University City Projects/News

[Niner National]

Assuming this is true, I think we would all agree this is sadder, yes.

It is. It happened near the end of summer. Not sure of the details, but one of the workers was electrocuted and killed.

[TheBigShamrock8]

It is. It happened near the end of summer. Not sure of the details, but one of the workers was electrocuted and killed.

 

A framer (I believe) was working on a man lift and backed it into a high voltage line.  

 

Happened 10/13 I believe.  http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/10/14/4388121/firefighters-trying-to-rescue.html#.UrGtEfRDuSo

[rugger62]

Here are a couple of pics of the Arcadia development.

 

From the developer's crappy gallery (sanctuarycompanies.com)

The board won't let me post the picture, so here is the URL: http://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserver.net/obj/NjNENEYyREMwMDhENUQzMkYyQUQ6MDkyNDE3MjFiYjNlMTkxYmNiOGZmYzk4ODY4ODAxN2U=

 

Posted Dec 4, 2013 on the facebook page (livearcadia)

Edited January 3, 2014 by rugger62

[Madison Parkitect]

Student living all the way up there? Not exactly walkable from campus... With the absurd parking situation on campus it's too bad there's not a ton of land to build more housing close enough for students to not drive.

[ah59396]

Student living all the way up there? Not exactly walkable from campus... With the absurd parking situation on campus it's too bad there's not a ton of land to build more housing close enough for students to not drive.

 

 

In 3 years there will be a light rail stop across the street!

[MilZ]

Student living all the way up there? Not exactly walkable from campus... With the absurd parking situation on campus it's too bad there's not a ton of land to build more housing close enough for students to not drive.

I believe one of their big factors is proximity to the UC Blvd Station when the light rail gets there in 2017. 

 

Edit:^What he said haha.

Edited January 3, 2014 by MilZ

[km1789]

Student living all the way up there? Not exactly walkable from campus... With the absurd parking situation on campus it's too bad there's not a ton of land to build more housing close enough for students to not drive.

 

The intent, I believe, is that students/residents could walk and hop on the train and take it in to campus. The University City Blvd. Station is roughly at the junction of hwy 29 and 49 but is actually in the opposite direction of the Arcdia development. A good idea i'll conceede. but the design of the place tries to make it feel like some sort of Alpine resort, so you know.... theres that.... 

 

Circle is indeed getting it right. It will be a wonderful thing for the edges of the campus (not on campus property) to develop in a denser more walkable pattern (lets hope some retail is thrown into the mix) but the University, at least on the UCity Blvd side has developed in a very insular way. An understandable way given the university's suburban location, but lets hope that the university siezes the opportunity to complement, and dare I say catalyze, more development on its edges in order to support this new (for the area) urban form.

Seems we all hit that at the same time. haha

[birky]

No pic, but exterior brick work going up at Circle UC.  Got an ad for leasing in my work email earlier this week.

[Niner National]

Student living all the way up there? Not exactly walkable from campus... With the absurd parking situation on campus it's too bad there's not a ton of land to build more housing close enough for students to not drive.

In addition to the light rail opening up across the street in a few years, the developer has said they plan to run a shuttle to campus.

[AuLukey]

That's really not that bad of a walk.  Don't consider the treck down Tryon as reference (unless you were walking to the graduate campus.)  The walk down UCB isn't that bad (maybe aside from the Harris Blvd bridge.)  I've seen people walk down Harris to campus from up near Old Concord Rd which is just as far and probably more dangerous.  As more pedestrian improvements are done along UCB and Tryon, don't be surprised to see a sprawl of "Student Housing."  That said, there are plenty more options for students closer to the campus that offer a much more pleasant commute.

 

As for the aforementioned "parking situation."  I hope you are referencing the OVERabundance of parking on campus.  Compare Charlotte to 99% of other university campuses out there and you'll find that there is sooooooo much more commuter parking within (not adjacent to) the main campus.  The suburban allowance for these new decks is absurd.  I hope they cut back on decks and focus more on housing and educational facilities. 

 

Actually, a quick look deep into the facilities management pages of UNCC's website shows the only parking facility that is on the books is the deck currently being finished up by the highrises.  That's vs 5 residence halls either in close-out, under construction, or in planning stages.  Maybe they are starting to push in the right direction.

