NoDa (N Davidson St Arts District) Projects

[nonillogical]

New Rezoning up for new townhouses on Yadkin and 35th, I love how they look :-)

Even though I hope some future NoDa development goes with a more 'classic' style, these look great! I wish I could rent one.

Any news on this? http://studio6noda.com/ I'm somewhat less enthusiastic about it but am eager for anything that helps connect NoDa proper to the 28th area.

Edited December 9, 2011 by nonillogical

[Guest]

Even though I hope some future NoDa development goes with a more 'classic' style, these look great! I wish I could rent one.

Any news on this? http://studio6noda.com/ I'm somewhat less enthusiastic about it but am eager for anything that helps connect NoDa proper to the 28th area.

I am actually a little underwhelmed with Noda22, I love Studio6 though. I have been staring at the Noda22 siteplan all day, I just can't figure out why the hell they are putting a parking lot there, instead of building a few extra units over covered parking... Also where on North Davidson is it going to sit anyways?

[rjp212]

It'll be next to Renaissance. Imo, a parking garage in a more residential part of NoDa wouldn't make much sense and the parking will be behind the building.

@nonillogical, why would you want more 'classic' architecture? You can find that all over town and NoDa and to an extent Plaza Midwood is one of the few areas you can find a true mix of styles.

Edited December 9, 2011 by rjp212

[nonillogical]

@nonillogical, why would you want more 'classic' architecture? You can find that all over town and NoDa and to an extent Plaza Midwood is one of the few areas you can find a true mix of styles.

I mean classic in NoDa terms, simple brick structures with a little variance in them. I think these projects look great and are more thoughtful than most of what we're seeing in other neighborhoods, just saying I hope not EVERYTHING ends up looking so modern.

[New Name]

To add to the list of projects seems to be this. NoDa 22

http://ww.charmeck.o...site%20plan.pdf

Wow - this thing is so off-base. The developer obviously sees dollar signs in units that face the light rail, but they've missed the part where the light rail will actually be 40' in the air across the street as it crosses the freight track exactly at this point. So instead of offering a view of the light rail trains, they'll have 4 stories of retaining wall/bridge abutments from the windows.

Beside that, Renaissance did a good job in addressing the street with office, retail, or services - leaving the interior to continue to feel residential (as all of NoDa's interior feels). This plan is exactly the opposite of what exists right now...

Maybe they leave 2 or 4 sidewalk access units on Davidson, but they need to parking to be accessed from Davidson, not Warp: this will help slow traffic on Davidson, and not increase traffic on the interior.

[Guest]

Wow - this thing is so off-base. The developer obviously sees dollar signs in units that face the light rail, but they've missed the part where the light rail will actually be 40' in the air across the street as it crosses the freight track exactly at this point. So instead of offering a view of the light rail trains, they'll have 4 stories of retaining wall/bridge abutments from the windows.

Beside that, Renaissance did a good job in addressing the street with office, retail, or services - leaving the interior to continue to feel residential (as all of NoDa's interior feels). This plan is exactly the opposite of what exists right now...

Maybe they leave 2 or 4 sidewalk access units on Davidson, but they need to parking to be accessed from Davidson, not Warp: this will help slow traffic on Davidson, and not increase traffic on the interior.

awwwwful...

[dubone]

I'm not keen on the design, but otherwise this is good continuation of the density of Renaissance in what is in the 1/2 mile radius of Sugar Creek station.

As long as the retaining wall isn't bright orange, I don't know if I see that as a huge issue. It's not much of a view, but I'd prefer that to seeing all the tracks, and actually it acts as a sound barrier from the freight track noise.

[grodney]

Echoing what was said upthread about NoDa Brewing: good stuff! We went to the taproom Saturday, and it was great. The beer is really good. The tap room is well done. A little strange they don't wait the tables (just go to the bar and get your own), but that's okay. Quality logos and merchandise. No food as far as I could tell. Overall, a great place. SO GREAT to see this in Charlotte.

As an added bonus, Birdsong Brewing was open next door. I think they said they had been open a week. Small little taproom (with free peanuts!). Looks like they might have more room outside. Really friendly and laid back. Clearly starting up, but it looks like they're doing it right. The beer was good -- nothing crazy (well, the jalepeno pale was a little crazy), just good quality stuff right down the middle of good solid quality local brew.

It was awesome to hit these two places in the afternoon, then go to Revolution for pizza and beer, then hit Amelie's for dessert. For south-side suburban-ites, this was a really great day/evening.

[rjp212]

There are some updated renderings for MercuryNoDa on rezoning.com. I couldn't seem to paste them onto here

[New Name]

There are some updated renderings for MercuryNoDa on rezoning.com. I couldn't seem to paste them onto here

There's no freakin WAY those renderings are accurate. They say "perspective schematic," so I'm assuming they are just for scale and massing. If they are actual renderings, NoDa looks an awful lot like Eastern Europe circa 1965.

[Guest]

here you go... I like it actually

[atlrvr]

There's no freakin WAY those renderings are accurate. They say "perspective schematic," so I'm assuming they are just for scale and massing. If they are actual renderings, NoDa looks an awful lot like Eastern Europe circa 1965.

I kept saying that about Circle at South End based on the initial renderings, but we got Volgograd anyway.

[New Name]

I kept saying that about Circle at South End based on the initial renderings, but we got Volgograd anyway.

Yeah I remember all that conversation about Circle. And I actually LIKE Circle in context of South End. But NoDa needs to look like the opposite of South End. This is nothing against South End. Just.... meh. Cmon. If there's a place to think outside the box, this is it.

