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

[Charlotte_native]

While Lela isn't the greatest infill in the world, I'm not ready to criticize it yet. For one, it's not completely built out yet, so I think that will help. Also, the landscaping is still young...remember Myers Park's giant oaks were 6' saplings 80 years ago. As to the character, remember that Dilworth was pretty much a "Sears Catalog" kit house community when it was built. It took years of additions, personalized landscaping, painting, bricking, shingling, stain-glassing, etc. for it to emerge as a more unique community.....it just takes time.

The statement above is prophetic! I dismissed Lela Courts as a cheap suburban product based on the first few times I drove through. At that time only 4 or 5 of the units and homes had been erected and weren't complete. I drove through not long after a couple had actually been finished and still didn't like the project.

I went down there today since a lot of people have been talking about Beazer and their stake in center city. They have 20 or so acres off Morehead, are likely to be at least one of the developers of Morehead Station, and are rumored to be buying more land in SouthEnd. I was pleasantly surprised. I can't say this is what I would feel is the ideal product, some brick units would make this feel much more substantial, but now that many are finished and many are occupied and there are signs of life (plantings, porch decor, etc) it looks FAR better than I expected.

I surprised myself by liking these! At least they used a large palette mix of colors and it doesn't look like everyone elses units in center city and Garden District.

[A2]

It was really interesting that you took that pic. That 4Runner in the 2nd pic belongs to one of my comrads at work. He lives in the unit on the side (he still has not got another tag) That was the one thing that made me recognize it

The development is definately more urban once one gets a nice tour. Thanks for the pics CN.

A2

[dubone]

Tell your buddy to register his car in NC now that he lives here and stop sticking the rest of us with his tax burden.

[A2]

Tell your buddy to register his car in NC now that he lives here and stop sticking the rest of us with his tax burden.

TRUE!

A2

[AuLukey]

Well, here's an update on Skybridge Terrace by the Observer. I couldn't find a thread specific to the project. If there is one and I missed it, please move this for me. The article states the first phase has sold out and they plan to start on the second phase four months ahead of schedule. Another item of note is that they are capping investors at 30% but stated investor interest isn't very high. Good? Bad? Who Cares?

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/15543937.htm

Edited September 18, 2006 by aussie luke

[uptownliving]

Its good to see that sales are going well at this site. Hopefully it will enliven that section of W Morehead St with more activity at night...right now it is pretty dead at night...the only thing open along there at night is the Open Kitchen.

[Charlotte_native]

Well, here's an update on Skybridge Terrace by the Observer. I couldn't find a thread specific to the project. If there is one and I missed it, please move this for me. The article states the first phase has sold out and they plan to start on the second phase four months ahead of schedule. Another item of note is that they are capping investors at 30% but stated investor interest isn't very high. Good? Bad? Who Cares?

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/15543937.htm

I don't think there is a thread about this one but it was announced early summer I think. As for limiting investors but not much interest anyway, personally I think that is good. Too many units in a building getting snapped up by investors and returned right to the market isn't necessarily a good thing. If these projects sell out with true homeowners I think it makes the market less skewed and more stable. It also give us insight as to the REAL demand for center city condos rather than speculative demand.

I think this whole area will be much more "alive" when Lela Courts is done and fully occupied, when the various corner projects along Morehead and Freedom are done, and when Morehead Station and the proposed project where WestWood Apartments currently is gets done (along Berryhill Road off Freedom -- 19 or 29 acres -- can't remember which).

[JBGB]

My wife and I have bought a condo at Skybridge Terrace. We plan to live there and watch Morehead continue to grow around us. I am very glad to hear that investors aren't into the project!

We were looking and looking for an old bungalow to live in around Wilmore or Wesley Heights but always got beat out by investors. Plus everything we could afford was such a mess that I didn't want to spend more money fixing it up than what we were to pay for the place. Or it was investors doing horrible jobs fixing up bungalows and charging ridicules prices for them. So condo life sounded great to us.

The second-phase sales are this Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the site. I would love to have some peeps from Urban Planet be our neighbors.

[monsoon]

You probably made a good choice in staying away from those fixer uppers over there. Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the forum. W. Morehead has a lot of potential.

[uptownliving]

Congrats on your purchase jon bon...I havn't been to the site but I did notice that it is very close to I-77. How is the noise from the interstate there?

[JBGB]

Thanks for the responses! Urban Planet is awesome!

Congrats on your purchase jon bon...I havn't been to the site but I did notice that it is very close to I-77. How is the noise from the interstate there?

