Cabarrus/Rowan Developments

[nicholas]

14 minutes ago, JacksonH said:

IMO, Kannapolis is the oddest city in N.C.  Huge swaths of the city are tiny wood frame houses on disproportionately huge lots.  Much of the "city" feels very rural.  Then you get to the heart of the city -- downtown and the research campus -- and it seems so disconnected from the residents of Kannapolis, separated by grassy fields or huge parking lots.  It's sort of like a moat  separating the peasants in their modest homes from the royalty in those big palatial buildings on the research campus.   Those buildings on that huge acreage are gorgeous but seem out of place.  Then there's downtown, which has a fake Disneyland feel.  The buildings, like at a Disney theme park, all meticulously match one another.   They all are built in a Williamsburg style, yet 200 years younger than Williamsburg.  And also like Disneyland, those great big parking lots in front  of downtown remind me of the parking lots in front of the entrance of a theme park.  Park here then enter Magic Kingdom AKA Downtown Kannapolis.

I know there are big plans for this city, but much work needs to be done to make it feel integrated, cohesive, connected and vibrant.

It kind of is the oddest city in NC.  Kannapolis wasn't incorporated until 1984, and when Cannon Mills complex was knocked down in 2006 it left a massive bare spot in the middle of the city.  The downtown buildings were jointly renovated numerous times to give everything a cohesive look (which hasn't worked out that well imo).  As noted on the last past, a lot of the homes were inhabited by mill workers and thus surround the loop around downtown (which used to be occupied by the mill).  If/when the Research Campus gets fully built out, and as more downtown living is added, you'll see the vacant lots get filled in pretty quickly, and everything will look more to scale.

Salisbury is probably the second oddest city in the state given that it was basically in a coma for most of the 20th century.

Edited February 10, 2021 by nicholas

[KJHburg]

Kannapolis downtown was owned by Cannon family the mill and the Williamsburg downtown.  When the huge mill was removed it left a huge whole in the downtown.  However it is coming back and I said it before this is the downtown to watch.  New for sale townhomes going up on south end of downtown, the Vida apartments opening, now these Stadium Lofts.  It will take a while for all the land to be developed but the residents of Kannapolis feel a GREAT sense of pride in their downtown.  They come down for festivals, to walk around on the downtown loop, to the businesses, and when the games were cancelled at their new stadium they came just to sit in the new stadium and buy food from the vendors inside the stadium on the weekends.  

Infill housing is being built everywhere in Kannapolis as the lot prices are so much less than Charlotte.  Kannapolis in my book has never so good.  Sure it does seem a little chaotic as it is did not even have zoning in the city until it incorporated in 1984.    No other town or city in this state cleared some much away in terms of its size as Kannapolis did when it get rid of the old mill.    Go up on a sunny Saturday and look at the people mulling around their downtown has connected the otherwise chaotic layout of the city.  

[allthingsplanes]

7 hours ago, rancenc said:

Let's see what future promise holds for this property at Rocky River Road and Robinson Church Road in Harrisburg

https://independenttribune.com/news/crime/harrisburg-accepts-506-000-bid-for-old-fire-station/article_9c0156c8-6b63-11eb-bb3c-bf87bfcfde83.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

Any idea what types of properties this group does?

[videtur quam contuor]

 

The man who owned this (man, not company nor corporation)

Owned hundreds of these

The largest, most populated unincorporated location in the U. S.  No rights, no elections, no recourse. Lose work for any reason such as byssinosis (brown lung) from breathing lint and cotton dust, TB, anything, any reason at all and out you go. In my lifetime, and that of others here for certain.

The emptiness you see today physically was also emptiness of soul in his time. 

I remember.

