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FreeMore Projects (West Morehead, Freedom Drive, Bryant Park)


cooperdawg

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^ I think they are attempting to sell it as-is now, so the plan is dead but I'd be kind of surprised if something similar to what was planned isn't the end result. While there has been no movement there, a couple of other unused buildings along Morehead and Bryant have just recently been gutted and for-sale/lease signs put up.

The construction fence has been down and the gate opened the last few times I've driven by. So maybe something is afoot...or the fence is just down and the gate left open.

Edited by WesleyHeightsWay
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As it relates to th QT project. They plan on speaking a the Wesley Heights association meeting tomorrow night. There is an organized group of residents working to object to the proposal. Below is some of the information included in a sign/flyer being circulated in the area.

 

I guess i'll wait to hear at the meeting tomorrow, but from previous posts, it seems like it will be difficult to fight this. Perhaps the best way is to work with QT and hope for a better design? i live in the area and i'm completely against this project in any form. Any suggestions from the group on best ways to oppose this are kindly accepted.

 From what i've been told, Pinky's is in favor of the project due to being

given additional parking. That is unsubstianted information, but surprised they would be in favor of this for any reason.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A proposal is under way to destroy the historic buildings behind Pinky’s to build a massive 3 acre

 

QuikTrip gas station with 10 gas pumps, 40-50 parking spaces and entrances on both Morehead and Freedom.

Not a pedestrian friendly, urban design

Endless traffic 24/7

 

– Cars and pedestrians cutting through Wesley Heights all hours of the day and night

Negative impact on home property values

Eyesore

 

– Lights, Trash, Noise, Crime

Negative impact on further area development

Destruction of historic buildings

Environmental concerns

 

– Parking lot run-off and underground tanks in floodplain

 

Voice your concerns directly to QuikTrip!

 

 

Wesley Heights Neighborhood Meeting

 

 

Tuesday, March 26, 6:30pm

 

 

Wallace Pruitt Rec Center

 

 

440 Tuckaseegee Rd

 

 

Also contact Mike Thronbrugh (918) 615-7937; [email protected]

 

 

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From what others have posted here, if QT tries their standard design/layout it will have to get a zoning variance. And in order to get that variance there would need to be a public meeting...and some local councilmember(s) are already opposed to it.

Best outcome for tomorrow is for QT realize they are in for a fight they dont want to undertake.

I think all UP posters should reach out Mike at QT.

Edited by WesleyHeightsWay
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I think QT will build.  The only question is where the pumps will be located.  They decided to sell the other piece of land they purchased at W. Morehead & Wilkinson in favor of this location with inbound traffic.  They are building a station at Wilkinson and Ashley for inbound traffic too.  I live in the area and intially was opposed to the development.  I do think that the community needs to work with QT and try to get some lemonaide out of this lemon.  I believe that the city should not give on the variance.  The pumps can go behind the convenience store which will be fronting on Freedom.  The developer will tear down the old building that are there.  He says that he can't rent the spaces... Not sure there has been much attempt.  I've been told that Pinky's is in favor of the QT station.  This is likely due to them losing their parking across the street to Dunkin Doughnuts if they get their drive-thru window.  City council needs to ask the deveoper to build and donate the left over land for parking for Bryant Park and for Pinky's use.  The developer also needs to compete the section of the geenway between Freedom Drive and W Morehead. There are a lot of new developements happening within a 1/2 mile of this location.  A new, clean, safe gas station may actually help attract people to some of the new residential deveopments starting up.

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I attended the meeting last night to learn more. I will say i went in with the approach that i was against a gas station, moreso because of what I thought the design would look like than anything else. Here's what i took away from the meeting.

 

-QT can and will most likely move forward with this location in its current zoning.

-They do have a design to meet the PED overlay guidelines. Although unofficial and not final, it showed the convenience store basically perpendicular but up against Freedom Drive. The pumps are definitely visible from the street, but they have  a decent amout of landscape screeing in the concept drawing.

-QT at least postured at a willingness to work with the neighborhood on the design. They cited davidson and harrisburg and baxter as an example of where they worked to meet local resident standards. I maintain my initial feeling that i'll believe it when i see it.

