Seversville Projects and News

[kermit]

The greenway and park are absolutely fantastic on a nice spring day. A few notes on this rapidly changing neighborhood:

1) Blaze Brewing is moving along, but still a long way from opening. There is no glass in the windows, no landscaping etc. I could not get a peak inside, but I would guess they will be very lucky to open by mid-summer.

2) LOTS of people were out on the greenway, laying in the park, and picnicking. This park has done a great job of tying the neighborhood (including the apartments off Trift) together. It is a feature that Southend still lacks (the rail trail spreads people out more than bringing them together)

3) This vacant building had work underway. The parking lot was torn up and it looked like some different landscaping was being put in. Hard to tell their plans, but it did not appear they planned to work on the building.

4) No visible changes to the Mill or the trolly cars awaiting a refurb in the parking lot.

5) Extending the greenway to MLK park along the tracks seems like a no brainer. This is some seriously low hanging fruit that would both improve connectivity and increase use in both parks.

There is a TON of potential over here. . 

[jwntim]

I was on the greenway this past weekend as well and noticed the same things. I am trying to convince my gf that we should move near there but she thinks it might be unsafe. Anyone have any insight on how to change her mind?

[kermit]

5 minutes ago, jwintim said:

I was on the greenway this past weekend as well and noticed the same things. I am trying to convince my gf that we should move near there but she thinks it might be unsafe. Anyone have any insight on how to change her mind?

Not much to do now, but once Blue Blaze opens the 'general neighborhood vibe' is going to change very quickly.

[caterpillar2]

32 minutes ago, jwintim said:

I was on the greenway this past weekend as well and noticed the same things. I am trying to convince my gf that we should move near there but she thinks it might be unsafe. Anyone have any insight on how to change her mind?

I would recommend driving around the area at night and making up your mind based on that. There are lots of political correctness fanatics around so  I will reserve my personal opinion. Have a nice trip. Regardless, I think that someday the area might be safe. I went to elementary school at the old Seversville Elementary.

Edited April 25, 2016 by caterpillar2

[kermit]

political correctness fanatics or not, the market has spoken. There are several houses on State street (less than a block from Blaze) which have sold for more than $350,000 in the past year. When was the last time you were back in your former 'hood?

Visiting a neighborhood at night is sage advice for any home purchase.

Edited April 25, 2016 by kermit

[QClifer]

So I have actually been buying as many rentals in this area (Smallwood/ Biddleville) over the past year. There is plenty of demand for new homes in this area. The 2 new townhome communities announced (129+ units) will help get alot more people in the neighborhood. The more homeowners out walking dogs, working in the yard the better. I wouldnt say the area is safe at night currently but I feel comfortable during the day driving around talking to neighbors. There are alot of single women and young adults buying in these neighborhoods because of the prices and location. What neighborhoods can you buy a 2000sqft new construction home surrounding downtown for less than 400k? Dilworth? Cherry? Elizabeth? Midwood?  In my area, Roslyn/Trade they are starting to sell 400k+ new construction homes. You can still find some smaller for 300k. A year ago you could buy a home and tear it down for 40-50k, that same home will be 80-100k today.

I think the brewery will help get better renters as well as more homeowners in the neighborhood. The Gold line is what most people are waiting on and then the area will start to change like Villa Heights/Belmont/Noda. There is alot of construction in the area now and alot of older homeowners that will be moving on. 2-3 Years this area will see a drastic change IMO, I hope im right!!

[Bikeguy]

^ agree completely.  Extending the Stewart Creek Greenway upstream to Lakewood, Thomasboro, and ultimately to the Whitewater Center can only help.

 

[QClifer]

I wouldnt touch lakewood, thomasboro for 10+ years. Enderly park is the next to boom once wesley heights, seversville, smallwood/biddleville change more. 

[caterpillar2]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

political correctness fanatics or not, the market has spoken. There are several houses on State street (less than a block from Blaze) which have sold for more than $350,000 in the past year. When was the last time you were back in your former 'hood?

Visiting a neighborhood at night is sage advice for any home purchase.

