SouthEnd Midrise Projects

[voyager12]

Did a Spectrum driveby today. Surprised about how much I liked the style. Has a kind of chic lodge vibe going on and the slanted cantilevered positioning is neat. On the negative side the immediate surroundings are very desolate. You feel cut off from Southend proper. Eventually, the surrounding industrial will probably convert. As of now I don't think many people would feel comfortable walking back to their apts at night from the E/W rail stop. Are there streetlights along Hawkins? Did not notice, that would go a long way to making the block feel safer.

[InitialD]

Did a Spectrum driveby today. Surprised about how much I liked the style. Has a kind of chic lodge vibe going on and the slanted cantilevered positioning is neat. On the negative side the immediate surroundings are very desolate. You feel cut off from Southend proper. Eventually, the surrounding industrial will probably convert. As of now I don't think many people would feel comfortable walking back to their apts at night from the E/W rail stop. Are there streetlights along Hawkins? Did not notice, that would go a long way to making the block feel safer.

Spectrum is the "last outpost of Southend gentrification." I ride down the trail from uptown to Scaleybark almost once a week. I've noticed tagging on the brick building next to Spectrum, then it was quickly painted over. I noticed several windows busted out with (most likely) rocks from the light rail bed. They were repaired by the next week, when I (for the first time) saw a security guard walking around Spectrum. Past Spectrum there is nothing before you get the the small amount of development around New Bern - nothing but lot after lot of foundations of former warehouses. If you live at Spectrum, I imagine it will be pretty nice, but just know you will be the last outpost of Southend civilization for a while.

[dubone]

Looks like the 3030 South project will also be an outpost for a while too. We all knew the Silos was on hold, but now Citiline is closing down means it may never happen.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../31/story1.html

[yorkconstruct]

Looks like the 3030 South project will also be an outpost for a while too. We all knew the Silos was on hold, but now Citiline is closing down means it may never happen.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../31/story1.html

WOAH!! Last year Citiline was soliciting bids for the Silos from our company, for concrete and masonry work, we were low bidder and were negotiating a contract till we heard this project was on hold indefinitely. MAN DID WE DODGE A BULLET. Glad this never materialized, we would have been left bank rolling this and holding the ball.

[atlrvr]

Not to be insensative to Tim's fate, but I'm glad at least the infrastructure was mostly completed. Shouldn't be that hard for someone to come in the future and get things moving again, though quite likely with a different design.

[RiverwoodCLT]

The land will be there for someone else to develop in a few years. We are going see to more companies going out of business, but in 4 or 5 years we may see a pickup in construction. I do not think we have seen the bottom yet, so I hope someone will get this property and build in the future a nice project.

[Charlotte_native]

Anyone know how many of the Southend Flats are left? My fianc

[Charlotte_native]

Anyone have a sense of how full fast these new apartments are leasing?

At the Southend business association meeting last week they have the numbers -- "C" is about 1/3 leased up, Ashton was about the same but a bit higher.

It's really going to have a huge impact on the area when they are full. As it is most of the neighborhood businesses do quite well, these new residents within walking distance they've likely be even busier. Side note about that, two new lounges/clubs are opening in the building that houses Spenzik and Apostriphie. A Gay bar, not sure of the name, and Dharma Lounge.

[HopHead]

The land will be there for someone else to develop in a few years. We are going see to more companies going out of business, but in 4 or 5 years we may see a pickup in construction. I do not think we have seen the bottom yet, so I hope someone will get this property and build in the future a nice project.

So they basically bulldozed a warehouse for nothing then... More blight to add to South Blvd

[voyager12]

[quote name='Charlotte_native' date='Aug 29 2009, 08:39 AM' post='1086609'

Side note about that, two new lounges/clubs are opening in the building that houses Spenzik and Apostriphie. A Gay bar, not sure of the name, and Dharma Lounge.

Edited August 29, 2009 by voyager12

[atlrvr]

The bonded distribtion warehouse? The was demoed for a apartment project that is also dead. As was the Welder's Supply center.

Citiline's project doesn't front South, and the only thing demolished for it was a few metal sheds, and a sand/gravel elevator for the concrete plant that was there.

Edit> There is a new place opening in the Apostrophe building called Napoleon's Exile. Perhaps its that same as the gay bar that Charlotte Native mentioned.

[ScottCLT]

On the bar topic...On The Roxx now has a permanent sign up on South Blvd. Also, took a peek into Dharma Lounge today and it is looking nice! They have also put up their sign. Looking forward to some more options for nightlife in my neighborhood!

