Optimist Park / Belmont Projects

[SgtCampsalot]

9 hours ago, Niner National said:

i dont see Siggy's being a good fit for this location. Belmont is obviously changing rapidly, but it still has a lot of low income individuals. $14 sandwiches aren't going to sell to those residents, and many others will view Belmont as a troubled neighborhood for a long time to come, making them unlikely customers.

9 hours ago, HighRiseHillbilly said:

I'm sure the prices will be adjusted, but I can't tell if there's anything else in the area to make one want to visit. She will definitely need to create some hype.

If I recall correctly, the neighborhood of her first restaurant wasn't much when she opened it. Also, I believe she got the help of her sister who lives here when selecting Belmont. I guess we'll see...

Based on Siggy's experience/portfolio, I think she's one of the few "nicer" restaurateurs who would succeed in  Belmont right now. Being from Europe, and then Manhattan,  she seems to understand city neighborhoods; how they change, what distinguishes one place from another (she cited the pedestrian-friendly "village" atmosphere that led her there), and she generally seems to know what she's getting herself into. 

Also, considering she has a fully-operational restaurant in New York right now, I'm sure she has capital to burn. She purchased the property (from a local guy who also owns the two-story brick building at Pegram/Belmont) outright, including the teal house behind the store. So she is invested.

And lastly, the two other corner stores that were just rezoned by the new owner will begin reno soon. They are estimating opening w tenants a few months after Siggy.

3 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Are there plans to revitalize this building on the corner of Belmont and Pegram?

https://goo.gl/maps/ymJMEKq2G182

That property's rezoning from late last year has already been approved (for mixed-use office/retail). They are  starting renovations soon and trying to lease-up. The owner also owns several other small properties around Belmont, OP, Camp Greene, and seems to prefer owning squat brick buildings, or more unique residential (he sold Siggy her store); so he seems to be a cut above the rest, at least in terms of understanding value. 

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[KJHburg]

Some drive bys of the new apartment complexes and Thompkin Mills today.   1. new apartments off Parkwood near Thompkin Mills, 2/ 3. Thompkin Mills renovation  4. apartments at Parkwood N Brevard  5. apartments at 25th and N Brevard 6. /7. new apartments at N Davidson and 26th near Free Range brewery 

[Matthew.Brendan]

I assume the sidewalk will be the main pathway for folks walking to Thompkins Hall from the Parkwood station. In which case.... it needs some serious cleanup (overgrown vegetation) and hopefully widening. With all the apartments, T.Hall, and train station there is about to be a LOT of pedestrian activity along Parkwood and the traffic is crazy around that curve. The new signal light will help a bit maybe but is there any further planned “traffic calming” measures for that stretch?

[uptownliving]

Yes, there has been quite a bit of study on traffic calming for Parkwood the past couple of years. The City Council has approved the plan and design has started. You can get more details here:  http://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/ParkwoodPlazaStudy.aspx

[kermit]

The new light, ped islands and sidewalks are now complete at Parkwood and Brevard to facilitate station access.

Crosswalks have not yet been painted

Edited April 24, 2018 by kermit

[SgtCampsalot]

33 minutes ago, uptownliving said:

Yes, there has been quite a bit of study on traffic calming for Parkwood the past couple of years. The City Council has approved the plan and design has started. You can get more details here:  http://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/ParkwoodPlazaStudy.aspx

Parkwood Ave, from Belmont Ave to Brevard St, will be re-done via the North East Corridor Improvement plan (NECI) projects, they are slated to begin around 2019 or so. They are fully funded via bonds. The original plans here were to add a turning lane at the necessary spots, but keep two lanes per direction, and add a wide multi-use path from the Brevard ped connector up to N Brevard St.

The link posted above will be funded by the Transportation Action Plan (TAP) funding via bonds (I forget whether those bonds went through yet), originally pushed by residents petitioning the City. That will involve reducing lanes to one lane per direction, plus turning lane, plus (protected) bike lanes up until the Hawthorne intersection.

