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

[RANYC]

1 hour ago, rancenc said:

Follow up to @RANYC's posting on the construction company Swinerton's new offices in Charlotte

https://www.constructiondive.com/news/swinerton-opens-regional-headquarters-office-charlotte-north-carolina/609228/

Love the complimentary electric bikes...sign me up

[Mgelbach]

Some not so great pictures of a project that looks great so far! Lower Tuck.

[RANYC]

12 minutes ago, Mgelbach said:

Some not so great pictures of a project that looks great so far! Lower Tuck.

Lovely pictures.  Greatly valued reuse projects.  Do I wish we had the makings of a fully pedestrian-accessible "stroll" district, with a reduction in setbacks and the re-done buildings and entrances abutting sidewalks and street-sides?  Yes.  But given that's not how these have ever been designed, this is certainly high-quality recycling.

[rancenc]

Overview of the current and future of this up and coming section of the city.

 

[theronhobbs]

My architecture firm, WGM Design, just completed an adaptive re-use project at 901 Tuckaseegee with Trinity Partners.

More photos can be found here: https://wgmdesign.com/901-tuckaseegee/

Original PEMB:

[Madison Parkitect]

4 minutes ago, theronhobbs said:

My architecture firm, WGM Design, just completed an adaptive re-use project at 901 Tuckaseegee with Trinity Partners.

More photos can be found here: https://wgmdesign.com/901-tuckaseegee/

 

 

Love the metal framing on the corner. On the website it looks like essentially metal stud framing that's been painted black; is that what it is? If so, it's a great way of taking a cheap material and really classing it up.

[theronhobbs]

3 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Love the metal framing on the corner. On the website it looks like essentially metal stud framing that's been painted black; is that what it is? If so, it's a great way of taking a cheap material and really classing it up.

Thanks! The existing building is a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB), so those are just the exposed (and painted) z-girts after removing the metal siding. The rest of the exterior includes a couple types of composite siding and new metal siding. This shell building is still waiting for a tenant.

Edited November 16, 2021 by theronhobbs
typo

[turbocraig]

3 minutes ago, theronhobbs said:

Thanks! The existing building is a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB), so those are just the exposed (and painted) z-girts after removing the metal siding. The rest of the exterior includes a couple types of composite siding and new metal siding. This shell building is still waiting for a tenant.

Strong work, Ron.  And you’re the only person I’ve seen that actually types anything in the “Reason for Edit” box.  Now that’s transparency!  

[theronhobbs]

1 hour ago, turbocraig said:

Strong work, Ron.  And you’re the only person I’ve seen that actually types anything in the “Reason for Edit” box.  Now that’s transparency!  

Haha... also in full transparency, my first name is Theron. Pronounced "THERE-in." I went to my first UP meetup a few weeks ago. Looking forward to posting several more of our upcoming newsworthy project announcements in a couple threads that I think most will be interested in! Shhh...

[jednc]

5 minutes ago, theronhobbs said:

Haha... also in full transparency, my first name is Theron. Pronounced "THERE-in." I went to my first UP meetup a few weeks ago. Looking forward to posting several more of our upcoming newsworthy project announcements in a couple threads that I think most will be interested in! Shhh...

That's funny. I see now why he thought your name was Ron, but I never questioned that it wasn't Theron. I had a cousin named Theron, so it looked right to me.

[turbocraig]

30 minutes ago, jednc said:

That's funny. I see now why he thought your name was Ron, but I never questioned that it wasn't Theron. I had a cousin named Theron, so it looked right to me.

I literally read it as “THEE” Ron Hobbs.   I liked the confidence. 

[carolinaboy]

15 hours ago, turbocraig said:

I literally read it as “THEE” Ron Hobbs.   I liked the confidence. 

Same.

[tarhoosier]

More near West side views today. Improvements at Tuckaseegee-Thrift-Berryhill-Drum intersection. Underground work and surely an improvement on this place where I can believe Natives tramped a trail and no better way was ever conceived until now. 

Lulu Chicken and seafood has an expanded parking area for the duration of work. Lawdymercy, those wires and poles.

 

Large project here on Bruns Avenue. These are park/walkupx3 (oof). First building completed has residents and a worker or two on site today, Sunday. Many new housing options in this area with new homes, condos and apartments (I think). This project photographed is deep and backs to property on Auten St. Some (many) years ago I was a primary fund raiser and volunteer recruiter for a Habitat home on Auten. Free land from BAC from foreclosure, maybe county help, dunno. That house looks good now, shutters added, porch and steps painted. My heart is warmed. No photo, for personal reasons. See for yourself in this area. Careful of underground gold mines.

 

Destination today:

[KJHburg]

""Catalyst Capital Partners is working with Beauxwright and Mission Properties on a 213-unit multifamily project at 2401 Wilkinson Boulevard. It will include 46 for-rent townhomes, with the remainder of the units being apartments. The project has not been formally named yet, but developers are currently referring to it as Wilkinson Exchange.  Construction is expected to begin in January, with completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2023.""

this is vacant land where W Morehead meets Wilkinson and will be a great addition to the area drove by the area today on my way to QT.