-I think there is some opportunity to extract many benefits including infrastructure improvements, sidewalks, greenway as well as requesting an additional traffic light/crosswalk at the woodruff intersectio to allow Wesley Heights residents an additional crossing on freedom and to potentially calm traffic.  

 

I think IF done right, it can and will be a good addition to the neighborhood.

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Not a variance, but PED-O rezoning. O, as in Options to not meet PED design standards.

 

From the conversations I had 1v1 with the Quiktrip representatives, they said it was unlikely they would seek any zoning changes without community support - which they gathered from the meeting would NOT occur. They specifically said there recommendation to their corporate HQ would be to proceed with a PED guideline design. As I will continue to state and think, i'll believe it all when i see it and will keep a close watch for any Rezoning hearing notices posted in the area.

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^ That's somewhat reassuring, but I still think its absolutely crazy to demolish those 3 very reusable buildings, when it looks like it would take minimal extra effort to build the Morehead access around them instead of through them.

Those buildings are ~3 feet below the flood plain, so basically unusable in their current location.

Wonder of they could raise them up and keep them...with more rental income to Fred Griffin and family as incentive not to knock them down?

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ahh... didn't realize they were below the flood plain. unfortunately those are going to be quick and dirty slab-on-grade structures, which means its virtually impossible to raise them. 'fraid those have to be chalked up as a loss. 

 

incidentally, QT is going to spend an enormous amount of money raising up it's own land above the flood plain.

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Unconfirmed, but I was told 190+- townhouses and 50+- single family homes in the 175-250K range.  Survey work is underway.  Construction should begin soon. Not sure if they will need any type of variance since subdivision approval of Bryant Park.  This should be a very sellable product.  It's very affordable being 1 mile from the square. 

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Friday nights are for Fun, Food, Friends and Exercise….right?  So, spend Friday night, April 12, 2013 with us at the First Annual FreeMoreWest 5K on the Greenway. Enjoy the beautiful greenway on a spring night through one of Charlotte’s most exciting renewed neighborhoods. After the race enjoy the music and grab a bite and a brew at one of our food and beer trucks!

5K - 6:00 PM Start  on Woodruff Drive

Kids’ Fun Run - 6:15 PM Start at the park at Woodruff & Freedom

http://freemorewest.com/5K/

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Does anyone know what all the digging/clearing going on along the hillside of the beazer/charlotte pipe foundry land nearest the railroad tracks is for? Its really ramped up this week. I imagine its purely just to give Charlotte Pipe & Foundry more flat space for their storage yards, but wasn't sure since they haven't used any of it yet, and I THOUGHT I remembered hearing that they didn't buy quite all the way to the tracks. 

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  • 1 month later...

Ark Ventures to renovate West Morehead building

The Morehead building sits on 1.4 acres and has more than 100 surface parking spots, and some of the spaces have roll-up garage doors as well. ...

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2013/05/ark-ventures-to-renovate-west-morehead.html

That's great news. I work next door in the Crane building and have seen people checking out that space, always thought it could be turned into something really interesting. I hope they do some work on the alley-like parking lot entrance between our buildings, as some of those roll-up garages could be turned into interesting entrances and there is room for a sidewalk if they wanted to make it into a pseudo side street.

 

Now we just need some retail to move into that old coffee shop/tattoo parlor space! 

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That's great news. I work next door in the Crane building and have seen people checking out that space, always thought it could be turned into something really interesting. I hope they do some work on the alley-like parking lot entrance between our buildings, as some of those roll-up garages could be turned into interesting entrances and there is room for a sidewalk if they wanted to make it into a pseudo side street.

 

Now we just need some retail to move into that old coffee shop/tattoo parlor space! 

Those buildings will need a lot of work. They're condemned I believe. I work in the building at the end of that string of buildings. The building next to the Coffee Shop/Tattoo parlor is in decent shape on the exterior (new windows), but the interior is just a shell. It needs new floors. The Coffee Shop / Tattoo parlor have no floors and the owner stores cars in there.

 

The guy who owns the building I work in has inquired about buying it before and he said the guy just has a completely unrealistic price for those two buildings on the end and raises the price every year. The space in the middle is the odd one though. It isn't for sale or lease, but it also isn't being used. It was inherited by someone and I'm not sure what they intend to do with it.

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