Eastland Mall Redevelopment

[videtur quam contuor]

History of Eastland Mall:

http://landmarkscommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Eastland-Mall-SR.pdf

It was outside the city limits at the time and a wooded area with no prior development. I recall driving past it prior to the development and it was all trees, as dense as a forest, deep and dark. It was strange to have this large wooded area and with development on Albemarle Road and Central Avenue. 

[RANYC]

9 hours ago, KJHburg said:

This is the proposal for Eastland but why is the city having to contribute so much I thought they sold the land for cheap.  and why is the city subsidizing any market rate housing in this city? I would rather the city just get a enough to cover their costs of the land and demo of the mall.   From Twitter  Ely Portillo

 

At first glance, looks lame

[CLT2014]

Yawn. Parking lots, track houses, and uninspired retail layout that somebody can finish walking in 4 minutes.

Edited August 5, 2021 by CLT2014

[Madison Parkitect]

Hey, anytime the city can heavily subsidize putting a new suburb only 10 minutes away from downtown and on a future streetcar route, with a parking deck AND tons of surface parking, you gotta do it.

[Third Strike]

So… When can we expect construction to commence? 

[Desert Power]

Guess that it is better than an empty lot, but getting pretty tired of how the city likes to throw money at low density solutions (see Hall House plans too).

[rancenc]

New project planned near the former Eastland Mall site!

https://rebusinessonline.com/greystone-urban-trends-to-develop-28-9m-affordable-housing-project-for-seniors-in-charlotte/

[Third Strike]

I haven’t confirmed it yet but I have been told that the flee market has shifted to the westside of the site. I’m guessing construction of phase 1 should start soon. 

[Third Strike]

So the city is blocking off the community created skate park. The skate park will demolished to make way for the Eastland redevelopment. It’s very disappointing that the city didn’t integrate this park into the development (especially one anchored by a sports facility) or try to relocate it elsewhere.

Update: same thing is happening to the open air market.  Pretty sad that such community initiatives are being dismantled without a proper replacement or including it in the Eastland redevelopment plan.
 

 https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/development/article258383023.html

Edited February 15, 2022 by Third Strike

[deleted account]

21 hours ago, Third Strike said:

So the city is blocking off the community created skate park. The skate park will demolished to make way for the Eastland redevelopment. It’s very disappointing that the city didn’t integrate this park into the development (especially one anchored by a sports facility) or try to relocate it elsewhere.

Update: same thing is happening to the open air market.  Pretty sad that such community initiatives are being dismantled without a proper replacement or including it in the Eastland redevelopment plan.
 

 https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/development/article258383023.html

The market is a different situation. People there knew all along that it was temporary and they were paying way below market rate to sell there. They were given a lot of notice and stayed even after the lease ended. The city is now being blamed for being too nice/permissive in the past when they could have simply not allowed the market in the first place.

Regarding the skate park, they truly did blow it by not integrating a new park into the Crossland development. The current park is pretty rough looking but if you ever want to feel good about society I recommend a visit before they shut it down. It was built with donated materials and labor and the crowd is diverse racially, by gender and age. People get along great (I've gone just to watch and enjoy the vibe). Charlotte needs a skate park in that area (FWIW I'm not a skater).

Edited February 16, 2022 by JBS

[RANYC]

2 hours ago, JBS said:

The market is a different situation. People there knew all along that it was temporary and they were paying way below market rate to sell there. They were given a lot of notice and stayed even after the lease ended. The city is now being blamed for being too nice/permissive in the past when they could have simply not allowed the market in the first place.

Regarding the skate park, they truly did blow it my not integrating a new park into the Crossland development. The current park is pretty rough looking but if you ever want to feel good about society I recommend a visit before they shut it down. It was built with donated materials and labor and the crowd is diverse racially, by gender and age. People get along great (I've gone just to watch and enjoy the vibe). Charlotte needs a skate park in that area (FWIW I'm not a skater).

