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

[nonillogical]

My friends and I have all decreased our patronage of Common Market over the past few years.  The crowd has gotten grungier and grungier.  Maybe we have just gotten older and more stuck up.  I kinda wish another bottle shop would open in the neighborhood.

I hang out at the Southend location a lot, but when I go to the Commonwealth one this late-20's often grungy-dressing scruffy guy still feels a little overdressed, haha. I also tend to buy really nice beers and feel like the odd one out among all the PBR, in contrast to the one in Southend. That said the crowd personally doesn't bother me in the least and I hope the patio is still seen as a net positive. 

[hokiehigh]

This is intriguing especially considering the time frame. I live a few blocks away but am concerned about the size of the pool and facilities. Does it seem small?

It's actually pretty large. They marked it off a few weeks ago. I think we are going to join. I think they will have adult hours too.

Edited January 15, 2015 by hokiehigh

[Midwoodian]

It's actually pretty large. They marked it off a few weeks ago. I think we are going to join. I think they will have adult hours too.

Yea, for the space they have done a very efficient job of putting in the pool and pool house.  I think the size will be fine.  We joined as well...it will be very nice to have!

[Wonkyarm]

The only thing I can imagine Common Market doing about the loitering problem would be to have a recent purchase only policy for hanging out at the store, and I can't imagine they would risk doing anything like that considering thats the same crowd that did the Penguin in. The point of CM is to be a hangout anyways. I would love for their to be another place similar to Reid's in the area.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Wonkyarm

[ah59396]

I mean, there has to be SOME part of the city where "grungy" people hang out. They've been in PMidwood for a while now, long before it was "cool".

It's not that difficult to just walk by them and buy your beer or novelty bumper sticker. It's literally one patio in our entire squeaky clean city. Leave it how it is.

[grodney]

I think I need to go to Common Market, as I'm having a hard time understanding/picturing what "grungy" means!

[js4life]

PM & NODA for that matter need to keep their weirdness (for lack of a better term). Especially with South End's transformation to a urbanized upper middle income neighborhood .

[southslider]

PM already has a median income and education level higher than Ballantyne, though the visitors hanging out at CM are certainly more hipster than the South End location.

[Miesian Corners]

PM already has a median income and education level higher than Ballantyne, though the visitors hanging out at CM are certainly more hipster than the South End location.

What are you using as your geographies for PM and Ballantyne?  While I would rather have thumbtacks pressed into my back (while being forced to watch endless episodes of the Kardashians) before I would live in 28227, I have a hard time believing PM has a median income higher than what's found around the EFIS monoliths at Ballantyne Commons and Johnston Rd.

[archiham04]

^ per capita EIFS and Income... That would be an interesting infographic...

[js4life]

PM is a great place to live & play but Ballantyne is on whole different level income wise. HT has a store on just about every corner & they all are higher volume stores than the PM location

[grodney]

What are you using as your geographies for PM and Ballantyne?  While I would rather have thumbtacks pressed into my back (while being forced to watch endless episodes of the Kardashians) before I would live in 28227, I have a hard time believing PM has a median income higher than what's found around the EFIS monoliths at Ballantyne Commons and Johnston Rd.

 

I think you meant 28277 not 28227, but whatever.  From this resource: http://maps.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/qoldashboard/?npa=&variable=m1 , PM median household income is 81K.  The areas that make up Ballantyne are 102K, 125K, 120K, 125K, 84K, and 70K.

[grodney]

Oooh, this one is even cooler: http://www.census.gov/censusexplorer/censusexplorer.html

 

P-M is mostly tract 10 I think, but if you count the south side of Central then also tract 11 (which also has good stats).  Some of tract 12 should be included, but 12's stats aren't good, so we'll ignore.  10 and 11 are actually almost identical in stats, so it doesn't matter if you include 11 or not.

 

Tract 10 and 11 average 86K income, 97% high school grads, 66% college grads, and 26% masters degrees.

 

Ballantyne is tracts 58.37, 58.40, and 58.41.  Those average 104K, 98%, 69%, and 21%.

 

I couldn't find any EIFS per capita stats.

[southslider]

Not ZIP code, which includes Grier Heights, but the Census tracts that actually correspond to neighborhood boundaries

[grodney]

I didn't use zip codes for either post.

[southslider]

Been awhile since checking ACS data. Guess Ballantyne recovered strongly from the recession, while PM never dipped.

[sharkdawg]

By the way, went to Common Market on Friday after bashing it.  I felt guilty.  The crowd was actually pretty good and upbeat.  It wasn't as grungy as previously stated.  I think what my problem has been since the patio has opened is that there is never anywhere for me to sit and relax.  It seems like the regulars are always there and have priority seating.  However this Friday they had the heaters out that have stand up tables.  This added a lot more capacity.

[Niner National]

Construction fencing is going up around the pawn shop by the tracks. Looks like demolition is coming very soon.

[tozmervo]

By the way, went to Common Market on Friday after bashing it.  I felt guilty.  The crowd was actually pretty good and upbeat.  It wasn't as grungy as previously stated.  I think what my problem has been since the patio has opened is that there is never anywhere for me to sit and relax.  It seems like the regulars are always there and have priority seating.  However this Friday they had the heaters out that have stand up tables.  This added a lot more capacity.

 

I have to think that the lead guitarist of Spinal Tap would fit in at CM quite well

[plaza-midwooder]

It looks like they have started to fence off the pawn shop at Central and the train tracks and are preparing for demo...

[Niner National]

A large chunk of the pawn shop and warehouse on Central were already torn down when I got to work this morning at 9. At this pace, it'll probably be mostly leveled by the end of the day.

[km1789]

A large chunk of the pawn shop and warehouse on Central were already torn down when I got to work this morning at 9. At this pace, it'll probably be mostly leveled by the end of the day.

 

Damn, I drove right by and didn't notice.

[rjp212]

Renderings of the proposed VanLandingham Estate townhomes.

 

[southslider]

^Just look at all those beautiful garage doors!

[asthasr]

You'd think more developers would offer detached garages, or rear-entry garages.