301 replies to this topic

[southslider]

Honestly, I don't think South End needs retail on every block.  Focus on the "downtown" of South End, and create enough critical mass along Camden between Summit and Tremont.  Anywhere else in South End, specialty retailers will not have enough outsiders mixing with residents for steady foot traffic.

[nonillogical]

I'm not too upset about a lack of retail on the South Blvd frontage, but they should have done ground-level units and patios or courtyards. Just SOMETHING. I think the Carson/LRT corner is screaming for retail though, even if its extremely basic like a convenient store similar to what's at Quarterside in 1st ward.

[tozmervo]

Are we sure that's parking deck along the sidewalk? I though there were MUD guidelines in place that prevents that. If it IS parking deck, I am perfectly happy to write every representative I have in the city and county to object to it. That should absolutely not be allowed to be built like that.

edit: cambridge's website on the project
Charlotte, N.C. Preparations for this new 4-Story podium design are well underway and construction should begin in early Spring of 2012....
http://www.cambridge....php?us=1&id=13

"Podium design" says "parking deck along the street" to me.

edit edit:
better yet, we could sic the Dilworth HOA on them

Edited by tozmervo, 09 January 2012 - 12:53 PM.

[nonillogical]

Yeah I think that's what "podium design" means. I live in 1225 S. Church (not for much longer), which is that way, which seems forgivable for the off-the-beaten-path block its on, but even we have 2 small retail spaces. Granted only 1 is occupied right now but they should have a much easier time on Carson/South/LRT.

[dubone]

It's like people have already, a decent design for a very different location.  It sucks that this pretty much what we get these days, b-grade projects in a-level locations, and omission of any retail or other uses.

[sleightofhand]

man i was super stoked to see some heavy duty equipment moved onto the site recently. then i learned about the parking decks. this really sucks!

[southslider]

How is this site any different than Circle South End?  Both have parking decks.  Both are only 4-5 stories, since stick-built.  Yet both are right at stations.

I agree that mixed-use or taller would be better, but deck-wrapped multi-family is better than surface-parked apartments.

[nonillogical]

southslider, on 30 January 2012 - 08:57 AM, said:

How is this site any different than Circle South End?  Both have parking decks.  Both are only 4-5 stories, since stick-built.  Yet both are right at stations.

I agree that mixed-use or taller would be better, but deck-wrapped multi-family is better than surface-parked apartments.

Circle is orders of magnitude better because there are 3 retail spaces (granted they're only just now getting filled), parking deck is completely hidden and the 2 entrances are unobtrusive with the main entrance actually being fairly attractive, and perhaps most notably, the ground floor is totally wrapped in apartment patios. This building is going to be blank wall along 80% of the ground floor. Just awful.

Not to mention I think Circle is more interesting looking, and while some people like the courtyards, some people hate them, I think there's no question that they're better than a blank wall and some bland landscaping.

[southslider]

Adaptive reuse of nearby existing buildings will add retail faster than new construction, especially in this economy, when spec-commercial is difficult to finance.  These new apartments provide added purchasing power to surrounding businesses already within a 10-minute walk of the Carson and Bland stations.

As for blank walls, I don't think this site is going to be any worse than the Arlington.

[nonillogical]

I agree in principle with your comment about reuse for retail, but considering some old buildings are being torn down to build these apartments, and the PRIME retail location adjacent to Carson station and the diner, I would have thought 1 spec retail space would be doable.

However the retail is the least of my considerations in contrasting this with Circle. This is not wrapped parking, its podium parking, like 1225 S. Church, which I think is fine in more out of the way locations but pretty lazy and ugly on a main street. Circle has activity and visual interest from people's patios lining the whole building, creating a MUCH better residential environment. Here you'll be looking at parked cars instead.

[southslider]

Honestly, a station does not make a location that much more or less prime for retail.  And in the case of Carson, the station may have been poorly located.  Tremont is a better location for retail in spite of lacking a station.  Bland is also a better station than Carson.  But despite its name, Bland station is no better than Carson for retail, due to actual Bland Street.  Rather, retail is better around "Bland," thanks to Camden Road, Park Avenue, and even Summit Avenue.

