Lake Norman Urbanization and Projects

[Andyc545]

Has there been any plans or talks or thoughts of how this project may interact with the North Line Rail, if at all? Just thinking about those 2 projects

[rjp212]

This won't be located near the North Rail Line. I'm sure they could eventually implement a bus route to feed it to the station, since it'll probably be less than 2 miles away.

[rjp212]

I'm starting wonder if the Lake Norman area is overbuilding hotels.

[jednc]

I'm starting wonder if the Lake Norman area is overbuilding hotels.

I read somewhere within the past month or two (probably Huntersville Herald) an article about the Lake area needing more hotels (esp. full service ones). This article talked about the new hotels going up at exits 30 and 32 and was saying there was still room for more, but those were a start. So, maybe this will be welcomed as more needed space.

[rjp212]

I think I might have read the same article. Lake hotel occupancy is extremely high and it is true we need more full service. I believe at this moment there is only 1 or 2 full service hotels. However there's 1 hotel going in at 36 (and I believe another lake front one over near Queen's Landing), 1 at 33, 2 at 32, 2 at 30 and this project will have 2 as well. All of these will be coming online within probably a 2-3 year time span of each other and that's not including other hotel annoucements that will probably pop up.

Edited June 30, 2007 by rjp212

[rjp212]

This is finally up for rezoning from General Industrial to Town Center.

[rjp212]

According to the Observer, the developers of this project have decided to reduce the amount of retail and increase the amount of office space. There will be now 2 anchor stores instead of 3 and three junior anchor stores instead of 7. They say they decided to bump up the office space after they received interest from a Fortune 500 company for space there.

[rjp212]

Looks like interest is picking up in Downtown Mooresville finally. According to the Observer, Nascar Driver Kurt Busch and some other people have formed Old Downtown, LLC that will specialize in revitalizing and redeveloping the downtown. I kind of always wanted to be the pioneer developer in that part of town though...oh well.

The Observer Article

Edited September 23, 2007 by rjp212

[DigitalSky]

I still feel that even with the reduction of retail that an upscale department store whose presence isn't in Charlotte currently, will join this project.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

after they received interest from a Fortune 500 company for space there.

Very interesting. I wonder who that would be.

[Larryfla]

According to the Observer, the developers of this project have decided to reduce the amount of retail and increase the amount of office space. There will be now 2 anchor stores instead of 3 and three junior anchor stores instead of 7. They say they decided to bump up the office space after they received interest from a Fortune 500 company for space there.

Since all of this building is going on and tons of things projected, do you feel that it is possible that private investors or corporations may enhance the chances of getting light rail going north before projected dates? Although I live in Florida, I am building a place off of Catawaba (28).

[monsoon]

There is no light rail planned for the north, just a commuter rail line. The question of whether or that gets built depends upon 1. the transit tax vote in November, and 2. whether or not the towns agree to the extra $100M beyond the tax beings asked of them. What happens with this project will have no effect on it because it is not located near the line.

Finally please direct these types of questions to the 2030 thread or north commuter rail line thread. Both are pinned at the top of the Charlotte forum.

[rjp212]

I remember seeing a rendering once of this. The buildings were facing interior streets with parking behind the buildings, however behind the buildings meant the parking faced Hwy 21 and 77. I feel like they should face some buildings towards 21 as well as the interior streets and get ride of the sea of parking. It just seems like wasted land when you have so much surface parking when a parking deck or two would free up some more land allowing them to increase the office space and still kept the same amount of retail space.

[rjp212]

The developers are now saying that they will pay for the widening of I-77 in the general area adding one lane to both North and South bound lanes. There is also a website up now that has some renderings as well as further details about the project.

Seems it will now have 3 10-story buildings. It still bothers me though that the project includes so many surface parking lots. Would've been nice if they had incorporated a few parking decks and freed up some more land for either green space or higher density.

Village at Lake Norman

[DigitalSky]

I can see Saks at The Village at Lake Norman.

I still strongly predict that SAKS will join this project, especially now that it seems that it's moving forward.

[StevenRocks]

Saks would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath until they put the sign on the building.

[nyxmike]

Maybe a second Nordstrom? I would think Saks would want to open somewhere in Charlotte city limits near South Park... and the "old" Mint Museum of Craft & Design is still available

[Temeteron]

Yeah i definately feel that whether it is Saks, or any other high-end department store, it would open uptown or somewhere in SP area before it would open anywhere else......unless it is a second Nordstrom i agree.....which isnt impossible.....

[Guest]

Yeah i definately feel that whether it is Saks, or any other high-end department store, it would open uptown or somewhere in SP area before it would open anywhere else......unless it is a second Nordstrom i agree.....which isnt impossible.....

I disagree 150%. Saks would not move to southpark, that market is tapped with Neimen Marcus, and uptown has not proven to have enough strength to support a super lux department store, the only thing it has proven is it has, from what i've heard, the best performing Target in the whole county. There is a lot of steps that must be taken between Target and Saks Fifth Avenue. Lake Norman has whole wildly affluent zips, completely untapped that have to drive to south charlotte to get their couture, they sure as hell can't get it at Northlake.

[Temeteron]

I disagree 150%. Saks would not move to southpark, that market is tapped with Neimen Marcus, and uptown has not proven to have enough strength to support a super lux department store, the only thing it has proven is it has, from what i've heard, the best performing Target in the whole county. There is a lot of steps that must be taken between Target and Saks Fifth Avenue. Lake Norman has whole wildly affluent zips, completely untapped that have to drive to south charlotte to get their couture, they sure as hell can't get it at Northlake.

So I guess it all depends if Saks wants to fly solo or join the NL banner since SP has no room unless someone calls it quits and Uptown isnt quite ready yet....

Edited November 19, 2007 by Temeteron

[rjp212]

The developer is saying that they are strongly pursuing a high-end Target as well as a Saks. They also say there will not be a Nordstrom because the demographics don't fit just yet.

[DigitalSky]

high-end Target

I know someone on the advertising team and Saks is coming... and as far as High End Target.... i think a Target is a Target is a Target...

[rjp212]

I really don't know what a high-end target would be and honestly I don't see the need for another target since Exit 25 and Exit 36 both have one.

[rjp212]

Supposedly Freightliner was looking at occupying office space at this redevelopment if they had chosen Mooresville for their relocation. Such a shame NC couldn't come up with an incentives package because of the sour taste that was left behind after the Google deal. Talk about a missed oppurtunity to bring 100s, potentially 1000s, of white collar jobs to Downtown Mooresville.

[DigitalSky]

I really don't know what a high-end target would be and honestly I don't see the need for another target since Exit 25 and Exit 36 both have one.

Maybe they're just trying to keep up with the Joneses (a la south Charlotte). Go drive down Rea Road and within 2 minutes of each other there are two Targets... so despite Exits 25 and 36 having one, Target sees the perfect opportunity to put another store in the high-income middle.