Jump to content

Optimist Park / Belmont Projects


dubone

Recommended Posts

I just heard the old Farrar store building at Belmont/Harrill will be sub-divided with a veterinarian's office in the rear. No tenant yet for the main corner retail space on the corner. 

I know everyone is hoping for some kind of grocery or small goods store. I don't know how much space each space will have but hopefully something like that is still feasible.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Met a Duke employee at Marine Week who is moving to the new Tompkins Mills office.  They work in digital applications.  The move in date is the weekend after Thanksgiving was supposed to be in August.  They said 350 or so workers will be there and they expect to the be the only tenant until the food hall tenants open early next year.   They also knew all about the new office tower and said When not if.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Met a Duke employee at Marine Week who is moving to the new Tompkins Mills office.  They work in digital applications.  The move in date is the weekend after Thanksgiving was supposed to be in August.  They said 350 or so workers will be there and they expect to the be the only tenant until the food hall tenants open early next year.   They also knew all about the new office tower and said When not if.  


So were they expecting closer to 25 or 85?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, jcummings138 said:

Does any one know what is going across the street from Siggy’s and Sweet Lew BBQ on Belmont Avenue? It looks like they are starting construction on the site.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The owner of Sweet Lew's building also owns that large brick corner store (formerly Farrar's Grocery) you're referring to; they're the ones that bought it from the city after the city purchased the lots.

They have been slowing doing things for a few months: they tore down the old brick plex building in the back corner of the parking lot and have been leveling that spot, they took out all the existing interior insulation of the store last month, they've been fixing underground utilities for a few weeks, they are replacing the roof now, and they chewed up the asphalt in the parking lot last week (they'll probably re-pave near the end).

I'm told they have sub-divided the space, and the rear space has been leased to a veterinarian's office. If so that's some earnest impetus to get going on the up-fit. I'm not sure where the owner's reno ends and the tenant's upfit begins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Siggy's Good Food has been open for a few weeks now and I don't think they'll have any problem - there are plenty of wealthy people coming in to eat there - but the business seems like a bit of a middle finger to the neighbors right around it. The cheapest thing there is a $6 side salad, and cheapest thing that actually fills you up is at least $10-$12, with several up to $14-$16. Mind you they only sell salads and sandwiches.

Even I'm better off than many folks in the community but I can't justify going there. It's disappointing. I'm sure there's a case to be made that the land and renovation cost so much she cannot afford to have lower prices, but that begs the question why do it at all?

Edited by SgtCampsalot
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Siggy's Good Food has been open for a few weeks now and I don't think they'll have any problem - there are plenty of wealthy people coming in to eat there - but the business seems like a bit of a middle finger to the neighbors right around it. The cheapest thing there is a $6 side salad, and cheapest thing that actually fills you up is at least $10-$12, with several up to $14-$16. Mind you they only sell salads and sandwiches.

Even I'm better off than many folks in the community but I can't justify going there. It's disappointing. I'm sure there's a case to be made that the land and renovation cost so much she cannot afford to have lower prices, but that begs the question why do it at all?

Why do it at all?  I assume it's to make a profit and operate a viable business.  Surely it's better than a cheap fast food restaurant serving up fried food that is literally killing the customers.  I do get your point but the neighborhood is changing.  I don't think you can blame Siggy's for that.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Large new apartment complex coming to Optimist Park.  From a subscriber article

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/10/02/optimist-parks-real-estate-surge-continues-with.html?ana=e_du_prem&s=article_du&ed=2018-10-02&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1538522889&j=84163081

""Wood Partners expects to break ground this week on Alta Purl, said Tom Burkert, managing director of Wood Partners' Charlotte office. Alta Purl, which will be developed on the block between Caldwell and North Davidson streets and along Belmont Avenue, will include 310 apartments, according to plans filed with the city. Units will begin to deliver in the spring of 2020, Burkert said.An entity affiliated with Wood Partners closed on the 3.2-acre site, which is across North Davidson Street from Birdsong Brewing Co., last month for $5.5 million, according to Mecklenburg County real estate records. Alta Purl will include a leasing center, resident lounge, pet spa and rooftop patio with views of uptown, Burkert said. Wood Partners broke ground on its other Optimist Park development, Alta Warp + Weft, at the intersection of 25th and North Brevard streets, in April 2017. That project, less than a mile from Alta Purl, includes 261 apartments and is expected to deliver in early 2019.""

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do we have a site plan for these apartments?  Guess there's no retail facing North Davidson Street?  Shame :( 

Found the site plan and elevations.  Looks like sh!t.  I'm really at a loss for words.

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (1).pdf

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (2).pdf

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (1)-2.pdf

Edited by jtmonk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jtmonk said:

Do we have a site plan for these apartments?  Guess there's no retail facing North Davidson Street?  Shame :( 

Found the site plan and elevations.  Looks like sh!t.  I'm really at a loss for words.

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (1).pdf

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (2).pdf

Pages from APPROVED.LDUTOD-2017-00108 (1)-2.pdf

Retail isn't far behind. Need more bodies in Optimist Park. Optimist Hall will likely suck a lot of retail out of projects in this area, at least until its more built up

Edited by Guest
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guess which parcel it is, though!? 

In 2003, this was set to be an asphalt plant!  It would have put the new arena, the new developments in 1st Ward and the new neighborhood plan for Optimist Park/ Belmont in immediate jeopardy for pollution and smells.    Thankfully the public uproar gave city council enough cover to pay to fix it by compensating and moving it out to a less populated, dense and up and coming area.  

 

I wish it would have retail spots, but at least it will support the Thompkins Hall retail a block away.  And lend toward property values that may help to finally push Hunter Wrecker to relocate to a more industrial zone.  Or at least need to pay more tax for their real estate gaining value. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Retail isn't far behind. Need more bodies in Optimist Park. Optimist Hall will likely suck a lot of retail out of projects in this area, at least until its more built up

This is totally true. That said, there will be a point sometime in the distant future where the 'uptown' retail market reaches a critical mass that is necessary to attract 'shoppers' for longer distances away. Once there is a sufficient variety of shopping destinations the area surrounding uptown (including Southend and (shortly) Optimist Park and NoDa) people will begin to view the strip as a more interesting version of a mall. 

At the risk of sounding boosterish I can totally imagine Ft Mill residents parking at 485 and riding the rail to Atherton Mill. Then they may ride up to Lincoln Harris's giant mall at the Observer (what ever happened to that?), and then they will pretend to be hip and go to Cabo for margaritas and cheesburger tacos.

We are admittedly a long ways from masses of suburban housewives flocking to Optimist Park retail, but we are moving in the right direction. Southend and NoDa have already been through this transition with millennial boozhounds from Cabarrus County -- mid-priced retail really isn't far behind.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, kermit said:

Then they may ride up to Lincoln Harris's giant mall at the Observer (what ever happened to that?),

Well theres a fairly grand staircase to nowhere in the lobby of Legacy Union, and a good bit of interior retail facing into the lobby. I'm not giving up on a small mall in there (which I'd be against)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.