 

Edited February 10, 2021 by tarhoosier

[rancenc]

The historic Gem Theater in downtown Kannapolis is beginning a renovation and upgrade project.

https://independenttribune.com/news/local/city-of-kannapolis-begins-renovation-of-gem-theatre/article_eaba007e-6bdd-11eb-bfc5-53cffa0f0663.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

Salisbury's new downtown park is nearing completion.

https://salisburypost.com/2021/02/11/construction-of-bell-tower-green-park-nears-home-stretch/

 

[rancenc]

Concord's airport gaining another destination in May.

https://www.bradenton.com/news/business/tourism/article249117495.html

[rancenc]

Kannapolis's new stadium finally is opening to the baseball public!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/02/18/first-pitch-kannapolis-cannon-ballers-set-may/

[rancenc]

New mid rise apartment complex has commence with construction in downtown Concord.

https://www.concordnc.gov/Revitalization

 

[JacksonH]

16 hours ago, rancenc said:

New mid rise apartment complex has commence with construction in downtown Concord.

https://www.concordnc.gov/Revitalization

 

This is the kind od development I like to see.  Downtown Concord already has a lot of charm and activity.  Add density and more souls dwelling there and you have a vibrant district as opposed to another boring suburb destroying wildlife habitats.  It would  be great if the Blue Line could be extended there.  I'd love to see similar development in Downtown Gastonia with the Silver Line extended there.  I know, I dream.

[nicholas]

21 hours ago, JacksonH said:

This is the kind od development I like to see.  Downtown Concord already has a lot of charm and activity.  Add density and more souls dwelling there and you have a vibrant district as opposed to another boring suburb destroying wildlife habitats.  It would  be great if the Blue Line could be extended there.  I'd love to see similar development in Downtown Gastonia with the Silver Line extended there.  I know, I dream.

Still a lot of space to grow!  There's still a lot of surface parking on the lot bounded by Union, Cabarrus, Church, and Means, plus the block on the other side of Church St is almost entirely parking or low-density uses.

I think a better way to connect everything by rail would be to build a commuter rail station along University City Blvd near Mallard Creek Ch Rd, and extend the Blue Line to it from its current terminus at UNCC.  This way the Blue Line can hit all of the stops between uptown and UNCC, and the commuter rail can offer commuters quick access from uptown to Harrisburg, Concord, Kannapolis, and hopefully Salisbury with minimal additional stops, but also allow commuters coming from those areas to transfer to the Blue Line near UNCC if they are just going to the University City area or NoDa.  Similarly, I think commuter rail should be extended from uptown to Belmont and Gastonia, and have the Silver Line connect to it somewhere near the airport, to allow for a similar dynamic on the west side of Charlotte.

[rancenc]

The past, present, and future comes together in downtown Concord!!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/03/04/cabarrus-center-innovation-entrepreneurship-opens/

[DMann]

Reminds me of a joke:  The past, present, and future all walked into a bar...........it was tense!

[rancenc]

Kannapolis is experiencing a lot of new residential growth!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/03/05/city-kannapolis-expects-growth-trend-continue/

[KJHburg]

downtown Concord new development and 2 webcams too.

Revitalization (concordnc.gov)

[rancenc]

More infill housing coming to Harrisburg...every little bit helps in terms of building up density.

https://independenttribune.com/news/local/more-housing-heads-to-harrisburg-council-votes-next-month/article_a14c66a6-8100-11eb-80b9-63aa53ef56ab.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

[SydneyCarton]

Concord should really be developed a lot more.  I never knew until I started going to Great Wolf Lodge what a huge attraction that place is for all of NC, parts on TN, and SC.  Many People travel from a 250 mile radius to get there.  It would be nice for the Charlotte metro and the state, as a whole, if more attractions are built there (beyond Great Wolf and the Mills).  It could become like a mini-Orlando.

When I lived in Charlotte, I took my kids to Rays Splash Planet and never went to GW.  However, when we moved to Ch Hill, we started going to GW.  It's fantastic.

Edited March 10, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[rancenc]

Two new apartment complexes planned for Salisbury.

https://salisburypost.com/2021/03/10/apartment-complexes-would-bring-more-than-150-additional-units-to-salisbury/

[nicholas]

Not really an economic development, but still interesting.  I have to be in Charlotte for something the following day so I might check this out.

