Birkdale Village type development in Gastonia?

[Gastonite]

Has anybody heard anything more about this development proposed for Gastonia? The last I recall, it was to be built on the land in back of Franklin Square in Gastonia, across I-85. I believe the developer was waiting on Lowell to pass liquor by the drink before he got started. Since liquor by the drink was passed, I have wondered what became of this.

This land is ripe for some kind of development, if they can find the right developer.

[atlrvr]

The Lineberger property?

[Gastonite]

It is owned by the Linebergers. If your driving down I-85 south, its all the land to your right, just as your passing by Franklin Square on your left. I tried contacting The Gaston Gazette about this, but they didnt get back to me.

[DigitalSky]

It would be cool to see something like that in Gastonia/Lowell

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.264832,-...85316&t=k&hl=en

There's a satellite (it's not High res) but you can make out Franklin Sq and I-85 and see land north of it.

[monsoon]

I hope the people in Gastonia go and study the negative effects of something like Birkdale being constructed in an area. (and they are numerous)

[Gastonite]

It would be cool to see something like that in Gastonia/Lowell

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.264832,-...85316&t=k&hl=en

There's a satellite (it's not High res) but you can make out Franklin Sq and I-85 and see land north of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. This piece of property will get developed eventually. The state has plans to extend Lineberger Rd from where it ends in between Franklin Square 2 and 3, across the interstate to its other half, just at NC 7. This would open up the land to easier access from Franklin Boulevard. It just drives me crazy when some news outlet reports about somebody trying to develop it and then doesn't do any follow up.

[atlrvr]

The problem with this property is that it is owned by two of the 4 sibilings, but they don't all share the same vision. The property was held too long, and should have been developed about 10 years ago. The market has moved away from this property, especially when you look at the surrounding uses. It would be an attractive industrial site, but they see something grander.......they actually tried to hire a developer a couple of months ago, but the developer walked on this project due to the dissention among the sibilings and the fact they saw the property as something grander than it was.....

[Gastonite]

The problem with this property is that it is owned by two of the 4 sibilings, but they don't all share the same vision.  The property was held too long, and should have been developed about 10 years ago.  The market has moved away from this property, especially when you look at the surrounding uses.  It would be an attractive industrial site, but they see something grander.......they actually tried to hire a developer a couple of months ago, but the developer walked on this project due to the dissention among the sibilings and the fact they saw the property as something grander than it was.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the update atlrvr.

Now we know why this has gone nowhere, the siblings cant get it together.

[c_harmons]

I hope the people in Gastonia go and study the negative effects of something like Birkdale being constructed in an area.  (and they are numerous)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is wrong with Birkdale Village?

[monsoon]

What is wrong with Birkdale Village?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The thread I did on Birkdale says it better than I can here. See

The Failure of New Urbanism

It should be noted that most of the problems I pointed out in that thread almost 1.5 years ago, have only gotten worse. And recently I walked through the sterile nothingness of The Greens @ Birkdale and got the creepy impression that I was on the Truman Show.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I hope they (Gastonia's Council) does what's best for the community and does not build such community killing devices. But they will probably give into the developer's demands . I say No development is better then bad development.

[c_harmons]

The thread I did on Birkdale says it better than I can here.  See

The Failure of New Urbanism

It should be noted that most of the problems I pointed out in that thread almost 1.5 years ago, have only gotten worse.  And recently I walked through the sterile nothingness of The Greens @ Birkdale and got the creepy impression that I was on the Truman Show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are crazy! Birkdale Village raised the market value of the surrounding neighborhoods immensely. Where else can you walk to a movie or a restaurant in Huntersville or Charlotte for that matter?

The reason the anchors were put out front was because the parking these larger users like Barnes & Noble demand could not be fit in a parking deck. Also, would you want residential facing the highway? Despite how nice these projects are, many retailers will not deviate from their standards, regardless of what developers beg them to do.

Also, the movie theater next door closed down because people preferred going to the theater at Birkdale instead. Where they could walk to get something to eat beforehand. The theater next door was warned Birkdale Village was going to have an anchor theater, but the other theater operator said they would rush to beat Birkdale and force it to never open. But the developers of Birkdale did not compromise their design and in the end the better design won.

