concord Rd, as well as the parallel Orr Rd, still has all of the businesses that helped build this rural/industrial community. Fortunately this area hasn't quite been completely built out, probably thanks to the rail line.

Hopefully Old Concord Rd will eventually get a continuous path, like the kind the Piedmont Railroad improvements gave it down the road, and that Rocky River Rd West will eventually have its road improvements extended from where the City is currently planning on stopping them half-way down from N Tryon St. In a couple decades, if this area can avoid further subdivisions, perhaps it can successfully get built up with developments with good scale and form to take advantage of what's there. It would be great for the community, and for students, since the campus is SO close, but it's just too dangerous to walk or bike.

Dreams.

Edited August 10, 2016 by SgtCampsalot

[Third Strike]

I believe Newell was an unincorporated community in Mecklenburg, before Charlotte ended up absorbing it. You can find references to this settlement in several historic maps of Charlotte. The building posted above was built in 1900, so over a century old. I also wouldn't be surprised if a train depot was built across the street at one point in time.

Edit: Yeah, there is/was a train depot in Newell. I don't know if it's still around. There's a picture in Newell's area plan, along with some history.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Third Strike
New info

[KJHburg]

Some interesting comments about the light rail extension into the University area and its affects on the retail there (IKEA, University Place etc) http://www.universitycitypartners.org/retail-experts-share-plans-for-ikea-concord-mills-and-university-place/

Video talks about the new shops coming to and the future plans of University Place. This is great to watch if you have not been by lately. http://www.universitycitypartners.org/university-citys-light-rail-transformation-the-movie/

[SgtCampsalot]

8 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Some interesting comments about the light rail extension into the University area and its affects on the retail there (IKEA, University Place etc) http://www.universitycitypartners.org/retail-experts-share-plans-for-ikea-concord-mills-and-university-place/

Call me a cynic, but I was going to attend that, but decided against it since the topic is "urban retail" and the speakers are from IKEA, Concord Mills, etc, the places that will prove to be a detriment to "urban retail" in University City. It seems Tobe Holmes does recognize the fact that small local retailers are needed.

[Niner National]

49 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Call me a cynic, but I was going to attend that, but decided against it since the topic is "urban retail" and the speakers are from IKEA, Concord Mills, etc, the places that will prove to be a detriment to "urban retail" in University City. It seems Tobe Holmes does recognize the fact that small local retailers are needed.

Yeah, I would have much rather seen the owner of the nearby shopping center with the Kohls than Ikea or Concord Mills.

Having Concord Mills there definitely made no sense. "What impact do you think light rail will have on the mall?" "Well, none, unless they extend it to Cabarrus County"

What an insightful contribution that was.

I'm looking forward to seeing Shoppes at University Place redeveloped though. If done right, it could be a nice little semi-urban area for UCity.

[cjd5050]

1 hour ago, Niner National said:

I'm looking forward to seeing Shoppes at University Place redeveloped though. If done right, it could be a nice little semi-urban area for UCity.

Could not agree more on this.  Would love to see something like The Grove in LA out there.  

[AP3]

65+ acres up for rezoning (mixed-use) at the NWC of I-85 and Mallard Creek Church Rd.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/development/article98568352.html

[SgtCampsalot]

12 minutes ago, AP3 said:

65+ acres up for rezoning (mixed-use) at the NWC of I-85 and Mallard Creek Church Rd.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/development/article98568352.html

If they make a street connection to Galloway Rd to the north (not sure why they wouldn't) those neighborhoods there will have a pretty neat mix of commerce in that area bounded by Galloway, I-85, and the two Mallard Creek Rds.

[AP3]

6 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

If they make a street connection to Galloway Rd to the north (not sure why they wouldn't) those neighborhoods there will have a pretty neat mix of commerce in that area bounded by Galloway, I-85, and the two Mallard Creek Rds.

I believe that connection is planned

[AP3]

Revised site plan for the apartments at the Univ. City Blvd and Suther Rd.

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2016/087-102/2016-087 site plan 2nd rev.pdf

[Third Strike]

Seems like city staff and UC residents are against the new student housing development that is planned on University City Blvd.

University City student apartments draw opposition from neighbors, Charlotte staff

Thoughts? The developer points out that this development has about the same density as the Circle apartments down the street. Also, unlike the Circle, Arcadia, and University House apartments, this development actually has retail attached to it (I believe facing University City Blvd).

[cjd5050]

12 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Seems like city staff and UC residents are against the new student housing development that is planned on University City Blvd.

University City student apartments draw opposition from neighbors, Charlotte staff

Thoughts? The developer points out that this development has about the same density as the Circle apartments down the street. Also, unlike the Circle, Arcadia, and University House apartments, this development actually has retail attached to it (I believe facing University City Blvd).

It's an interesting conversation for sure.  

On one side, just because other projects found a way to get approved outside of the University City Area plan does not mean all future projects should.  After all, what's the point of having these plans developed if they are not going to be followed.  That said, I think the city staff needs to comment in public on both why they approved a variance before and why they are against a variance this time.  

On the other side, I am not sure how much weight you can put into the idea of student housing would “violate the integrity of our community” as the location is next door to a University campus that's been there for 50+ years but it appears that the homes directly about this proposal were built around the same time so I am not sure who was there first.  

 

Personal opinion, I think 900 students is way to dense for the parcel.  There is a difference between dorms and off campus student housing in my book.  I don't think this should remain SFH but also don't think it should have 900 people living there.  

[Niner National]

12 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Seems like city staff and UC residents are against the new student housing development that is planned on University City Blvd.

University City student apartments draw opposition from neighbors, Charlotte staff

Thoughts? The developer points out that this development has about the same density as the Circle apartments down the street. Also, unlike the Circle, Arcadia, and University House apartments, this development actually has retail attached to it (I believe facing University City Blvd).

Did the plan change? I remember looking at the site plan when it was released and there was no retail attached.

Really a shame that no retail was put in Circle. It would have been a huge win for University City if both this project and Circle included street level retail as it would have created a decent retail corridor from the WT Harris overpass to East Mallard Creek Church. Certainly not the most urban retail corridor, but better than a street completely devoid of retail and pedestrian life.

[DavieNative]

Density is is the best thing that could possibly happen in UCity right now. In the next 10 year UNCC will reach 35k students. Density close to campus means less cars and more walking. These types of project also build a more urban feel which is dearly needed in the areas surrounding campus.

[KJHburg]

This is truly a huge success story in the Charlotte market: Innovation Park  Vacant IBM facility now is 97% leased and has 7000 employees there. That is way more than IBM's 5000 at its peak. Now Innovation Park is for sale all 1.8 million sq ft of it. https://www.hfflp.com/properties/5455/innovation-park.aspx  Anchors: Wells Fargo, Areva, AXA, Classic Graphics, Dirt Devil, Allstate.