Wholeheartedly agree on the skate park.  Who are the squares in City Government making these project design & planning decisions, by the way (sorry, so judgmental)?  A skate park like the one at Eastland would be great in a place like Camp North End.  Skateboarding is a type of street performance art and urban sport that could prove to be a draw and major enhancement to an alternative ecosystem like Camp North End.  Link below is to Bordeaux, France's Darwin development, which I consider the French equivalent of Camp North End.  They use features like skateboard parks as a draw for people watching and a source of enlivenment for those strolling through the development.

https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/sites-monuments/darwin-alternative-and-inspiring-urban-ecosystem

Edited February 16, 2022 by RANYC

[KJHburg]

Houston has some of the best skateparks anywhere.  The one near downtown in Buffalo Bayou Park is massive.    And they get corporate sponsors for them too. 

Here is that one   with great views of the downtown skyline  it is really a must see on a visit to H-Town. 

https://houstonparksboard.org/about/lee-and-joe-jamail-skatepark

this is a suburban one on the north side   https://northhoustonsportcomplex.com/skatepark/

Part of this Eastland site should have a massive skatepark.  

[deleted account]

57 minutes ago, RANYC said:

A skate park like the one at Eastland would be great in a place like Camp North End. 

Great idea! I suspect the developer would consider it if Charlotte assumed responsibility for associated injuries. Would totally fit the vibe and they have the space for it obviously.  I think the big Plaza Midwood redevelopment project would have been a good option also. That would have been a nice anti-corporate peace offering to the Midwoodians who objected so strenuously to that project. 

[kayman]

On 2/16/2022 at 11:18 AM, JBS said:

The market is a different situation. People there knew all along that it was temporary and they were paying way below market rate to sell there. They were given a lot of notice and stayed even after the lease ended. The city is now being blamed for being too nice/permissive in the past when they could have simply not allowed the market in the first place.

Regarding the skate park, they truly did blow it by not integrating a new park into the Crossland development. The current park is pretty rough looking but if you ever want to feel good about society I recommend a visit before they shut it down. It was built with donated materials and labor and the crowd is diverse racially, by gender and age. People get along great (I've gone just to watch and enjoy the vibe). Charlotte needs a skate park in that area (FWIW I'm not a skater).

The community blew it when the developer was asking for the rezoning request in 2020. The proper lobbying of Matt Newton would have saved this element since Tepper dropped the  Charlotte FC HQs component from the development.

On 2/16/2022 at 1:32 PM, RANYC said:

Wholeheartedly agree on the skate park.  Who are the squares in City Government making these project design & planning decisions, by the way (sorry, so judgmental)?  A skate park like the one at Eastland would be great in a place like Camp North End.  Skateboarding is a type of street performance art and urban sport that could prove to be a draw and major enhancement to an alternative ecosystem like Camp North End.  Link below is to Bordeaux, France's Darwin development, which I consider the French equivalent of Camp North End.  They use features like skateboard parks as a draw for people watching and a source of enlivenment for those strolling through the development.

https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/sites-monuments/darwin-alternative-and-inspiring-urban-ecosystem

Lobby the Charlotte City Council along with Mecklenburg County Commission to add a skate park component to the area near the Camp NorthEnd

On 2/16/2022 at 2:09 PM, KJHburg said:

Houston has some of the best skateparks anywhere.  The one near downtown in Buffalo Bayou Park is massive.    And they get corporate sponsors for them too. 

Here is that one   with great views of the downtown skyline  it is really a must see on a visit to H-Town. 

https://houstonparksboard.org/about/lee-and-joe-jamail-skatepark

this is a suburban one on the north side   https://northhoustonsportcomplex.com/skatepark/

Part of this Eastland site should have a massive skatepark.  

Tell the COC City Council & Mecklenburg County Commission this is an example of what we need in Charlotte. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by kayman

[southslider]

^^The community blew it long before 2020.  It has been ten years now since the demolition of the mall and still this site is largely vacant. Even before the City paid to demolish the mall, there were private investors willing to convert it to a Latino-focused marketplace.  For all these years, the surrounding area has seen multiple strip malls succeed with the same basic private-sector model.

[KJHburg]

Maybe Tepper will bring his MLS training facility and HQ back to Eastland where it was first proposed.  This is all due to the Rock Hill fiasco. 