[krazeeboi]

Some construction shots of that project being developed behind the Roman Catholic Archdiocese building (forget the name of it) taken 8/29:

Millenium:

[voyager12]

The majority of parking garages attached to the new projects are painfully ugly and detract from the overall character of the neighborhood. I wish more care had been taken on these during the review process. There are myriad ways of making garages less overbearing and even attractive or artsy.

[southslider]

Millenium's deck is wrapped on all sides (S. Tryon, E. Bland, and E. Catherine) except South College Street, which may as well be an alley. If the surface parking lot on Bland used by Greek Isles were developed, most folks would not even see it.

[krazeeboi]

The majority of parking garages attached to the new projects are painfully ugly and detract from the overall character of the neighborhood. I wish more care had been taken on these during the review process. There are myriad ways of making garages less overbearing and even attractive or artsy.

You're right; the Ashley is one of the worst offenders.

[urban980]

Since we are on the topic of parking, would it have killed them (the developers) not to build these massive decks? I understand that Charlotte's culture is dominated by the mighty auto. However, I wonder just how many folks living in the "new urban South End" will own cars? In some cases, these decks are almost larger than the actual condo building. It just seems like a huge waste of money and land IMO. If the deck is only 1/3 full on most days, what are they going to do? Are they going to make it smaller? I doubt it.

I personally think developers should build decks as needed. In other words, secure the land for the deck, but only build it when (or if) parking becomes an issue. If parking never becomes an issue, the developer can either further develop the land (or sell the land).

Edited September 1, 2009 by urban980

[atlrvr]

However, I wonder just how many folks living in the "new urban South End" will own cars?

All of them.

[InitialD]

All of them.

True. While us urbanists like to daydream about how we'd live car-free in Southend, in reality many people who are moving into these new projects couldn't give a rat's milkshake about urbanist ideals - they want somewhere that's hip and popular for the upwardly mobile young professional - and has a parking space for their new European sedan they bought with their first bonus.

[voyager12]

Well, I do give these places credit for emphasizing the bicycle option. And a good number of residents may opt to walk or ride the train during the work week.

[Charlotte_native]

Come to Common Market one evening in Southend and check out how many bikes are typiclly there. If it is a normal evening a dozen or more are parked around and plenty of other folks have walked up to the place. That being said, this is a-typical for most people and most places in the area even though I see and know a lot of people who walk to work uptown from Wilmore and Southend.

[southslider]

What I noticed my last visit to Common Market in South End is that they have their own parking lot, and so does Phat Burrito (in addition to the small lot by the LYNX line), and so does Black Sheep, all right next to each other between Camden and Tryon. Yet each lot is signed exclusively for their use, and each has a separate driveway with zero cross-access. So unless you park in one of the few on-street spaces, I guess you're not supposed to visit more than one of these businesses without moving your car and driving around the block to the next parking lot. Seems to me that South End could function more like where the original Common Market is located and share some parking.

[Charlotte_native]

What I noticed my last visit to Common Market in South End is that they have their own parking lot, and so does Phat Burrito (in addition to the small lot by the LYNX line), and so does Black Sheep, all right next to each other between Camden and Tryon. Yet each lot is signed exclusively for their use, and each has a separate driveway with zero cross-access. So unless you park in one of the few on-street spaces, I guess you're not supposed to visit more than one of these businesses without moving your car and driving around the block to the next parking lot. Seems to me that South End could function more like where the original Common Market is located and share some parking.

If you go from place to place no one says anything about where you've parked. I've never seen anyone enforce it either. The reason isn't so much the businesses as those lots and the buildings on them are owned by separate owners that the businesses lease from, not just one owner for the block. Thankfully we just pull our bikes up!

[nonillogical]

i noticed some construction equipment on a small cleared site directly across S. Church from the apartment project thats going up right now (1225 or something? i always forget about this one). its between carson and bland near the signs shop. anyone know anything?

Edited September 7, 2009 by nonillogical

[atlrvr]

i noticed some construction equipment on a small cleared site directly across S. Church from the apartment project thats going up right now (1225 or something? i always forget about this one). its between carson and bland near the signs shop. anyone know anything?

Flores & Assoc. (an employee reimbursement plan admistrator) is relocating to this new building which they will own and fully occupy. No retail The building is approx 20k sq. ft. and will has 22 employees now. This allows them room to grow. They are currently at 200 S. Tryon now.

Phote from the Observer