I have only driven up my old streets in the area which included Grandin Road, Tuckaseegee Road,  and Rozzell's Ferry while heading some place else. My friend owns a bar on Tuckaseegee Road near States Street and I go there occasionally (once a year maybe). I am really glad to see that there are expensive homes n State Street as that whole area is so close in to town. Since the trolley will eventually head that way, it would be nice if someday it could be a safe destination for everyone that chooses to head that way after dark. I'm glad to see the changes that are occurring in Wesley Heights. My philosophy is that I wouldn't live in a place that my wife wouldn't be very safe walking home by herself at night. I don't think that part of Westside is there yet. Thing is, I am a walker and walk everywhere possible. Most people aren't and would not care about walkability as much as me. So my opinion is relative.

 

Edited April 25, 2016 by caterpillar2

[ah59396]

My political fanatic sister and her husband recently bought a house in Bryant Park and they freaking love it.  But again, she's a damn fanatic, so no telling what kind of crazy stuff shes cooking up.

[KJHburg]

whoa I had to go back a long time to find this thread.  But this is all Seversville construction projects and this area is booming.  I was just in this area about 6-7 months ago and wow has it changed even more.   (again sorry about the time date stamps) Lots of new infill homes and renovations and multiple townhome projects including the Shea homes project just starting.  Along State St, Bruns Ave, Tuckaseegee etc.   Thank goodness my friend was driving.  Some homeowners will have great skyline views unless blocked by another home or townhome. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I drove through Belmont neighborhood last week and had a conversation that could also be had in the Seversville area. When new homes and development come to a neighborhood that has numerous Habitat homes, (see above) is that a positive development?

I raised money and helped to build a Habitat home on Auten Street near Bruns Avenue School some years ago and the neighborhood was ripe for affordable homes. such as the one we built. There was another next door starting just as we finished. I drive by it every year or so to remember that time of my life. This is obviously no longer a promising Habitat neighborhood as development has overtaken affordable opportunity. Davidson Street and Julia Maulden Court in the near-town Davidson Street area also have quite a collection of Habitat built homes. Must we lose them? 

 

[KJHburg]

Dittos for me I worked on a Habitat home in Belmont many years ago and now apartments and 400K townhomes are being built.  Habitat keeps moving to other neighborhoods when the land prices increase. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I am sure you were grateful for the experience as was I. My question is that, must we lose these affordable homes? If we are simply trading Julia Maulden Court for Plato Price school grounds for Habitat homes then we are making no headway. Or do the deeds prohibit conversion or demolition in perpetuity. I doubt the deed prohibits anything in perpetuity.

Edited August 11, 2019 by tarhoosier

[JHart]

We aren't making any headway. That is not a problem that is unique to Charlotte, but happening in every major city across the US. You can't fight the growing trends of urbanization and people's desire to live close the city in a capitalistic society that now values these areas 10X what they did a few years ago. Homes in general are not a good use of space and the US is one of the only developed places in the world where even people well below the median and even poverty income levels still own single family homes. With our current systems of taxation and government here in Charlotte, Habitat homes are really more of a feel good project for the people building them than they are a solution to affordable homes. 

[KJHburg]

There are deed restrictions for 45 years on Habitat homes locally but not sure if this something new or done from the start.  https://www.habitatcharlotte.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Deed-Restrictions-wShared-Appreciation-Clause-DRAFT-of-section-I-edit.pdf

The real problem Habitat and any affordable housing projects is high and increasing land values.  That is why I think most of the vacant land the county and schools owns should be considered for affordable housing.      These townhomes I drove by in Seversville are 400-500K 

[SgtCampsalot]

18 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

I am sure you were grateful for the experience as was I. My question is that, must we lose these affordable homes? If we are simply trading Julia Maulden Court for Plato Price school grounds for Habitat homes then we are making no headway. Or do the deeds prohibit conversion or demolition in perpetuity. I doubt the deed prohibits anything in perpetuity.

I suppose it depends on how you look at it. Many would say that the existence of those homes helped individuals gain equity and then be able to sell it for a profit. Many others would say that how things are done are designed to disenfranchise those very homeowners because the environment that has been created is resulting in buyers who under pay and seek out the most vulnerable of those homeowners. It is one thing to sell a home that is being passed on to another person with intentions of living there and/or maintaining a long-term relationship with the building and the neighborhood. It is an entirely other thing for homes to be bought by developers or flippers 

Now the "developer" class has more variety to it (like people trying to build incrementally and contextually) while flippers are simply switching out a lower income homeowner for a higher income homeowner. No net improvement. 

