Cotswold Area Projects

[jednc]

5 hours ago, Spartan said:

 

Any place outside of uptown where you feel like it would be easier to drive to than walk/bike to is the suburbs as far as I'm concerned. Birkdale is a pocket of urban-style walkability in the suburbs. Cotswold is not walkable.

Fair enough. But, if I lived in Cotswold, assuming I'm close enough to walk to the shopping center, then I have lots of options. On top of that, I could walk to KK and the Pizza Peel as well as a Chinese place I think. I could also walk down Sharon Amity to Chipotle and several other restaurants. I'm sure Banks and dry cleaners and maybe some medical offices are contained within that area. That would be pretty walkable to me.

[Spartan]

19 hours ago, jednc said:

Fair enough. But, if I lived in Cotswold, assuming I'm close enough to walk to the shopping center, then I have lots of options. On top of that, I could walk to KK and the Pizza Peel as well as a Chinese place I think. I could also walk down Sharon Amity to Chipotle and several other restaurants. I'm sure Banks and dry cleaners and maybe some medical offices are contained within that area. That would be pretty walkable to me.

True. I did not mean to imply that you can't walk in Cotswold. It's certainly possible from an infrastructure standpoint - but it's not in terms of how the area is built. Everything is low density and the buildings are spread out and oriented towards parking lots.

[jednc]

5 hours ago, Spartan said:

True. I did not mean to imply that you can't walk in Cotswold. It's certainly possible from an infrastructure standpoint - but it's not in terms of how the area is built. Everything is low density and the buildings are spread out and oriented towards parking lots.

Yes. You are right about that.

[KJHburg]

Had to pick up a few dozen donuts so I was near the new Publix on Randolph. They are tilt walling this up too. You can see the 2 levels of underground parking from the back side. Sorry the front of the store photo was a drive by.

[KickinChicken23]

I saw the Publix progress this weekend too, those are good shots of where it stands at the moment.  The thing that hit me is how big this project is compared to the surrounding. Aside from the Sonic office, everything else in this area between Colwick and Randolph is currently one story or dirt waiting to be developed. Hoping this is going to drive additional development on that side of Randolph to at least some 2 story growth(a La Sharon Corners over in South Park). Where Shun Lee and Domino's currently sit seem ripe to go next. That type of set up would be great for adding better options for businesses to fill in this area up top and some additional retail or restaurants below. It may all be dependent on how they rework the traffic flow over here, but there should be a significant amount of folks like me who hope to never cross Randolph again for Groceries or a beer. 

[CLT2014]

Cotswold Elementary is going to combine with Billingsville Elementary (Grier Heights) if the superintendent's plan is approved by the board. Will there be pitch forks? They are doing a split concept. The boundaries for the two schools merge and students do K-2 at the Billingsville site and 3-5 at the Cotswold site. 

Dilworth Elementary is also merging with Sedgefield Elementary in the same concept, and also moves from Graham Middle to Sedgefield Middle. 

Madison Park got its longtime goal of moving to Graham Middle and Myers Park High (property values will likely appreciate even more here). If you bought in here a few years ago you are probably making a killing. 

http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/sites/agenda/Lists/Agenda Items/Attachments/4432/SAR Phase II Recommendations 4.25.17.pdf

Edited April 26, 2017 by CLT2014

[InSouthPark]

^^ I can see a lot of the magnet kids pulling out and heading back to their home school.  My daughter was a former Cotswold magnet student and I would think long and hard about continuing after the merger. The student test scores at Billingville Elementary are some of the worst in the state. 

[caterpillar2]

1 hour ago, InSouthPark said:

^^ I can see a lot of the magnet kids pulling out and heading back to their home school.  My daughter was a former Cotswold magnet student and I would think long and hard about continuing after the merger. The student test scores at Billingville Elementary are some of the worst in the state. 

It is all about equal opportunity. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to be forced to attend a failing school. So what if the kids get taught nothing, they are diversifying and that is what it is all about according to the school board. 

