Uptown Magazine April 2006 predictions

[grecowfu]

Hello everyone, this is my first post, though I've been lurking for a while. I'm a native (of Charlotte, but it sounds more interesting just saying "i'm a native.)"Anyways, I'm sure many of you saw the predictions that were made by several prominent Charlotte figures about the future of uptown Charlotte in the April 2006 issue of Uptown. I was personally intrigued by the comments of Bobby Drakeford, who is president of the Drakeford Company which is and has been involved in several projects in and around uptown over the last few years. He said "I also think Greenville is going to happen, over the bridge from the North Carolina Music Factory. And then finally I think Biddleville is going to hit; Biddleville is right beside JC Smith."

I was a bit surprised by his prediction, because I'm under the naive assumption that housing stock has some say into whether or not a neighborhood is a candidate for widespread interest, investment, and er, sprucing up. For those of you that don't know, Greenville is basically the first neighborhood that you see as you're driving out of uptown along Statesville Road. Its kinda like a little suburban neighborhood right behind the city. I actually lived there until I was about ten years old, and bought our house new in like 1980, which tells you something about the aesthetics of the homes! Anyways, I was wondering what people think about that area and its potential? The Saussy Burbank neighborhood, Oaklawn Park, which is right across the street, seems nice enough, and there is a little neighborhood further down Oaklawn Avenue, McCrorey Heights, which is like a slice of poshness in a gritty environment. It would seem that these neighborhoods are virtually unaffected by the propserity that Charlotte would appear to be choking on at the moment; That is, there is a pretty palpable lack of shops, restaurants, services, etc...as soon as one leaves uptown and enters this area. What gives? Are these neighborhoods really destined to become posh, a la the radical change of Dilworth over the past twenty years and the progressive change of Wesley Heights? Cheers.

[Charlotte_native]

The housing stock is a bit dull in Greenville, 1980's ranches, but the location is superb. Crime is a pretty big problem there now but prices have been rising steadily and just recently topped and passed $100,000...

I think it is fairly safe to say any neighborhood in the shadows of the towers will be affected. As for Biddleville, already happening also -- take a drive through there now and see all the construction, dumpsters, and even new homes that compare to Wesley Heights. Rumor has it new townhomes coming there as well (I would imagine Bobby knew about them and might have influenced his predictions )

[monsoon]

What gives? Are these neighborhoods really destined to become posh, a la the radical change of Dilworth over the past twenty years and the progressive change of Wesley Heights? Cheers.

Of course I would be a big leery of predictions from a developer in a high gloss magazine that exists mainly to promote property. I personally don't think the prices seen in Wesley Heights are sustainable and are mainly due to the property speculation going on in the area. I know a couple of house flippers in that area and they have made their money and have gotten out of that market. In the long term, neighborhoods along interstates simply don't hold their value.

There are a few nices streets in the area you mention, but I don't think there is enough of it to make much of a difference in the very high crime that surrounds that area.

[Charlotte_native]

Of course I would be a big leery of predictions from a developer in a high gloss magazine that exists mainly to promote property. I personally don't think the prices seen in Wesley Heights are sustainable and are mainly due to the property speculation going on in the area. I know a couple of house flippers in that area and they have made their money and have gotten out of that market. In the long term, neighborhoods along interstates simply don't hold their value.

There are a few nices streets in the area you mention, but I don't think there is enough of it to make much of a difference in the very high crime that surrounds that area.

I agree with most of the comments above (including the motivations of a developer with two large developments near the very neighborhoods he predicts about!) regarding some of these neighborhoods, but Wesley Heights has already sustained its value. Most of the flippers are gone because the cheap housing is gone, but what is left are homeowners. I have friends that live there, spent the 4th of July there two years ago, and the neighborhood association party was anything but people living there to make money. They lived there as their home and most due to its proximity to downtown. The price rise in Wesley Heights has leveled off in the last year or two, and is now moderately appreciating. There isn't much point in that neighborhood of predicting what has already happened.

As for the comment about neighborhoods along interstates, there are only a couple in Charlotte that really bump up to the interstates and we have yet to see if they will hold their value. I would suspect that Wesley Heights won't be affected by it because the positive influence of the proximity to downtown will make up for any interstate inconvenience. Plus people in town are going to have some factor nearby that they might not be a big fan of...firestations, busy intersections, commercial properties, etc. The benefits of urban living and the amenities make up for the incidentals that come with the area.

Add to that the massive projects going up around this neighborhood, Morehead Station, the Westwood Apartment demolition and redevelopment on Berryhill Road, Radiator Specialty site, the streetcars and the hub on Trade and Wesley Heights Way, the Neighboring Concepts mixed use on Trade...etc. This neighborhood is about to be surrounded by very a very urban setting and will be one of the only pockets of single family original homes around. Supply and demand will likely make these values hold just like the original single families in Forth Ward have for decades.

