SouthEnd Midrise Projects

[Urbanity]

Got to admit that the name of the establishment "Bite Your Tongue" never made me eager to find out what their food was like in the first place.  I'd get it if it was a Kosher place but for a Cajun one it never made sense...

[jednc]

Got to admit that the name of the establishment "Bite Your Tongue" never made me eager to find out what their food was like in the first place.  I'd get it if it was a Kosher place but for a Cajun one it never made sense...

I'm asking this out of ignorance...how would the expression "bite your tongue" be more relevant for a kosher place? I can remember growing up hearing people use that expression, so I guess I just assumed it was southern, not jewish.

[Urbanity]

Tongue has long been a popular Jewish delicacy.  Most of the Kosher delis and restaurants in NY carry it and feature it - thus why a pun inspired name like Bite Your Tongue for a Kosher Deli makes more sense to me than a Cajun one.

[jednc]

Tongue has long been a popular Jewish delicacy.  Most of the Kosher delis and restaurants in NY carry it and feature it - thus why a pun inspired name like Bite Your Tongue for a Kosher Deli makes more sense to me than a Cajun one.

I thought it* was more of a "our food is so good it will make you want to bite your tongue" kind of thing.

 

*Edit: is changed to it

Edited July 6, 2013 by jednc

[ScottCLT]

I thought is was more of a "our food is so good it will make you want to bite your tongue" kind of thing.

I am sure that is what was implied for this store. They were a Southern/Louisiana place, so I doubt there was any other influence than that. They operated at Presbyterian Hospital as a take-out stand with the same name for a while with the same concept. This was just their official "restaurant" attempt. Not sure if they will return to the fast food game.

[jednc]

Tongue has long been a popular Jewish delicacy.  Most of the Kosher delis and restaurants in NY carry it and feature it - thus why a pun inspired name like Bite Your Tongue for a Kosher Deli makes more sense to me than a Cajun one.

I've thought more about what you are saying here...you I think are really just saying if someone was going to use that phrase as the name for their restaurant that there is a nice tie in with the "tongue" part of the phrase and the reference to a Jewish Deli selling tongue...I'm with you now. I thought you were saying the phrase itself was of Jewish origins. Sometimes it takes me awhile!

[nonillogical]

That's a shame, I actually REALLY liked Bite Your Tongue, but even I would frequently forget it was there and a viable lunch option. I think that space, with its small size and lack of street frontage (but nice rail trail frontage) is more cut out for a coffee shop, bar, or maybe ice cream place...something that can convince people just walking by to stop in without a lot of thought.

[Niner National]

I liked the food at BYT, but I went in for lunch a couple times and the wait time was exceptionally long.

 

I waited 30 minutes for red beans and rice once. One would think they simply have a huge pot of that stewing in the back. They're definitely not making a new batch with every order.

 

Another time I waited about the same amount of time for a po-boy sandwich.

 

I gave it a third shot and it was slightly better, but still over 20 minutes of waiting. I could have called it in before I went I suppose, but you can't really count on your customers doing that.

 

I simply couldn't drive there, walk to the restaurant, wait a half hour, eat, and then get back to work in a reasonable amount of time.

 

They were always friendly, but the service times were outrageous. I'll miss it because there aren't any other casual cajun places in Charlotte (maybe Boudreaux's, but honestly, I think their food sucks)..

[Guest]

I was in town for 36 hours so I drove through Southend and I wanted to share my impressions. 

• It's crazy how much the New Bern Area has blown up! I just wish Silos didn't look like a big giant turd. Unless they do something unexpected it really seems like its going to be architecturally the most uninspired hunk of junk in the city. I also don't understand why they couldn't have included a little bit of street level retail SOMEWHERE between all the projects going on around there. I welcome the population. Its hard for me to understand how a project called "Fountains" seems to be the most urban. But then you immediately change your tune when you see it has surface parking (ugh). 

• Its amazing how much the intersection of East/West and Camden has changed, WOW-WEE. Its great that camden is becoming a mini stroll district, especially after thinking back to what it looked like just 15 years ago.

• I can't figure out why 300 W Tremont phased the construction in a way that the 2nd phase is what fronts S. Tryon... weird.  

• There is so much unrealized opportunities for repurposing on Tremont, Tyron and Mint; Between Mills, old buildings, and shells of buildings, so much can be done. I envision Artist Lofts/WorkSpace, more galleries, breweries, small business think tanks, and tons of space for creatives. I'm a brooklynite and I've seen it happen in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick in recent years. It's just too bad that people will probably just demo everything and build more Silos type abominations. 

• Publix and its 4 retail spaces should be an immediate catalyst for the neighborhood.

• I see no signs of a SouthEnd Slowdown.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Guest

[ScottCLT]

 

• I can't figure out why 300 W Tremont phased the construction in a way that the 2nd phase is what fronts S. Tryon... weird.  

I was wondering what they would do with that land. So it's a 2nd phase? I hadn't heard that before.

[Guest]

I was wondering what they would do with that land. So it's a 2nd phase? I hadn't heard that before.

Yep, 150 units plus two outparcels for Office/Retail. One Retail/Office building fronts Dogget and South Tryon, the other fronts W. Tremont and South Tryon. The Apartments are sandwiched between.

like so...

