FreeMore Projects (West Morehead, Freedom Drive, Bryant Park)

[cooperdawg]

I'm not sure if this site has been discussed before, but I saw some plans this morning for a project labeled West End Development. It's a mixed use project, looks to be around three stories in height with ground floor retail back behind Bank of America Stadium in that dead area on Cedar sandwiched in between I-277 and I-77 interchange. I've attached a map to the location.

The development looks to be about 10-12 buildings, +/-94,000sf of retail with 384 units to be built on the upper levels. A pretty sizeable improvement over the dead space this area is now. No timetable on construction is known yet, but I'll keep digging and see what I can find out.

West End Development

[cooperdawg]

Sorry, forgot to add that the site will be bound by Morehead Street, I-77/Elliott Street, Post Street/I-277, and the railroad tracks. Cedar Street will continue into the site, bi-secting the development.

[ElricSeven]

I'm not sure if this site has been discussed before, but I saw some plans this morning for a project labeled West End Development.  It's a mixed use project, looks to be around three stories in height with ground floor retail back behind Bank of America Stadium in that dead area on Cedar sandwiched in between I-277 and I-77 interchange.  I've attached a map to the location.

The development looks to be about 10-12 buildings, +/-94,000sf of retail with 384 units to be built on the upper levels.  A pretty sizeable improvement over the dead space this area is now.  No timetable on construction is known yet, but I'll keep digging and see what I can find out.

West End Development

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Wow, what's your source?

[cooperdawg]

I work in a design firm, and we're doing the layout.

[ElricSeven]

I work in a design firm, and we're doing the layout.

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It sounds like a huge project. Very exciting and relatively close to the new park and the stadium. Do they plan condos or SFH?

[cooperdawg]

Mixed-use, so that means condos on top of retail. No single family. No idea if they're meant to be condos or apartments, but I would guess condos given the makret status.

[dubone]

that is really awesome that that area will start redeveloping (i took a few photos of the barren land that is there now.

BUT why the hell would they use the "West End" title. That is already the identity formed for the area around JC Smith.

http://www.charlotteswestend.com/

[cooperdawg]

I think it's just a working title and the development will get an official title down the road. We have all kinds of generalistic names for projects generated in office that never really see the light of day. That would be my guess. We're in the very early stages as only layout work has been done. No grading, storm, or utilities have been done yet, so I'd assume it's still a little ways off.

[dubone]

oh, ok. That makes sense, then. (sorry for the over-reaction ).

It is really an exciting prospect, as that area is such a forgotten corner of town, even though it is so close to third ward and the west morehead district. I wish you guys the best of luck with your designs.

[ElricSeven]

oh, ok.  That makes sense, then.  (sorry for the over-reaction ).

It is really an exciting prospect, as that area is such a forgotten corner of town, even though it is so close to third ward and the west morehead district.  I wish you guys the best of luck with your designs.

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Once it goes in it could bridge the gap between Wesley heights and Wilmore. Eventually, perhaps, the entire inner loop will be surrounded by revitalized neighborhoods. Elizabeth, Cherry, Eastover, Dilworth, Wilmore, Wesley Heights, Optimist Park, Belmont and Plaza Midwood.

What're we missing? Is it Greenwood Cliffs or something like that? What is it that's West of Tryon and North of Wesley Heights?

[atlrvr]

That's Greenville up there......that neighborhood doesn't have the same charm as a lot of the houses are Habitat and built in the 80's and 90's.

[dubone]

but Greenville has a much healthier community reputation than many other inner city neighborhoods. Perhaps in part because of the habitat program. Maybe i'm just going by my only impression of that area. i drove through on a sunny day and the whole place was have a little greenville parade with a marching band and kids with balloons and stuff. I've never seen that kind of community spirit in optimist pk or belmont.

[atlrvr]

Oh I agree......I think Greenville is a very stable community, I just don't think it has the housing charm that makes many of the other neighborhoods so desireable......I'm not sure how much vacant land is there, but I'm sure the area will see some investment.

[atlrvr]

Ok....I kind of just stumbled on these renderings today that are online, so I thought I'd share. This would seem to be the West End development that cooperdawg mentioned earlier.

It's a bit canned, in that new-urbanist sort of way, but also dense and urban, and certainly a huge improvement over the sea of surface parking there now.

http://www.narmourwright.com/projects/html...of_west_end.htm

I have no idea if this is the current proposal for that area.

[Sabaidee]

What, they also designed those raggy dorms at Winston Salem State? It's not even a couple of years old and those dorms are falling apart, Rams Common Building 1 got flooded out last semester.

