Metropolitan, Midtown Redevelopment

[Forrest]

I like Zoe's too, although I agree that it's a little overpriced. Metropolitan definitely has a much better buzz going since Zoe's and Vivace have opened. The dead zones on either end have perked up a bit.

[dubone]

I don't get the overpriced comment. It is the same 6 bucks for a sandwich or 9 bucks for a sandwich, fancy chips, and drink that most nicer sandwich places uptown charge. I ate lunch there today, and got a really tasty steak wrap with water and chips and it was 7 bucks. That is just a tiny bit above fast food prices, but far better food.

[Guest]

I don't get the overpriced comment. It is the same 6 bucks for a sandwich or 9 bucks for a sandwich, fancy chips, and drink that most nicer sandwich places uptown charge. I ate lunch there today, and got a really tasty steak wrap with water and chips and it was 7 bucks. That is just a tiny bit above fast food prices, but far better food.

With my experience with Zoë's Kitchen I can't imagine how it could be considered expensive. Especially since similar quality food at restaurants in Charlotte run more expensive typically. Maybe my ideas are just skewed since I'm used to spending more for less lunch in Manhattan. A Charlotte poster and I spent 12.95 each on a crappy pita and water in the financial district when he visited me at work a few weeks back, so I definately would have loved to pay 6.99 for lunch, hell the company cafeteria is more expensive.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Guest

[Miesian Corners]

Vivace needs better signage. If you didn't know where to look, you'd never know it was there.

Zoë is great! Love that chicken salad!

[tozmervo]

So on Fox Charlotte they were just ticking off some of the capital projects that has helped cause Mecklenburg's budget issues, and one of the items was $20 for the Target/Former Expo parking deck. Is that true? I wasn't aware public money went into Metropolitan. Does that mean the parking deck is owned by the city?

[jednc]

So on Fox Charlotte they were just ticking off some of the capital projects that has helped cause Mecklenburg's budget issues, and one of the items was $20 for the Target/Former Expo parking deck. Is that true? I wasn't aware public money went into Metropolitan. Does that mean the parking deck is owned by the city?

I don't know how to embed links to older posts, but if you'll check post #1 and post #6 on this thread, I think that will answer your question.

[atlrvr]

In Monday night's council meeting agenda, there was a line-item about Target and the owners of Metropolitan kicking in funds to upgrade a traffic signal at Charlottetown and Metropolitan Ave from a wood to a metal pole. I assume that means that a signal is planned there and they are paying to make it look like the rest of the mast-arm signals in that area.

This is great, as that area is very dangerous to pedestrians. Hopefully they add turn lanes there as well, since they really only need 1 thru-lane in each direction on Charlottetown.

[southslider]

^Sometimes, multiple lanes are needed more for storing vehicles, especially where there are frequent signals, than for volume of traffic. Kings Drive and Charlottetowne Avenue have relatively similar volumes to the famously dieted East Boulevard. However, where crosstown streets, like Kings and Charlottetowne, cross frequent radial arterials (Stonewall/Kenilworth/Park, 3rd/Providence, 4th/Randolph, 7th/Monroe), they generally have longer red lights than the commuter routes heading in and out of Uptown. Notice that East Boulevard is still multiple lanes between Dilworth Road West and Scott Avenue, where there are four signals in close proximity.

[ScottCLT]

I drove by the Met today and noticed that Hickory Tavern is opening a new location there. Should be a great addition to the neighborhood. There are other restaurants with bars there, but none of them could be considered a watering hole like Hickory Tavern could.

[tozmervo]

This weekend I saw what looks like new traffic signals going up at Charlottetown & Metropolitan Ave. In a way it makes me sad; I like excuses to be an aggressive pedestrian and stop traffic. Now I'll be stuck with poorly timed signaling and what will likely be those obnoxious "by request only" pedestrian lights.

[DigitalSky]

I guess that signal was bound to happen.

[sakami]

Anyone heard details on the arrival of Chipotle at the corner of Charlottetowne and Kings? I've seen some grading/clearing over there and just saw on restauranttraffic.com that construction will be starting soon. Not that I don't love a Chipotle taco every now and then but I guess I had hoped this corner would eventually play out as proposed to be a big center as opposed to a stand-alone fast casual restaurant.

[tozmervo]

Some of the old office buildings across Kenilworth from Metropolitan have been demolished and there is some major site work going on. Anyone know what's happening there?

[hokiehigh]

I am not sure why they were demolished. I wonder if they are in the flood plain?

[southslider]

^Kenilworth is under construction between Charlottetowne and Harding to add bike lanes, planting strips, sidewalk, curb ramps, pedestrian refuge, and turn lanes to Pearl Park Way.

[tozmervo]

Eeeexcellent. That's a really unfortunate (read: deadly) missing link in the bike network, I'm glad it's finally being rectified.

[SmellyCat]

I wonder if they'll also demolish the building at the corner of Kenilworth and Morehead. I'm not positive it's vacant, but it sure looks like it is. If it's not, it appears to be a state of disrepair.

[Sabaidee]

It seems to be empty and there's a sign for "Medical Office for Lease" and across the street from it used be CHS's Live Well offices and it's empty too.

[ScottCLT]

The signal at Metropolitan and Charlottetowne is now operating. It certainly seems to have calmed the typical chaos at that intersection.

[ah59396]

I ran through there yesterday and didn't fear for my life, so I'd say it's working well!

[Urbanity]

Anyone heard details on the arrival of Chipotle at the corner of Charlottetowne and Kings? I've seen some grading/clearing over there and just saw on restauranttraffic.com that construction will be starting soon. Not that I don't love a Chipotle taco every now and then but I guess I had hoped this corner would eventually play out as proposed to be a big center as opposed to a stand-alone fast casual restaurant.

Is that really going to be a Chipolte? If so, I agree with you that I thought/hoped that it would have been something grander than a standalone food joint. Le sigh

[southslider]

^Sadly, financing would be very difficult these days for a mixed-use project like Metropolitan. It's also hard to finance auto-oriented strip retail, unless anchored by a grocery store, though still, the less speculative tenant space, the better.

When the tenant is pre-guaranteed (thereby minimizing risk), stand-alone retail that is build-to-suit (read national chains) is the easiest commercial project to finance right now. This is much like stick-frame, 4-story, 200-plus apartment developments (read nationally managed for less risk) being the easiest residential projects.

As a result of the capital markets being so constrained, urban development is largely limited right now to retail "pads" and apartments. Hopefully, such single-use developments still have good site design, especially if infill sites. In the end, if you can't get mixed use, at least retain some urban design.

[rjp212]

Does anybody know anything about this rezoning?

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2011/071-083/2011-073%20rezoning%20map.pdf

[Guest]

I saw that today too! I have a few friends asking around. There were plans for this parcel, to bring in a Kohl's type store as well a fitness studio and shops in 2006-07, Then it became a Original Pancake House, a Bofa, a ABC Store, a parking lot and a lot of grass... This Rezoning request is certainly a head scratcher, makes me think some wheels might be turning on something happening. Its either that or the LLC that owns the land is trying to up their dollar and we will see Mixed Use Land going up for Sale...

[ah59396]

Yeah, I'd like to be optimistic about this, but we will just have to wait and see. I'd like to see some ground moving before I get excited.

Although this seems to be one of the few areas of town where development has not completely stagnated, so keep your fingers crossed!