Optimist Park / Belmont Projects

[Desert Power]

28 minutes ago, Urban Cowboy said:

My hope is that Duke vacates their space and allows for more vendors. I get why white point wanted Duke as a tenant and financing. But at this point I think the larger the food hall, the better the experience. And optimist hall could be bigger IMO. 

Agreed. Would be nice to have an entrance on the side of the building where people coming from the light rail can enter without walking around.

[KJHburg]

it is the Axios article on the new office building at Optimist Hall.

https://charlotte.axios.com/287336/new-office-development-to-be-built-next-to-optimist-park/

[Desert Power]

12 hours ago, KJHburg said:

it is the Axios article on the new office building at Optimist Hall.

https://charlotte.axios.com/287336/new-office-development-to-be-built-next-to-optimist-park/

It's a really nice looking building. Here's hoping more of the adjacent lots get developed.

[NYtoCLT]

There construction on Parkwood (I think around Siegel).  Anyone know what is going up?

[TheRealClayton]

1 minute ago, NYtoCLT said:

There construction on Parkwood (I think around Siegel).  Anyone know what is going up?

If you can find an address on google, I can look it up and let you know.

[JHart]

50 minutes ago, TheRealClayton said:

If you can find an address on google, I can look it up and let you know.

A couple of properties bought under the name Apex Parkwood LLC. 1102-1112 Parkwood Ave. 

[buildleft]

29 minutes ago, JHart said:

A couple of properties bought under the name Apex Parkwood LLC. 1102-1112 Parkwood Ave. 

This project includes 10 townhomes and 12 units above 3k sf retail. Great project imo and we need a lot more like it

[NYtoCLT]

3 hours ago, buildleft said:

This project includes 10 townhomes and 12 units above 3k sf retail. Great project imo and we need a lot more like it

Thanks for the quick work.  The retail will be huge for Parkwood and the new protected bike lane.  

[buildleft]

I don't think anyone has posted this yet so I'll add here:

10-unit townhome project filed for rezoning at Seigle/Van Every on the old site of two single family homes

https://charlottenc.gov/planning/Rezoning/RezoningPetitions/2021Petitions/Pages/2021-211.aspx

[NYtoCLT]

On 2/8/2022 at 6:56 PM, buildleft said:

I don't think anyone has posted this yet so I'll add here:

10-unit townhome project filed for rezoning at Seigle/Van Every on the old site of two single family homes

https://charlottenc.gov/planning/Rezoning/RezoningPetitions/2021Petitions/Pages/2021-211.aspx

Things like turning 2 single family lots into 10 townhomes is exactly what the city should be aggressively pushing through.  It is a win for pretty much everyone.  Increases housing units (increase in supply to help alleviate the increase in prices) while dramatically increasing the property tax revenue from the lots and creating density to help support the local business.

[Urban Cowboy]

Site work has begun on the new optimist hall white point tower. Photo sent by a friend. 

[Mgelbach]

That was FAST! Cant wait to see this go up.

[KJHburg]

Construction well underway at the expansion of Optimist Mill with additional office space and apartments. 

[CLT2014]

So "The Joinery" apartments have their first move-ins this Friday. The 88-unit apartment building offers no on-site parking spots, so a bit of experiment in car-centric Charlotte. Anybody have any inside knowledge on how things are going at the leasing office? Looks like at least 74 of the 88 units are still available for lease and aren't under contract yet, but maybe the interest is picking up?

Reading some of the comments online around news articles about the development is dis-heartening... people are angry at the concept. Since rental rates still start at $1,250+ for a 495 sq. foot studio, people are just viewing this as the developer "taking away" amenities like parking and pools in order to make more money. I'm optimistic they'll find success, but it might just take a little while to fully lease and finding folks that work along the light rail or at home and don't need a car to get to work.

Edited March 30, 2022 by CLT2014

[NYtoCLT]

20 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

So "The Joinery" apartments have their first move-ins this Friday. The 88-unit apartment building offers no on-site parking spots, so a bit of experiment in car-centric Charlotte. Anybody have any inside knowledge on how things are going at the leasing office? Looks like at least 74 of the 88 units are still available for lease and aren't under contract yet, but maybe the interest is picking up?

Reading some of the comments online around news articles about the development is dis-heartening... people are angry at the concept. Since rental rates still start at $1,250+ for a 495 sq. foot studio, people are just viewing this as the developer "taking away" amenities like parking and pools in order to make more money. I'm optimistic they'll find success, but it might just take a little while to fully lease and finding folks that work along the light rail or at home and don't need a car to get to work.

I hope this is successful and I think people mad about the rates arent looking at how expensive rent would have been if they did have parking.  I also hope they add a few more no parking buildings in this area.  1 building is great but you add a few more and you have real workable density and hopefully a better pedestrian experience.  

[RANYC]

17 hours ago, NYtoCLT said:

I hope this is successful and I think people mad about the rates arent looking at how expensive rent would have been if they did have parking.  I also hope they add a few more no parking buildings in this area.  1 building is great but you add a few more and you have real workable density and hopefully a better pedestrian experience.  

