Plaza-Shamrock - Corner of PM and NoDa

[tozmervo]

I'm fairly certain they're adding poles for a light at Brevard and Parkwood as we speak.

[archiham04]

goodbye magic carpet.

[archiham04]

 

this is where Parkwood changes to Plaza... and it looks like this today:

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2330601,-80.8075096,3a,31.5y,200.7h,87.72t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sKqnqv4cE_Kzkqn1ZcmlPKg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DKqnqv4cE_Kzkqn1ZcmlPKg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D179.45143%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

Edited June 16, 2016 by archiham04

[SgtCampsalot]

Looks better today.

Edit: Just kidding.

Edited June 17, 2016 by SgtCampsalot

[SgtCampsalot]

15 hours ago, archiham04 said:

 

this is where Parkwood changes to Plaza... 

Where did you find that? The Charlotte Historical Commission website? Are there more?

[IrishCLT]

Does anyone know the story of this building at 1500 Shamrock?  There never seems to be any activity (people coming or going) or upkeep to the building.

The surrounding area is all zoned residential but it feels like it could be a cool spot for a NoDa Bodega-esqe type operation.

[tozmervo]

I see that building and wonder about it every time I go to Letty's. Ergo, you're making me hungry for Letty's

[Spartan]

On 6/15/2016 at 2:47 PM, SgtCampsalot said:

Yes.
The NECI project on the first portion of Parkwood Ave is retro-fitting the existing 4 lanes by adding left turn lanes, and widening sidewalks, including that multi-use path. But literally every single meeting I attended made the assumption that they were keeping the 2 GP lanes each way. The problem with the rest of Parkwood/Plaza is that there is no more room for widening. This first portion makes sense- it also feeds to Brevard St and N Davidson St, but for the rest, the status quo won't work.

Yes, Parkwood/Plaza is an auto-corridor heavily used by commuters (what street isn't?), though it's dead the rest of the day, but it also does not go into other counties or states like the other two corridors that are being looked at in the same study as the Parkwood/Plaza study (South Blvd, S Tryon St). It goes to WT Harris, and continues as a minor road until ending at Rocky River Rd, with a dozen or so subdivisions along the way.

The crazy thing is there are plenty of people in the neighborhoods along Parkwood/Plaza that I've spoken to that are very opposed to anything that might affect rush hour traffic, when they're the ones that would benefit the most from a pared down re-design. There are plenty of ways to not hurt "traffic flow" while slowing down cars. Getting rid of some traffic lights and narrowing the lanes would help.
 

This is all correct. Two lanes are needed in each direction to handle rush hour traffic - if you've ever been there at rush hour then you'd have to agree. To convert the street in any way that reduces capacity for cars will be a bold move by the City. There's no question that it would be a negative impact to drivers... but the trade off is that the area will be 1000000% times better for bikes, pedestrians, transit users, and home values.

[archiham04]

1 hour ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Where did you find that? The Charlotte Historical Commission website? Are there more?

I don't know exactly where the image is. I saw it years ago, googled and pulled the url to post.  When I click on the address it puts me on  http://cmstory.org/ so it is probably buried in there somewhere.

 

19 minutes ago, IrishCLT said:

Does anyone know the story of this building at 1500 Shamrock?  There never seems to be any activity (people coming or going) or upkeep to the building.

The surrounding area is all zoned residential but it feels like it could be a cool spot for a NoDa Bodega-esqe type operation.

I don't know the current story, but Shamrock is a really OLD road.  The commercial remnants along it are vestiges of a rural community circa late 1800s.

[IrishCLT]

On 6/17/2016 at 9:59 AM, IrishCLT said:

Does anyone know the story of this building at 1500 Shamrock?  There never seems to be any activity (people coming or going) or upkeep to the building.

The surrounding area is all zoned residential but it feels like it could be a cool spot for a NoDa Bodega-esqe type operation.

Update: Both the property on Shamrock and the adjacent property on Beckwith were sold on 8/10 to the same buyer/company.  Not much noise until yesterday when the doors were open and things were finally being cleared out.

Anyone have any info on the plans for this?

[Matthew.Brendan]

Yes! Come on coffeeshop coffeshop coffeshop!

[Guest]

I looked at this area but there aren't many empty lots, and what few of them are priced as much as in the neighborhood Belmont. Oh vey.

[Matthew.Brendan]

That whole crescent of land right on the curve of Shamrock could be developed.... would love to see something unique. 

