NoDa (N Davidson St Arts District) Projects

[dubone]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...ewscolumn5.html

a 3-4 story residential/mixed-use project is planned for 501 E 37th.

[Vitamin_N]

Article from today's Observer on the Java Rose:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/ent...nt/12958423.htm

The article mentions that Marguerite's French Bakery is moving from the overstreet mall to 28th and North Davidson. I never realized there was a French bakery in the overstreet mall--can anybody tell me where it's located?

In other news, a review of Dolce Vita's new location on N. Davidson St:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/ent...nt/12958337.htm

Finally, I noticed a couple of days ago a sign in the two-story gray building across from Mellow Mushroom a few doors down from the Evening Muse. It said, "Solstice Tavern coming soon". Hopefully, all these places will make a go of it!

[dubone]

that is the benefit of population growth brought by the new condos. more restaurants and retail will open up and survive. but hopefully the area will keep its identity.

[Vitamin_N]

that is the benefit of population growth brought by the new condos. more restaurants and retail will open up and survive. but hopefully the area will keep its identity.

Identity? Pfft! I want Applebee's! What NoDa needs is more crazy stuff tacked up on the walls.

[authenticbeing]

I'm not an expert in this kind of stuff, so somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think one factor going against NoDa retail is that the neighborhood isn't a thoroughfare--it's not really on the way to anything else. Plaza-Midwood is between East Charlotte and downtown, Southend is between South Charlotte and downtown, but I don't think you really go through NoDa unless you're going *to* NoDa. (Or unless you're driving an 18-wheeler to the multimodal factility.) The retail there has to serve either neighborhood residents--and there are only so many of those--or people making the neighborhood a destination. Ergo, restaurants, wine bars, and galleries, but no dry cleaners, gas stations, or Harris Teeters.

Speaking of retail, it looks like they've been recently working on that new lounge, called Gilda. Curious to see what that place will be like. It looks like Dolce Vita is almost ready to open in its new location as well. And does anybody know what the deal is with those two empty one-story buildings on Davidson between 34th and 35th? I wish the owner(s) would do something with them.

FYI, I was just at the crawl this evening and there is a new dry cleaner that just opened up on N. Davidson right next door to RealEyes Bookstore. Personally, I don't see that there is or has to be any competition (other than healthy) between Plaza Midwood and NoDa. I think the two only complement each other. But if I had to choose to live on either Central Ave or N. Davidson, I'd choose the latter at this point in time. That being said, there needs to be neighborhoods that offer different things and I think the two do just that in their individual quirky ways.

Oh yeah, and I think they might be clearing out those two empty buildings between 34th and 35th. There was a big dumpster full of junk in front of them.

[authenticbeing]

Article from today's Observer on the Java Rose:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/ent...nt/12958423.htm

The article mentions that Marguerite's French Bakery is moving from the overstreet mall to 28th and North Davidson. I never realized there was a French bakery in the overstreet mall--can anybody tell me where it's located?

In other news, a review of Dolce Vita's new location on N. Davidson St:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/ent...nt/12958337.htm

Finally, I noticed a couple of days ago a sign in the two-story gray building across from Mellow Mushroom a few doors down from the Evening Muse. It said, "Solstice Tavern coming soon". Hopefully, all these places will make a go of it!

Good stuff! I've been waiting for the tavern to come. I heard about it coming last year and wondered what was up with it. I also noticed the space a few doors down from that which had an "All Access Coming Soon" sign was finally taken down. It said it was going to be some kind of venue with wireless internet and such, but that sign was up for over a year and nothing ever came of it. I wonder what happened.

[ngp]

I drove past Noda 18 this past weekend and noticed that several of the windows closest to the bus stop had been broken. Is this a coincidence, or are the future residents going to have security issues to worry about? Does the city ever move bus stop locations in situations like this?

[atlrvr]

The city will remove a bus-stop is there is a documented ongoing security concern, but usually this type of vandalism goes away once a building becomes occupied.

[f0xym0p]

A new bar just opened tonight on Davidson just past 36th and you can take your dog(s) in with you while you drink. It was very cool and low-key. It's owned by the same folks who own the Club K-9 Doggie Daycare on Davidson.