""Initial plans for Charlotte FC called for building a combination team headquarters and youth academy at the former Eastland Mall property owned by the city of Charlotte. After Tepper Sports principal David Tepper landed the MLS expansion team in December 2019, he soon changed his mind about a combined Charlotte FC-youth academy project.  More recently, there have been hints from Charlotte FC and city government that an MLS training center at Eastland could be in play.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/05/19/charlotte-fc-tepper-sports-mls.html

[kayman]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Maybe Tepper will bring his MLS training facility and HQ back to Eastland where it was first proposed.  This is all due to the Rock Hill fiasco. 

""Initial plans for Charlotte FC called for building a combination team headquarters and youth academy at the former Eastland Mall property owned by the city of Charlotte. After Tepper Sports principal David Tepper landed the MLS expansion team in December 2019, he soon changed his mind about a combined Charlotte FC-youth academy project.  More recently, there have been hints from Charlotte FC and city government that an MLS training center at Eastland could be in play.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/05/19/charlotte-fc-tepper-sports-mls.html

I'm certain that the Charlotte FC HQ, training facilities & youth academy @ Eastland is exactly what will be happening.  I'm glad as it will put another site in Charlotte and/or Mecklenburg County into play for the Panthers' HQ & training facilities as well.  

Rock Hill could convert the former site into a large recreational sports site hosting SC high school and college sporting events for that portion of Metro Charlotte, an amphitheater for outdoor events and concerts, and the beginnings of an additional edge city for the metro area off I-77. It'll be a win-win for both

Edited May 19, 2022 by kayman

[rancenc]

Well let's see is this materializes......

Crosland Southeast to break ground on Eastland Mall redevelopment this summer

http://media.bizj.us/view/img/12273821/eastland-mall-redevelopment*304xx2022-1348-300-0.jpg

CROSLAND SOUTHEAST

Site plans for the redevelopment of the former Eastland Mall property that will include residential, retail, restaurants and commercial construction

Crosland Southeast is just 60 days away from breaking ground on a massive redevelopment project in east Charlotte.

During its regular meeting last night, Charlotte City Council unanimously approved the transfer of 57.5 acres at the site of the former Eastland Mall to the local developer.

The approval formalizes a years-long redevelopment plan between council and Crosland that Crosland Managing Partner Tim Sittema described as a "historic step for Eastland and east Charlotte."

Construction on the project will begin in late summer and total about $175 million. Crosland plans to develop the site in phases, starting with infrastructure improvements, including a mass grading of the site, underground utilities and systems work, and street and intersection modifications.

The infrastructure work will take about 18 months. Sittema said vertical construction will begin about six months after breaking ground. The first phase is expected to deliver in mid-2024, with subsequent phases to follow through 2027, he said.

Plans include 80,000 to 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, up to 500 single-family and multifamily residential units, and various commercial and hospitality components, Sittema said.

A planned 2.8-acre park and a 22-acre youth soccer academy will be overseen by Mecklenburg County’s park and recreation department and Tepper Sports & Entertainment, respectively, CBJ previously reported.

Ed Driggs, District 7 representative, said last night's approval is an important step toward the revitalization of the city's east side.

"It will revitalize and reenergize that area, and it will be an economic driver and an amenity for residents nearby," he said. "It’s a relief that after years of futility we have a definite plan, a good plan for that area."

Driggs said council will need to be intentional in its efforts to prevent gentrification of the area as the development begins to take shape.

"As we go to make improvements, there’s the danger of gentrification," he said. "We will have the challenge of making sure it will not cause the residents nearby to be driven out or suffer an increase in cost. We’re working on a lot of initiatives to contain the cost of housing."

Eastland Mall opened in 1975 and closed in 2010. The city bought the original 80-acre site two years after it closed. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools acquired 11 acres and opened a language academy there in 2018. Crosland and the city have added some nearby land to increase the size of the redevelopment to 78 acres.

