Westside/Beatties Ford/Biddleville/West End Projects

[ontap]

While we're asking questions ... anyone have info on this rezoning? Looks like they will have to demo three buildings, two of which have that classic old look that I would prefer not be turned to rubble. The petitioner is Budget Developement (not the best name) and it looks like storage units??

My understanding is that the old Pronto auto parts warehouse is to be replaced with this six storey warehouse. I don't mind seeing the old building being replaced with this one. The new building will have retail on the first floor, interior storage, and a top floor with office space and a terrace overlooking the skyline. Aesthetically, the brick building looks cool with "windows that appear to be bricked-in over time". This section of Morehead could really use the added retail, too.

This is a much better use for this land and is consistant with the vision of the morehead corridor revitalization plans (which is finally nearing completion). The top-coat of asphalt is being laid. Personally, I like the new lane configuration (which is now 2 with turning and bike lanes, instead of 4 lanes), there is new streetscape lighting, and soon to be installed landscaping. The corridor is much more pedistrian friendly. With new retail, it should be a little more vibrant too.

[orulz]

The site plan for that rezoning has renderings. Actually looks really cool. An urban storage center? In North Carolina? Who'da thunk it? But cool as this project is, I'd MUCH rather it go on an empty lot, rather than replacing these fairly cool old buildings.

For reference here are the buildings currently on these lots:

And here is what's planned:

[lukedog]

Check out this link to "Good Morning America"...a show from last week where they listed 4 up and coming neighborhoods in the USA that are sure to "Pop" soon. The title of the show was "How to spot the next up and coming neighborhood". One of the 4 neigborhoods they talk about is Biddleville in Charlotte, NC. Check out the link and tell me what you think:

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&...cd-e3c75fc8035f

[davidals]

Check out this link to "Good Morning America"...a show from last week where they listed 4 up and coming neighborhoods in the USA that are sure to "Pop" soon. The title of the show was "How to spot the next up and coming neighborhood". One of the 4 neigborhoods they talk about is Biddleville in Charlotte, NC. Check out the link and tell me what you think:

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&...cd-e3c75fc8035f

So intriguing - I knew the neighborhood when it was definitely not trendy - I still have an aunt who lives on State St, 3 blocks down from 5 Points. Great to see the area getting attention, though the vid clip also made me a tad nervous about what precisely this might portend for the area.

[lukedog]

So intriguing - I knew the neighborhood when it was definitely not trendy - I still have an aunt who lives on State St, 3 blocks down from 5 Points. Great to see the area getting attention, though the vid clip also made me a tad nervous about what precisely this might portend for the area.

Really...what was in the vid clip that made you uncertain about what the area is now or what it might have in store?

[83alphaunder]

Really...what was in the vid clip that made you uncertain about what the area is now or what it might have in store?

I wonder if Davidals shares a similar uncertainty/anxiety about the video clip as I do. I'm not sure thrusting a transitioning area of the country into the spotlight as a hotspot is a good/neccessary idea. I personally am an investor around the five points area, and I'm actually made pretty uneasy about how this is going to effect my investments. There could be a chance that national investors might take this video into account and start the area moving too quickly, for this area to be done successfully, it can't happen all at once.

[davidals]

Generally, it's all good. I just know - from family - people who have been on both sides of the gentrification debate - I have family who have done the gentrifying, and other family who have been priced out of places and were pretty explicitly resentful after the fact. Seeing older, close-in neighborhoods improve, especially at the grass-roots level is a great thing. Seeing realtors from multiple states away (who don't know sqaut about an area's history or current residents, and frankly could care less) salivating over the same neighborhoods because they see dollars is a far less appetizing prospect. Idunno...it's a neverending argument I guess...

[Charlotte_native]

Really...what was in the vid clip that made you uncertain about what the area is now or what it might have in store?

I just hope it doesn't bring out the national and local investors who don't care at all about the people there now or in the near future who will do what they did in parts of the Belmont neighborhood: buy up homes, board them up, and wait for everyone else to work and improve the area while their properties become more run down and havens for squatters, drugs, and gangs. After prices rise enough these properties finally hit the market giving huge profit for nothing but leaving eyesores in the area for a few years.

I believe changes in neighborhoods like Belmont, Biddleville, Wilmore, etc, and the investors and pioneers and homeowners who make it happen are part of the natural cycles, these others who sit back and do nothing don't really contribute at all, they just take.

