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NoDa (N Davidson St Arts District) Projects


uptownliving

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Its just as well. Whatever was left of Mellow Mushroom had absolutely terrible food, especially for such a great location. Like Woods on South, I hope someone can come along and really bring out the full potential of that spot.

Not that it's worth much anymore (and in retrospect, if I cared this much when Moondogs was actually open, maybe it wouldn't have gone out of business), but the pizza was still better than most, the sandwiches were cheep and big, and they would let us bring the dog to dinner on the patio. Oh well.

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Switching gears a bit, anyone have any color as to what could be going in where MellowMush/Moondog's used to be? Also, any word on when things will truly get going at the Meck/Johnston Mills? I haven't been able to go to any of the Neighborhood meetings for a while due to some health issues

I was told by the person who owns a nearby restaurant that there would be a new pizza place going in what use to be MM. The new pizza place will be owned and operated by a Noda resident of four years and this will be his first restaurant. I was told this person was retiring from one of the banks. Anyway, it should be an interesting venture...I think the lease is something like $9,000-10,000/month...better sell a lot of pizza!

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My wife and I are close to signing a contract on a townhome in Steel Gardens. I was wandering if anyone lives there and how do you like it? We fell in love with the layout.

My cousin has lived a few blocks away for about ten years and loves the area. I do too, but live in the Belmont neighborhood. I've been pleasantly surprised with the outcome of Steel Gardens and am quite jealous of you that you can walk to the retail area of NoDa.

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My wife and I are close to signing a contract on a townhome in Steel Gardens. I was wandering if anyone lives there and how do you like it? We fell in love with the layout.

I live right outside Steel Gardens in a mill house. I wouldn't trade my neighborhood for anything. I can't speak about the actual units in Steel Garden (which look amazing), but the hood is a total pleasure at all times. There is a constant parade of young couples walking dogs who always wave and say hello.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Every day I drive by 28th Ro waiting for something big to happen. They've been doing site prep FOREVER, and a lot of it was city utility and infrastructure work that looked very massive for the project's sake, but actually had little to do with the actual project. And I hesitate to say it for fear that it wasn't anything... but there are a couple pieces of re-bar sticking out of the ground now, and I saw a crew pouring from a concrete truck... so I don't know...maybe.

Also, a soft spot in my heart was struck when I saw the latest bit of brickwork at Fat City. They recreated the original facade a bit and included 4 small windows with brick crescents on top just like the original facade which was lost in the storm. A good nod to the past.

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Outcome? Anyone know?

Is that the old mill to the NW of 36th and N Davidson? I was down there not long ago, and thought to myself 'whoever takes the time to refurbish that property right next to the LRT stop, will make a killing.'

It brings up an interesting question W/R/T NoDa that I saw Mary Newsome addressing in her blog. What will LRT do to NoDa? The area has already gentrified to some degree, but I think it's still got a lot of charm, and is kind of like a quaint little historic oasis in the city that lacks a lot of that kind of feel. She argues that since the area has no historic protections, it is going to get hit hard by TOD redevelopment. We've already seen the city doesn't mind not following their own plans (Harris TOD rezoning at Carson), so even a small area plan and a conext-sensitive zoning approach may not do much when a developer comes along. So, what will happen to the area?

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Is that the old mill to the NW of 36th and N Davidson? I was down there not long ago, and thought to myself 'whoever takes the time to refurbish that property right next to the LRT stop, will make a killing.'

It brings up an interesting question W/R/T NoDa that I saw Mary Newsome addressing in her blog. What will LRT do to NoDa? The area has already gentrified to some degree, but I think it's still got a lot of charm, and is kind of like a quaint little historic oasis in the city that lacks a lot of that kind of feel. She argues that since the area has no historic protections, it is going to get hit hard by TOD redevelopment. We've already seen the city doesn't mind not following their own plans (Harris TOD rezoning at Carson), so even a small area plan and a conext-sensitive zoning approach may not do much when a developer comes along. So, what will happen to the area?

I swear I saw an Observer article saying the sale was approved, but I can't find it now to save my life.

As to Mary Newsome (and I responded as such in her blog):

I personally think its damned arrogant to say that we should freeze NoDa in time as it is today. Its such an eclectic mash-up of different kinds and styles of buildings from across the decades, who really thinks that there is some kind of "definitive" NoDa style? We should let it keep growing and evolving.

