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Kidd's Hill/Crabtree area development


jlblaes

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It hasn't been canned, but it's pretty much on the ropes. Glen Tree will hopefully bring some development to that area, if the project falls through. I'm thinking something on a much smaller scale,ie upscale 1 story shopping center. More than likely that will be the final outcome, because this this project has shown lackluster efforts from the start.

Edited by Raleighsfinest
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I think that Brendle's opened in about 1978. My mother told me in that store that if I made the honor roll she'd buy me a $38 boom box.

That store gave me some fond memories of my childhood as well. It was like going to a toy store and a circuit city at the same time. I loved that place as a kid. :D

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Are any of the former Brendle's in the Triangle still sitting empty or have they all been reused by now? I think it would be interesting to see a former Brendles still looking as it was when the chain folded. When did they all go out of business anyway? I'm thinking around the late '90's?

By the way, and this is way off subject, but for some reason when I think of Brendles I think of the old chain "Best". There's still a vacant Best building in Durham off Hillsborough Road that went out of business around 1995. I got pictures of it a few weeks ago and it still has the store hours posted on the door from 10 years ago (empty spaces where the hours went), along with "Best Showroom Hours " in orange letters.

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That store gave me some fond memories of my childhood as well. It was like going to a toy store and a circuit city at the same time. I loved that place as a kid. :D

Agreed about the memories. When entering, it looks like a jewelry store, and then through the magical doors, it begins to resemble Toys R us + Circuit City. This is the one off South Blvd in Charlotte anyhow back in the 80s.

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I wish that the owners of the Kiddshill Plaza land got together with the Crabtree Valley mall owners and really did something as exciting as the new North Hills. If I had my say, I would add the Crabtree Creek into the design. Tear down the old Belks and expand that whole area not just one piece/building at at time. But enough about me and my ideas. At this point it would be nice if they would at least tear down the old Steak and Ale and clean up the area. I would be happy with that for now. :)

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Sure wish they'd do something with that area, at the bare minimum, just clean it up. I live very close to that area and pass by it frequently and it's quite an eye-sore. Nearly as bad as the old Clarion hotel which looks more like it belongs in downtown Baghdad than on Glenwood Ave. the way its all torn apart.

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I hope this isn't like the Solei pattern... Take something that good but not great, let it devolve into an eyesore for a couple of years, then get the neighbors on board for just about anything else.

I hope they are re evaluating and waiting to see how other projects in the area pan out and build something that makes sense. As it is, it looks like some clear cutting project near a future I-540 exit.

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Kidds Hill Plaza was the shopping center behind Crabtree Valley Mall to its south. It was on the left as Creedmoor/Edwards Mill went away from Glenwood Ave. It was anchored by a Brendles and grocery store a while ago, and limped on with a laundrymat/dry cleaner, Indian foods store, and Pizza Hut and Steak and Ale outparcels.

Some time in 2004, demolition began on the buildings and eventually the parking lot to make way for a mixed use office/residential/retail center. Those plans are now being reworked/on hold, due to other developments in the area -- Crabtree's Lord & Taylor wing rennovation, Soleil tower, etc.

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I'm a little confused, here. I think there are two Kidds Hill projects:

1) Where Steak & Ale was - all the way to the Crabtree parking deck bridge is one project. This property used to be called "Kidds Hill Plaza" and had Brendle's, Food Lion, Steak & Ale, and others but is planned to be called "Galleria"? It was supposed to have creek-level parking decks with Steak&Ale level retail with condos on top. Then the underground parking was taken out about a year ago. Ever since Glen-Tree got the go-ahead the condo demand in that area has vastly changed.

2) Kidd Brewer's old house (where the Crossroads Restaurant/It's Prime Only was on top of this hill). This is the project referred to in the paper, based on their map.

Frankly I'd love to just see Crabtree redevelop the plaza area to be old-world looking stores and condos on top of two stories of parking. THEN take those surrounding areas and develop according to the new mall configuration as a live/work/play self-sustaining town unto itself.

Edited by dmccall
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