Charlotte area "ring cities"

[KJHburg]

Concord and Cabarrus County buy water from the city of Albemarle and it comes from Badin Lake and have for years.  

[Nick2]

1 minute ago, KJHburg said:

Concord and Cabarrus County buy water from the city of Albemarle and it comes from Badin Lake and have for years.  

The yadkin-peedee river lakes supply water for most of the piedmont between raleigh and Charlotte. The crazy thing is that they made the lakes for power for alcoa aluminum production in the town of badin in stanley county exclusively but they're so important to the region now.

[videtur quam contuor]

A drive to the town of Badin is worth an afternoon. Auguste Badin came from France to build his aluminum plant, Convinced the legislature to agree to dam and then flood the land for the lake. Palms may have been greased. Then WWI intervened and his investment languished and was completed later by others. A company town that looks unlike any other in the Carolinas. See for yourself.

[KJHburg]

Downtown Gastonia today with new hotel in historic bank building.  More shops and new music venue going in along Main St.  Plus some condos at the Carriage House. 

 

[JRNYP2C]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Downtown Gastonia today with new hotel in historic bank building.  More shops and new music venue going in along Main St.  Plus some condos at the Carriage House. 

 

I could have met you for lunch!

[KJHburg]

Pineville is getting a new 1 Million sq ft plus Amazon warehouse is a new business park from Beacon Development. 

From the Ledger ""1 million s.f. for Amazon in Pineville: Amazon has signed a lease for Beacon Partner’s Carolina Logistics Park in Pineville. According to the lease memorandum filed with the register of deeds and reviewed by The Ledger, Amazon will occupy 1,006,462 s.f. The lease, signed on Feb. 27, runs for 12 years with up to four 5-year extensions. The amount of rent is not listed in the public records. The Business Journal reported this week that Amazon is also eyeing another facility, on Beam Road near the airport.""

Carolina Logistics Park Nations Ford Road & Downs… | Beacon Partners (beacondevelopment.com)

This and other Amazon facilities open makes 5 plus a possible 2 more coming in Mecklenburg County alone.  Another 3 facilities in Cabarrus County too. 

[NCMike1990]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Pineville is getting a new 1 Million sq ft plus Amazon warehouse is a new business park from Beacon Development. 

From the Ledger ""1 million s.f. for Amazon in Pineville: Amazon has signed a lease for Beacon Partner’s Carolina Logistics Park in Pineville. According to the lease memorandum filed with the register of deeds and reviewed by The Ledger, Amazon will occupy 1,006,462 s.f. The lease, signed on Feb. 27, runs for 12 years with up to four 5-year extensions. The amount of rent is not listed in the public records. The Business Journal reported this week that Amazon is also eyeing another facility, on Beam Road near the airport.""

Carolina Logistics Park Nations Ford Road & Downs… | Beacon Partners (beacondevelopment.com)

This and other Amazon facilities open makes 5 plus a possible 2 more coming in Mecklenburg County alone.  Another 3 facilities in Cabarrus County too. 

Thanks for the update, KJ. You can actually see that warehouse already under construction in the middle of this screen shot I took. 

I found this site, LandViewer, that has updated satellite imagery for the area. I got tired of waiting for Google to update their aerial imagery. This is a good site to see all the development happening around Charlotte, and in all the ring cities. Just search for "Charlotte" or "Mecklenburg County" and it should pull up recent imagery on the right panel.

[KJHburg]

Drove by the site of the Carolina Logistics Park on the Downs Rd side and if you need a tower crane 2 companies on Downs Rd alone!  Plus a few of downtown Pineville and their new Police station.  Today.   Downtown Pineville 100% occupancy on the storefronts! 

[rancenc]

New brewery coming to Huntersville!

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2021/03/18/brewery-planned-for-huntersville-building-sale.html

[KJHburg]

Concord has preserved most of its historical mills. 

1. Gibson Mill is huge and this photo does not do it justice but they have put that huge new sign up.

2.3   Locke Mill converted to apartments and some office space.

4.5.   the old Cabarrus Creamery now an office building. 

[KJHburg]

Belmont or just south of it might get a 800 home age restricted community by Del Webb.   The great thing about these communities they do not put pressure on school systems and most don't commute on a regular schedule.  After the growth of 20 somethings people over 60 is the other fast growing group in this region.

PulteGroup seeks rezoning for major mixed-use development in Belmont - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

""On Thursday, the Belmont Planning and Zoning Board will consider a rezoning request for a 462-acre site along the South Fork Catawba River. The request is being made by PulteGroup, a homebuilder that is planning a major, long-term project there. The project calls for 809 age-restricted single-family homes and the potential for 130,000 square feet of commercial development, according to city records.""

[JRNYP2C]

23 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Belmont or just south of it might get a 800 home age restricted community by Del Webb.   The great thing about these communities they do not put pressure on school systems and most don't commute on a regular schedule.  After the growth of 20 somethings people over 60 is the other fast growing group in this region.

PulteGroup seeks rezoning for major mixed-use development in Belmont - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

""On Thursday, the Belmont Planning and Zoning Board will consider a rezoning request for a 462-acre site along the South Fork Catawba River. The request is being made by PulteGroup, a homebuilder that is planning a major, long-term project there. The project calls for 809 age-restricted single-family homes and the potential for 130,000 square feet of commercial development, according to city records.""

Oversaturation of homes, and not enough infrastructure to support it.  Traffic in this part of the county is getting exponentially worse by the day - and that is even during the pandemic.