As for Greenville -- it will be hard for those homes to be much more than they are without significant investment -- and then still it will be an 80's house built on a slab with virtually no curb appeal. The crime will still kill it for now as will the public housing on one of its edges.

[Seeker]

Hello everyone, this is my first post, though I've been lurking for a while. I'm a native (of Charlotte, but it sounds more interesting just saying "i'm a native.)"Anyways, I'm sure many of you saw the predictions that were made by several prominent Charlotte figures about the future of uptown Charlotte in the April 2006 issue of Uptown. I was personally intrigued by the comments of Bobby Drakeford, who is president of the Drakeford Company which is and has been involved in several projects in and around uptown over the last few years. He said "I also think Greenville is going to happen, over the bridge from the North Carolina Music Factory. And then finally I think Biddleville is going to hit; Biddleville is right beside JC Smith."

I was a bit surprised by his prediction, because I'm under the naive assumption that housing stock has some say into whether or not a neighborhood is a candidate for widespread interest, investment, and er, sprucing up. For those of you that don't know, Greenville is basically the first neighborhood that you see as you're driving out of uptown along Statesville Road. Its kinda like a little suburban neighborhood right behind the city. I actually lived there until I was about ten years old, and bought our house new in like 1980, which tells you something about the aesthetics of the homes! Anyways, I was wondering what people think about that area and its potential? The Saussy Burbank neighborhood, Oaklawn Park, which is right across the street, seems nice enough, and there is a little neighborhood further down Oaklawn Avenue, McCrorey Heights, which is like a slice of poshness in a gritty environment. It would seem that these neighborhoods are virtually unaffected by the propserity that Charlotte would appear to be choking on at the moment; That is, there is a pretty palpable lack of shops, restaurants, services, etc...as soon as one leaves uptown and enters this area. What gives? Are these neighborhoods really destined to become posh, a la the radical change of Dilworth over the past twenty years and the progressive change of Wesley Heights? Cheers.

I live in McCrorey Heights. My wife and I debate how much it will change. We chose it b/c of the price and the short commute to downtown/work. I'm sure it will change THAT much, nor do I really want it to. We won't change like Wesley Heights b/c we aren't designated an "Historic" neighborhood. But as areas like that increase, we reap some of the rewards. Ex. more development on Graham makes it easier for those on Statesville to get to things. More develpoment on West Trade and West 5th, works in my favor(and those who live near me). Everyone can't get into Wesley Heights, so they have to branch out.

[Seeker]

The crime will still kill it for now as will the public housing on one of its edges.

[Charlotte_native]

The crime will still kill it for now as will the public housing on one of its edges.

No longer public housing. They tore in down and are trying to do (in theory)what they did with 1st Ward when they torn down Earl village.

Other end of town -- Piedmont Courts is at 10th and Seigle.

I don't know of any public housing in this area though there is some, just no huge projects.

[voyager12]

I think most of the neighborhoods mentioned will continue to be mixed bags. They all have their pluses and minuses. The areas that abut freeways and high crime areas will most likely continue to stagnate like portions of Wilmore and Wesley Heights, while the other parts blossom. Its funny to me that the first question people always throw out when discussing gentrifying neighborhoods "is this the new Dilworth"? While they may share a few characteristics, Dilworth is unique because it was planned carefully and protected over the decades. It can't be replicated anywhere else, which is why it's the most popular neighborhood in Charlotte.

[Charlotte_native]

I think most of the neighborhoods mentioned will continue to be mixed bags. They all have their pluses and minuses. The areas that abut freeways and high crime areas will most likely continue to stagnate like portions of Wilmore and Wesley Heights, while the other parts blossom. Its funny to me that the first question people always throw out when discussing gentrifying neighborhoods "is this the new Dilworth"? While they may share a few characteristics, Dilworth is unique because it was planned carefully and protected over the decades. It can't be replicated anywhere else, which is why it's the most popular neighborhood in Charlotte.

Dilworth, compared to most of the other neighborhoods mentioned other than Belmont, is HUGE in a relative sense. Most of the others are only a few square blocks.

[Seeker]

Other end of town -- Piedmont Courts is at 10th and Seigle.

I don't know of any public housing in this area though there is some, just no huge projects.

Piedmont Courts is/was different from Earl Village. Earl Village was further up around Davidson 6th, 7th etc. That area.. The housing project across from Greenville I think was Fairview homes.

[grecowfu]

Piedmont Courts is/was different from Earl Village. Earl Village was further up around Davidson 6th, 7th etc. That area.. The housing project across from Greenville I think was Fairview homes.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

What about Grier Heights? A few months ago, I was going in for a surgery at the Eastover medical center and I made a wrong turn into that neighborhood. It looks like a pretty impoverished neighborhood so close to one of the richest in town - Eastover. The average home looked like this.