[atlrvr]

In general, they do great job IMO.....but then typically projects get "value engineered", some to the point that the final product is something they almost wish they weren't associated with.

[Raintree21]

Looks exactly like Phillip's Place at SouthPark. Even has the fountain at the end of the main drag.

[Seeker]

Ok....I kind of just stumbled on these renderings today that are online, so I thought I'd share.  This would seem to be the West End development that cooperdawg mentioned earlier.

It's a bit canned, in that new-urbanist sort of way, but also dense and urban, and certainly a huge improvement over the sea of surface parking there now.

http://www.narmourwright.com/projects/html...of_west_end.htm

I have no idea if this is the current proposal for that area.

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Ever notice how every artist rendition basically looks the same?

[atlrvr]

It's because the same guy does them all

[archiham04]

It's because the same guy does them all 

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Mr McElroy...

http://www.risdenmcelroy.com/risden/main.htm

[dubone]

Mr McElroy...

http://www.risdenmcelroy.com/risden/main.htm

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i actually had thought furman did the renderings of those blvd centro projects, but i guess that was naive.

i'm jealous of quite a few of those projects on that website, and wish they were in this city, although i guess so many of the nice projects on the site ARE in charlotte, which shouldn't be taken for granted.

is risdenmcelroy local to the southeast, or does he do a lot of project renderings nationally?

[atlrvr]

i actually had thought furman did the renderings of those blvd centro projects, but i guess that was naive. 

i'm jealous of quite a few of those projects on that website, and wish they were in this city, although i guess so many of the nice projects on the site ARE in charlotte, which shouldn't be taken for granted.

is risdenmcelroy local to the southeast, or does he do a lot of project renderings nationally?

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Well, his office is in the same building as Blvd Centro on East.....so it's no surprise that he does a lot of Charlotte (and Centro stuff), but he has done projects all over the world. I really enjoy his renderings, and typically think that he does the best job of anyone I've seen short of computer modeling.

[cooperdawg]

What, they also designed those raggy dorms at Winston Salem State? It's not even a couple of years old and those dorms are falling apart, Rams Common Building 1 got flooded out last semester.

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LOL! That WSSU project was actually the first project I was involved with having moved into the area. I think it's ugly myself. Very difficult site to deal, esp. since the developers over-developed that piece of land. Too many buildings on such a small tract of land with something like a natural 12% cross-slope. Seeing the same issues with UNC Charlotte's Greek Village.

[Sabaidee]

LOL!  That WSSU project was actually the first project I was involved with having moved into the area.  I think it's ugly myself.  Very difficult site to deal, esp. since the developers over-developed that piece of land.  Too many buildings on such a small tract of land with something like a natural 12% cross-slope.  Seeing the same issues with UNC Charlotte's Greek Village.

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Lawd, Don't get me started on the new housing complex, Gleaston-Hairston Terraces, it's almost completed and it began construction in January, no wonder it ususually fall apart in a few years, look at how fast they build it. I think dorms that uses lumber and a brick fascade won't last as long as to a dorm that was built with bricks and cider blocks entirely. Wilson, the traditional dorm is pretty new, but it's entirely made out of bricks and cider blocks is pretty good, the interior walls are drywalled though. And on yea, WSSU is in Winston, the city is nothing but hills. I ca see why Rams Common 1 was flooded out.

[cooperdawg]

Lawd, Don't get me started on the new housing complex, Gleaston-Hairston Terraces, it's almost completed and it began construction in January, no wonder it ususually fall apart in a few years, look at how fast they build it. I think dorms that uses lumber and a brick fascade won't last as long as to a dorm that was built with bricks and cider blocks entirely. Wilson, the traditional dorm is pretty new, but it's entirely made out of bricks and cider blocks is pretty good, the interior walls are drywalled though. And on yea, WSSU is in Winston, the city is nothing but hills. I ca see why Rams Common 1 was flooded out.

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Yeah, you often run into problems with flooding on steep sites, esp. if large portions of the site need to be ADA accessible. If you pack buildings too tight and then grade them flat to be accessible, you wind up with steep walls on the exterior and ponding on the interior of the site. Granted, extensive storm collection usually solves this problem, but as I recall, the contractor for the WSSU project was pretty poor. We had a lot of problems with them and have never worked with them since. Coincidentally, the builder has had other problems across the country as one community near completion of the project saw the poor wiring set the whole community ablaze. American Campus Communities I believe was the company.