Metropolitan, Midtown Redevelopment

[New Name]

Today I found myself wondering...is "Midtown" the name of a devolopment or a neighborhood? I mean, it seems it was a name given to refer to a shopping area in the past, and now in the future, but would it also be correct to say it could be the whole surrounding area?

[w8forme]

just wondering .... does anybody know if the new Target will be a "Super" Target?

[Raintree21]

Today I found myself wondering...is "Midtown" the name of a devolopment or a neighborhood? I mean, it seems it was a name given to refer to a shopping area in the past, and now in the future, but would it also be correct to say it could be the whole surrounding area?

I would say it's just the development because all of the surrounding neighborhoods have their own names, like Cherry. I have never heard anything else called by the name of Midtown except for that shopping center (and of course Midtown Sundries).

Edited June 17, 2007 by Raintree21

[TONYCLT]

just wondering .... does anybody know if the new Target will be a "Super" Target?

My wife is an excutive team lead with Target and she has heard that it will be a Super Target.

[dubone]

These days, most Targets have a decent selection of food, so even if it isn't a SuperTarget, it will at least have a selection of groceries in walking distance from Cherry and the new residents in Midtown.

If it is a SuperTarget, then that will be a disappointment for me. That means it will have less space for non-food merchandise, and I won't be a customer for their food.

[fulcrumsf]

I would say it's just the development because all of the surrounding neighborhoods have their own names, like Cherry. I have never heard anything else called by the name of Midtown except for that shopping center (and of course Midtown Sundries).

I've always used it to describe the former shopping center, but over the years have used it to describe that area even thought there are other distinct neighborhoods close by. I think of Midtown now as a district kind of like Southend, Uptown, Noda, Plaza/Midwood, Etc.

[DigitalSky]

Typical Target stores are 125,000 are feet. Typical SuperTarget stores are 175,000 square feet.

I believe that Target at Midtown will be 145,000 square feet.. I think it'll just be a regular Target with an expanded market pantry section (i.e. Greatland possibly) but I don't think it will be a SuperTarget

Edited June 17, 2007 by cantnot

[UrbanCharlotte]

Theyre starting to put glass on the office tower. Moving fast.

[Guest]

Typical Target stores are 125,000 are feet. Typical SuperTarget stores are 175,000 square feet.

I believe that Target at Midtown will be 145,000 square feet.. I think it'll just be a regular Target with an expanded market pantry section (i.e. Greatland possibly) but I don't think it will be a SuperTarget

The building that target is located in is 290k sq feet, and that includes a stacked Expo/Target. So theoretically it is a 145k building, as you said. This would indeed go along with the Greatland set up as far as target goes. For those who are not familiar, the greatland includes a couple thousand square feet of grocery type of section, which would be great for the area. I am however not completely familiar with the urban set up.

[atlrvr]

It will be slightly larger than half the building as it will have ground floor entrance with escalators going to the 2nd level....there may be some customer service functions on the ground floor as well.

[JerseyBoy]

I believe Target phased out the "Greatland" concept in favor of Super Targets instead.

[dubone]

Yeah, the Target is maybe 1/4 or 1/5 larger than the Expo underneath, as there is a section that sits on the ground level at King's (as atlrvr mentioned). So then it might actually be at the normal size for a Super Target.

[DigitalSky]

Yeah, the Target is maybe 1/4 or 1/5 larger than the Expo underneath, as there is a section that sits on the ground level at King's (as atlrvr mentioned). So then it might actually be at the normal size for a Super Target.

Ooh ok. Thanks DA, I was unaware they phased out Greatland Targets. So if it is a bit bigger than thought, then it may be a SuperTarget which would be exciting to have a full service grocer there...

[spectacle21]

I believe Target phased out the "Greatland" concept in favor of Super Targets instead.

When was the "Greatland" concept phased out? I worked at a Target: Greatland just 8 months ago.

[Raintree21]

When did the city renamed South Independence Blvd to Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd? I was going to the Wendy's and I noticed that South Independence Blvd is no longer and it's Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd, I'm not sure if it's Ave or Blvd.

The Observer had a little blurb on it today saying that the change occurred last Friday and it runs from Kenilworth Avenue to East 7th Street.

[JerseyBoy]

The Target Greatland concept was phased out in the later months of 2006. The stores that have the "Greatland" name will still be kept unless they are remodeled and more square footage is added on, then they'll become Super Targets.

[DigitalSky]

The Target Greatland concept was phased out in the later months of 2006. The stores that have the "Greatland" name will still be kept unless they are remodeled and more square footage is added on, then they'll become Super Targets.

Here is a picture of the first SuperTarget in the city, down in Rivergate. Now obviously, this one is in a suburban shopping center

It is 173,900 square feet.

[tarheel]

My wife is an excutive team lead with Target and she has heard that it will be a Super Target.

