Metropolitan, Midtown Redevelopment

[KJHburg]

Just now, DMann said:

Love it, is it real?

Not yet just a proposal as that site needs to be rezoned and a leader from Cherry is against it even though it is not in Cherry.   I thought density was a good thing especially since it is block from the streetcar and commercially zoned right now.  

Planned midtown Charlotte tower draws traffic, housing fears | Charlotte Observer

""Sylvia Bittle-Patton, with the Cherry Community Organization, said the tower could negatively impact the character of the nearby historically Black neighborhood. The current SunTrust building there is just a fraction of the height, she pointed out.""

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

""Sylvia Bittle-Patton, with the Cherry Community Organization, said the tower could negatively impact the character of the nearby historically Black neighborhood. The current SunTrust building there is just a fraction of the height, she pointed out.""

This is an extremely big stretch. Removing a  multistory bank branch next to a dense community college does nothing to impact the character of the Auto Bell car wash. 

[tozmervo]

10 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Whoa!  look at this proposed apartment tower on the SunTrust site in midtown at Kings and 3rd and 4th St. 

Joe Bruno just tweeted it out

They've oriented the tower so that no one except the end unit has a view of the skyline. That seems like a really strange choice

[DMann]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

They've oriented the tower so that no one except the end unit has a view of the skyline. That seems like a really strange choice

Sure does seem strange!

[go_vertical]

I hope the city council collectively grow a pair regarding her "concerns". This is EXACTLY what needs to be going up a block away from a streetcar line that is going to need all the help it can get to reach ridership goals. Not to mention an urban greenway literally across the street. They successfully killed the office tower at 4th and Hawthorne further submitting the streetcar to a slow and probably painful start. This is blocks away from anything historical. Let's see; a Bojangles, a gas station, B of A branch, car wash, a relatively new apartment building and a cell tower are supposed to be historical? Ridiculous. 

[Robbie Charlotte]

30 minutes ago, go_vertical said:

I hope the city council collectively grow a pair regarding her "concerns". This is EXACTLY what needs to be going up a block away from a streetcar line that is going to need all the help it can get to reach ridership goals. Not to mention an urban greenway literally across the street. They successfully killed the office tower at 4th and Hawthorne further submitting the streetcar to a slow and probably painful start. This is blocks away from anything historical. Let's see; a Bojangles, a gas station, B of A branch, car wash, a relatively new apartment building and a cell tower are supposed to be historical? Ridiculous. 

Wholeheartedly agree.

Observer writes that council members agreed that project failed to include community benefits.  Let's review:

intensified residential use adjacent to a new transit line - no benefit?

significant increase in new patrons for local-area, center city businesses - no benefit?

in-town development so that we're not felling a forest on the edge of town to accommodate new residents - no benefit?

pedestrian plaza included in project - no benefit?

So to get this straight, only affordable housing is a community benefit?

[jjwilli]

I believe the Cherry Neighborhood was paid out big $$$ last time they “objected” to a high rise tower rezoning nearby (on Baldwin I believe). Most likely looking for a similar outcome as that other rezoning was ultimately approved.
 

Can’t say I blame them if they can use those funds to better their neighborhood.

[atlrvr]

I mean...I agree completely, but Charlotte used to elect very moderate politicians (or at least pro-growth) for the most part (both R and D) but the current slate of city council is much more "progressive" than 5+ years ago, and this type of debate shouldn't be surprising given the campaign platforms for most council members and their stated focus on affordable housing.  

Robbie - you listed intangible benefits. While affordable housing is a tangible benefit.  Again, I completely agree, but a council member isn't going to run for re-election on less trees knocked down in Union County or the increase in revenue at Devil's Logic brewing.

[Robbie Charlotte]

16 minutes ago, atlrvr said:

I mean...I agree completely, but Charlotte used to elect very moderate politicians (or at least pro-growth) for the most part (both R and D) but the current slate of city council is much more "progressive" than 5+ years ago, and this type of debate shouldn't be surprising given the campaign platforms for most council members and their stated focus on affordable housing.  

Robbie - you listed intangible benefits. While affordable housing is a tangible benefit.  Again, I completely agree, but a council member isn't going to run for re-election on less trees knocked down in Union County or the increase in revenue at Devil's Logic brewing.

hmm, pedestrian plaza or new patrons for business are intangible?  

I get your point about the bounded rationality of each council member.  I'm just saying that if we're pushing back on projects like this along mass transit infrastructure, then please stop proposing tax hikes and wasting my money on mass transit.

