Downtown Greensboro Developments

[AlmaPinnix]

Some pictures I took of downtown Greensboro.

[Beany]

Thanks for posting the pictures.

I like the angle of your DT shot.

I was driving down Market yesterday heading into DT and I was surprised to see how quickly the jail addition has gone up and how big it looks coming from the west.

[cityboi]

Yes those are nice. Thanks for posting.

[cityboi]

Looks like Action Greensboro's next major focus for the center-city is creating a "Downtown University District" where land is purchased and buildings are built for shared college and university facilities. I'm sure some of these facility could be research labs. It has even been mentioned that the Downtown University district could be the site for a NC A&T School of Architecture. The UNC system is looking at the possibility of an architecture school in Greensboro. Currently there are only two architecture schools in the state (NC State and UNC Charlotte). It is believed that NC A&T will get an architecture school because of its existing architectural engineering program. UNCG has a major interior design program as well. The best fit for this district is the southwest quadrant of downtown which has seen very little development and is the most dead part of downtown. All colleges and universities in Greensboro would be a part of the district.

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/print-edition/2011/01/28/new-committee-in-gso-to-leverage.html

Greensboro leaders were inspired by the Spokane University district in downtown Spokane.

Edited March 13, 2011 by cityboi

[cityboi]

Developer plans for expanding CityView Apartments at Southside.........oh well I guess my rent will be going up

The new building will be 4-stories. All the existing apartment buildings are 3-stories. Parking will have to be addressed because there is very limited parking at CityView. If you are not home by 7 or 8 pm, good luck in finding a parking spot.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/03/18/article/developer_wants_to_expand_downtown_apartment_complex

Edited March 19, 2011 by cityboi

[Beany]

More downtown apartments are needed.

[cityboi]

I think it says a lot about the demand for downtown apartments for CityView to be 95% occupied. The rent at CityView is not cheap at all and they are the most expensive apartments per square foot in the Triad. A small 625 square foot studio at CityView is almost $900 per month and a two bedroom can go well over $1,400 per month depending on which floor you live on and whether or not you have a brick accent wall. The rent for all apartments facing Greensboro's skyline are a little higher as well. They are nice apartments. The 3rd floor has 12 foot ceilings with exposed beams and air ducts. The 1st and 2nd floors have 10 foot ceilings and the ground floor apartments have stained concrete floors. I've been a resident at CityView since 2007 and have seen people come and go. A couple of well known TV news personalities from WFMY live here, one of which lives in my building. The demographics here are mainly young professionals and college students. There are quite a few of Elon Law students and UNCG students and you would think the rent would be a little to steep for college students. My guess is that many of their parents are paying the rent because I just can't see full time students affording the rent here. Limited student housing on campus is another reason there is a demand for downtown apartments. There a few strict rules here. You are not allow to have curtains in the windows showing from outside. All apartments have wood blinds. Also any cars that have major dents, poor paint jobs and missing hub caps, ect are not allowed in the parking lot. I heard the planned CityView expansion will include some ground floor retail and maybe a restaurant and a small grocery.

I think it would bode well for Roy Carroll to make his 30-story Center Pointe phase 2 tower a luxury apartment building with some office space. Condo sales aren't doing to well but a lot of people want to rent downtown. I think if he had made Center Pointe apartments to begin with that building would almost be full.

Edited March 19, 2011 by cityboi

[AlmaPinnix]

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-moses-cone-construction-110330,0,3853030.story

Moses Cone Hospital to add a North Tower.

[morehead]

Its actually a nice looking jail in terms of architecture. It certainly looks much better than the old jail and is the most attractive government building in the center-city. I know its adds nothing to downtown in terms of activity but it certainly adds urban density to downtown. The jail actually has 10 floors if you count the underground level.

Really? You think the jail is better looking than the 1918 Guilford County Courthouse or the Art Deco Federal Courthouse? Wow.

Edited April 15, 2011 by morehead

[luvdowntowngso]

It is my understanding the new jail will have a staff of around 450 people. Maybe an increse in people eating downtown! However I'm not so sure how many would be dining outside the grounds of the jail. I do believe we are getting ready to have one heck of a parking problem in that section of downtown!

[cityboi]

It is my understanding the new jail will have a staff of around 450 people. Maybe an increse in people eating downtown! However I'm not so sure how many would be dining outside the grounds of the jail. I do believe we are getting ready to have one heck of a parking problem in that section of downtown!

Yes and other areas of downtown parking is becoming a problem. I realize the city is trying to make cuts now but I do think at least one new parking deck for downtown needs to be debated again. Hopefully something the doesn't look like a parking deck and has businesses on the ground level.

Edited April 18, 2011 by cityboi

[cityboi]

DGI is looking at putting an arch way with a clock over over South Elm Street near the railroad tracks. People walking downtown often stop at the railroad tracks where there is a gap. The idea is to entice people to walk south of the tracks where there is a growing number of restaurants popping up.

Edited May 5, 2011 by cityboi

[krazeeboi]

That looks pretty attractive and hopefully it will entice people to continue walking along S. Elm.

Are those tracks active? If not, seems like they should be ripped out to help restore the urban fabric along Elm.

[cityboi]

That looks pretty attractive and hopefully it will entice people to continue walking along S. Elm.

