Elizabeth Projects (7th St, Elizabeth Ave, etc)

[atlrvr]

To go one step further, the rezoning petition allowed them to have hotel rooms, but per this rendering and Grubb's own admission, its not likely to be the case. You can see in this rendering that the mid-rise portion has balconies, which is much more likely to be condos than hotel rooms.

The earlier rendering which has disappeared, had a much taller section fronting Elizabeth with no balconies.

[bork]

The Petro Express stays at 4th and Independence. The Southend Original Pancake House moves next door, and the ABC store moves next door. The BK relocated from Elizabeth and Travis to 4th and Travis. Lots of relocations to keep track of, but Petro Express stays put.

This starbucks is enough distance away from CPCC to not have a constant stream of people there. I do think it will help, as does the Presby traffic. But obviously the Starbucks manager/franchisee/corporation/whoever has decided that this location needs a drive thru.

Ok, I didn't realize all those other things were moving around down there. I suppose this brings Midtown and Elizabeth connectivity then?

[dubone]

Sorry, but no actual street changes, beyond connecting Independence to Kenilworth. That is how I interpret connectivity. But I suppose if you are an alcoholic, having a closer ABC could count as connectivity .

[Raintree21]

At least the drunks will have to walk farther from CMC when they get discharged to get to the ABC store. Of course, they'll probably just switch their hospital preference to Presbyterian instead.

[DigitalSky]

so is it true, as altrvr said, whole foods in elizabeth, all but dead?

[atlrvr]

Well this is from another source (I read the CBJ first), but Doug Smith it also reporting it.

http://www.charlotte.com/296/story/117926.html

Whole Foods out, possibly the hotel component back in. Next door will be a movie theater. This development has really come full circle.

Charlotte's Grubb Properties is adding a first-run movie theater that serves chef-prepared meals in its Elizabeth Avenue revitalization project.

But one of its long-anticipated anchors is pulling back.

Grubb said the lease deal with Whole Foods Market is on hold as the natural-and-organic foods chain focuses instead on opening a SouthPark store in 2009.

[NCN8ive]

I don't know whether to be happy or sad about this latest development. I think Whole Foods would be great at that location. A movie theater and restaurants isn't a bad thing either. I'm not sure about the concept of this theater though. Will enough people be interested in that I wonder?

[DigitalSky]

It sucks that SouthPark gets everything retail-wise that the uptown & surrounding areas could really use. SouthPark is just getting more and more oversaturated

[Raintree21]

Chef prepared meals? I don't go to the movies to eat a 5 course meal. I go to watch a movie and maybe eat some popcorn.

[sfmartin]

That is awful news - I can't see how Whole Foods would be any more profitable in SouthPark than on Elizabeth, unless Grubb's terms were too tough. This area is ripe for a natural market of some sort.

Not that I expect to have any influence, but I wrote Whole Foods corporate and asked them to rethink.

Whole Foods contact

[queensguy06]

There used to be one of these on Independence if I remember correctly. I actually enjoyed the whole experience and it wasn't badly priced (For two to go to the movies these days costs over $20!) I would be more willing to spend a little more and make an evening of it rather than plop $25 for a bucket of popcorn and some Milk Duds.

[uptownliving]

I am glad that the movie theatre is back in the picture. There are more stores out there than Whole Foods. Maybe since Grubb already has a relationship with Asheville based Earth Fare they would consider building a store at his Elizabeth project.

[atlrvr]

Why not Harris Teeter? I know they have a lot in the area, but they are known for their oversaturation....eh, it probably wouldn't be the ideal location for them.

I agree that this is really disappointing. No streetcar, no grocery. I once saw this as the premier location, but now my faith is wavering.

[sfmartin]

This is why more developers don't try to be more visionary and work on a grand urban scale and why we continue to get more of the same schlock. If it ain't the gov't peeing in your pool it's another shortsighted developer/retailer/corp.

[Raintree21]

Won't there be a little too much supply of movies now? A movie theatre at Epicenter. A movie theatre at Elizabeth. A movie theatre at Providence and Queens (although it's only a 2 theatre indi-film establishment) Theatres seems to be pretty evenly spaced out right now but this seems like too much of a good thing in a small area.

[Creasy336]

What if Harris-Teeter brought in an organic/natural foods concept store?

[New Name]

What if Harris-Teeter brought in an organic/natural foods concept store?

I can't believe Bloom does not have a flagship store in the city yet. Consitering they are a Food Lion company, national headquartered in Salisbury, you would think they would be touting their new repackaged darling of a grocer. Oddly enough, the Mooresville Bloom is the "trial" store, meaning when they roll out new ideas, that store goes first.

[queensguy06]

There are 2 Bloom's in Charlotte currently and they are building one right near me in front of Regent Park (former PTL site). They are fairly new and only cover three or four states, I am sure you will see more popping up around Charlotte in the near future.

[New Name]

There are 2 Bloom's in Charlotte currently and they are building one right near me in front of Regent Park (former PTL site). They are fairly new and only cover three or four states, I am sure you will see more popping up around Charlotte in the near future.

Hmmm, what happened to the one in University? I used to shop there when I lived off Harris.

[Neo]

Hmmm, what happened to the one in University? I used to shop there when I lived off Harris.

That Bloom is still there. There is also one closeby off of 49 in Harrisburg.

[atlrvr]

Bloom was looking for a downtown store, don't know if that's still in the cards. They'd probably be interested in Eliz. Ave, but I doubt Grubb is. Also, Bloom's margins are pretty tight, and I don't think they'd get the volume there to justify the rents. That's why Whole Foods made more sense....high margins

[New Name]

Bloom was looking for a downtown store, don't know if that's still in the cards. They'd probably be interested in Eliz. Ave, but I doubt Grubb is. Also, Bloom's margins are pretty tight, and I don't think they'd get the volume there to justify the rents. That's why Whole Foods made more sense....high margins

Why are Bloom's margins so tight? -other than an extravagant retail platform, they are just a Food Lion, and you can find a drumpy old Food Lion in almost any small town crossroads, fifty miles from the nearest interstate in backwoods NC, VA, etc.

edit:

-getting off topic...my bad.

Edited May 11, 2007 by The Escapists

[atlrvr]

Well Food Lion offers tight margins too, more so than Harris Tetter...Bloom goes a step further and offers sale items to people that aren't part of a rewards program.

Regardless, I didn't get the sense from the article that Grubb is searching for another grocery anchor. If this moves forward, it will probably be scaled down.

[slinky]

Whole Foods just had a pretty bad quarter, partly due to poor results from their massive expansion. The SouthPark location gives them a lot more time to think about their plans for the Charlotte market.

[voyager12]

How depressing I think having a supermarket is essential to creating a livable vibe. The theater will be nice but I will be surprised if we see it before 09. Whatever this thing is called now it's sounding like a slighter more upscale version of Epicenter. A party hub with no sidewalk appeal at all.