Since the ^above events, last I heard from City staff is that the first primary stretch of Parkwood Ave under NECI is supposed to adopt the same one-lane-per-direction w turning lane and bike lanes design, since they will be tearing up the street anyway.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[KJHburg]

Today new boutique apartments along Parkwood  across from  Thompkin Mills and glass going in at the mill and the new apartments at Parkwood and N Brevard.   This area is about to get a lot more active. 

[11 HouseBZ]

Maybe it's the color, but I absolutely hate the way those townhouses look in  person. I drive by them every morning I go to work. Do they look better in the evenings with a sunset to adjust the color? The photo above doesn't suggest so.

[HighRiseHillbilly]

13 minutes ago, 11 HouseBZ said:

Maybe it's the color, but I absolutely hate the way those townhouses look in  person. I drive by them every morning I go to work. Do they look better in the evenings with a sunset to adjust the color? The photo above doesn't suggest so.

The 2nd picture?

That color is awful. I'm not a fan of this style of building that I feel is being repeatedly forced upon us, but that color is SO. BAD. 

I'm starting to think this is a cruel joke. "Who do you think you are, Charlotte? Trying to be a big city?? We'll show you with repetitive crappy architecture from 2003 & an abundance of mind-numbing beige."

(I like the moulding on the sides, though)

[KulBC]

The color of 300 Optimist Park actually looks more pink-ish in person, but is still bad IMO. 

[11 HouseBZ]

I'm glad to know it's not just me.  That color brick with that faded pink and orange highlights is the worst color combo. Woof. 

[SgtCampsalot]

The color's bad, but for what it is (the architecture we constantly see) the urban form/design is pretty great. So I think it's a great project. 

[SgtCampsalot]

The City Manager's proposed city budget involves that large old white warehouse across from Seigle Point, at: 932 Seigle Ave

City Manager’s Proposed Budget to Potentially Improve City Barn Building in Belmont

Quote

The City [would] partner with Envision Charlotte, a globally recognized local public private plus collaborative, to create a living lab incubator. The incubator for this forward-thinking approach will foster public collaboration, community engagement, and in-depth utilization of data, while reusing waste products normally headed for the landfill.

Quote

The lab will be housed in a repurposed facility once used by the Charlotte Fire Department (the Old Horse Barn) to house horses. The goal is to have innovation and products to showcase during the international Cities for Cities event, which will be hosted here by Envision Charlotte in 2019.

I had no idea the history of that building (though as we recently discussed, the CFD used to have a station behind this on Louise Ave). It's a cool looking building with lots of windows. It would be interesting to see this go through.

Edited May 8, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[11 HouseBZ]

2 hours ago, SgtCampsalot said:

The lab will be housed in a repurposed facility once used by the Charlotte Fire Department (the Old Horse Barn) to house horses.

I believe there might be some muddled history here. I should be able to have confirmation on it by next week. But what I know now is that this building was built in 1945. Problem is,  Charlotte stopped using horses to pull it's fire apparatus in 1917. So obviously there's a gap in years. This maybe trivial at best to some, but if history is to be recalled, it should be recalled accurately. As for the new use of this building, glad it's happening. Hopefully it helps the upward trend for Belmont.

 

 Also should be getting a photo of the first # 3 at 800 Louise for whomever cares.

Edited May 8, 2018 by 11 HouseBZ
Words

[SgtCampsalot]

14 minutes ago, 11 HouseBZ said:

I believe there might be some muddled history here. I should be able to have confirmation on it by next week. But what I know now is that this building was built in 1945. Problem is,  Charlotte stopped using horses to pull it's fire apparatus in 1917. So obviously there's a gap in years. This maybe trivial at best to some, but if history is to be recalled, it should be recalled accurately. As for the new use of this building, glad it's happening. Hopefully it helps the upward trend for Belmont.