 Wilkinson Exchange residential development starting soon - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

 

[tarhoosier]

In my time that was a Howard Johnson motel and restaurant. HJ, home of 28 flavors of ice cream. Contemporary in the motel business with Holiday Inn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Johnson's

Edited December 10, 2021 by tarhoosier

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, tarhoosier said:

In my time that was a Howard Johnson motel and restaurant. HJ, home of 28 flavors of ice cream. Contemporary in the motel business with Holiday Inn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Johnson's

always looked for orange and blue HoJo's roofs while travelling down I=95 from up north to the Carolinas when I was a kid. 

[cltheel.sdl]

What does everyone think of FreeMore West?  What kind of gentrification "ceiling" do you think this area has, and what's the crime situation like now?  Growing up in Charlotte, this area always felt a bit dangerous/undesirable, but seems like things are starting to change a bit.  Any really cool developments or new restaurants in the area?  

Edited January 4 by cltheel.sdl

[RANYC]

57 minutes ago, cltheel.sdl said:

What does everyone think of FreeMore West?  What kind of gentrification "ceiling" do you think this area has, and what's the crime situation like now?  Growing up in Charlotte, this area always felt a bit dangerous/undesirable, but seems like things are starting to change a bit.  Any really cool developments or new restaurants in the area?  

I sort of live in this area - Wesley Heights.  There's quite a bit of construction happening all around, which is exciting to see.  On the retail and commercial sides, however, much of the developments are set back from the street and so the area doesn't really feel walkably compact and dense.  That's because the warehouses getting redeveloped were already set back.

Having said that, there are new dining spots coming to the Lower Tuck reuse projects, and I think I'm most intrigued by what comes of the Savona Mill reuse project, which will include a renovated mill and amphitheater as the centerpiece, with hundreds of new residential units on adjacent properties.  Could make for a stunning campus of new and creative growth.

[TheRealClayton]

2 hours ago, cltheel.sdl said:

What does everyone think of FreeMore West?  What kind of gentrification "ceiling" do you think this area has, and what's the crime situation like now?  Growing up in Charlotte, this area always felt a bit dangerous/undesirable, but seems like things are starting to change a bit.  Any really cool developments or new restaurants in the area?  

If you can afford to buy, make the investment. Winning.

[deleted account]

18 hours ago, cltheel.sdl said:

What does everyone think of FreeMore West?  What kind of gentrification "ceiling" do you think this area has, and what's the crime situation like now?  Growing up in Charlotte, this area always felt a bit dangerous/undesirable, but seems like things are starting to change a bit.  Any really cool developments or new restaurants in the area?  

Frankly, you're a bit late. You will deal with crime issues and be called a gentrifyer and deal with other issues/inconveniences (no Lowes and Publix on every corner). I'd be surprised if you don't see rapid appreciation in your home and if it's not for you just sell it and move elsewhere.  This area has some of the best skyline views around. 

This opinion is worth exactly what it cost.

Edited January 5 by JBS

[cltheel.sdl]

What about for apartment investing?  What makes this area exciting/desirable?  

[deleted account]

I drove around JCSU, "Lower Tuck", Blue Blaze, West Morehead, etc., last night. The progress in the past 6 months is immense and the views from the Lower Tuck area specifically are incredible.  If you haven't been over there recently (I used to be there weekly but it had been a good 6+ months for me), give it a look. I have so much pride in what Charlotte is becoming and projects like these, Camp North End, Optimist Hall, etc., show we really can do historical preservation and adaptive reuse here. BTW, I saw no signs of progress at Savona but it was dark. 

[AP3]

1 hour ago, JBS said:

I drove around JCSU, "Lower Tuck", Blue Blaze, West Morehead, etc., last night. The progress in the past 6 months is immense and the views from the Lower Tuck area specifically are incredible.  If you haven't been over there recently (I used to be there weekly but it had been a good 6+ months for me), give it a look. I have so much pride in what Charlotte is becoming and projects like these, Camp North End, Optimist Hall, etc., show we really can do historical preservation and adaptive reuse here. BTW, I saw no signs of progress at Savona but it was dark. 

They've definitely started upfit work at Savona (on the mill portion).  They've torn down the old dilapidated additions to it, and you can see demo progress on the interior.  Looks like work is starting on the roof too.  Excited for more progress on it.    

[KJHburg]

Drive through the many office retail conversion projects in the Warehouse District aka FreeMoreWest or whatever we are calling this area now.  Third and Urban has done great work on their buildings over there.  Today.   I hope this office space leases up good though I think individual entrances no elevators and so forth makes it a great post pandemic office layout. 

The transformation in this area is nothing short of astounding I only wish my grandparents who lived on the westside could have seen this. 

[KJHburg]

These apartments look good and I don't say that a lot.  On Calvert St off W Morehead overlooking the skyline (and I-77)  96 units.