Eastland Mall Redevelopment

[KJHburg]

when someone passes by and sees actual construction there I will make a trip over there and take lots of photos.  

[Madison Parkitect]

Groundbreaking this morning along with the updated master plan and housing/retail numbers and it's b-b-b-b-boring. Can't believe a suburban townhome neighborhood with tons of surface parking is what we get after over a decade of planning.

[KJHburg]

and it has a new name  Eastland Yards....

""A decade after the city bought the former Eastland Mall site, local government leaders and developer Crosland Southeast broke ground on a commercial and residential project aimed at breathing new life into one of Charlotte’s most diverse, and least-affluent, areas.  Crosland Southeast unveiled a new name and logo — Eastland Yards — and projected a first phase opening date in 2024. The site sits six miles from uptown, bounded by Albemarle and North Sharon Amity roads and Central Avenue.  The initial phase consists of 155 townhomes, 70 to 120 affordable units for senior citizens, 280 multifamily units, 17,500 square feet of office and retail space, open space for the public, and improvements to streets, rights-of-way, stormwater, and water and sewer systems.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/08/03/mecklenburg-county-crosland-southeast-eastland.html

[videtur quam contuor]

That name is wrong. Yard(s) is a place where work is done: lumberyard, brickyard, railyard, shipyard, etc. No work was done on that site. It is a lie and misleading. Plus the logo is lame.

[michaelef]

I’m so disappointed. After all the exciting ideas. we need grand ideas to make charlotte standout. It just looks like a development you would see off 485 out in suburbia. 

[CLTNative]

Copyright issues prevented the project from using the original Eastland Mall sun logo

Seriously??  I’m done. I’m a native, from right down the street, growing up off Shamrock. I happen to love the sun logo and would have fought through any ‘copyright issues’ a long forgotten mall could encounter. It’s a good example of appropriate nostalgia like the  Queen Park or DQ Eskimo, iconic.

from Axios: https://charlotte.axios.com/304620/5-things-to-know-about-the-eastland-redevelopment/

FWIW, I’m also a designer, so I’m partial to the nouveau, illustrative style.

Edited August 4, 2022 by CLTNative
Clarification

[JRCLT]

Copyright issues prevented the project from using the original Eastland Mall sun logo
Seriously??  I’m done. I’m a native, from right down the street, growing up off Shamrock. I happen to love the sun logo and would have fought through any ‘copyright issues’ a long forgotten mall could encounter. It’s a good example of appropriate nostalgia like the  Queen Park or DQ Eskimo, iconic.
from Axios: https://charlotte.axios.com/304620/5-things-to-know-about-the-eastland-redevelopment/
FWIW, I’m also a designer, so I’m partial to the nouveau, illustrative style.

You’re telling me this entity owns the intellectual rights and created copyright issues? (not really sure if the legally own it or just say they claim it’s intellectual rights).

https://www.charlotteeast.com/our-logo

[Reverie39]

Why would they not want the logo used at the new Eastland site lol

[Matthew.Brendan]

Now this is more entertaining drama than some billionaire yankee antics!

[Hushpuppy321]

Glad construction work is actually commencing here finally.  Not terribly excited by the scope of work anymore but it’s better than nothing.  Hopefully the SFH and TH portions of Phase I will actually be affordable when they hit the market in 2024.  

[Madison Parkitect]

3 hours ago, JeanClt said:

You’re telling me this entity owns the intellectual rights and created copyright issues? (not really sure if the legally own it or just say they claim it’s intellectual rights).

https://www.charlotteeast.com/our-logo

I'd say it's a 50/50 bet whether there were actual copyright issues or whether Crosland just either a) wanted to have their own new logo or b) didn't want to pay a thousand bucks or whatever to get the copyright.

[Guest]

I feel like I have an entirely different understanding of this situation. The old Eastland logo has been adopted as a neighborhood identity, “east side pride” etc. The nonprofit that owns the logo wants to preserve it for more civic initiatives, and does not seem interested in selling its rights to developers. This is a logo you will only see on advertising for the development and maybe one or two in person signs, it isn’t meant to be an identity for the neighborhood or to replace the existing sun logo. That all said it does suck 

[Third Strike]

Updated area plan for “Eastland Yards”

[KJHburg]

I think with Tepper out of the plan some of the park land should be set aside for a weekly market that used to be there.  Charge a small rental fee so the small vendors could support it.  Overall it is heavy on housing which is fine since there is such a need and some retail.  

[Reverie39]

That housing is actually pretty dense so I'm cautiously optimistic. If the retail is satisfactory then there is plenty of walkability. One day if the Gold Line can connect this site to Uptown then there is the possibility to live/work/play car-free. Which at the moment is limited only to Uptown and South End really.

