Wilmore

[kermit]

Original Wilmore thread was archived....

This Mint st reclamation (at Park)  isn’t new but I wanted to take a photo of it. IMO Its representative of Mint becoming one of Charlotte’s better pedestrian streets. Its nice to see the influence of Southend spread beyond its narrow core.

Edited April 29, 2020 by kermit

[ertley]

17 hours ago, kermit said:

Original Wilmore thread was archived....

This Mint st reclamation isn’t new but I wanted to take a photo of it and it is representative of Mint becoming on of Charlotte’s better pedestrian streets.

I have long thought Mint has the potential to be South Tryon's equal, in being a premier street through the South End (or Gold District). It has just enough good old buildings sporadically throughout its commercial stretch, not the least of which is the Boone Oakley building at the corner of Summit, that if preserved and complemented with good new development will make a streetscape and neighborhood worthy of any city. I just hope those extant pieces aren't ruined or beotchized.

(It was my secret hope the city would've extended Mint across its current terminus at Woodcrest and incorporated an extension with the redevelopment of the Tremont Music Hall property, at least extending it to Tremont, or even crossing it and tying its terminus to South Tryon, so it could've become a more significant city street. I know Wilmore residents wouldn't have liked it, but I think it would've contributed to the Gold District's rise and parity with surrounding areas... but it was just a fantasy.)  

Regardless, I have big hopes for the Mint corridor. 

Edited April 29, 2020 by ertley

[wilmore]

We like that! 

Hoping post-COVID more stuff continues to move in on Mint. 

[jjwilli]

5 hours ago, ertley said:

(It was my secret hope the city would've extended Mint across its current terminus at Woodcrest and incorporated an extension with the redevelopment of the Tremont Music Hall property, at least extending it to Tremont, or even crossing it and tying its terminus to South Tryon, so it could've become a more significant city street. I know Wilmore residents wouldn't have liked it, but I think it would've contributed to the Gold District's rise and parity with surrounding areas... but it was just a fantasy.)  

The 1951 Sanborn Maps show that connection to Tremont. Unfortunately that side of the neighborhood already has a good bit of traffic with people cutting through to get to 77 South off of Remount so I am not sure it would have changed much for the neighborhood.

Definitely excited for the changes coming to Mint St. Looks like the building permits for the adaptive reuse of the Gainey repair shop buildings (and the ones next door) have been approved so work should begin on those shortly.  It's been covered before but more info here: https://www.latpurser.com/listings/1515-s-mint-st/ . The Wilmore Historic District certainly helps promote the adaptive reuse of these buildings (see Kask on Summit ) instead of the wrecking ball treatment.

 

[QCxpat]

Today's CBJ - "British electric company Arrival to open U.S. corporate office in Charlotte" by Ashley Fahey

"A British electric vehicle company has apparently zeroed in on Charlotte for a new corporate office.  Arrival is expected to lease about 45,000 square feet at the Three30Five project on South Tryon Street in South End, according to commercial real estate sources. The office will likely serve as a North American headquarters site for the London-based company.  Three30Five, developed by Ram Realty Advisors, is at 2001 S. Tryon St., between Doggett Street and Tremont Avenue in the Wilmore neighborhood.  If finalized, Arrival would occupy all of the office space at the building, which finished construction earlier this year."  ... "It wasn't initially clear how many jobs would come with the new office or whether incentives are tied to the deal. The planned office size suggests 200-plus jobs could be accommodated, although norms around square feet per employee in workspaces have been disrupted because of the Covid-19 pandemic."  ...  "Last week, Arrival said it would open a $46 million microfactory — the first in the United States — in Rock Hill, which is expected to create 240 jobs.  In York County, Arrival will occupy a 193,750-square-foot warehouse at Legacy Park East.  There, Arrival will produce electric buses.  Though only five years old, Arrival has made a splash in the electric vehicle sector.  The company recently raised $118 million from funds managed by BlackRock Inc., bringing Arrival's valuation to about $3.5 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.  Other Arrival backers include Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc."

Images of Three30Five Project at  2001 S. Tryon Street

Link:  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/10/19/arrival-corporate-office-charlotte.html?

Edited October 19, 2020 by QCxpat

[kermit]

^ Its a very interesting new tenant for Southend. In past years a sales office like this would have for sure picked an airport adjacent Billy Graham / Arrowoodish location. This is doubly true in this case since they have manufacturing in York Co.

[t_money]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

^ Its a very interesting new tenant for Southend. In past years a sales office like this would have for sure picked an airport adjacent Billy Graham / Arrowoodish location. This is doubly true in this case since they have manufacturing in York Co.

More than a sales office. N.A. headquarters!