I was at a reception last year and heard an investor like this talking about riding the wave in Wilmore and how she didn't have to do anything to her properties but wait for the prices to rise. She had boarded up everything she had and was looking for more. I'm sure the neighbors of her spread-sheet investments were quite pleased with her. For concern about telling her what I really felt I kept my mouth shut & walked away.

In cases like this I actually believe it is a bit better for prices to take a bit of a spike to keep those that just want to land-bank out -- they only want VERY cheap so market value properties aren't as attractive.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Charlotte_native

[lukedog]

I just hope it doesn't bring out the national and local investors who don't care at all about the people there now or in the near future who will do what they did in parts of the Belmont neighborhood: buy up homes, board them up, and wait for everyone else to work and improve the area while their properties become more run down and havens for squatters, drugs, and gangs. After prices rise enough these properties finally hit the market giving huge profit for nothing but leaving eyesores in the area for a few years.

I don't know about national investors, but if you talk to local investors everyone who knows the Charlotte market already knew about Biddleville. A good chunk of Biddleville is already owned by a few people (I am not one of them) and for the most part they are not just sitting on the property and waiting for others to clean up the neighborhood...they are pretty involved. As for things not happening too quickly...it is too late. A 50 x 150 lot won't sell for less that 100K and many homes have already sold for 300K with many more being built.

If you see what has happend in a short period of time around the Charlotte Ring it is common sense to think that All of these neighborhoods are going to grow together and all will be expensive.

[Charlotte_native]

I don't know about national investors, but if you talk to local investors everyone who knows the Charlotte market already knew about Biddleville. A good chunk of Biddleville is already owned by a few people (I am not one of them) and for the most part they are not just sitting on the property and waiting for others to clean up the neighborhood...they are pretty involved. As for things not happening too quickly...it is too late. A 50 x 150 lot won't sell for less that 100K and many homes have already sold for 300K with many more being built.

If you see what has happend in a short period of time around the Charlotte Ring it is common sense to think that All of these neighborhoods are going to grow together and all will be expensive.

Everyone I know has been watching around JC Smith for years, I was only referring to those that actually don't know, won't care, and do follow the leaders into various neighborhoods after the rise in pricing begins. I know many of those who have been working in the area for a couple of years now, they aren't who I'm referring to -- they are actually working, investing, and in most cases living there.

There are still homes in the area listed now for under $100,000, but I suspect that is short lived.

[The Fringe]

What I found interesting about that video clip was that it did not give me the feeling that they knew what they were talking about when they discussed Biddleville. The three other areas that they discussed were towns or cities (Reading PA, Farmington NM, and Austin TX). When they referred to Biddleville they stated that it was 'near' Charlotte and she calls it a 'wonderful town'.

I am not sure they knew what they were reporting on. It looks like they were reporting off of a spread sheet to me.

[lukedog]

What I found interesting about that video clip was that it did not give me the feeling that they knew what they were talking about when they discussed Biddleville. The three other areas that they discussed were towns or cities (Reading PA, Farmington NM, and Austin TX). When they referred to Biddleville they stated that it was 'near' Charlotte and she calls it a 'wonderful town'.

I am not sure they knew what they were reporting on. It looks like they were reporting off of a spread sheet to me.

I agree totally. That is what I thought too...the host of the Today show started off talking about a neighborhood in Charlotte called Biddleville and then "the expert" talked about it like she had never been there and like you said...was reading about it off a sheet of paper. The theme of the piece was "how to spot the hottest neighborhoods" and for some reason the only specific neighborhood they mentioned was Biddleville in Charlotte...everywhere else they just mentioned the city.

I know Biddleville is a hot neighborhood but I wonder how they picked it...maybe they talked to some real estate agents and the agents they talked too just happend to favor Biddleville?

[uptownboy]

There has been a new posting for a Rezoning Petition on West Trade and Bruns Ave. Does anyone have any info on what kind of Retail Store this might be?

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2008-011.htm

[MATB1980]

There has been a new posting for a Rezoning Petition on West Trade and Bruns Ave. Does anyone have any info on what kind of Retail Store this might be?

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2008-011.htm

They are trying to rezone it for a new Family Dollar Store.

[uptownboy]

OK....so the next million dollar question....

What will be erected in the current Family Dollar's location?