Edited by southslider, 30 January 2012 - 02:52 PM.

[norm21499]

southslider, on 30 January 2012 - 02:51 PM, said:

Honestly, a station does not make a location that much more or less prime for retail.  And in the case of Carson, the station may have been poorly located.  Tremont is a better location for retail in spite of lacking a station.  Bland is also a better station than Carson.  But despite its name, Bland station is no better than Carson for retail, due to actual Bland Street.  Rather, retail is better around "Bland," thanks to Camden Road, Park Avenue, and even Summit Avenue.

In Charlotte a station may not make a location for retail, but in other cities that may see thousands of riders at once station, they are prime locations for retail.

[Spartan]

atlrvr, on 08 January 2012 - 10:23 PM, said:

So this is a disappointment.  Below is a rendering from the new developer's website for this scaled down project.  It had been released that Cambridge Development Group was buying the site to do an apartment only project.  At first glance, I thought it looked ok, but then I realized that the bottom 2 floors along South Blvd are parking garage, as well as the bottom level along Carson.  What a horrible streetscape for a major commercial stretch that had a chance of having a decent retail presence, and goes against everything City Planning has been preaching regarding retail focused towards the LRT line and stations.

I'd rather this site stay blank, than forever relegate to this missed opportunity.

RETAIL is not the issue. In a city with a stronger planning department and urban review, you would see more emphasis on an active street frontage. There could be ground level /walk up units on that level. You need only look at 3030South to see that it works. It makes it look like people live on the street, rather than buildings are adjacent to the street and people happen to live in them.

[norm21499]

I am sure that there is a way to bring this to the planning department's attention.....

[Temeteron]

Has anyone noticed that they took the median out from that stretch of South Blvd. near the YMCA and Simpson lighting area?  I wonder if they are putting a light there....It does seem super annoying when trying to exit YMCA Dowd and you can't make a left hand turn.  Usually what one must do is take a right and then make a U-turn at the light where the exit to 277 is in order to go away from uptown.

Edited by Temeteron, 08 February 2012 - 08:25 PM.

[tozmervo]

I think they are turning that into a four-way lit intersection. There were plans to do so with the original development of this property. This will make a HUGE difference in getting around that area and will hopefully slow traffic down barreling into and out of Uptown.

[southslider]

_{^Except Dilworth nixed the idea of Lexington tying into the intersection, due to their parochial cut-through traffic concerns.  Kinsey echoed these concerns during the rezoning of the Simpson site.  As a result, this traffic light may end up only providing access to/from the Carson Boulevard side.  I'm sure the Dowd Y could use left-turn access to/from South Boulevard, but the powers in Dilworth thought differently.}

[Shawn&Zae]

^ From a historical perspective, I find it crazy how that part of South Blvd and Carson used to be Independence Blvd, yet alone a mangled flawed interchange there decades ago.

[atlrvr]

I'm not sure all that is true.  The South End station area plan has that as a 4-way intersection, and the rezoning for the former plan from Harris had it as a 4-way intersection.  The issue is Lexington is too narrow between South and Caldwell.  The area plan has Lexington being widened to the south, which would require the demolition of the small office building at the corner of Lexington and South.

I suppose they could elimate on-street parking on Lexington, but the Y would probably have a fit.

[tozmervo]

boo.

Street Closings

SOUTH BOULEVARD and LEXINGTON AVENUE 2/13/2012 7:00 AM 2/27/2012 7:00 AM

• The outside lane of northbound South Boulevard at the intersection of South Boulevard and Lexington Avenue will close on Monday, February 13 at 7:00 a.m. and will re-open on Monday, February 27 at 7:00 a.m.
  
• Lexington Avenue at the intersection of South Boulevard will also be closed during this time.
  
• These closures are necessary for the South Boulevard and East Carson Boulevard 54” water main improvements project.
  
• [etc]