First Charlotte satellite city to get a skyline

[monsoon]

Hmm. $800 million sounds like an awful lot of money for someone to be spending in west Mooresville. That kind of cash could build the tallest tower in the South, and a train all the way to downtown Charlotte.

[nyxmike]

Hmm. $800 million sounds like an awful lot of money for someone to be spending in west Mooresville. That kind of cash could build the tallest tower in the South, and a train all the way to downtown Charlotte.

Wow. Isn't that the same amount as the Wachovia towe and arts complex? Can't wait until tomorrow - it should be interesting.

[Batou]

Does University City count as a skyline because we kinda have one in a sense with the hilton, uncc libaray tower etc..... though that's part of charlotte.

[krazeeboi]

University City is within the city limits of Charlotte, so it can't qualify as a satellite city.

[rjp212]

According to The Mooresville Tribune it is a going to contain a 9 hole golf course, a 12 story Embassy Suites (it was previously a Marriott), and numerous 3-6 story buildings around future Exit 32 (Langtree Road). There is also a rendering on the Mooresville Tribune website, but unfortunetly you can't expand it so I guess we will have to wait until Charlotte.com reports about it tommorow.

[Jerseyman4]

i voted Salisbury because it has a number of factors that work for it over the others:

- It has a really decent main street with attractive architecture, density, and history, as well as a very wide main street to support infrastructure for growth.

- a major freeway runs just adjacent to its downtown, which is not true of any other listed towns except gastonia. I think downtown freeways, as controversial as they may be, are definitely a factor in developing a skyline.

- the city is part of NC's high speed train corridor and 85 major interstate connector corridor connecting the 3 major metros of nc.

- Salisbury is centrally between the triad and charlotte, which means that even though it benefits from both metros economically, and gets the trade and traffic between them, it is also less of a bedroom community for those metros, so its growth will be centered more on its city (i think this will help its skyline)

Salisbury would likely be at the top of the list out of all of the locations and also, Dubone listed good reasons. Gastonia on the other hand (why so many votes?), seemed to be a very dead downtown area so i dont know what future that town will hold. I voted for Hickory because of its distance away from Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem that it could evovle into something of its own.

[jednc]

I voted for Hickory as well. It's the largest city in the Unifour, which is NC's 4th largest metro. I think growth here will eventually increase over what it has been. That region just needs some more time to refocus it's industries away from textiles. If Google comes to Caldwell Co. and Burke is able to reposition itself as a retirement destination, look for growth in that area to increase rapidly.

[Creasy336]

I chose Concord due to its location near Charlotte. The area has a chance for 2 skylines, one being the Concord Mills area and the US 601/US 29 Exit. With new murdock complex (I know its in Kannapolis but close enough), growth from Charlotte, and just to take a stretch commuter rail TOD could be a possibility in which high rise could be a possibility.

[monsoon]

According to The Mooresville Tribune it is a going to contain a 9 hole golf course, a 12 story Embassy Suites (it was previously a Marriott), and numerous 3-6 story buildings around future Exit 32 (Langtree Road). There is also a rendering on the Mooresville Tribune website, but unfortunetly you can't expand it so I guess we will have to wait until Charlotte.com reports about it tommorow.

Apparently $800M is the real number. It will include 400 condos, 300 apartments, and 1/2 million sq/ft of retail space. It looks like it is going to be built to resemble something like Phillips Place near South Park only much larger. $800M still seems like a lot of money for something like this and I can only guess that some of it must be due to the extraordinary cost of land in that area.

I can't even imagine what this will do to traffic in I-77.

[rjp212]

I also found a rendering for the redevelopment of Burlington Mills in Mooresville. The 150 million dollar project is set to contain some mid rise buildings as well. This project along with the previous stated project alone consist of nearly 1 billion dollars worth of investments to the town and there are still numerous other projects going on, and to think I still remember when the tallest building in the town was a church.

http://www.predconcepts.com

[Skyline49er]

I also found a rendering for the redevelopment of Burlington Mills in Mooresville. The 150 million dollar project is set to contain some mid rise buildings as well. This project along with the previous stated project alone consist of nearly 1 billion dollars worth of investments to the town and there are still numerous other projects going on, and to think I still remember when the tallest building in the town was a church.

http://www.predconcepts.com

Do you know when they are supposed to commence construction on this project?