[DigitalSky]

I haven't been to NoDa in like a year, which I know is very sad. I'll have to go next time i'm in town.

[Norm2]

A bar where you can bring your dog.....can your dog drink too? LOL!

[Rickydavisfan21]

A bar where you can bring your dog.....can your dog drink too? LOL!

but if the dog drank, who would be your designated walker???

[Norm2]

LOL thats true, I guess your dog can always walk you home.....mans best friend when your drunk LOL!

[Vitamin_N]

FYI: It looks like they've started on part 2 of the Highland Mill renovation. It'll be good to have that done. I wonder what they'll do with that spire?

[dubone]

I saw that last night when I was grabbing some Mellow Mushroom. It will be amazing when it is completely finished. It is already a great anchor for the neighborhood, with the section along Davidson St already completed.

I also drove through the Renaissance, which has completed its first number of blocks, and is working on the ones toward the back near Card St.

Has anyone heard anything about Herrin Towers? Is it continuing? Has the closure of the freaky-low railroad bridge on Herrin Ave affected it at all?

[Vitamin_N]

Has anyone heard anything about Herrin Towers? Is it continuing? Has the closure of the freaky-low railroad bridge on Herrin Ave affected it at all?

Haven't heard a thing about Herrin Towers--been wondering about that one. I drive by that piece of land every once in a while hoping to see something, but nothing so far. It's hard to believe that something featured in a press release Doug Smith column would not come to fruition, so I'm still holding out hope. It was announced in early February 2004, and they said it would take 3-5 years. The most recent press mention of the project was Doug Smith's March 30 2005 article on urban infill projects. Here's the relevant excerpt:

For many involved in infill development, large is preferable. The challenge of getting a small tract rezoned generally is no easier and no less time consuming than taking a large tract through the petition process.

"The headache of rezoning a half-acre is the same as doing 8 and a half acres," said Babak Emadi of Urbana Urban Design & Architecture.

His firm is working with a land owner to transform 11 acres of industrial land in NoDa to 190-residence Herrin Towers.

[Vitamin_N]

A NoDa realtor told me this over the weekend:

(1) The Herrin Towers project is still a go, and in fact they've just broken ground (or are about to, I can't remember which).

(2) The Fat City project should start in the spring. They plan to retain the very colorful brick facade.

[appatone]

For a while there was a rendering for the fat city project. Plans may have changed some though.

[atlrvr]

This is the most recent I've seen, though as you can see it's dated 6/2002, so I'm sure it's been modified somewhat.

Edited December 19, 2005 by atlrvr

[appatone]

I havn't seen that one, thanks for posting it. The only one I had seen was the one in the Observer. Of course it too was done by Urbana (I think) and the building was the same, it was simply shown from another angle. I like this one more.

[dubone]

Does anyone know when they might start on the Noda at 28th Condo's?

They had their rezoning approved last October.

I drove by tonight after coming home from a friends place in NoDa, and I think that project will really fill in that part of NoDa.

Here is the siteplan:

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2005-110.htm

They will be six stories in sections, which will really add some density to the area in a major way.

[atlrvr]

The project is briefly referenced on centercityliving.com's website under future NoDa projects. I'm assuming they are finalizing floor plans and will announce sometime in the first half of 2006.

[dubone]

That is good news. After looking at the renderings again, I think this will be a great project, and start moving more people in between 12th and 30th, which is currently dominated by industrial and low income housing.

[atlrvr]

Speaking of Fat City, the rezoning petition for the property was filed.

Here is the link to the petition.

7,700 sq. ft. of retail on the ground floor with 19 condos on 3 stories above the retail with a roof-top level as well....I guess this would be considered 4.5 stories. I really like that they kept the old building and the facade of the structure next door.

[appatone]

I really like the new/old combo work! This will be a big building, in regards to size, for NODA. Hopefully we will see more of this kind of stuff planned for the neighborhood as it continues to grow. Developers should continue to come up with better ideas of integrating old structures into new ones in unique ways so as to retain this area's historic charm in a fresh modern way. I like this one.