"[UNC] Charlotte baseball will play App. State at the new Atrium Health Ballpark in downtown Kannapolis on Tuesday, March 23rd as the first official baseball game to be played in the new facility. The will be the second time the 49ers have had the honor of christening a new stadium doing so when BB&T Ballpark, now Truist Field in Uptown, hosted the first-ever game back in 2015."

https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2021/3/10/baseball-to-play-first-ever-game-at-new-atrium-health-ballpark-in-kannapolis.aspx?elinkdata=@ELINKDATA@&utm_medium=sidearm-email&utm_source=charlotte49ers.com&utm_campaign=Baseball+to+Play+First-Ever+Game+at+New+Atrium+Health+Ballpark+in+Kannapolis&utm_content=d597d50d-d64c-4063-a2bf-30a4edd2e290

Edited March 10, 2021 by nicholas

[rancenc]

New dining options coming to the Gibson Mill in Concord.

https://independenttribune.com/news/local/gibson-mill-food-hall-and-market-announces-first-five-tenants/article_15ae4348-81c4-11eb-8a03-1f5bbd02ecfb.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

[KJHburg]

Cell phone photos of downtown Kannapolis today.  This new and improved downtown is a source of pride for the city.  Saw lots of people walking old to young millenials to kids and babies.  The Sabor was packed.  The Armory brewery was crowded too.  The stadium was open for concessions and people were hanging out there.   With the new apartments getting closer to opening this will be really be even busier soon.  Lots of independent businesses like a bakery, a barber, a salon, new restaurants coming, a bike shop etc.   Man putting on a putting green.  Kids running through a fountain.  Dog walkers.  Walking distance to Amtrak station.   Even Dr. Seuss is not cancelled here. 

Edited March 14, 2021 by KJHburg

[rancenc]

Changes coming to the streets of downtown Salisbury!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/03/17/major-changes-coming-top-downtown-salisbury-city-council-approves-main-street-plan/?fbclid=IwAR1ydRmdaQjGbhNtfekErn-Bc2pweGMxc_uBLGv2tZHvB0Re-D7gfrs4q54

[nicholas]

3 hours ago, rancenc said:

Changes coming to the streets of downtown Salisbury!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/03/17/major-changes-coming-top-downtown-salisbury-city-council-approves-main-street-plan/?fbclid=IwAR1ydRmdaQjGbhNtfekErn-Bc2pweGMxc_uBLGv2tZHvB0Re-D7gfrs4q54

This is going to be a massive improvement.  Four lanes + angled street parking on both sides means Main St is currently absurdly wide, and at least when I've driven through there, traffic has been very light.  I think if commuter rail is ever established up to Salisbury, its future is very bright.

[rancenc]

Huge development in the works for the city of Kannapolis!

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2021/03/15/mpv-properties-mill-creek-crossing-kannapolis.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_23&cx_artPos=3#cxrecs_s

[rancenc]

Housing market in Salisbury/Rowan seems to be doing very well at this time!

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/03/20/rowan-edc-report-rowan-countys-housing-market-is-booming/?fbclid=IwAR1JIsbf5wUNJLKFA5hU-STijzm9vpwccmZLzBWzVY7DounjdNc5y9ma5Qw

[Windsurfer]

On 3/18/2021 at 4:32 AM, rancenc said:

Huge development in the works for the city of Kannapolis!

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2021/03/15/mpv-properties-mill-creek-crossing-kannapolis.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_23&cx_artPos=3#cxrecs_s

And another track of green gone.  Seriously,  when will we really consider the health of the planet instead of some old tired and not-proven model of cheap growth for growth's sake? I've been trying to conserve my 50 acres not far from there. I have on my land some pretty rare natural grass,  over 30 different hardwoods, and some pretty interesting softwoods like Virginia pine, not to mention some darters in my creek. But,  we cheer on all the bulldozing nearby.  Is this urban planet, or urban sprawl ?  Sorry, it's happy hour where I am and this new, and yet not-so-new news depresses me.  I just can't get excited with the news.