With the condo being so close to the interstate we decided to live on the side facing Wesley Heights. It was about 40k cheaper and we figured why open the balcony doors and hear trucks and cars roll down the highway. Plus if we want to hang outside and see the city they have sky decks up on the third floor. So we can still enjoy the views of uptown and enjoy the sun setting over the trees and bungalows of Wesley Heights.

[uptownliving]

I think you made a smart move by doing that.

[Charlotte_native]

Bump. The Westwood Apartments that were bought by Landcraft have now had acreage around the site added. Word is they now have a whopping 39 acres assembled here (Berryhill / Morehead / Freedom)

Can't wait to see what that project will turn out to be. This is only a few blocks from Lela Courts and Morehead Station.

The conjunction of Morehead / Freedom is about to look VERY different in a few years.

Edited October 31, 2006 by Charlotte_native

[cinco]

The conjunction of Morehead / Freedom is about to look VERY different in a few years.

wow, 39 acres is big chunk of urban land.

there is alot of activity in this area right now... they have been slowly trudging along on new streetscape amenities. i was a little bummed awhile back b/c the city cut down all the 20 - 30 year old trees... but, it appears they did so to widen the sidewalks and put in new curbs. i'm sure they will be planting new trees. also, @ each end of freedom are a set of new cobblestone sculptures with mosaic tile artworks around them. each is a column has fours sides, that depict people of all walks of charlotte. @ each intersection on freedom is a really nice cobblestone street sign.

i like the mosaic art OK... personally i tend to like a little more abstraction, but, this is definitely an improvement to the area.

[browngeo]

how did you hear they bought the land and are redeveloping it ?

[Charlotte_native]

how did you hear they bought the land and are redeveloping it ?

The Westwood Apartment site is public record and transferred a couple of months ago and was followed by vacating the property -- pretty well-known stuff. The additional land is known to a few who have been privy to the transaction and have watched the assemblage take place.

[atlrvr]

1307 W. Morehead is about to begin its coversion to office space. It's a good looking building, and should help out the corridor.

[dubone]

Thanks for sharing. I must say that after visiting Atlantic Station in Atlanta, I'm encouraged that Beazer's urban division isn't as bad as I had imagined. It is still not great, but it does have the potential to transform this section of town with product that many people in this city are actually looking for. For most, "suburb" is not a dirty word, and Beazer epitomizes "suburb".

It's just too bad First Union didn't build CIC on this spot as McColl suggested. That would have made a dramatic difference to uptown Charlotte.

[JBGB]

1307 W. Morehead is about to begin its coversion to office space. It's a good looking building, and should help out the corridor.

Should be a nice looking building when finished.

http://www.neighboringconcepts.com/include...nclude_1307.htm

[schmopperX]

I looked thru this topic but I can't find it; can anyone tell me if the Coffee Cup ever did get protection for being a historical site? I was having a discussion with a freind that works nearby at Cedar Hill & they had stated that it was a done deal, the Coffee Cup would be incorp'd in Beazers plan. Anyone?

[voyager12]

The last I heard Beazer has seen the light ( tired of bad press) and will incorporate Coffee Cup into their likely hideous and sterile faux urban mess... CC will add character

Edited December 28, 2006 by voyager12

[Conformity]

The Coffee Cup is under review for Historic Designation. A 180 day stay of demolition is in place and Beazer is in regular talks with the proprietors of the CC. Today, it appears unlikely that the cup will survive in its current location. Talks currently center around physically relocating the restaurant building closer to

I-77 on another part of the Beazer owned land that's not so central to their development.

[dubone]

Personally, I'd support the relocation. Many old and historic structures have been relocated and continue to have almost or equivalent significance.

Thanks for the update.

Do you or anyone know if Beazer still plans just a basic, quasi-suburban design? Will it bear any resemblance to these renderings, or was that from a prior-owner? http://www.narmourwright.com/projects/html...of_west_end.htm

Also, are there any plans to mitigate the Charlotte Foundry complex across the freeway? It doesn't seem to be the best neighbor to a dense(ish) residential project.

[Charlotte_native]

Also, are there any plans to mitigate the Charlotte Foundry complex across the freeway? It doesn't seem to be the best neighbor to a dense(ish) residential project.

Charlotte Foundry will move soon to the joy of many neighbors and many of us that would like to see that land freed for new uses.

[uptownliving]

Not just the land freed up, but the smell. When I lived in Gateway the burning steel smell coming from Charlotte Pipe and Foundry was pretty bad on days when the wind was blowing in the right direction.