Cotswold Area Projects

[Miesian Corners]

Does anyone know anything about the Sharon Arms Apartments on Colwick Road in Cotswold (across from the Pizza Peel)?  It's a 32-unit complex from 1960 that has been vacated and now has had a demo fence placed around it. I checked Polaris and Sonic Automotive purchased them last year (Sonic's HQ is the six story building at the corner of Sharon Amity and Colwick roads).  Any insight as to what Bruton has in mind for my neighborhood?  

Edited May 11, 2014 by Miesian Corners

[InSouthPark]

No idea but super excited to see this go!

 

My daughter goes to Cotswold Elementary and we have to walk past that dump every day. We were wondering what was going on as there were 5-6 fire trucks there on Wednesday and it looked they might have been doing some "practice" in the complex.  

[InSouthPark]

Sharon Arms apartments are officially gone. 

[KickinChicken23]

I am wondering the same thing s I drive by this everyday. How great would it be if this could be a little mixed use condo/office/retail area? Maybe a bar or a few restaurants, some stores. I could see this little offshoot road developing into a someplace nice to walk and grab some food in the evenings. While I'm dreaming I'd like a bridge from BofA over to the Cotswold Village Teeter.    

[atlrvr]

So...this is interesting.  It looks like Publix is going to be building a new store right across from the Teeter.  There is a rezoning out for the tired looking office building next two Bojangles.  There would be 1 floor of underground parking, topped by 1 floor of above ground parking (wrapped with some retail) and then Publix on the 2nd floor.  It would extend between Randolph and Colwick (though Colwick gets the loading docks)

 

A new street would connect Randolph to Colwick, with 1 entrance to the garage of that new street, and the other directly off of Randolph, and the entrance to the subterranean garage off of Colwick.  Addtionally, a concrete median would be built down Randolph between Greenwich and the main entrace to Cotswold shopping center....sounds like a cluster!

 

Unclear if the 1st floor retail is Publix as well, or small shop space.

 

http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/planning/Rezoning/RezoningPetitions/2014Petitions/Pages/2014-118.aspx

[Stitch Jones]

My understanding is that Sonic Automotive is building a new HQ on former Sharon Arms Apt property.

[eastsider]

Really??? They just did a total renovation of the building next door at the corner of Sharon Amity & Colwick.

[Guest]

They bought Sharon Arms in May with intentions of expansion. Good news for Colwick (autocorrects on iPad to Cowlick) and Cotswold, and our very own Miesian Corners.

[Miesian Corners]

The site plan looks like a cluster.  They should have tried to get the BofA and the small office building adjacent to their site. push the footprint down to Greenwich Rd, and put the new private street on axis with the current Cotswold Village entrance/exit; a signal could be added at this new intersection and help both retail centers.  Furthermore, BofA could move into some of the new retail space that would go along with Publix.  I can tell you now, though, that the neighborhood behind the Sonic HQ and CMS are going to pitch a fit on this proposal due to the proximity to Cotswold Elm and single family homes off Chiswick Rd (BTW, we call that neighborhood "The Wicks"--every street over there ends with it).  

[InSouthPark]

Both the Sonic and Publix in that area will suck balls. Way too much traffic on Greenwich and Colwick as it is. It is a giant cluster f*^k trying to leave Cotswold Elem at 4:15. Add a Publix and another office building and a general rush hour traffic? You will never be able to get out and go south on Randolph. Thank god my kid is in 3rd grade and should be in Randolph middle by the time these come online.  I hope CMS puts up a big fight on this.

[southslider]

A good way to retrofit suburban areas away from predominantly auto-oriented development is to transition first with infill that is more hybrid in its design. How ironic then that Cotswold is complaining this Publix will bring more traffic. Compared to the adjacent Bank of America, Chick-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme drive-thru developments, this Publix is good urban design. This infill project is a start in the right direction, yet should not be expected to be entirely pedestrian-oriented, given its strip-commercial surroundings.

Edited October 2, 2014 by southslider

[teeg]

How ironic then that Cotswold is complaining this Publix will bring more traffic. 

 

If they're going to parachute in an urban-ish store in a very suburban area, traffic is a very real, legitimate concern.  I doubt that this store will draw that much more traffic to Cotswold in general, but it sure would add traffic to a corner of the neighborhood that cannot handle the traffic it already has.  This would make a lot more sense if the took Miesian Corners suggestion to line up their drive with the Cotswold Village entrance on Randolph and add a traffic light with left turn signals (looking at you, Greenwich) to that intersection.   

 

If I lived on Chiswick or Barwick, I'd be freaking out right now.

[smayer]

If they're going to parachute in an urban-ish store in a very suburban area, traffic is a very real, legitimate concern.  I doubt that this store will draw that much more traffic to Cotswold in general, but it sure would add traffic to a corner of the neighborhood that cannot handle the traffic it already has.  This would make a lot more sense if the took Miesian Corners suggestion to line up their drive with the Cotswold Village entrance on Randolph and add a traffic light with left turn signals (looking at you, Greenwich) to that intersection.   

 

If I lived on Chiswick or Barwick, I'd be freaking out right now.

 

I live over on Water Oak and use that neighborhood to get back to Sharon Amity from Colwick.  Traffic is going to be a nightmare for those residents.  Those "Wick" streets need to be tied into the surrounding neighborhoods.

