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NoDa (N Davidson St Arts District) Projects


uptownliving

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They used to do a good lunch business, but I don't know how they are in the evenings. I think the closing of Kelly's and Fat City really hurt the eaterie business in Noda.

CABO FISH TACO is doing great from what i hear. i don't know how, but BODREAUX (?) seems to still be kickin. of course, FAT CITY is missed for many reasons. KELLY'S was really good but they just couldn't quite get it together with consistency... but one of the kelly's is now a owner in CREATION. there was a jamacian restaurant across from the fat city site, don't know if its still there. i went there after they'd been open for 2 weeks, the food was good, but the service was terrible.

i really like this part of town and have enjoyed watching it change, but i felt about 5 years ago the area was getting way ahead of its self, and would soon price/force out the element that made people attract to the area to begin with. just when i think that, along comes another $250,000 mill house redo... sold. so, i believe the restaurants will keep coming and the nightlife will cycle back to its former heyday.

as for mellow mushroom, i went there alot this past summer (every friday) with a group of people to play bocci and it was usually packed. if they close i hope the new tenant keeps the bocci court, as that is truly an urban gem... a little european oasis. we even had a big shot hollywood star playing with us one night and he was lovin' the whole vibe of area and people.

Edited by cinco
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"Getting ahead of itself" is an expression I was trying to think up a few nights ago when reading this thread. I think the neighborhood is being pushed along faster than it's natural pace.

I have heard NODA come up in conversations with officemates, and the perception is still around that the area is too sketchy. It has not gentrified as much as both the bohemians and landowners think...

Edited by MZT
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Does anyone know what the deal is with Fat City closing? Is it getting replaced? I am definitely interested in hearing anything that is going on in Noda.

I heard that SQUIRREL INVESTMENTS LLC was looking to change the zoning on property they owned - 501 E. 37th St. from Single Family Residence to mixed used retail, office & residential uses in one building. I think it has been approved.

Location:

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/euwgi...ezoning+map.pdf

Plans:

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/enqge...0+site+plan.pdf

Approval:

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2005-160.htm

I wonder how this will help or affect the area. Thoughts???

Edited by magnolia839
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Did they add a concrete pole or anything to prevent cars from going through the building again?

I'm glad this and other NoDa projects are now starting to have people living in them. As controversial as all the condos in NoDa are, they will undoubtedly help to support the businesses and make it a better place to live.

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Herrin Towers update:

There's now a little billboard up at the corner of Herrin and Spencer with what I think was the rendering for Herrin Towers. It's now being called Steel Gardens, and it says it's opening in 2006. There's a website but there's not much on there yet:

http://www.steelgardens.com

Not sure I like the Steel Gardens name, but what do I know? Anyway, it's being built by Bonterra Builders:

http://www.bonterrabuilders.com/home/

Haven't heard of them before, but it looks like their previous work has been in Union County.

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Did they add a concrete pole or anything to prevent cars from going through the building again?

I'm glad this and other NoDa projects are now starting to have people living in them. As controversial as all the condos in NoDa are, they will undoubtedly help to support the businesses and make it a better place to live.

At a quick glance, they have done absolutely nothing! Plus the window has been broken again. My count is over 5 times now. As I stated before, I would not live in that corner unit if you paid me. There needs to be some sort of privacy wall, height difference from the street, or metal bars over the window.

The building itself isn't that bad, but they could have put an ounce of effort in to match the neighborhood's feel. Just because the colors are ugly and they used corrugated siding doesn't mean that it's artistic.

I make sure to eat at a NoDa or Plaza Midwood restaurant once a week and I'm always surprised how few of the patrons are from the neighborhood. Cabo does amazing business any day of the week, but the majority of other restaurants only thrive on Gallery Crawl or when big(ger) acts play the Neighborhood Theater.

The thing that amazes me the most about NoDa is that there is no "pretty" way to get to it. Meaning, anytime a friend visits, they are scared out of their wits by the time they get to 36th and Davidson. Belmont, the Plaza, and north Tryon are all a bit on the rough side. While I have lived around and in much worse, my southern friends think I am in the heart of some gang war laden ghetto.

The Optimist Park/Belmont projects will improve the entire area and could create a corridor of "safe" from city center. But then I'm reminded of my Charlotte native co-workers that wouldn't consider living in uptown because of the "rampant crime" and "all of the people just sitting at the bus stops". I guess the concept of a mixed income neighborhood is just too uncomfortable for those raised in the Burbs. Comfortable and safe are two very different concepts that seem to be confused.

::Sorry for the rant, I just am amazed how taken aback some southerners are when they visit my 'hood. I'm not denying that there are rough characters around, rather just surprised that they couldn't consider a person of different (read: lower) soc-ec class a neighbor.::

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OK, since we all get to be critics here, I don't think a concrete pole is very creative. I think the use of large boulders, even though frowned upon by CDOT, is an attractive way for property owners to protect their landscaping and structures. I also think when the development is fully occupied it will be lighted and more visible and such problems will be unlikely.