It looks like a nice project and I would like to see it finished.

[rjp212]

I think construction is suppose to start either the end of the year or sometime next year. I heard the timeframe once before but I forgot.

[Charlotteman]

Isn't Hickory one of the largest metro areas in the state? Not only all of Catawba County, it includes Caldwell and Lincoln counties, if I'm remember correctly. Maybe Burke?

I grew up as a kid in Hickory, and I can't imagine Hickory EVER having a skyline! lol It's much too suburban in character.

It's not that the people of Hickory would be opposed to it--it's just that there wouldn't be any economic justification/need for that sort of close-in office space. For one thing, so much of Hickory's former prestige with the yearly furniture market has been usurped by High Point.

[Unifour]

Isn't Hickory one of the largest metro areas in the state? Not only all of Catawba County, it includes Caldwell and Lincoln counties, if I'm remember correctly. Maybe Burke?

I grew up as a kid in Hickory, and I can't imagine Hickory EVER having a skyline! lol It's much too suburban in character.

It's not that the people of Hickory would be opposed to it--it's just that there wouldn't be any economic justification/need for that sort of close-in office space. For one thing, so much of Hickory's former prestige with the yearly furniture market has been usurped by High Point.

Yes, the Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir includes Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties. Hickory already has mid rise buildings springing up, but they aren't downtown. If anything, Hickory is already in the early stages of edge city development. You are right about High Point growing in influence in furniture. The Hickory Furniture Mart remains a strong draw, still, and the convention center as well. Hickory has moved away from furniture in recent years, it now depends on other employment-for example, Hickory is the fiber optic cable capital of the world (40% of all cable in the world is made there). There is extensive distribution and manufacturing operations, and most is other than furniture related. GE Interlogix, Klingspor, CommScope, Alcatel, Corning Cable Systems, and the many furniture, and other types of manufacturing companies operate in the area.

However, I voted "other" because I think Charlotte's edge cities will grow up around the I-485 interchanges. Ballantyne is already an edge city. They have high rises already. I think there will be more edge cities at the I-77 and I-85 crossings, but of course Gastonia, Rock Hill, Concord, etc. also have strong claims to it. I think North Mecklenburg will develop one too, around Cornelius/Huntersville somewhere. I think there is already commercial development there (is it NorthCross? something?). I think Ballantyne is in the lead for now. I'm not sure Hickory MSA will ever be drawn into the Charlotte MSA, but it could, that's for sure. Lincoln County surely will before long.

[rjp212]

While Ballantyne is developing a mini skyline, I don't believe it counts in this poll because it is part of Charlotte and not considered a satellite city.

[AuLukey]

Does University City count as a skyline because we kinda have one in a sense with the hilton, uncc libaray tower etc..... though that's part of charlotte.

As stated, it's not a satellite city, although it practically is. However, you forget, the library may look taller, but it is actually only a few feet taller than the four dorm towers, it just has a higher elevation which gives it the appearance it's much taller. Also, CMCU across from the hilton is in the "skyline" as well. That makes 7 buildings over 10 stories. But alas, no truely dense skyline would fit well in University. I think developers in Charlotte that want to build towers, will do so uptown.

I chose Concord due to its location near Charlotte. The area has a chance for 2 skylines, one being the Concord Mills area and the US 601/US 29 Exit. With new murdock complex (I know its in Kannapolis but close enough), growth from Charlotte, and just to take a stretch commuter rail TOD could be a possibility in which high rise could be a possibility.

I do have to agree. Concord has begun to look a little more urban at the intersection of Church St and US 29 near exit 58 with the hospital building so much and all the new businesses and bank buildings popping up around there. Most of the Concord Mills area is limited by the nearby airport, but not the entire area. As UC and CM grow closer together along N. Tryon, I would imagine a mini-scraper or two to pop up along that corridor. Speedway Blvd is really limited by the location of the large golf course just next to the new convention center. While I'd like to see a little denser development in that area, I don't see it happening just yet.