[MATB1980]

OK....so the next million dollar question....

What will be erected in the current Family Dollar's location?

To be honest I don't know if anyone has the answer to this question yet. The plan is to demolish the existing site and start something new there but as far I know there are no concrete plans yet. There is a grand master plan though for the whole W. Trade/Beaties Ford corridor though that includes new retail/residential/entertainment along that strech with plans eventually for it to go all the way out to I-85. The Street car is apparently is planed to go up to JCSU but the plan was for that to feed the entire corridor to revitalize the whole stretch. Right now I guess we'll have to wait and see but I'll post new info if I find anything more out.

[lukedog]

OK....so the next million dollar question....

What will be erected in the current Family Dollar's location?

I have heard that Both Starbucks and Harris Teeter have looked at the site but how close they are to doing something on this parcel or another parcel in the area I don't know.

Many of the residents in Seaversville, Biddleville are petitioning the Family Dollar project because it could de-rail the original plans for the "west trade corridor". Family Dollar is planning on making this building very nice...like a showcase store for Family dollar. I will say that many of the residents opposed to the new Family Dollar are opposed because they want a higher end store to be built instead...stores that the poorer people would not go to (like starbucks or Harris Teeter). That is gentrification for you....

[The Fringe]

Many of the residents in Seaversville, Biddleville are petitioning the Family Dollar project because it could de-rail the original plans for the "west trade corridor". Family Dollar is planning on making this building very nice...like a showcase store for Family dollar.

It is true that there has been a petition agents the $ project but I have a different take on the reasoning. I looked at the proposed site plan and the elevations when I signed the petition and I would be hard pressed to say that it is a very nice building or a showcase. The elevations that were presented with the petition showed a straight forward strip mall out parcel building. The nicest part about it was the recessed brick where windows should have been.

I objected to the buildings design and response to the street not the type of retail. If it is a good quality retail space I would expect that many different types of retail would occupy it over time. The proposed design is a one use design.

[palmetto75]

It is true that there has been a petition agents the $ project but I have a different take on the reasoning. I looked at the proposed site plan and the elevations when I signed the petition and I would be hard pressed to say that it is a very nice building or a showcase. The elevations that were presented with the petition showed a straight forward strip mall out parcel building. The nicest part about it was the recessed brick where windows should have been.

I objected to the buildings design and response to the street not the type of retail. If it is a good quality retail space I would expect that many different types of retail would occupy it over time. The proposed design is a one use design.

Looks like the property is back on the market!

[MATB1980]

Looks like the property is back on the market!

Sweet! Maybe we'll get a more sensitively designed project now. The orignally planned Dollar Store was pretty ugly looking...

[tozmervo]

I noticed this back in the early Center City 2020 meetings, but JCSU seems to be really stepping up their game in taking care of the community around them. It'll be great to see them transform from an inward-focused fenced-in campus to an open, engaged center of the west charlotte community.

http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/630351/jcsu-unveils-plan-to-revitalize-charlotte-s-nw-corridor?ap=1&MP4

Edited September 14, 2010 by tozmervo

[Urbanity]

I'm glad the University is taking this initiative. It will benefit them in the long run to shape the neighborhood in which they operate.

I would also love to see JW and JCSU form a partnership to build out the corridor between them - perhaps even work out private funding for an expedited building of a streetcar connection between them and the larger line.

[uptownboy]

Some of you may have noticed activity at the old Family Dollar and attached empty building to clear out the contents, but there is definitely a demolition permit open on the property.

Case Number

Property Address

Inspector Name

Inspector Phone

Case Status

Date Order Sent

Neighborhood

C20100000211 1600 W TRADE ST CHARLOTTE NC 28216 BRANDON BURGIN (704)336-3573 Open 9/13/2010 Biddleville Area

[Finkle]

Good new for Wilkinson Blvd. QT Quick Trip C Store and McDonalds are planning new stores at the intersection of Wilkinson & Ashley Roads at the old Southern Steel site. If you have not been out Wilkinson lately the old closed down Bojangle's across from Walmart has been refurbished and reopened as a Bojangle's. They are also replanting the medians from The Charlotte School of law to Billy Graham Pkwy.

[Finkle]

The city is making Eastway Wrecker on Wilkinson Blvd. screen there site with new wood fencing and a planting strip this will improve the the looks of the area a bit.