[Miesian Corners]

A good way to retrofit suburban areas away from predominantly auto-oriented development is to transition first with infill that is more hybrid in its design. How ironic then that Cotswold is complaining this Publix will bring more traffic. Compared to the adjacent Bank of America, Chick-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme drive-thru developments, this Publix is good urban design. This infill project is a start in the right direction, yet should not be expected to be entirely pedestrian-oriented, given its strip-commercial surroundings.

Normally I'd agree, but look at the site plan.  It's terrible.  It adds a concrete barrier down Randolph, which would put a huge strain on the Greenwich Ave intersection (which is also the entrance to a large elementary school and is already a school bus clusterf--- at rush hour.   If they rearranged the site to have their entrance on axis with the Cotswold Shopping Center, I don't think it would be a problem.  The building also would need to address its architecture on all sides.

[southslider]

Don't blame the developer for a median they'd rather not build, in order save on cost. Your City's DOT is making them add it. And even if the entrances were aligned, CDOT would not likely support a signal. For all the talk about "Complete Streets," vehicle throughput still reigns supreme. Yet if your fellow Cotswaldians are complaining about traffic, maybe you can't blame CDOT either.

Edited October 3, 2014 by southslider

[teeg]

Don't blame the developer for a median they'd rather not build, in order save on cost. Your City's DOT is making them add it. And even if the entrances were aligned, CDOT would not likely support a signal. For all the talk about "Complete Streets," vehicle throughput still reigns supreme. Yet if your fellow Cotswaldians are complaining about traffic, maybe you can't blame CDOT either.

 

I don't follow.  It's the developer's rezoning application, right?  The developer is proposing the median.  I see no evidence that CDOT is insisting on anything, or opposing anything.  It does not look like CDOT has commented on the application yet at all.  

[InSouthPark]

Compared to the adjacent Bank of America, Chick-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme drive-thru developments, this Publix is good urban design. This infill project is a start in the right direction, yet should not be expected to be entirely pedestrian-oriented, given its strip-commercial surroundings.

 

This isn't about urban design and isn't about being pedestrian friendly. It has everything to do with being automobile friendly. Shoppers would hate getting in and out of there, especially if they are heading south. Just like HT folks despise trying to go north out of there. Unless you frequent the area, during rush hour, you have no idea of the traffic mess that Cotswold is. I drive to Cotswold, every day, at 4pm. Trust me, that intersection of Greenwich and Randolph is already terrible.

 

If you removed the elementary school from the area, the effects would be negligible. But it is still there. There are hundreds of cars lining Greenwich, Colwick and Randolph 5 days a week, 9 months a year. Plus school buses and city buses at the same time. All at 9:00am and 4:15pm at prime time grocery store and rush hours. Getting out of the Teeter is a nightmare and there are 4 different exits. 

 

I really like the idea of a timed turning arrow light at the shopping centers entrance. The one at Greenwich is a joke. No turning arrow and 99% of the cars are turning left.

[archiham04]

Connectivity.  Once you cross Briar Creek there is none.  These early Ex-urbs are going to start really feeling the pinch when they want to urbanize, but don't have the infastructure to support it.  Cul-de-sacs, and single entry neighborhoods (predominant once you pass Briar Creek) cannot support density.  The Wolds, or the Wicks, or whoever they are, are going to have to open their streets up to other neighborhoods to allow commerce to flow.  Either that or put the breaks on development, and forget about urbanizing, or pedestrianizing.

[Miesian Corners]

My neighborhood is pre-cul-de-sac  Nearly all the streets in it connect, and the ones that don't already have city right of way, or they terminate at streams (and if the citywants to connect them, it could).  I'm speaking of the part of Cotswold northwest of the shopping center (Woodlark, Heathwood, Aylesford, McAlway, Ting, Andover, Chelmsford, Audubon, Ferncliff, etc--they ALL have connectivity). Unlike South Park, there aren't large traffic arteries surrounding the center.  What you find instead is a 200-unit condo complex built in 1954, several office buildings, a 400,000 square foot retail center, and about 1,000 single family houses.

 

That said, you can say that I live in evil suburbia, but this site plan is a really poor attempt at redevelopment.  It's what always amazes me about developers: why put your best foot forward when you can always settle for the one you limp on?  I have no issue with new buildings or increased traffic or that it's a large grocery store--I live in a city, after all.  What I take issue with is the crappy site plan.  

Edited October 3, 2014 by Miesian Corners

[go_vertical]

Where can we find this site plan? I'm really curious to see what this is going to look like. Is it on the zoning petition link atlrvr posted? I'm not too keen on the inner workings of these things.

[Guest]

Where can we find this site plan? I'm really curious to see what this is going to look like. Is it on the zoning petition link atlrvr posted? I'm not too keen on the inner workings of these things.

yep. Just follow the link and click site plan.

[southslider]

I don't follow. It's the developer's rezoning application, right? The developer is proposing the median. I see no evidence that CDOT is insisting on anything, or opposing anything. It does not look like CDOT has commented on the application yet at all.

Developers will often have pre-submittal meetings with DOT. Plus, designers working on multiple projects often know what to expect from DOT from past experience.

[go_vertical]

yep. Just follow the link and click site plan.

 

Ahhh. Thank you.

[southslider]

The school definitely creates a jam. Children don't walk to school anymore. They take after their car-crazed parents.

[Bikeguy]

The school definitely creates a jam. Children don't walk to school anymore. They take after their car-crazed parents.

Actually Cotswold Elementary has a very active and large contingent of kids who walk and bike to school.