 

 Also should be getting a photo of the first # 3 at 800 Louise for whomever cares.

You are the best Charlotte Fire Department personal historic resource a message board could ever have! 

[11 HouseBZ]

Aww shucks.

 

I felt bad for taking credit. I have a co worker that I rely on heavily for accurate historical info. Hey old fart, if you read here, here's your credit. My historical interest is credited to my high school history teach, Mr Pope, you're a great man. There I feel better. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by 11 HouseBZ

[kermit]

Not a fan of the  glass chosen at the office portion of Tompkins, although I reckon it’s consistent with the era of that particular building.

wish I didn’t hate mid-century mod so much.

Edited May 9, 2018 by kermit

[SgtCampsalot]

View of the 10th and Seigle storage project with retail, taken from the lesser-seen Seigle Ave stub side (where most of the retail space is). It'll be crazy to see this intersection in a year.

Are storage buildings ever reusable as anything else? At least the retail will guarantee some kind of long term resiliency. 

Edited May 9, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[kermit]

46 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Are storage buildings ever reusable as anything else? At least the retail will guarantee some kind of long term resiliency.

Before this most recent rash of self-storage the industry was sold to investors as a real estate play -- the crappy tin-box units were just placeholders on suburban real estate until the next strip mall came along (in theory). I have not heard much about that strategy as part of the neo-intown-storage business model, but it would not surprise me if the buildings are viewed as temporary by their owners.

[SgtCampsalot]

10 hours ago, kermit said:

Before this most recent rash of self-storage the industry was sold to investors as a real estate play -- the crappy tin-box units were just placeholders on suburban real estate until the next strip mall came along (in theory). I have not heard much about that strategy as part of the neo-intown-storage business model, but it would not surprise me if the buildings are viewed as temporary by their owners.

That would actually be a relief.

[KJHburg]

I really don't see multi story mini warehouses going away anytime soon.  Unless there is a huge cultural shift and people in this country get rid of all of their extra belongings I don't see it. 

Apartments and condos are getting smaller but people still seem to have lots of stuff.    But anything can be knocked down of course anything.  I think the future of this mini warehouse business is multistory buildings not one level metal rows of garages.  

[PMrez]

Apologies if this was mentioned in an earlier thread. I believe it was rumored for awhile.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/08/asheville-taco-concept-dental-office-headed-to-new.html

[archiham04]

On 5/9/2018 at 8:56 AM, KJHburg said:

I really don't see multi story mini warehouses going away anytime soon.  Unless there is a huge cultural shift and people in this country get rid of all of their extra belongings I don't see it. 

Apartments and condos are getting smaller but people still seem to have lots of stuff.    But anything can be knocked down of course anything.  I think the future of this mini warehouse business is multistory buildings not one level metal rows of garages.  

...and to partially answer the original question about re-usability... They might be reusable, but they will be very weird. I watched the one at Graham and Statesville go up.  I couldn't 100% tell how they were building it, but it looked like the cheapest way possible... lightweight steel close column spacing.... Not a construction method I had ever seen for normal "occupy-able" construction

[SgtCampsalot]

Caldwell St/Parkwood Ave at Belmont Ave (just past the bridge): does anyone have any site plans or renderings for this projects?

IIRC, it was a by-right development for some reason...?

I'm mostly curious about this cement-based corner area. Surely not retail?

[Guest]

Caldwell St/Parkwood Ave at Belmont Ave (just past the bridge): does anyone have any site plans or renderings for this projects?
IIRC, it was a by-right development for some reason...?
I'm mostly curious about this cement-based corner area. Surely not retail?

This is Alexan Tompkins Mill, they go hand in hand with Adaptive Re-Uses of Mills by Whitepoint. There’s one a Krogs market too. Trammel Crow is developing. It wasn’t by right, but it was done very quietly. I’ll find my renderings when I finally get to work, slow start this morning.


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