Also, I like that Furman did the parking behind the structure as opposed to the open lot next door. The plans show pea gravel instead of pavement...

Whether developer or Furman gets credit, I think some good was done here. Now the test of time.

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OK, since we all get to be critics here, I don't think a concrete pole is very creative. I think the use of large boulders, even though frowned upon by CDOT, is an attractive way for property owners to protect their landscaping and structures. I also think when the development is fully occupied it will be lighted and more visible and such problems will be unlikely.

Also, I like that Furman did the parking behind the structure as opposed to the open lot next door. The plans show pea gravel instead of pavement...

Whether developer or Furman gets credit, I think some good was done here. Now the test of time.

The parking area was paved and then covered in a very shallow amount of pea gravel. Any reason for the gravel? Also, I believe that there is someone living in the house right next door (NW on 63th). Was that available when the development started?

While I agree that a set of poles would not be attractive, that corner could use a bit of protection. Some sort of barrier similar to the row houses across Wesley (small retaining wall) or the Renaissance (a hip height wall with a private area behind) would provide safety and peace of mind.

That said, I just went out to really examine the corner unit and I'm slightly surprised that a car could drive all the way into the unit. (For those of you that did not see the incident, a full sized sedan managed to drive trunk deep through the window!) There is a large tree, a fire hydrant, and an ever ubiquitous overhead power line pole ALL right in front of the unit. That drunk felon sure did know how to thread the needle. :wacko:

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Went to NoDa this evening to check out the gallery crawl with some friends and really enjoyed myself. We ate at the Mellow Mushroom and it was pretty busy. I noticed that across the street from the Mushroom a new restuarant called Solstice Tavern would be opening soon. I wouldn't mind checking that out, it sounds interesting. I love the area and the vibe it gave off, but i had to wait for the train going in and out of NoDa! :)

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No-Da is a real interesting area. It seems like many of the houses are being re-done and the area is blooming. I still can't get over the area between center city and no-da - optimist park/belmont/so-da whatever you call it. It seems like this area should blossom with even closer proximity to downtown.

Can anyone summarize the large amount of projects/funds that is going into this area and when do we think we will start to cosmetic changes ? I know that several projects are underway or completed but was just curious what we should expect in the next 1-2 years.

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This thread has a summary of Noda and Optimist Park projects here:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...ndpost&p=301905

Pretty much, I believe the only projects we can expect in the 1-2 years are the ones listed as active projects on that rundown map. However, there might be a few smaller projects that get announced that can get through all of the project phases in that period of time. Some of those active projects might also fall through, but considering the area is hot, I'm sure that even if there are delays, the projects will eventually happen.

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It appears that Steel Gardens aka Herrin Towers is now under construction. Heavy equipment is now removing the industrial buildings that aren't part of the final product - some will remain. They have a cool steel sculpture behind the sign saying it will open in 2006. that seems fast, but I guess they're mostly townhomes, so they'll go up fast.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know what the deal is with Fat City closing? Is it getting replaced? I am definitely interested in hearing anything that is going on in Noda.

I heard that SQUIRREL INVESTMENTS LLC was looking to change the zoning on property they owned - 501 E. 37th St. from Single Family Residence to mixed used retail, office & residential uses in one building. I think it has been approved.

Location:

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/euwgi...ezoning+map.pdf

Plans:

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/enqge...0+site+plan.pdf

Approval:

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2005-160.htm

I wonder how this will help or affect the area. Thoughts???

Merrifield Partners is building a project at the Fat City site similar to the Lofts34 and Nevitt Building. Fat City is rumored to be moving back in when complete. It will be mixed use and likely announced pretty soon.

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I took a drive through Noda last weekend and the new progress on the projects is very encouraging. I have to say that the Opt12 development looks very cool and I like the artist studios they are opening next to it but it seems very isolated from the rest of the neighborhood. I would think that the surrounding area will grow when Opt12 opens for occupancy.

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The Opt12 project is technically in Optimist Park, so it is definitely isolated from NoDa. But I think we'll see some major changes in Optimist Park in the next 3 years. Not only will LRT be on the horizon at that point, but Little Sugar Creek Greenway will have a lot of amenities added by that point. Also, we'll have all the residents of Duncan Gardens and Opt12 living there, as well as residents of Alpha Cotton Mill Apartments. I believe as part of the Piedmont Courts project, they'll also build some mixed income apartments in parts of Optimist Park.

NoDa, though, is changing the most. The old mill houses are now selling in the 300k range, and all the people are now starting to move in and live in the denser multifamily developments. I think we'll really see that area continue to stabilize socially.

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I agree. I am optimistic about Optimist Park.These projects which I am glad to see include some mixed income variety will benefit the area. But like any condo influx we run the risk of ruining the gritty and unique aspect that attracted people in the first place! That part of Charlotte actually has some soul and I am afraid its going to get totally yuppiefied.

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