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I personally think its damned arrogant to say that we should freeze NoDa in time as it is today. Its such an eclectic mash-up of different kinds and styles of buildings from across the decades, who really thinks that there is some kind of "definitive" NoDa style? We should let it keep growing and evolving.

These arguments have always bothered me as well. Who gets to choose which element of an area gets to be the definitive or permanent feel or setting? The artist who has lived there 3 years? The black family that has been there 20 years? The white family who's been there 50 years and are leftover from the mill days (check the old photos -- all workers were originally white)? The new yuppie who has been there 3 years? The drug dealer or prostitute who doesn't like the new neighbors who call the cops on them?

No neighborhood 'belongs' to any group. Problem is the double standard -- in the 70's when minorities began moving into former white neighborhoods it was decried as racism if you had a problem with it. Reverse the cylce and you are the big bad gentrifier. Truth is simply, everything is always in a constant state of motion and cycles and market forces change neighborhoods over and over again. White to black, black to hispanic, white to asian, back to white, on to mixed...

I personally prefer completely mixed neighborhoods in terms of race, demographic, income level, own to rent.

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^^^ BTW, I was referring to the potential for a massive change to the built environment in NoDa when the Blue Line comes through--NOT gentrification... ie, potential for tall bldgs to overtake old mills, galleries, shops with some grit and character. The buildings in NoDa are apparently not afforded historic protection, so what potential is there for redevelopment to alter the built landscape?

It's desirable and understandable to have the land by the stop redeveloped (towards N. Tryon) into a more dense collection of uses, but it would seem to also be desirable to keep the existing cluster of commercial buildings on & near N. Davidson in tact. I particularly like the old firehouse, among others.

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^^^ BTW, I was referring to the potential for a massive change to the built environment in NoDa when the Blue Line comes through--NOT gentrification... ie, potential for tall bldgs to overtake old mills, galleries, shops with some grit and character. The buildings in NoDa are apparently not afforded historic protection, so what potential is there for redevelopment to alter the built landscape?

It's desirable and understandable to have the land by the stop redeveloped (towards N. Tryon) into a more dense collection of uses, but it would seem to also be desirable to keep the existing cluster of commercial buildings on & near N. Davidson in tact. I particularly like the old firehouse, among others.

I really hope those survive. I suspect they will, at least for quite a while. Consider that for all the redevelopment in Southend that came with rail, the Camden buildings (very similar to NoDa's) have all made it and have interesting, mostly locally owned, thriving businesses.

Right now there is plenty of land along the rail line in and through NoDa that is somewhat underdeveloped and doesn't include these great buildings that the cost to get the 'good ones' will likely push developers to the industrial sites and other easier projects. Doesn't the developer of Renaissance already have land on the west side of the tracks? Merrifield Partners bought large tracts already (Newco Fibres site), and it seems Tuscan is getting the mills.

There is a boarded up commercial slot right in the middle of everything that is for sale -- if I'm not mistaken they want $1.5million for it. Way too much for anyone to buy and open a business and way to much for a developer to make use of (site is small, i think 1/3 acre). This is a property that once housed a local business -- a pool hall -- and is being sold by the old time owners. High prices like this, and the high value of the existing buildings along the main drag, will likely save these.

The developer of The Mercury is also saving and renovating the Neighborhood Theatre building and those attached -- that is a good sign of what will hopefully continue in the area.

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I know lots of people need storage but I was hoping the building close to Jordan and North Davidson would be utilized in a more interactive manner. Seems like a great spot for studio spaces or a market. That stretch is still a depressing dead zone approach to NoDa. The center housing Amelie and a few other businesses are to the side and tucked away making no impact on the streetscape. Oh Well. At least the NoDa Storage sign is kind of cool.

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I know lots of people need storage but I was hoping the building close to Jordan and North Davidson would be utilized in a more interactive manner. Seems like a great spot for studio spaces or a market. That stretch is still a depressing dead zone approach to NoDa. The center housing Amelie and a few other businesses are to the side and tucked away making no impact on the streetscape. Oh Well. At least the NoDa Storage sign is kind of cool.

Perhaps once 28th Row goes up it will help that little spot.

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