I emailed Target corporate, and the response I received was that it would be formatted as a regular Target. The signage on the building currently implies that it will be a Target (and not a super target). When I lived in Chapel Hill, a Super Target opened in Durham, and it was clearly stated that it would be a Super Target. Hopefully this Target will have a good selection of food.

[dubone]

That is good in my view. That means that square footage will be filled with the normal selection of general merchandise and not taken over by an attempt to compete in the grocery world. There could certainly be more grocers in this area, but it would be better served by standalone places. This will be the only general merchandise big box store anywhere near downtown (except the Wilkinson Walmart), so we need to use that space for products we don't have available, not food.

With Lowes coming to SouthEnd, Target and Best Buy coming to Midtown, I think I can cut my once-per-quarter trips to the 485 perimeter down to once per year, or hopefully once per triennium.

I'm hoping I can get to a point where I only need to go out there to remind myself how bad it is and then return.

[ncwebguy]

I drove by there on Sunday and was amazed with how the area has changed since I lived there in the early/mid 80s. The different Queens Roads and turns had my navigating wife going screaming "this isn't right" many times. Why can the city can they "fix" South Independence but won't do anything about that mess? I could only conclued that it was on purpose to keep the "riff raff" out of the 'hood.

My wife wanted to go to a friend's house in Myers Park, and after going there, I drove up toward uptown. I didn't recongnize the Charlottetowne street name, but once I saw CPCC I was realized it was where Independence used to go. Driving by the area, I explained how the deck with the target signs (non-super target, I think it said opening in october or november) used to be a movie theater and how the mall was leveled.

There isn't much, if anything, that is carried in a "regular" Target but not a Super Target. They might stock less of an item on a shelf, but there is not less of a product selection. Super Targets incorporate items like cleaning products, diapers, health and beauty, etc. from the hardlines area of the store into the grocery section. The rest of the store is realigned but I don't think any SKUs are left out of a Super, but I could be wrong.

I drove on East Blvd to South, and then down to my dad's (between Ballentine and the SC border). She hates Charlotte with a passion, but did like Myers Park, Dilworth, and Southend. The ride down South Blvd, past the mix of post-industrial, industrial, ethnic reuse, remnants of the "original" auto dealer row, the "new" row futher down, and Pineville was what she didn't like about the city. I didn't want to take her anywhere near Independence.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

She hates Charlotte with a passion, but did like Myers Park, Dilworth, and Southend. The ride down South Blvd, past the mix of post-industrial, industrial, ethnic reuse, remnants of the "original" auto dealer row, the "new" row futher down, and Pineville was what she didn't like about the city. I didn't want to take her anywhere near Independence.

Well, tell her we won't hate Raleigh with a passion by judging the entire city for Capitol Boulevard and Garner if she won't judge Charlotte for South Boulevard and Pineville.

[Raintree21]

I drove by there on Sunday and was amazed with how the area has changed since I lived there in the early/mid 80s. The different Queens Roads and turns had my navigating wife going screaming "this isn't right" many times. Why can the city can they "fix" South Independence but won't do anything about that mess? I could only conclued that it was on purpose to keep the "riff raff" out of the 'hood.

Changing street names keeps "riff raff out of the hood?" Can you explain what you mean by this?

[uptownliving]

^^ Well it has been told to me by local historians that Myers Park was the first neighborhood to not adopt the city street grid network and that it was intentional. It was stated to me that it was designed to intentionally confuse people and the thoughts back then was that it would help keep the "riff raff" out.

[dubone]

I bet that is urban legend, although it is impossible to prove either way.

Most of the Queens Road variations follow the old trolley line, and so it wasn't so much a hard turn between the two Queen's Road.

It is almost like the Independence situation. The original road turned and followed through midtown, but subsequent modernized changed how most cars travel. Well, in the olden days when people drove cars 10 miles an hour on unpaved and unlaned streets, or horses and carriages, or rode a trolley, it was okay for Providence to come close to Queen's. Providence was the route to head out of town, and Queen's was the route that followed the trolley line.

Anyway, I guess I fell into the off-topic snare. Sorry.

[Charlotte_native]

^^ Well it has been told to me by local historians that Myers Park was the first neighborhood to not adopt the city street grid network and that it was intentional. It was stated to me that it was designed to intentionally confuse people and the thoughts back then was that it would help keep the "riff raff" out.

I'm not quite sure if that is true. The layout of Myers Park, according to what I've read, was designed to give a "country home" feel next to the city for the new suburban neighborhood and was laid out to work with the geography and topography rather than to try and change it. The rolling hills, streams, and farming meadows were considered important in that design concept.

I don't think "riff raff" in general are so dumb that they get lost on winding streets!

edit: add this link -- though it doesn't say exactly "why" the streets were laid out as they were, it does show some of the concepts by Nolen, considered one of the great landscape architects of his time...: http://www.mpha.com/history_overview.htm

Edited June 26, 2007 by Charlotte_native