[CLT Development]

1 hour ago, go_vertical said:

I hope the city council collectively grow a pair regarding her "concerns". This is EXACTLY what needs to be going up a block away from a streetcar line that is going to need all the help it can get to reach ridership goals. Not to mention an urban greenway literally across the street. They successfully killed the office tower at 4th and Hawthorne further submitting the streetcar to a slow and probably painful start. This is blocks away from anything historical. Let's see; a Bojangles, a gas station, B of A branch, car wash, a relatively new apartment building and a cell tower are supposed to be historical? Ridiculous. 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-worklife/article236140483.html

They didn't kill it, I got people to show up en masse in support. It was approved, the only reason it hasn't been built is the anchor fell through due to COVID.

[JacksonH]

3 hours ago, tozmervo said:

They've oriented the tower so that no one except the end unit has a view of the skyline. That seems like a really strange choice

Yes, but they should have an excellent view of either CPCC or Target. 

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

5 hours ago, tozmervo said:

They've oriented the tower so that no one except the end unit has a view of the skyline. That seems like a really strange choice

They could hypothetically reorient the tower once approved, I don't think re-orienting the building would require additional approval.

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

They could hypothetically reorient the tower once approved, I don't think re-orienting the building would require additional approval.

It would be extremely challenging to rotate the tower without dramatically impacting ground level circulation - residential entrance, vehicle driveways, etc.. Those locations are critical to the approval process.

 The whole thing is designed a right angle to Kings, too, which I think is also making the tower siting seem weird. They've almost oriented the large face directly south, but not exactly. The building isn't parallel to either 3rd or 4th. 

As others have said, this is a good location for a high density tower like this. Close to greenway, close to gold line.

Edited July 20, 2021 by tozmervo

[t_money]

On 7/20/2021 at 10:11 AM, The Real Clayton said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-worklife/article236140483.html

They didn't kill it, I got people to show up en masse in support. It was approved, the only reason it hasn't been built is the anchor fell through due to COVID.

Clayton putting  in the work. Nice

 

I edit my thought to say this is a different project. The 'original' post is about a building at 3rd, 4th, and Kings.  That link from Clayton is about 3rd, 4th, and Baldwin.

You could write the same article again and it would apply - probably even more so as this one is further from Cherry.

Edited July 21, 2021 by t_money

[Vitamin_N]

I made a meme to express my befuddlement.

[RANYC]

3 hours ago, Vitamin_N said:

I made a meme to express my befuddlement.

I feel this meme also captures aspects of the debate over duplexes and triplexes as part of eliminating exclusionary zoning.

 

[Hushpuppy321]

I don’t think this proposed rezoning is at severe risk because of the 3rd & Baldwin Rezoning win (299’ Max Height) a couple years ago.  I do believe that the hesitancy from Council and Cherry Association will wrestle some concessions from the developer though.  

[TheMightyBK]

I made a meme to express my befuddlement.
http://content.invisioncic.com/x329420/monthly_2021_07/1988898717_Screenshot2021-07-2210_52_45AM.thumb.png.ea8c903c2d0658700c13ff2020c0a49d.png

You should absolutely tweet this @them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KJHburg]

In a city starved for parks this newly expanded Pearl St Park will be nice.   Plus apartments by Solis (Pappas.terwillinger) across the street backing up to that deck. 

 

[kermit]

Zoe’s Kitchen is shutting its midtown location on the 15th

[Temeteron]

18 minutes ago, kermit said:

Zoe’s Kitchen is shutting its midtown location on the 15th

Wow! Seems like so many places have shut down there 

[RANYC]

12 minutes ago, Temeteron said:

Wow! Seems like so many places have shut down there 

 

12 minutes ago, Temeteron said:

Wow! Seems like so many places have shut down there 

New owners of Midtown shopping center plan a major refresh - Axios Charlotte

Any chance this is leaving because of the "refresh" of the shopping center, as reported back in February?

[tozmervo]

That seems crazy to me. After a quick search, it appears that lots of Zoey's locations have been getting converted to Cava's (Cava bought Zoey's in 2018). Wonder if that will be happening here.

[J-Rob]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

That seems crazy to me.

I love Zoey's/Cava, but not enough to park in the Trader Joe's deck.

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

Havent been to the Met in awhile but they have some big shoes to fill over there with vacancies if im not mistaken.  Including big ones like the old Hickory Tavern, West Elm, & Vivace.  With the med school being a short walk away, I have high hopes good things will replace those vacant spots.