This is all way more complicated than my two small paragraphs, but yeah.

[videtur quam contuor]

There is an agreement for the City to provide the property of the former Plato Price school to Habitat, plus the city provide funds for infrastructure and site preparation for 47 or so homes. This has been discussed for years and the city still has not moved forward so...?

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/habitat-charlotte-plans-to-build-47-single-family-homes-in-west-charlotte/873526812

This will require a major fund raising effort by Habitat. Working on a Habitat house is an investment toward our Urban Planet.

A search of county property records shows Habitat owns some properties scattered in lower income neighborhoods and the photos indicate they are the type of real estate that comes at very low  or no cost. Some are likely gifts, tax liens or foreclosure. The usual, in other words.

[QClifer]

Habitat will sell vacant lots of land if it has gotten more valuable and they can use the funds to work on multiple other projects. You can also get a deal from them if you catch them at the right time.  Some of the neighborhoods they have land in increase in value so fast 

[DCtransplant]

I've been living in the neighborhood for 3 years now, and the building - whether it be house flipping, new construction of homes, new constructions of townhomes, etc has been relentless. I think one of the questions that is interesting about the west side of town - especially Seversville, Biddleville, Smallwood specifically - is when will the food/bar/service/retail businesses follow?

The streetcar and demand for in-town housing has made these locations attractive for new residents and residential building is booming, but the commercial side is essentially unchanged during this same period of time. If you look at W. Trade street from 77 on to past Five Points there hasn't been a single new consumer-facing business in the last 3 years that I can name.

[tozmervo]

50 minutes ago, DCtransplant said:

I've been living in the neighborhood for 3 years now, and the building - whether it be house flipping, new construction of homes, new constructions of townhomes, etc has been relentless. I think one of the questions that is interesting about the west side of town - especially Seversville, Biddleville, Smallwood specifically - is when will the food/bar/service/retail businesses follow?

The streetcar and demand for in-town housing has made these locations attractive for new residents and residential building is booming, but the commercial side is essentially unchanged during this same period of time. If you look at W. Trade street from 77 on to past Five Points there hasn't been a single new consumer-facing business in the last 3 years that I can name.

now now, you got a brand new renovated Bojangles. 

I think the streetcar construction has Trade so bound up that any activity won't happen until close to the streetcar finishing up. IIRC, there's a phase II of Mosaic village that could potentially start up, too, and help kick things off. There had also been discussion of JC Smith removing the fence from around their campus to help the area feel a little more inviting. 

I also think Savona Mill is the best opportunity in the near future, too, to help spur commercial development. There aren't many buildings like that left in the city  ready to be redeveloped. 

[kermit]

Toucan Louie's?

[QClifer]

There are plans for the white service station on rozzelles ferry about 3 buildings down from trade.  I can tell you that you won’t see any movement with it till the streetcar is open. There will be another 100-200households within a 6 block radius I’d bet by then.  

Blows my mind where that area has come in the last 3-4 years.  

[kermit]

The CBJ has a story on the Lakewood Trolley (its not technically a trolley but....) https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/29/historic-trolley-connecting-charlottes-uptown-west.html

Nothing super new or solid but the highlights are:

• From Savona Mill to "Third Ward near Bank of America Stadium" (it will not cross Cedar)
• Car 85 has been inspected and approved to run on the tracks and "another car is expected to be acquired within the next month"
• The hold up in starting service is "repairing portions of the track" and getting a generator (route will not be wired) (no funding for track work has been committed yet)
• Once funding for trackwork has been identified service could begin "as early as next year"

The service will certainly just be entertainment variety (probably just on weekends) and super slow (less than 10mph). But it could  make people see that full transit service on that route could be worthwhile (just as the Charlotte trolley through Southend in the late 90s helped make LRT happen)

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2019 by kermit

[southslider]

If Silver Line is already mapped by Gateway, the Lakewood line would be a much better route than Wilkinson for in-town areas. It could still reach the Airport via 85, since CLT plans to build its own last-mile people-mover anyhow.