[CLT2014]

Looks like a typical suburban townhome development. Surface parking strip mall + adjacent townhomes... Rea Farms, Waverly, et.... have done this:

Rea Farms  below for comparison... looks a lot like Eastland Yards for imaging how a surface lot shopping center / town center + townhomes come together. These developments aren't awful, but they rarely turn out to be urban and people do most trips via car. One of the things I hate about these developments (and looks like Eastland Yards is repeating), is they often have "entrances" that subtly signify it isn't part of the broader community. You are entering a "development." You can see the three roads entering Eastland Yards (in post above) have the retail facing away from the entrance roads towards parking lots and and the entrance set up facilitates car movement as opposed to people movement. The main horizontal road through the development has numerous drive ways to get into the suburban shopping centers.... making this not a destination. Just a strip mall.

Edited August 7, 2022 by CLT2014

[Norm2]

26 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

Looks like a typical suburban townhome development. Surface parking strip mall + adjacent townhomes... Rea Farms, Waverly, et.... have done this:

 

I agree, I am disappointed with the Eastland redevelopment plan.

[Hushpuppy321]

I think Rea Farms & Waverly are pretty dense so if Eastland develops like that I think it would be an improvement.  Not sure about getting folks out of their cars with the current status of CATS Bus Service/Reliability.  
 

[Hidden Valley memory]

On 8/6/2022 at 4:52 PM, Third Strike said:

Updated area plan for “Eastland Yards”

Yawn. It's better than nothing, I guess. Why can't we have nice things in this town? I'm tired of the same 'ole tired and boring options.  At least something's going there.

[stw52]

 

Charlotte FC announce permanent headquarters for Charlotte FC, more than 52,000 square-foot, privately financed facility will include four soccer fields and be home to the club’s first team, MLS NEXT Pro team and the youth academy to be at 8600 McAlpine Park off Monroe Road,

Edited August 17, 2022 by stw52

[KJHburg]

Saussy Burbank will be the builder of the first 158 market rate townhomes and SF homes at the Eastland site.

""The initial phase consists of 155 townhomes, 70 to 120 affordable units for senior citizens, 280 multifamily units, 17,500 square feet of office and retail space, open space for the public and improvements to streets, rights-of-way, stormwater and water and sewer systems. The project's first phase is expected to deliver in 2024.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/08/22/eastland-yards-saussy-burbank-crosland-southeast.html

 

[videtur quam contuor]

 

Drove through Eastland Mall site today. The far end toward Albemarle Road is off limits and work happening on the middle section of the property. Asphalt removal and some drainage installation. All the trees cut  and waiting for removal.

 

Near the Sharon Amity side is a new building housing Forest Hill (singular, no "s") Church and Movement School, whatever that is. Latino market assembling with vehicles and vendors preparing and unfolding tables and canopies.

Speaking of churches, we all know of the diversity of cultures on this end of Central Avenue and this includes faith choices. Starting with Forest Hill I drive out Sharon Amity to the next light at Shamrock and then turn left. In that mile or so are: 

Ethiopian Orthodox

Calvary nazarene

Deeper life bible church

Church of christ

Queen City apostolic

First Church Charlotte;

then on Shamrock first block:

Muslim education center

Ou lady of the Assumption Catholic

Iglesia señora de la asunción

St Thomas Lutheran

[KJHburg]

Movement School was started by Casey Crawford former Panther and CEO of Movement Mortgage.  It is a charter school with 2 locations.

https://www.movementschools.org/

[Third Strike]

New rezoning for 90 townhomes, next to the Eastland site:

https://charlottenc.gov/planning/Rezoning/RezoningPetitions/2022-Petitions/Documents/Revised_Site_Plans/2022_015_RevSitePlan_2022_10_20.pdf

[QCxpat]

Today's CBJ "Proposals for Eastland Yards sports projects includes $55M tennis center" by Erik Spanberg

Excerpts:  "Three groups have expressed interest in developing a sports complex as part of the city-owned Eastland Mall site, including a proposal submitted to city government this week to build a $55 million tennis center."  “They’re three completely different sports opportunities here that we’re very excited about.  All three of these will require a public investment.”   "Charlotte city government on Friday confirmed to CBJ that one proposal has been submitted.  It’s for a tennis and racquet sports and entertainment center that would include 12 indoor courts and 46 outdoor courts, mostly clay.   Other sports, including pickleball would be featured, too."  "Tracy Dodson, Charlotte assistant city manager in charge of economic development, told CBJ that city and county government will work together to coordinate reviewing and vetting proposals.  They will also establish a deadline soon for submitting proposals, likely early in 2023."  "Neither Tim Sittema (Managing Partner at Crosland Southeast) nor the city would disclose the names of the other two groups interested in developing a sports project at Eastland, though one is a swimming and aquatics concept."  "Virgil Christian, a sports development consultant, said local architecture firm Odell has created renderings for the proposed tennis complex."  "He (Virgil Christian, the sports consultant)  envisions a combination of community outreach, college and professional events, and related features, including a sports health clinic."   “It’s a transformative project, and we think Eastland is a perfect fit.”

Link:  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/12/09/crosland-southeast-eastland-yards.html

Edited December 9, 2022 by QCxpat