600 St. Mary's

[orulz]

Word is that Crosland has submitted plans to the city for another apartment complex in Glenwood South that is almost a carbon copy of their previous development, 712 Tucker. It will be between St Mary's and Gaston north of Johnson, but won't stretch all the way to Peace Street. 195 units, 3 stories facing St. Mary's, 5 stories facing away. I do not think any retail space will be included.

Looks like ChiefJoJo's prediction that we'll see a boom of 5-story, stick-built urban apartment complexes is coming true.

[Rufus]

I know 712 Tucker isn't perfect, but that development sure adds a lot in terms of visible density and overall appearance. So if this new development is anything like the 712, I will be pleased. Plus I love the idea of that area becoming more 5-8 story residential buildings along with the existing single family buildings. It would be a great neighborhood.

[citiboi27610]

Any links to pictures, articles, or the site plan?

[orulz]

None, but keep an eye out here: Current Development Activity.

I know that both this and the site plans for the FMW development on Morgan Street will be presented to the Hillsborough CAC at the Pullen Park Arts/Community center on March 17th. It is likely that there will be opposition to both. I can understand complaints about the design of each project, but arguing against 50-60 foot buildings with 60 units per acre downtown, on the basis of height and density, is missing the mark.

[Jones_]

Crosland should be fine given that they are offering the same concession they offered with 712...namely a stepping down of height facing Cameron Park (FMW faces a tougher fight though I imagine). As for density well, folks can just get over it. I assume this will demolish the idle funeral home and maybe the two surviving houses on Gaston? Tucker has a good street presence and the corner units with big windows and workout room facing the street are nice urban touches so no reason to think you don't get something similar.

Regarding the big picture this is great....it shows downtown is still very viable, as most of us know, even though condos are overbuilt. Add a few thousand renters in this demographic and I think you will finally start to see more retail, provided the spaces available are workable.

As a side note, I am told by the several residents I know there, that Hue is around 80% occupied.

[RaleighRob]

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but let's hope this one will offer some reasonably priced apartments, of which downtown so desperately needs.

I assume this will demolish the idle funeral home and maybe the two surviving houses on Gaston?

Idle? It closed? Where have I been?

[orulz]

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but let's hope this one will offer some reasonably priced apartments, of which downtown so desperately needs.

Idle? It closed? Where have I been?

Right now the market seems to be supporting the rents. The occupancy rates of Hue and Tucker bear that out. These stick-built apartments can be put up cheaply, and yet people are willing to pay $1500 to rent a one-bedroom in one of them. The fact that rents are high compared to elsewhere in the region is why FMW and Crosland want to build more apartments in the first place. I would certainly expect more to follow, too.

[orulz]

Site plans including some drawings are up for this project.

Shows retail/club/leasing office space along Johnson, and live/work units with street level storefronts along St Mary's.

[ChiefJoJo]

Looks like ChiefJoJo's prediction that we'll see a boom of 5-story, stick-built urban apartment complexes is coming true.

This isn't specific to the project, but this article and slideshow speaks to the current trend of building low/mid-rise urban buildings of 4-6 stories right now, and perhaps for the next several years in most markets where skyscrapers are just too expensive to finance and construct. Depending on the size of the site, parking requirements, and unit size and composition, a 4-6 story building can actually be quite dense, perhaps up to 200 units/acre.

Also, notice the quality of the urban design elements in some of these projects... far better IMO than much of the products we see here. As the demand for urban housing increases, and the product mix diversifies, I think you will see a price premium for the higher quality design in our market.

[Jones_]

Glad to see the experts are catching up to what the people on the street already knew....