Finally, that Santana Row was an utter loser financially. Many of the original developers were fired because they went way over budget and people would not pay the high rents to be there. It has become a money pit and has scared many developers from wanting to do anything like it.

I applaud Birkdale and wish it would come to the Triangle because I would take that development over standard strip centers any day.

[Gastonite]

I hope they (Gastonia's Council) does what's best for the community and does not build such community killing devices. But they will probably give into the developer's demands .

[monsoon]

I think you are crazy!  Birkdale Village raised the market value of the surrounding neighborhoods immensely.  Where else can you walk to a movie or a restaurant in Huntersville or Charlotte for that matter?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL, if you think movies at Birkdale could survive with the few people that are in walking distance of that theatre then you are not living in reality. (maybe it really is the Truman Show) Almost all their business is derived from people driving to the place. Just like a mall, the traffic there on friday/saturday nights is a congested mess and there is simply no place to park despite the huge parking lots. And, the other theatres closed "movies at the lake" and "the palace", simply because the owner of the Birkdale theatre bought them and closed them down. As I said in that thread, this is New Urbanism that hurts the community, not help it. We now have two big empty boxes because of tactics such as this. The creation of this perfect looking little world was done at the expense of the community surrounding it.

BTW, any shopping mall could provide the same experience. If you want to see where people can walk to dinner in a much more community friendly neighborhood in Huntersville, then go to Rosedale or Vermillion. As stated earlier, the movie thing isn't possible because of the tactics used at BV.

Birkdale Village has nothing to do with the rising property values at the lake.

[atlrvr]

The Palace was supposed to be the key anchor of Kenton Place, though they failed to attract the critical mass of retailers that they needed....mainly because the whole development was under-capitalized.

I think it is fair to say that BV generates most of its business from people driving, but so do Rosedale and Verm. However, to imply that BV is worse than a standard retail center is not true. This is still a higher density development that consumes less of the landscape, and does generate some traffic from residents (however small, it is better for these few people to walk than drive)

The shortcoming in all of this is the lack of an adequate road-network in the suburban areas of Charlotte......as long as the residents of these towns complain about connecting roads, then the best you can hope for is BV, because it certainly beats a strip center next to an apartment community (look at Exit 28).

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Birkdale, though it looks nice was designed for cars, not people. If they design this new project for people it will be great. If not, well you just have Birkdale 2 and congratulations, you've lost a big chunk of your town's character.

[monsoon]

The Palace was supposed to be the key anchor of Kenton Place, though they failed to attract the critical mass of retailers that they needed....mainly because the whole development was under-capitalized.

I think it is fair to say that BV generates most of its business from people driving, but so do Rosedale and Verm.  However, to imply that BV is worse than a standard retail center is not true.  This is still a higher density development that consumes less of the landscape, and does generate some traffic from residents (however small, it is better for these few people to walk than drive)

The shortcoming in all of this is the lack of an adequate road-network in the suburban areas of Charlotte......as long as the residents of these towns complain about connecting roads, then the best you can hope for is BV, because it certainly beats a strip center next to an apartment community (look at Exit 28).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BV was created as a destination, like a shopping mall, the vast majority of traffic that goes there are from people who do not live in either Huntersville and Cornileus. (and that is its primary problem) It really has nothing to do with local roads that serve Huntersville residents. BTW, many many Huntersville residents avoid BV. The generalization that suburban residents complain about roads are not the reason for this situation.

Actually look at exit 23. Rosedale and Vermillion serve local residents. And I think there are more people within walking distance of it than BV. It is in much better shape than exit 25 and also most of Charlotte. There is no where near the traffic even though more people live off Gilead Road. And Huntersville specifically has done a great job a connecting roads. I can ride my bike over much of Huntersville without going on any major roads. That is an impossibility in a great deal of the county.

In regards to exit 28, they are getting ready to redeveloped it to match the eastern side of that highway which is one of the most walkable streets in the entire county.