[Hushpuppy321]

I think the only way a CLT-FC Headquarters & Practice Field can go (back) to Eastland now is for a major change of the Master Site Plan, since Tepper pulled out of that idea a few months after COVID-19 hit back in 2020.  This Eastland Site would need to be made much more dense to accommodate that.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Hushpuppy321

[KJHburg]

Well Mr Tepper pulls out of another project this time the Eastland site.

""Charlotte FC is not going to have its Major League Soccer team headquarters at the former Eastland Mall site, the team confirmed today. And the David Tepper-owned team no longer plans to put its youth academy on the city-owned Eastland property. Tepper Sports & Entertainment said, “There are no plans at this time (for Eastland projects), but we are always open to discussing opportunities to improve the greater Charlotte community.”""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/07/20/charlotte-fc-dropping-out-of-eastland-project.html

this is not the way to build community trust.   Evidently the revolving door is for land deals too not just staff on Mint St. 

https://charlotte.axios.com/302596/exclusive-eastland-may-be-redeveloped-without-involvement-from-tepper-sports-and-entertainment/

Edited July 21, 2022 by KJHburg

[go_vertical]

Ladies and gentleman, George Shinn part deux. 

[Hushpuppy321]

Tepper is really eFFing things up - totally exhausted goodwill and community excitement.  I don’t support any other Public investment - let him/his companies work with other developers on things as it seems he’s too content to walk away from things….

Both the NFL/MLS HQ in RockHill and this Youth League & Fields in Eastland would have ROCKED and kept mass public opinion / benefit of the doubt on his side.  Just don’t understand these missteps other than community goodwill and excitement don’t translate into $$ (which is a huge mistake imho)

[JRCLT]

I’m very intrigued where this goes and what Tepper is doing. It’s easy to blame the owner of a company despite the fact that a company is a huge collection of people with slightly different but aligned goals most of the time. So we may think that Tepper made this decision but no one actually knows that… He hasn’t really commented personally that I’ve seen. There are most likely people advising him in the company or doing decisions that he may or may not fully agree with but persuaded enough he could allow it to pass. Tepper surely doesn’t control every decision and every action of his company no one person can reasonably have that much control over a company. It’s easy to blame one person. That is not to say that he is free of guilt because these are no lightly taken decisions. These are huge projects and Tepper surely had some say in what it is TSE final and big decisions were. Who exactly though is making these decision…is it really Tepper or is this someone else or a group in which Tepper approves these decisions based on what he was presented or remains out of those decision and gives staff that autonomy as long as it isn’t something he himself is absolutely against. I may be wrong and Tepper had a decent hand in these decisions but I question how much did he actually have. Food for thought is what I’m throwing out there.

[go_vertical]

I'm not going to form an opinion about the Eastland site yet until some information comes out.  There could possibly be a very good reason as to why he canceled, but to be honest I'm not too optimistic there will be one.   Given the opinion that is beginning to form about him and his antics I think it would have been smart to announce that he was donating a wad of cash to beautify the area, build/repair sidewalks, or to build a top notch park to help get something going..... anything.  Hey, the job generator and entertainment isn't happening but I want to make your neighborhood a beautiful place to live and walk around in.  Definitely would have softened the blow some and made him not look like a complete jerk. 

It isn't a good look to start pulling things left and right and disappointing so many people not all that long after bluntly saying that he's going to be demanding hundreds of millions of dollars pretty soon from those same people. 

I don't really fault him for the crap across the border.  They made a deal that they realized later they weren't going to be able honor and expected him to renegotiate all while throwing shade and snide comments at him.  If I had his wealth I would have pulled the plug too.  I wouldn't want to throw down that kind of change for a permanent fixture in a place where I couldn't trust the people on the other side of the table.  That's not a one time "build it and then go do your thing" situation.  That's a long term partnership and he would have inevitably needed to work with them on other things in the future.  He probably avoided some other stupid BS down the road. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by go_vertical
Added sentence

[Third Strike]

Good article on how the city is proceeding without Tepper with the Eastland site. Sounds like we may get more green space and multi-use development on the former Tepper portion of the site. Ground-breaking starts this Wednesday:

https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/development/article263840257.html