Truth be told, I can't see Charlotte having a suburban skyline in the next decade. Some major catalyst would have to come along to spur such growth in an already dense area. And with there still being so much room and affordable realestate in the suburban office parks, why build up when out is so much cheaper? This too is the issue in the Triangle.

Other than hotels and a possible satellite campus of Northeast Medical Center near Concord Mills, I can't see anything over ten stories being built in Concord this decade or next. If any cities in the CSA have potential, it's the northern ones. Statesville and Salisbury show possibilities of such growth due to their distance from Charlotte's CBD and they can still feed of their own suburban cities. But I guess I'll have to stick to Concord because of its current progressive growth, racings ties, and its population size.

EDIT: I notice now that Hickory was an option on the poll. I think I may have to sway my vote that way as it is the center of a growing metro.

[rolltide35401]

I voted for other as I don't think any of the above will ever have anything amounting to a skyline. However, the one place I could see one springing up would be at the lake in Mooresville with high-rise hotels and condos.

Places like Gastonia, Concord and Salisbury don't need a skyline. Each of their historic downtowns are pretty cool as is...

[peaceloveunderstanding]

None of the above. All of Charlotte's edge cities are within the city limits. University City, Ballantyne, Tyvola, and SouthPark will all have bigger skylines than any far flung suburb.

[rjp212]

I agree with rolltide. I could definetly see a mini skyline popping up in Mooresville with condos/hotels lining the lake feeding off of the Lowe's Corporate Center and the town's tourism base.

[Charlotte_native]

I voted "other". I think Davidson and Huntersville might be getting some larger developments, especially near the lake so not necessarily in their traditional downtown. Huntersville may, though, I know a couple landholders there that are working on tentative plans for larger scale mixed use with many townhomes and condos. They've discussed going higher than 5 stories, but the plans continue to change and evolve. Their land is around and adjacent what is supposed to be the north rail line. Their plans are contingent upon those plans and the timing for the rail.

[rjp212]

I don't see Davidson or Huntersville allowing buildings taller that 10 stories because of their strict guidelines. However, Iredell County and Mooresville aren't nearly as strict as the North Meck towns, which is why I think if Lake Norman gets a skyline it'll be there. I agree with you that there won't be a skyline in the town's historical downtowns but instead closer to the interstates and the lake. That would most likely mean these "towers" wouldn't be very urban in design.

[Charlotte_native]

I don't see Davidson or Huntersville allowing buildings taller that 10 stories because of their strict guidelines. However, Iredell County and Mooresville aren't nearly as strict as the North Meck towns, which is why I think if Lake Norman gets a skyline it'll be there. I agree with you that there won't be a skyline in the town's historical downtowns but instead closer to the interstates and the lake. That would most likely mean these "towers" wouldn't be very urban in design.

[rjp212]

There was the 17 story hotel proposed on Williamson Road (Exit 33 on 77) across from Vinnies, but that was denied by the Mooresville Town Board. The 12 story Embassy Suites was approved, however, and it is apart of Langtree at the Lake complex (Exit 32 on 77).

[New Name]

There was the 17 story hotel proposed on Williamson Road (Exit 33 on 77) across from Vinnies, but that was denied by the Mooresville Town Board. The 12 story Embassy Suites was approved, however, and it is apart of Langtree at the Lake complex (Exit 32 on 77).

[rjp212]

You're talking about Davidson Pinnacle which will be behind the 6-7 story Sheraton at Exit 30. Lowe's is definetly starting to peak out right above the tree line when you are coming down 77. Legacy Village is only gonna be at max 4 stories I believe, but the field next to it and directly infront of Lowe's is rumored to be another mixed use development which will probably make Lowe's stand out even more. So for the most part between exits 30-33 you've got a mix of midrises that thankfully are being incorporated into an urban manner and not just your regular suburban office buildings.