[nyxmike]

With the light rail coming, are there plans to build sidewalks along University City Boulevard? I still think the lack of sidewalks around campus is absurd.

[tozmervo]

I haven't seen any mention of sidewalks along UC Blvd as part of either the Northeast Corridor Initiative or the Cross-Charlotte Trail, both of which are funded by the current CIP. The extension of the Toby Creek Greenway south toward Old Concord is included, though. 

[Urbanity]

There was a link earlier in this thread (if I find it I will edit post) that stated they (city w/UNCC) are building a side walk on the West side of University City Blvd from Campus to about Target.  There already exists on UCity a sidewalk from WT Harris to beyond campus on East side of the Blvd (if I have my directions correct.
 

What I never saw discussed mentioned is a sidewalk that would go all the way to North Tryon.

Edit - rworkman posted this back in June (not sure where I got "to Target" though) and it is what I was thinking of:  http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/22/4118801/pathway-coming-to-university-city.html#.Us2dzZ5dX3Q

Edited January 8, 2014 by Urbanity

[birky]

The path has been under construction from John Kirk Rd to the main entrance on 49 since the summer.

[MilZ]

Mary Newsom knows how to fire me up.

 

http://nakedcityblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/you-call-that-auto-mall.html

[AuLukey]

While those types of dealerships will clearly never be viable in Charlotte, she is raising an argument that needs to be raised.  Why should we allow the city to do something ass backwards from what they have said?

[ah59396]

Because it's Charlotte and our government does it allllll the time.

[AuLukey]

Ah yes, the sarcasm was lost in the text.  A contextual emoticon is in order:

[ah59396]

Ah yes, the sarcasm was lost in the text. A contextual emoticon is in order:

Touché my friend!

[birky]

Circle UC update:

 

[Niner National]

Circle and the project on the corner of 49 and E Mallard Creek Church will do a lot to change the appearance of the south side of campus. Really nice to see some of the apartments build right up on the street front with parking hidden behind. 

[AuLukey]

This has got to be the most optimistic, albeit short-sited, article about the university area that I've read in some time.  Announced back in November,  Darlene Heater, formally of Center City Partners, is taking over University City Partners.  The article never actually mentions how un-pedestrian friendly the announced developments along the line have been so far, but I'd like to publicly call BS on the following excerpt from the article:

Officials have been holding public hearings and studying existing zoning to see how best to promote the kind of high-density, walkable development that works well with transit stations

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/03/07/4748459/urban-planner-light-rail-set-to.html#storylink=cpy"

One thing I did take from the article though was that URP is planning on making their land more multiuse than was originally planned.  Hopefully the right people are involved in developing proper land use there.

Edited March 9, 2014 by AuLukey

[Niner National]

 

This has got to be the most optimistic, albeit short-sited, article about the university area that I've read in some time.  Announced back in November,  Darlene Heater, formally of Center City Partners, is taking over University City Partners.  The article never actually mentions how un-pedestrian friendly the announced developments along the line have been so far, but I'd like to publicly call BS on the following excerpt from the article:

One thing I did take from the article though was that URP is planning on making their land more multiuse than was originally planned.  Hopefully the right people are involved in developing proper land use there.

 

Yeah the whole article is a load of BS. Two prime pieces of land at one of the premier stations in UCity will be an auto mall and a suburban style student housing apartment complex. There aren't many other open pieces of land between the station near the Tyon/49 intersection and the JW Clay Station. Almost anything developed between those stations would require demolition and redevelopment.

 

I too thought the URP news was encouraging. URP could be a really cool work/play/live community if done right. Only a short distance from light rail and direct access to a greenway are definitely nice selling points.

[Niner National]

UCP has released their economic development data.

 

http://universitycitypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Development-Report-20141.pdf

 

Looks like TriCor International bought the Walmart property. They plan to lease it for retail and add 25,000+ more SF of retail. I'm assuming they'll do that by converting the garden center area into an enclosed space.

 

Can't imagine what would actually lease that space. Hopefully something nicer and not a discount retailer.

[Third Strike]

I would love to see a Publix, or maybe even Whole Foods, occupy about half of the old Walmart building.