Are those tracks active? If not, seems like they should be ripped out to help restore the urban fabric along Elm.

the rail line is active. In fact its the amtrak and future High Speed rail line. Its always been a barrier in downtown and barriers usually create perceptions. I think the arch way will making it more inviting to cross the railroad tracks. Edited May 6, 2011 by cityboi

[krazeeboi]

Ahhh, I see. Thanks.

[AlmaPinnix]

the rail line is active. In fact its the amtrak and future High Speed rail line. Its always been a barrier in downtown and barriers usually create perceptions. I think the arch way will making it more inviting to cross the railroad tracks.

Why don't they just build a pedestrian crosswalk bridge? People would feel a lot safer doing that then crossing over 4 sets of train tracks.

[cityboi]

Why don't they just build a pedestrian crosswalk bridge? People would feel a lot safer doing that then crossing over 4 sets of train tracks.

That is an idea. If they were to build a pedestrian bridge, it needs to be something interesting and not an average pedestrian bridge.

[Beany]

Pedestrian bridge would be a great idea but I think very expensive.

[cityboi]

YWCA site is under contract. There is no word yet on who the buyer is or what's going to happen to the property. Hopefully a developer will demolish the building and build something interesting there. It would be cool if it were an IMAX theater since the site is in the cultural district near the Greensboro historical museum, cultural arts center and the children's museum. An IMAX just recently opened in Winston-Salem. I would think this YWCA building would be demolished for a new development because I can't think of any potential use for the current structure. We already have a YMCA downtown so I wouldn't think there would be a demand downtown for a fitness center like the Rush but I could be wrong. But I guess one other use for the building is a non-profit Church/Family Life Center or something like that.

In 2008 Roy Carroll was interested in the property. Local foundations in the past have showed interest in "banking" this property for expansion of Festival Park.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/07/06/article/former_site_of_ywca_under_contract

Edited July 7, 2011 by cityboi

[DigitalSky]

I think it says a lot about the demand for downtown apartments for CityView to be 95% occupied. The rent at CityView is not cheap at all and they are the most expensive apartments per square foot in the Triad. A small 625 square foot studio at CityView is almost $900 per month and a two bedroom can go well over $1,400 per month depending on which floor you live on and whether or not you have a brick accent wall. The rent for all apartments facing Greensboro's skyline are a little higher as well. They are nice apartments. The 3rd floor has 12 foot ceilings with exposed beams and air ducts. The 1st and 2nd floors have 10 foot ceilings and the ground floor apartments have stained concrete floors. I've been a resident at CityView since 2007 and have seen people come and go. A couple of well known TV news personalities from WFMY live here, one of which lives in my building. The demographics here are mainly young professionals and college students. There are quite a few of Elon Law students and UNCG students and you would think the rent would be a little to steep for college students. My guess is that many of their parents are paying the rent because I just can't see full time students affording the rent here. Limited student housing on campus is another reason there is a demand for downtown apartments. There a few strict rules here. You are not allow to have curtains in the windows showing from outside. All apartments have wood blinds. Also any cars that have major dents, poor paint jobs and missing hub caps, ect are not allowed in the parking lot. I heard the planned CityView expansion will include some ground floor retail and maybe a restaurant and a small grocery.

Is the rent really 900 for a studio? whoa. Also, do you know for sure if the new building will include mixed-use? That would be great for Southside.

[cityboi]

Is the rent really 900 for a studio? whoa. Also, do you know for sure if the new building will include mixed-use? That would be great for Southside.

yes. Thats very unusual for Greensboro to have 600 square foot studio apartments going for $900 per month. 600 sq ft is pretty small yet these apartments are very popular and they are having no trouble at all filling them up. The 2 bed rooms are going as high as $1,300 per month depending on what floor you are on and whether or not your apartment faces Greensboro's skyline. Amenities such as brick accent walls will add another $50 per month. The new four story apartment building wont have retail as far as I know. Original plans for the CityView expansion did include street level retail with a restaurant with fewer apartments. But with an additional 80 plus apartments, parking is going to be a serious issue. Parking is limited as it is. As I resident I know if you are not home by 8 or 9 pm parking can be hard to find. The parking lots at CityView and King St are filled up at night so I don't no where 80 plus more cars are going to park once this building opens. There isn't going to be any additional parking with this expansion and the Vintage Wine Cafe on the opposite corner has expressed great concern that their patrons will have no where to park. This could have been planned better. I think they should have at least added underground parking beneath this building. Ground work for the additional building has already begun and the project will be complete by next year.

Edited July 7, 2011 by cityboi

[DigitalSky]

Yeah looking at a map I don't seem to see much parking space, perhaps a little on Victor Avenue but otherwise it'll be very tight. Does Norfolk Southern own all of that land across the street?

[cityboi]

Yeah looking at a map I don't seem to see much parking space, perhaps a little on Victor Avenue but otherwise it'll be very tight. Does Norfolk Southern own all of that land across the street?

If you are speaking of the large open area next to the tracks, yes. Its very difficult to buy land from the railroad company. The city has been wanting to use that land for a park or a development project for years because its such an eye sore. The city is trying to work out some agreement with Norfolk Southern but time will only tell.

[cityboi]

A few pages in US Airways magazine promotes downtown Greensboro

http://www.usairwaysmag.com/uploads/pdfs/features/0711/0711_gso_15.pdf

[twincity]

Ganache is closing its bakery and cafe after a 9 year run on N. Elm Street. Ive never been there, but it sounds like it was anchor for downtown.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/07/19/article/ganache_turns_off_the_oven#nrcRgn_PgBody