[archiham04]

This is a great move.  Billingsville Kids are being held back by the impact of concentrated poverty on their classroom.  Mixing high performing kids into that school will lift all boats.  This happened in Plaza Midwood.  My daughter is a high performing student at a high poverty school there.  She is with high energy teachers that are excited to make a difference for students that truly need it.  I think that the instruction she is getting is superior to almost any other option in Charlotte.

Edited April 26, 2017 by archiham04

[nowensone]

Undecided if the above is sarcasm.  Your daughter is actually benefiting from standing out at an otherwise poor school (poverty statistically accompanies poorer performance), the high energy teachers is great though something I am not accustomed to, or is that the sarcasm?  Regarding poverty though, do those who pay more property tax (the non-impoverished) deserve a better school?  Pay for a better school may be a better way to state.

PC: The above is asked academically, personally I am in favor of utter "socialism" when it comes to educating our nation's children, to put the "academic" into perspective.

[Matthew.Brendan]

Some children deserve a better education because their parents pay higher property tax? Really?

[archiham04]

There is no sarcasm in my statement above.  I was interjecting an opposing view to the (hopefully) uninformed previous opinions. I was attempting to be succinct to in order avoid derailing this topic into a coffeehouse debate over class-ism and most likely race.

[KickinChicken23]

18 hours ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Some children deserve a better education because their parents pay higher property tax? Really?

Topic Derailed, hopefully back to discussion.

I know I wouldn't like to see my children attend a poorly rated school when I paid in large part to buy and live in the Cotswold Elementary, AG, Myers Park district. Maybe this type of change will make the Billingsville school inherit teachers from Cotswold. Or would they choose not to teach there based on new demographics in their classes? We shall see if it is approved. 

How about that new Publix!

[KJHburg]

Drove by the Publix today on Randolph sorry for the drive by and I drove by the hot donut sign at Krispy Kreme too (should have stopped there). 

[KJHburg]

View of new Publix today from almost the same spot as my May photo. 

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

View of new Publix today from almost the same spot as my May photo. 

good lord thats close to the sidewalk.

[Matthew.Brendan]

"Street fronting retail" 

[atlrvr]

^^^ Think there really is non-Publix small shop space fronting Randolph.

[KJHburg]

There is as I remember it 1-2 small retail shops but it is close to the street. 

[tarhoosier]

Customers of the shop(s) will access it from the underground carpark or from inside Publix. I see no one walking on that sidewalk just to go in a door to a shop.

On another note, when Publix opened on South Blvd. I parked in the underground area and as I walked toward the elevator foyer I wondered if there were a fire of car explosion or some emergency what I should do to make my escape safely. A fire at the entry will block escape. At the elevator it said in case of fire use stairs. Um, OK, where are they? No arrow, no nothing. I wandered around and on the far corner of the parking level is a door which leads to stairs to the street. No marking, no emergency exit sign. At least one of us down there will know where to go.

Edited August 2, 2017 by tarhoosier

[Third Strike]

4 hours ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

good lord thats close to the sidewalk.

Would there still be enough room for a potential expansion of Randolph for bike lanes? I'm surprised that the setback for that Publix is that close to the road.

[Miesian Corners]

At the North Beach (Miami) Publix, the lower level (like the one that the Randolph store will have) was a liquor store. Although I know it won't happen here, it's a great idea. I'm still miffed at the stupidity of Harris Teeter for caving to "concerned citizens" when it and Mecklenburg ABC agreed to co-locate at its rebuild down at the Arboretum. 

[KJHburg]

In the area couple photos today  from back to front of the new Cotswold Publix.    Strange orbs in the photos of the new store. My dad worked in the office building there back in the 1960s but don't think he would haunt 4425 Randolph LOL 

Edited September 28, 2017 by KJHburg

[Miesian Corners]

Anyone have an idea why it is taking so long to build Publix? The building has been under construction since January and still doesn't have windows.  In fact, it looks almost identical today as it did in the photo above, which was taken in September. At this point, I don't see how it could be open until March or April. The interior is still a shell.

[KickinChicken23]

Couldn't agree more. It has hardly moved for the last 2 months. Its definitely going to be in 2018, I bet summer!