Plaza-Midwood Projects (Central, Commonwealth, The Plaza)

[tozmervo]

Especially since they appear to be garage-door first floors along the street. Urg. Sucks for Thurmond Place.

[southslider]

My only beef is the reverse orientation along Thurmond. Otherwise, I generally like it.

[Madison Parkitect]

That's so dumb.

[hokiehigh]

I don't mind it.  I don't like the orientation on Thurmond Place but I would assume the Van Landingham would rather have views of the front of the townhouses.  I thought the pool was dead, but I guess they are still considering it.  Supposedly it is a private pool that people in the neighborhood can join.  I always thought Midwood Park would be a better location for a pool, but I guess you would have to get the city to build it.

[Madison Parkitect]

I guess I don't think it's as much dumb the way it's laid out, but dumb that they're going to do this to that site.

[km1789]

I was initially concerned as well, but it could have been much worse. A similar plan was floated before about 10 years ago but the neighborhood went berserk.

 

I have to say this is smart on the estate's part as a way to make revenue, there is no way that they make any profit off of that place, as beautiful as it is... IF the design is well done then I can see this being ok, not ideal but ok 

[pgsinger]

A neighborhood pool would be great!  Probably quite crowded but still better than nothing.

[hokiehigh]

A neighborhood pool would be great!  Probably quite crowded but still better than nothing.

 

Yea, the neighborhood association had a survey up for a while asking questions about how much you would be willing to pay for startup costs, yearly fees and what you would like to see at the pool.  I am not sure about the results though.  Supposedly there is a Pool Committee.  I may go to the next meeting to see if I can find something out.

 

Here is the link.  http://www.plazamidwood.org/Pool

[archiham04]

Plywood came down on Healthy Home (Economist) Market today (or yesterday maybe)...

[cltgirl]

Here is a news clip about the Van Landingham development...

http://www.myfoxcarolinas.com/clip/10571385/vanlandingham-estates

 

This is great news for the neighborhood because it preserves the estate.  Without this creative plan, we would have surely lost the entire property/home to more apartments or condos.

 

Note that the plan posted that shows the homes along Thurmond was just one of the possible options.  There is another option that would put the homes along Belvedere and move the pool over to the Belvedere side, utilizing the old carriage house as the pool house. 

[BNY]

While I certainly understand that the owner needs to have a financially viable property, this development truly is unfortunate for the Van Landingham Estate and neighborhood in general.  Throwing up 21 townhomes and a large pool does not in any way fit the historic nature of the property -- which is one of a kind.

 

My sense is that since the owner has strong and deep ties with the community, a lot of folks are giving a pass on this one. If it was somebody else, I'd guess that the neighborhood would be fighting it tooth and nail.

Edited September 11, 2014 by BNY

[sharkdawg]

Living down the street from the Van Landingham, I can assure you most neighbors I know are in support of this development, especially the pool.  The pool membership prices I have heard thrown out are a bit high.  I don't mind the townhomes either. The Van Landingham has a whole lot of property that is more or less unused and not even landscaped that nicely.  If the town homes are done well I just see it as more higher end development going on in the neighborhood which will helps to lock in the increasing home values and help push more renovations outward into the Villa Heights and Belmont neighborhoods.

 

Now the city just needs to figure out how to make the public schools serving the cities first ring neighborhoods more attractive so families stay in place.

[BNY]

As do I, but that's very different than what I'm hearing about the proposed development.  I have to respectfully disagree about the landscaping - it's very nice and the main reason why (along with the historic house) it has a strong wedding business.  Agreed about the schools.

 

Living down the street from the Van Landingham, I can assure you most neighbors I know are in support of this development, especially the pool.  The pool membership prices I have heard thrown out are a bit high.  I don't mind the townhomes either. The Van Landingham has a whole lot of property that is more or less unused and not even landscaped that nicely.  If the town homes are done well I just see it as more higher end development going on in the neighborhood which will helps to lock in the increasing home values and help push more renovations outward into the Villa Heights and Belmont neighborhoods.

 

Now the city just needs to figure out how to make the public schools serving the cities first ring neighborhoods more attractive so families stay in place.

[southslider]

^Simple. Relieve overcrowded Myers Park HS with a new Central HS. But unfortunately, CMS seems to be still planning for sprawl, instead of infill.

[sharkdawg]

As do I, but that's very different than what I'm hearing about the proposed development.  I have to respectfully disagree about the landscaping - it's very nice and the main reason why (along with the historic house) it has a strong wedding business.  Agreed about the schools.

 

The property is only partially landscaped.  The parts that are heavily landscaped are very nice, could be maintained better, but still nice.  There are however  large portions that are minimally landscaped that could be developed on without interfering with the wedding / event gardens.  I do wonder how the town homes would interfere with the wedding / event business.

 

At the end of the day the owners of the property should be able to do what they want with their property and investment.  Knowing who they are, I highly doubt they would steamroll something through that was disliked by most of the people. 

[PMrez]

^Simple. Relieve overcrowded Myers Park HS with a new Central HS. But unfortunately, CMS seems to be still planning for sprawl, instead of infill.

 

Big issue with a Central HS is where do you build one? 

[birky]

Demolish Bojangles Coliseum and build it there?

[15895]

Big issue with a Central HS is where do you build one?

1st ward or 2nd ward would be a great place.

[kermit]

Parents would never go for it but building it on top of the junkyard at N Davidson and Belmont would be a decent fit.

 

(or just rebuild Hawthorne High into a decent facility, land is already CMS owned)

Edited September 18, 2014 by kermit

[teeg]

Big issue with a Central HS is where do you build one? 

 

Which neighborhoods would be removed from Myers Park H.S. and assigned to the new school?  

 

I'm guessing that the answer would be: areas with relatively weak or non-existent neighborhood associations.  

 

The current attendance zone map:

http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartments/StudentPlacement/Boundary%20Maps/Current%20School%20Year/MyersPark_HS.pdf

[atlrvr]

^ the key is to keep the demographics and test scores within a reasonably acceptable range for both MP and the new Central HS for the higher-income demographic that the city is trying to encourage in its central neighborhood.....
 

the conversion of Dilworth from a Magnet to a neighborhood school, First Ward from a neighborhood school to a magnet, and splitting Eastover in half was amazingly successful in terms of adding hundreds of new seats in what became demographically and educationally desirable neighborhood schools.....but it was a VERY tricky negotiation, and in fact, the neighborhood engagement made it successful as opposed to the autocractic methods that could have been used.

[sharkdawg]

Could they integrate a high school onto the CPCC campus?

[southslider]

Hawthorne High is planned to become a magnet, but is likely the biggest CMS property within the under-served neighborhoods of Midwood, NoDa and in-between.

Elizabeth is so big on history, they should definitely be reassigned to the renewed Central HS, instead of Myers Park.

[plaza-midwooder]

Well, it looks like Healthy Home Market has opened, with Yama next door, and Catch On Seafood soon to open. Also, it looks like Nova's might be adding a second story on to the bakery in back. Does anyone know anything about this?

[Guest]

Well, it looks like Healthy Home Market has opened, with Yama next door, and Catch On Seafood soon to open. Also, it looks like Nova's might be adding a second story on to the bakery in back. Does anyone know anything about this?

They are adding a send floor mezzanine for an office.