I sincerely believe there's a material market of car-free renters in Charlotte.  It's just unclear whether they can or will rent at these price points.  Having said that, I hope the Joinery leases up quickly and that we see tons more of these car-free projects all around center city. 

It's interesting that with all the new affordable housing projects currently being fully or partially subsidized by the city/county, I can't recall hearing of any that are being designed to be car-free.  One would figure that car-less prospective tenants show up in higher proportions among the population targeted for subsidized housing, yes?  So if you can shave off substantial costs in land usage and construction by funding a car-free apartment project for those targeted for affordable housing, wouldn't you jump at it so that your dollars go farther in giving people housing?   Yes, they still need mobility, so perhaps BRT-Oriented Design for the affordable housing pipeline?

I digress a bit, but does anyone know if Inlivian's project to replace the Barringer in Uptown includes a parking garage?  Please say no.

Edited March 31, 2022 by RANYC

[Desert Power]

On 3/30/2022 at 5:03 PM, NYtoCLT said:

I hope this is successful and I think people mad about the rates arent looking at how expensive rent would have been if they did have parking.  I also hope they add a few more no parking buildings in this area.  1 building is great but you add a few more and you have real workable density and hopefully a better pedestrian experience.  

Is that developer also working on other infill projects between 21st and 22nd? I support the goal, but there is really very little/no retail close to this apartment building for now. People will just park on the streets.

[InTheYear2000]

3 hours ago, Desert Power said:

Is that developer also working on other infill projects between 21st and 22nd? I support the goal, but there is really very little/no retail close to this apartment building for now. People will just park on the streets.

This project is .5 miles to Optimist Hall, Lintmen's, Rhino Market and .2 miles to the parkwood station. Will people park on the street? Absolutely. But as that becomes more difficult with additional development that problem will solve itself.  And if it becomes a problem to the city and other residents nearby than parking permits similar to 1st and 3rd and 4th wards can be implemented.  

Edited April 1, 2022 by InTheYear2000
commas

[CLT2014]

They do offer a Tesla electric car share program too. This building is a good fit for somebody that might work along the light rail or from home.  People that don't cook often (since there is no grocery store nearby) and have the funds to do DoorDash, UberEats, Instacart, et.... for household necessities could get by as well.

In the event you are meeting friends for dinner at a location that isn't off transit (say meeting friends for an afternoon at Freedom Park or going to Camp North End for dinner ), you can grab one of the shared Teslas. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by CLT2014

[kermit]

21 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

People that don't cook often (since there is no grocery store nearby)

I think its a safe bet there will be a full-line grocery store near 36th street station in the near future...

The long discussed, but never realized N Tryon Publix would also be (technically) walkable (and certainly bikeable) (but that is a reach)

[NYtoCLT]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

I think its a safe bet there will be a full-line grocery store near 36th street station in the near future...

The long discussed, but never realized N Tryon Publix would also be (technically) walkable (and certainly bikeable) (but that is a reach)

North Tryon Publix would be a far walk.   That's like 25 minutes.

Given that it is kind of a food desert a grocery store to service optimist park/villa heights/belmont along N Davidson or Parkwood would be great but not sure how realistic.  

 

As for how much retail there is, places aren't static.  I would be shocked if Parkwood and North Davidson look the way they do in 10 years.  Both will be mostly apartments with retail I imagine.  Davidson is already largely there.

[KJHburg]

the only grocery store that would be easy to reach from these new apartments without parking spaces would be Whole Foods uptown just a train ride away and the store is right at the station.

But something maybe bubbling in the NoDa area but still not walkable to these new carless apartments. 

[JacksonH]

2 hours ago, NYtoCLT said:

North Tryon Publix would be a far walk.   That's like 25 minutes.

Given that it is kind of a food desert a grocery store to service optimist park/villa heights/belmont along N Davidson or Parkwood would be great but not sure how realistic.  

 

As for how much retail there is, places aren't static.  I would be shocked if Parkwood and North Davidson look the way they do in 10 years.  Both will be mostly apartments with retail I imagine.  Davidson is already largely there.

And you're being optimistic suggesting 25 minutes.  It's 1.6 miles.  25 minutes is about right for a brisk walk (Google Maps estimates that to be 32 minutes), but realizing people would either be carrying bags of groceries or pushing a cart, it would likely take much longer.

[NYtoCLT]

18 minutes ago, JacksonH said:

And you're being optimistic suggesting 25 minutes.  It's 1.6 miles.  25 minutes is about right for a brisk walk (Google Maps estimates that to be 32 minutes), but realizing people would either be carrying bags of groceries or pushing a cart, it would likely take much longer.

You're not wrong.  30+ is likely right -- I was being conservative.  This is definitely a location that could use a grocery store.  Something around this location would get used by Optimist Park/Belmont/Villa heights for sure and almost definitely some of Noda and Plaza as well.  That is almost definitely enough people to sustain, especially with the number of apartments only increasing the density/number of people who would utilize it.  

[videtur quam contuor]

Trader Joe is small enough to fit into a property somewhere around there and perfect for the demographic.