[nonillogical]

barf. the original renderings looked decent...but this is just really bland for noda. i hope they give the retail tenants on the first floor LOTS of freedom to customize the street level experience.

[rjp212]

There are no retail components with the new layout. Too difficult to obtain financing for such a project and would probably be vacant storefronts for a while anyway similar to Fat City Lofts

[nonillogical]

There are no retail components with the new layout. Too difficult to obtain financing for such a project and would probably be vacant storefronts for a while anyway similar to Fat City Lofts

ugh. I'd be ok with that if they did something more creative, like attractive townhome-style stoops or something, but this just seems like a waste of a LOT of prominent street frontage. I want the sizable influx of residents, and I know retail will be built elsewhere when the need arises, but I think this project will one day be seen as a momentum-killing gap in that activity.

[southslider]

^Unless the church across 36th Street from these proposed apartments were to re-develop, that "momentum-killing gap" is going to remain. But there ain't exactly retail farther down 36th Street until almost The Plaza, so talk about a huge gap.

I'd be more concerned about killing the potential of street-level retail along North Davidson Street expanding south towards Amelie's. That direction seems like the better momentum for NoDa to keep going and expand.

[marriotthill]

Mercury NoDa, what a bore it's become! Wow, Circle, South End, looks inspiring compared to this. Also, where the heck are they going to park with no parking deck in the mix? Neighbors aren't going to be very happy considering the "parking congestion" in the area now.

[southslider]

^The linked site plan shows a parking deck wrapped with apartments. The deck appears to be accessed from both a new circle drive wrapping behind Neighborhood Theatre, as well as a driveway on Alexander Street.

However, I do hope this new deck would have lower floors open to the public, even at a cost, since this development replaces the paid parking lot currently behind Neighborhood Theater.

[kermit]

Community Builders has won the bidding war for the J&M Mills redevelopment. Considering I live only a block away, I have been doing my research. I won't say I know everything there is to know about Community Builders, but I like their track record much more than MPV. The only down side I can see is that Community Builders would not necessarily have the same local ties.

http://www.bizjourna...le.html?ana=fbk

This project has gone very quiet, has there been any news on the mill(s) redevelopment?

[Conformity]

You likely know that they did close on the property. I was by there a few weeks ago and given the complement of trucks in the parking lot, it would seem things are a "GO" (engineers of one sort or another). My guess is they will some time understanding the "as built" conditions given the preservation commitments that were made.

[kermit]

Does anyone have any news (gossip, long range plans, ideas etc.) about the industrial / warehouse space on N Davidson between Craighead and Sugar Creek?

When I pass by it looks like about half the spaces are being used, although at a very low intensity. Some are getting vandalized. It looks and feels like a less historic South End area but it is a very interesting appendage to NoDa nonetheless (particularly given the location of the Sugar Creek LRT station).

Does anyone have a feel for the reuse potential for the area or if a Sugar Creek station area plan exists yet? While the buildings don't have much architectural value I would hate to see it all bulldozed and replaced with garden apartments.

EDIT: This area feels like it has more potential than the industrial stretch of N Davidson over by Amalie's -- While the area is more intensively industrial it is starting to transform with the two breweries and some other entertainment options.

Edited February 16, 2012 by kermit

[krazeeboi]

I'm going to suggest that the issue for Optimist Park, Belmont and Villa Heights is one of a more bland issue and that's their location in relation to the railroad and freight yards, the Brookshire and Industrial areas. Just look at it on a map and you are in geographic pockets with hard industrial/infrastructure dead ends to a degree.

I know this is an old post, but I'm just running across it and have to agree here, especially as it regards Belmont and Optimist Park. It's not only the railroad and freight yards, but also 277 that contributes to the feeling of being cut-off and isolated from surrounding neighborhoods that would provide greater synergy in terms of their potential for revitalization. They are neighborhoods that can easily be avoided and with Belmont in particular, it's very much sectioned off; otherwise, you'd see Belmont receiving investment like neighborhoods adjacent to Uptown with similar demographics have been getting (e.g., Wilmore, Wesley Heights). Villa Heights has less of an issue with this, with Parkwood and the Plaza serving as major thoroughfares that provide connectivity to Plaza-Midwood and NoDa.

[New Name]

Although it doesn't look like it - a majority of those buildings are in use by businesses that have no interest in street presence. In fact, a couple years ago there was a bond project to build sidewalks to connect from Mecklenburg Mill all the way to Sugar Creek, but the property owner(s) in this section would not give up the ROW for sidewalks (and the project was dropped).

The businesses in this section are mostly warehousing/wholesalers, although the short lived club Dammit Janet (aka Second World, others) tried to push the neighborhood this far from the center, but couldn't make it happen. This is, however, where NoDa Studios is located where 30+ local bands rent rooms for rehearsal space.

I think these buildings have really cool potential to be a warehouse district, but there needs to be better pedestrian connection first (this will come with the Sugar Creek LYNX Station). But... keep in mind... that in order for the LYNX to come, the A&CW RR needs to be relocated directly through these blocks. I've been trying to uncover HOW this would happen - and I have seen one reference to the rails being in a trench, but that doesn't chance the fact that upwards of 5-10 buildings may need to be demolished for room... I'd say it's going to be a long shot that many of these buildings will remain standing in 5 years.

Edited February 17, 2012 by The Escapists

[southslider]

^But won't this area someday be sliced up by the AC&W railroad re-alignment? I see that project, or just its uncertainty, as a huge limitation for NoDa to expand north of Craighead/Anderson.