[utcharlotte]

All of this apartment supply with little supply on the condo side means some of these projects are going to flip to condo.  I'd expect the first condo flip by year end in South End with an aggressive estimate by Q3 there is an announcement. 

[ScottCLT]

Yep, 150 units plus two outparcels for Office/Retail. One Retail/Office building fronts Dogget and South Tryon, the other fronts W. Tremont and South Tryon. The Apartments are sandwiched between.

like so...

That's awesome - first time I've seen that rendering! Glad there is a retail component, even if it's in a separate building. I work right across the street from this place and will be nice to maybe have another close lunch option.

[kermit]

Quarters at Morehead (the project at 135 W Morehead between Church St and Winnifred), has officially applied for its building permits.  This has quietely moved ahead with no mention in the press or a rendering anywhere.

CBJ just picked up on it

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2013/07/nrp-group-to-build-298-apartments-at.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[nonillogical]

CBJ just picked up on it

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2013/07/nrp-group-to-build-298-apartments-at.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I will be strongly opposed to any project at this site with no retail, which it doesn't sound like they're planning on. It's also a major entrance into town, so I think another uninspired stick-built 5-story apartment without even ground-level patios/apartment access is going to be hugely disappointing here. 

[Guest]

http://goo.gl/maps/Bzbaj

That is this site. Hopefully this will be a catalyst to developing this stretch into something more attractive. Keep the buildings but spruce up the areas in front of them.

http://goo.gl/maps/Gy27r

 

As far as retail goes, something's got to give right? I'd love to see that stretch, between Mint and Church become nice store fronts. 

Edited July 9, 2013 by Guest

[carolinagarnet]

I've been waiting for development in this area for years. It's a shame that it has been so underutilized for so long (mainly do to its proximity to BoA Stadium I think), so I'm very excited. I agree, more of a residential presence here will naturally encourage retail in new buildings. This building coupled with the nearby townhomes and Church 1221 should help build density in the area.

[atlrvr]

While I wish it had retail, I'm pretty excited about the density (~125 units/acre), and the 5 stories is over 2 stories of parking (maybe 1 is below grade) but that is still 6-7 stories fronting Morehead which is pretty substantial.  Just hoping for something other than beige stucco.

[go_vertical]

I will be strongly opposed to any project at this site with no retail, which it doesn't sound like they're planning on. It's also a major entrance into town, so I think another uninspired stick-built 5-story apartment without even ground-level patios/apartment access is going to be hugely disappointing here.

I find it quite humerous that he brings up how pedestrian friendly the site is but no retail is mentioned. I understand that adding retail to a project can make getting financing a little difficult but now it just feels like these developers aren't even trying. Are you telling me that at least one spot couldn't be placed on that corner without too much of a hassle? Edited July 9, 2013 by go_vertical

[Bikeguy]

CBJ just picked up on it

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2013/07/nrp-group-to-build-298-apartments-at.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

I would certainly hope so.  It's friggin across the street from them.

[nonillogical]

I find it quite numerous that he brings up how pedestrian friendly the site is but no retail is mentioned. I understand that adding retail to a project can make getting financing a little difficult but now it just feels like these developers aren't even trying. Are you telling me that at least one spot couldn't be placed on that corner without too much of a hassle?

Yeah, I feel like the Southend stretch of Morehead could be an interesting retail area if developed right, though some traffic-calming is probably needed. If this project had retail fronting Morehead, then I'd be pretty positive we'd soon see the 1-story old buildings on the next block renovated into interesting uses and storefronts. However if nobody else has the confidence to try and kickstart the area, they'll probably continue to deteriorate and be wiped out for the next superblock apartment building.

[Guest]

Yeah, I feel like the Southend stretch of Morehead could be an interesting retail area if developed right, though some traffic-calming is probably needed. If this project had retail fronting Morehead, then I'd be pretty positive we'd soon see the 1-story old buildings on the next block renovated into interesting uses and storefronts. However if nobody else has the confidence to try and kickstart the area, they'll probably continue to deteriorate and be wiped out for the next superblock apartment building.

I just think that having residents nearby will make that area develop by itself. Those buildings won't deteriorate, because they have a number of creative businesses within them. They just look deteriorated because all of the pavement in front of them. If someone would revamp it and make it more inviting it would improve the corridor 10 fold.

[Urbanity]

Yeah, I feel like the Southend stretch of Morehead could be an interesting retail area if developed right, though some traffic-calming is probably needed. If this project had retail fronting Morehead, then I'd be pretty positive we'd soon see the 1-story old buildings on the next block renovated into interesting uses and storefronts. However if nobody else has the confidence to try and kickstart the area, they'll probably continue to deteriorate and be wiped out for the next superblock apartment building.

Wasn't that the area that had banners years ago talking about "look for the new restaurant row" or something of that nature?

[Guest]

Yea that banner is still visible on google street view

[nonillogical]

Wasn't that the area that had banners years ago talking about "look for the new restaurant row" or something of that nature?

It's still there, "Flavor District Coming Soon" or something like that...I never got the impression that it was about more than that 1 building, but yeah, 3 years later no signs of anything going on there.