[nashbill]

I am staying at a friends house near the intersection of Shamrock and Eastway.  It's about 850 sq ft house on a nice size lot.  He bought it for around $80,000.  I would say it is a little bit of a sketchy area.  My first night here the police arrived about 5 minutes after I arrived.  Helicopters with spot lights shining down looking for some one involved in a shooting.  But the march of people moving further out because housing in PM and Elizabeth is incredibly expensive.  Houses are being flipped here or the property is purchased and the little houses are torn down and $300,000 to $400,000 houses built and occupied.  It's quite jarring to go house hunting in this area.  I was looking at a small house and the realtor pointed out the house being built next door would sell for $400,000 easily.  It was so large there was hardly any yard to it at all.  I guess that's a good thing, but affordability keeps pushing people further and further out.  I want a small house with a yard for my retirement.  I am beginning to think coming back to Charlotte was a mistake.  I hate HOA controlled subdivisions and do not want a condo.  I thought this would be easy and I would be moved in by now.  I am finding this a little depressing.

[SgtCampsalot]

25 minutes ago, nashbill said:

I was looking at a small house and the realtor pointed out the house being built next door would sell for $400,000 easily.  It was so large there was hardly any yard to it at all.  I guess that's a good thing

It's morally reprehensible. 

Not the people moving in; the people building/selling them.

[deleted]

Selling tainted baby formula is morally reprehensible.  Selling big houses on small lots is unfortunate and the fault of the city for having insufficient zoning/building codes.  I generally agree with your sentiment, however.

A lot of us wish we had bought in PM 12 years ago (instead of stinking Weddington)...

[Matthew.Brendan]

I live in Eastwood Acres (behind Lang Van) and love my little 750 sqft house! Great back yard with great neighbors on both sides.

[nashbill]

Matthew, good for you.  I wasn't sure, but the house I'm staying in is also in Eastwood Acres.  The neighbors here are nice enough.  I think this must have been a really horrible area at one time.  My friends house has 4 cameras and reinforced metal plates on the door frames.  The HVAC unit is chained down with 4 locks on it.  This came with the house. He must have been very paranoid. I love Lang Van.  When I lived here 13 years ago it was really good.  Haven't been there yet.

Also lived in both Elizabeth and Plaza Midwood for a number of years before being transferred away.  Wish I would have kept one of those and rented it.

Edited January 7, 2017 by nashbill

[SgtCampsalot]

16 hours ago, JBS said:

Selling tainted baby formula is morally reprehensible.  Selling big houses on small lots is unfortunate and the fault of the city for having insufficient zoning/building codes.  I generally agree with your sentiment, however.

Correct... It's a valid distinction to make. The concern I see that I wish builders would consider is the external effects they are having, effectively playing God with the community they are building in, that many individuals I've met do not consider relevant or important. The several builders I've met seem to see themselves at Free Market Champions.

I love Plaza-Shamrock. So many nice little brick houses with inherent character, despite whatever condition some may be in. Post-WWII areas have their own charm.

Edited January 7, 2017 by SgtCampsalot

[archiham04]

http://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/ShamrockDriveStreetUpgrade.aspx   Found this online today... looks to have been updated very recently.

[Third Strike]

3 hours ago, archiham04 said:

http://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/ShamrockDriveStreetUpgrade.aspx   Found this online today... looks to have been updated very recently.

Any plans for a road diet on Shamrock from Eastway to Sharon Amity? Seems like a no-brainer since it will be a missing link between the bike lanes planned for Shamrock west of the Eastway intersection, the Eastway/Shamrock intersection redesign, and the bike lanes on Hickory Grove/Pence Road. It'll give cyclist a direct shot to and from East Charlotte.

[Spartan]

^No immediate plans, though if I recall correctly it was discussed as part of the Central/Albemarle/Shamrock CNIP. 

[rjp212]

Noticed the old commercial buildings on Shamrock have a new sign.  Seems the complex is now called "The Creek at Shamrock".  Anybody have further details on that?  Would be nice to see a bit of redevelopment of that corridor.  

[nashbill]

I finally found and bought a house.  It is on Shamrock on the Country Club Acres side of the street.  Shamrock turns into a 2 lane road after Eastway.  I really like the house.  It has been flipped and they did a pretty nice job.  I am on the edge of Country Club Acres and I like the street grid and connectivity of the area.  That is pretty rare here.  Nice for evening walks.  There is no street parking and no side walk on my side of Shamrock.  I think adding sidewalks would make this an even better area.  There is a bus stop right in front of my house that is used quite a bit.  Kind of reminds me of where I grew up.

Got a letter from the city.  They are getting ready to redo the Shamrock, Eastway, Frontenac intersection.  It won't affect my house, but I am close enough that I will see surveyors in the area.  Does this mean they are studying the intersection to make a plan or they are ready to start working on it.  

[kermit]

^ congrats on the house, I think you will do very well there.