Belmont City Council is rubber stamping anything that is put in front of them.  They are choosing to show they have no regard for the long term impacts.  Apartments, condos and garden homes by the thousands will not sustain the tax base long term.  They really need to be looking at luring businesses in to help sustain.  Getting to I85 will take 45 minutes at some point in the not so distant future.  They just don't care.  Frustrating to say the least.

[11 HouseBZ]

On 3/13/2021 at 8:02 PM, KJHburg said:

Drove by the site of the Carolina Logistics Park on the Downs Rd side and if you need a tower crane 2 companies on Downs Rd alone!  Plus a few of downtown Pineville and their new Police station.  Today.   Downtown Pineville 100% occupancy on the storefronts! 

Just a quick correction, the police station has been there for a minute. The town is building a new town hall and library with open civic space next to it on all the unused front "yard" of the police station. 

https://www.constructionjournal.com/projects/details/61cb1cd21b4b42afa5bf2558759dcfb6.html

Thanks for all the great photos KJHburg! Pineville definitely is a little gem. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I was on Downs road and I believe the Heede crane company has their office and main yard on Downs and another storage yard further south on Downs, same side of the road. Same company if I recall, different equipment and storage purposes.

[rancenc]

I didn't realize there were agencies that specialized in recruiting retail and like companies, but Albemarle is working to attract new additions to the local business community.

https://www.thesnaponline.com/2021/03/26/city-continues-talks-to-bring-regional-national-businesses-to-albemarle/

[KJHburg]

Take a ride up to Kannapolis bring your bike and ride around enjoy a beer at the Old Armor Brewery  grab some ice cream or slice of cake or a lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants.  (They need a few more but I am sure they are coming)  Bike problems they have a bike shop downtown too.   Take Amtrak from Charlotte to their station right downtown.    HOME – Old Armor Beer Company

Ride the train looks like around $12 roundtrip on Amtrak. 

downtown at 5 pm was packed with people drinking beer,  kids playing the fountain, people mulling around in the stadium etc.  Really a source of pride for Kannapolis.  

Building permits indicate lots of new small businesses coming.   Gem renovation underway and the other theater is across from the new 5 story apartments. 

Caution 27 photos ahead LOL

Edited March 27, 2021 by KJHburg

[rancenc]

If I am not mistaken, there are around 4 retail spaces in the new Vida apartment complex that will be filled hopefully very soon!

[KJHburg]

Town of Belmont's Chronicle Mill renovations finally starts.  240 apartments downtown and 9000 sq ft of commercial space.  This is an Armada Hoffler project the same company doing the uptown Charlotte Publix project on N Tryon.

BUZZ: Work begins at last on Chronicle Mill redevelopment - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Chronicle Mill – Armada Hoffler

Edited March 30, 2021 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

my walkabout in downtown Concord today.  New apartments have started right on Union St.  Hotel Concord is done and is now apartments and retail on ground level.  Cabarrus Bank and Trust  (57 S Union)  is being renovated even more apartments and ground floor coworking space.  New shops.  New courthouse.  

French bakery.  Hot dog shop,  Running gear  and beer shop.  Antique mall.  Several restaurants.  Downtown has 2 parking garages now.  

Live in Concord's View   Luxury apartments in Downtown Concord, NC (theviewhc.com)  aka the Hotel Concord 

Live in history in downtown Concord  Home - Suites at 57 South   aka Cabarrus Bank and Trust 

3 apartment buildings in historical buildings they don't tear down in downtown Concord! 

need coworking space?   check this space quite possibly the best looking space in the region! COWORKING | STARTUPS | INNOVATION - Flywheel Coworking

If you want to see what uptown Charlotte looked like in the 1920s,  the scale in downtown Concord is what it would have looked like with a few more highrises.  Lots of 1-2 story building along the main street. 

My WW2 vet great uncle spent his honeymoon with his Ohio bride at the luxurious Hotel Concord in 1950s (source family history book) 

Enjoy the tour!   30 photos! 

Edited March 31, 2021 by KJHburg

[rancenc]

Recent aerial view of the county seat of Stanly, Albemarle.

 

[rancenc]

New operations coming to Stanly County!

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/high-performance-automotive-parts-manufacturer-selects-stanly-county-new

[KJHburg]

3 hours ago, rancenc said:

New operations coming to Stanly County!

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/high-performance-automotive-parts-manufacturer-selects-stanly-county-new

wonder if this is a complete relocation?  they are based in Long Island and that is one expensive place to be.    The press release says relocates its manufacturing so maybe a complete move here. 

[rancenc]

32 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

wonder if this is a complete relocation?  they are based in Long Island and that is one expensive place to be.    The press release says relocates its manufacturing so maybe a complete move here. 

Let's see what happens.....of course with your numerous sources, @KJHburg you might know before the officials in Stanly County do!

[KJHburg]

33 minutes ago, rancenc said:

Let's see what happens.....of course with your numerous sources, @KJHburg you might know before the officials in Stanly County do!

My gut tells me this is complete relocation as Long Island is so expensive and taxes so high and they do a lot of work with racing teams.    I will ask around next time I go over to the Quad cities: Locust, Red Cross, Oakboro and Stanfield....

[KJHburg]

5 hours ago, rancenc said:

New operations coming to Stanly County!

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/high-performance-automotive-parts-manufacturer-selects-stanly-county-new

Complete relocation of HQ and manufacturing out of NY  to Stanly County to Stanfield 

my local sources More revealed on American Racing Headers' relocation to Stanfield - The Stanly News & Press | The Stanly News & Press (thesnaponline.com)