Lake Norman Urbanization and Projects

[cityboi]

I see the plan has two 10-story office buildings. This is a pretty large development. It will certainly change the landscape of Cornelius

[monsoon]

^Indeed. It was earlier described a modern version of "SouthPark" for Lake Norman. If that is true or not is a different question, but the local paper has indicated this project was approved without much local opposition because people don't understand the scale of what was being approved.

[nyxmike]

I like this project. I would rather have this project than some car dealerships (which is what the land was zoned for before) or another boring strip mall. Atleast you can walk around outside and there will be a park and trails. As Charlotte grows, so will the towns around it. It could be a lot worse than this...

[clt2025]

I find it interesting that the budget for new roads is approximately 80 million and the total budget for the project is 516 million. The developer is going to spend 15 percent of his budget on roads. I know the argument that the roads won't be sufficient because the additional development that will follow will choke the new roads. That's what happened at the Norcross exit just south of the new exit for The Village. However, I don't think Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and the NC DOT have spent even a fraction of that on new road systems in that area in the last zillion years. This seems to be the only way to get roads funded in the area. That's a shame.

[Andyc545]

I find it interesting that the budget for new roads is approximately 80 million and the total budget for the project is 516 million. The developer is going to spend 15 percent of his budget on roads. I know the argument that the roads won't be sufficient because the additional development that will follow will choke the new roads. That's what happened at the Norcross exit just south of the new exit for The Village. However, I don't think Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and the NC DOT have spent even a fraction of that on new road systems in that area in the last zillion years. This seems to be the only way to get roads funded in the area. That's a shame.

In fairness to this specific issue, the developer is the one that wants to develop such a massive development off of infastructure that can't handle what is about to come. No city nor the NC DOT should be responsible for adapting to what a developer wants.

[monsoon]

It should also be noted that unlike some special statutes that apply to Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson have almost no direct control over the highways up there and are not allowed to build roads. By state law, it's all the NCDOT. The only thing the city can do is approve the zoning request or not. In this case the city is requiring the developer to pay the NCDOT for upgrades that will not otherwise happen for a long time if at all as a condition for getting the approval.

[ChiefJoJo]

I assume the vast white holes are parking decks. Sigh, I guess there's no point to creating a "main street feel" from scratch if people can't drive to it and visit.

Given the vast spaces they consume relative to the total building area, I would guess it's mostly surface parking. If they are spending $80M (only the developer's estimate--actual amt could be higher) on road improvements, they are not likely going to build a bunch of pricey parking decks at ~$20k/space, especially with the land area they have available.

This project would be a good case study on the chicken-egg LU/transportation connection. I knew they would approve the plan. It's the same story pretty much everywhere played out time and again... town council's visions of new tax revenues dancing in their heads are much too tantalizing to turn down. And, of course, there is little to no accountability for the results, because this town board will be long gone in 10 years and the state can be blamed for any traffic probems resulting from the development... and 10 years from now the state can (try to) argue that the town approved the development and that's why the traffic is so bad... and so will continue the cycle ad infinitum. At least in this case, the plan is contigent on private funding of the road improvements that are supposedly needed to accomodate the additional traffic. Of course, if all goes according to plan, both the town and the state will be complicit in making each other's bed.

Ultimately, I would like to see more regional control of these types of decisions, because that's what it is... a regional development of regional impact, just like Concord Mills, South Park, Carolina Place, Ballantyne, etc. Right now, it's let town A approve whatever suits their fancy, and the rest of us will try to accomodate it within limited means & budgets... then with the same mentality, every other town + Charlotte does the same, and you end up with a huge mess. Realization of the problem is better than it once was (centers & corridors, CATS), but still far short of where it needs to be. Maybe one day, state or local leaders will see the forest through the trees and set up some sort of regional governance structure to deal with these issues using a strategic, results-driven approach.

[monsoon]

^What would help that immensely would also be regional control, that means local control over all road building. No more NCDOT involvement. They share a blame in this because they operate in a vast vacuum where roads are prioritized and built often without any considerations for any regional planning that might exist. The only recourse that Charlotte and the towns have to change things, such as getting I-77 widened, would be to allow a project such as this because it will help pay for that to happen.

[Andyc545]

This week, Cornelius Bromont, LLC finished purchasing the 104 acres of land for this project.

Also, with the 80 million dollars in the road improvements, they will be constructing a bridge over 77 that will reallign Bailey Road.

[DigitalSky]

This project has been renamed 'Augustalee'

[Guest]

This project has been renamed 'Augustalee'

Very interesting name, I don't know if I prefer it better than Village at Lake Norman however. Then again the whole "Village of..." is very ubiquitous.

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[jednc]

Very interesting name, I don't know if I prefer it better than Village at Lake Norman however. Then again the whole "Village of..." is very ubiquitous.

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Agreed. And, it's named for Augusta Lee Cooke, the grandmother of the land-owning family...so I like to tie in to the history of the property. It sounds very southern.

[DigitalSky]

If you look through some of the flash renderings, you can see the Best Buy and Target logos too.

[rjp212]

Construction is set to begin late summer/early fall on the 12-story 300 room Embassy Suites with a 75,000 sq. ft convention center.

Edited April 8, 2009 by rjp212

[rjp212]

Cherokee Investments seems to have difficulty on finding tenants and is now looking to sell the property. Figured it was coming but kind of a shame because this could've been a huge boost for that area.

[rjp212]

The new Exit 31 is now open.

[Miesian Corners]

You gotta love the Langtree website. When you log on, you hear crickets chirping--like anyone could hear a cricket chirp at Exit 32 over the roar of I-77 traffic and speed boats on Lake Norman!

Edited August 2, 2009 by Miesian Corners

[jednc]

It looks like this project might be in trouble. According to The Observer the developer has defaulted on some of the loan conditions; specifically that they sign agreements to lease a significant amount of office space in the new development. The lender says it's working with all parties to see if the development can move forward, but obviously their first priority is to protect their investment. The story can be found here.

[DigitalSky]

So this is apparently one of the sites that Costco might go...

[StevenRocks]

With Saks? That'd be weird.

[rancenc]

It's good to hear that this project is now moving along.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/06/30/3355606/langtree-announces-14-restaurants.html

[jednc]

I have to say this doesn't sound like the type of line-up of restaurants/retailers that was implied in the first announcement of this project. It sounds like it's turning into strip shopping and interstate convenience to me.

[navigator319]

I'm new here and dont know anything about the development or the area... apperently residents feel the same as the above poster, but the local concil did not agrea or care

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/morning-edition/2012/07/mooresville-residents-lash-out-over.html

[rjp212]

According to the developments facebook page, they are hammering out plans for a 14-story mixed use building with a rooftop restaurant. I wonder if they are still planning on a 13-story Embassy Suites as well?

[Prodev]

One site plan shows a 12 story mixed use building including 112 room hotel, 16,500 sqft of retail/restaurant, 37,000 sqft of office, and 34 residential units.