[kermit]

Toomey Ave gentrification has begun. 325 residential units and 61,000 sq ft of commercial space.

2213 Toomey ave assemblage

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/11/11/abacus-capital-plans-mixed-use-project-in-wilmore.html

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by kermit

[jjwilli]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

Toomey Ave gentrification has begun. 325 residential units and 61,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Here is the proposed site plan from Accela. General thoughts: Lots of surface parking and I will miss driving past the old funny car dragsters currently stored on this lot.

[t_money]

that parking lot should get its own zipcode

Why even bother with 4 townhouses?

[RANYC]

At least parking on interior of development while building and streetscape are framed by structures.  This will be a marked improvement over what's there now, including the convenience store constantly littered with trash.  Now if only we could get some resolution on the hideous Brookhill project.

[ertley]

18 hours ago, RANYC said:

At least parking on interior of development while building and streetscape are framed by structures.  This will be a marked improvement over what's there now, including the convenience store constantly littered with trash.  Now if only we could get some resolution on the hideous Brookhill project.

I don't want to pour salt in your coffee, @RANYC, but it looks to me like the owners of the convenience store haven't sold: This (preliminary) site plan doesn't include the actual Toomey and Tremont corner--and I checked on Polaris, and it's still independently owned. It'll be an interesting juxtaposition for a while.  

But, I agree with you that this development is going to provide a better streetscape for the western end of Tremont. And yeah, I also agree, who cares if the interior of the parcel--the other side of which will eventually be bound and screened by other development--has surface parking? It's unrealistic to think a development this removed from light rail and Uptown would have a parking garage incorporated.  

I would like to re-up my argument that the city should bargain with NCDOT to have a bridge across the widened 77 constructed for Tremont, so it no longer dead ends, and re-connects to Remount. From the extant rights of way, and on pre-77 maps, it clearly originally did. 

[tarhoosier]

My preferred auto repair shop is on that dead end part of Tremont, Midtown imports. Tim Cooper owner and mechanic. Try him and you will see.

[atlrvr]

Will be interesting if the corner store ever will sell.  The previous owner of the parcel wrapping it at the corner tried for years and felt like there was little chance they would sell....of course now that there is a major project there, maybe they can afford to overpay, but this site plan clearly indicates they're not expecting it.

It will be an interesting social intersection if it stays.

[jjwilli]

A developer has offered $13.5 million for the historic Wilmore Elementary school and the property is now up for sale. I am hopeful that any sale would include the preservation of the historic school.

[Desert Power]

Is there not enough population growth nearby to reopen the school ala Villa Heights?

[tarhoosier]

From June 2018:

https://charlotte.axios.com/129280/could-a-historic-wilmore-school-become-charlottes-newest-apartments/

[jjwilli]

5 hours ago, Desert Power said:

Is there not enough population growth nearby to reopen the school ala Villa Heights?

CMS does not think the school is in good shape from the meeting where it was discussed as a surplus property. It’s not on a huge lot and I doubt it has enough space for parking and other amenities a school should have, like a playground.

[tarhoosier]

That school was built before buses delivered children to school and before many teachers and staff drove to their job. The "playground" is all asphalt and would be taken by staff autos in any case. It had 14 classrooms when I was there for a meeting in mid-'70's and was a small school for that time, not to mention today. In the late '70's it became a professional library and training facility for teachers and administrators with a few offices. The Marjorie Thompson Alexander Center it was called, honoring a longtime teacher and local teacher association leader. The bathrooms, as I recall, were classic public facilities from their time, mid 1920's, full height porcelain urinals in male toilets, pardon my astonishment. And classic tile work and terrazzo. A standard no longer available to the budget. It has outlived its time. The persistence of single family homes on West Boulevard are what astonishes me.

[wilmore]

On 10/19/2021 at 9:52 AM, tarhoosier said:

That school was built before buses delivered children to school and before many teachers and staff drove to their job. The "playground" is all asphalt and would be taken by staff autos in any case. It had 14 classrooms when I was there for a meeting in mid-'70's and was a small school for that time, not to mention today. In the late '70's it became a professional library and training facility for teachers and administrators with a few offices. The Marjorie Thompson Alexander Center it was called, honoring a longtime teacher and local teacher association leader. The bathrooms, as I recall, were classic public facilities from their time, mid 1920's, full height porcelain urinals in male toilets, pardon my astonishment. And classic tile work and terrazzo. A standard no longer available to the budget. It has outlived its time. The persistence of single family homes on West Boulevard are what astonishes me.

Those SFH (and some duplexes) are all in the historic district though. While a few multi-family developments are going in (Notably the Kingston/West townhomes), these have been moving extremely slowly, and it would be surprising if anyone tried to buy a bunch of SFH with a more speculative development play.