What's its story? Is the Elizabeth momentum poised to make its way down there? I see a project called Elizabeth Walk (I think) is proposed there, across from the excellent Lupie's Cafe. Maybe that's a sign of things to come. As it stands now, the housing stock is terrible, but the location is good.

[Vitamin_N]

What about Grier Heights?

[DigitalSky]

What about Grier Heights? A few months ago, I was going in for a surgery at the Eastover medical center and I made a wrong turn into that neighborhood. It looks like a pretty impoverished neighborhood so close to one of the richest in town - Eastover. The average home looked like this.

What's its story? Is the Elizabeth momentum poised to make its way down there? I see a project called Elizabeth Walk (I think) is proposed there, across from the excellent Lupie's Cafe. Maybe that's a sign of things to come. As it stands now, the housing stock is terrible, but the location is good.

[monsoon]

Predictions of the future are often way off the mark. This is what 1980 was supposed to look like as predicted by this 1969 TV Show

[Charlotte_native]

Predictions of the future are often way off the mark. This is what 1980 was supposed to look like as predicted by this 1969 TV Show

[mallguy]

I'd think current trends would continue for a while to come: downtowns are thriving, and exurbs on the distant fringes of cities are thriving, but inner-ring suburbs are going to pot. Few people want old houses with commutes when they could get new houses with commutes at the suburban fringes, or new condos with no commutes downtown.

[lukedog]

There are a few nices streets in the area you mention, but I don't think there is enough of it to make much of a difference in the very high crime that surrounds that area.

[lukedog]

I'd think current trends would continue for a while to come: downtowns are thriving, and exurbs on the distant fringes of cities are thriving, but inner-ring suburbs are going to pot. Few people want old houses with commutes when they could get new houses with commutes at the suburban fringes, or new condos with no commutes downtown.

[graydog]

I'd think current trends would continue for a while to come: downtowns are thriving, and exurbs on the distant fringes of cities are thriving, but inner-ring suburbs are going to pot. Few people want old houses with commutes when they could get new houses with commutes at the suburban fringes, or new condos with no commutes downtown.

[Charlotte_native]

I'm not sure how you define middle ring. I can tell you that prices are up between $50K and $100K the past few years in neighborhoods like Sedgefield, Cotswold and South Park. Madison Park, Colonial, and Ashbrook are crazy too. Off Sharon View, Carmel, etc., people are tearing down $250+K houses to be build McMansions. Merry Oaks and surrounding neighborhoods in southeast Charlotte are in demand. Most of the housing stock in these middle ring neighborhoods is mid 20th century ranches, tri-levels and colonials. I think it's clear these neighborhoods are far from going to pot.

[cyrusuncc]

don't forget west & north Charlotte

[Charlotte_native]

don't forget west & north Charlotte

[grecowfu]

Speaking plainly, the nothern and western "inner ring" neighborhoods like Greenville, Biddleville, Tryon Hills, etc.... haven't registered into the minds of most people. You could probably buy 4 or 5 vacant acres and build a vineyard in the shadow of uptown if zoning concerns didn't get in the way. On the other hand, someone else probably mentioned this but The Drakeford Company actually filed a zoning petition with the city council back in June of this year for the vacant parcel of land borded by Statesville Avenue and Callahan Street to change it from business use to mixed used development district, but it was withdrawn. The site plan looked like a lot of retail, but there was only one schematic. Someone else in this post actually mentioned that the Drakeford guy has an interest in developing the Western and Northern close in hoods, and voila, il parait que c'est le cas (it appears that that is the case). I personally wouldn't mind a bottle of Biddleville preserve, crafted in the shadows of uptown Charlotte; it would help us along on the path to becoming a city of renown (hope I'm not taking the vineyard joke too far!).

[Charlotte_native]

Speaking plainly, the nothern and western "inner ring" neighborhoods like Greenville, Biddleville, Tryon Hills, etc.... haven't registered into the minds of most people. You could probably buy 4 or 5 vacant acres and build a vineyard in the shadow of uptown if zoning concerns didn't get in the way. On the other hand, someone else probably mentioned this but The Drakeford Company actually filed a zoning petition with the city council back in June of this year for the vacant parcel of land borded by Statesville Avenue and Callahan Street to change it from business use to mixed used development district, but it was withdrawn. The site plan looked like a lot of retail, but there was only one schematic. Someone else in this post actually mentioned that the Drakeford guy has an interest in developing the Western and Northern close in hoods, and voila, il parait que c'est le cas (it appears that that is the case). I personally wouldn't mind a bottle of Biddleville preserve, crafted in the shadows of uptown Charlotte; it would help us along on the path to becoming a city of renown (hope I'm not taking the vineyard joke too far!).