Charlotte's Urban Lowe's Home Improvement

[monsoon]

This was speculated about in another thread, but it appears that Lowes Home Improvement stores has applied for a re-zoning which would allow it to build a new store on South Blvd. Based on the description I've attempted to show its location on the map below. Also note the proximity to two CATS LRT Stations. This Lowes' project is to include townhomes and special blending in landscaping. Since this is the only urban Lowes that I am aware of in the Carolinas, it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

[dubone]

I've been waiting to hear details since this was originally rumored in the other thread.

I think this is not only a optimistic bet from lowes that home construction along the south rail line, dilworth, sedgefield and uptown will all grow enough to support the store.

I also believe that this will bring other retail project back to south boulvard just north of Ideal Way, which is currently littered with decaying industrial and retail sites.

It kind of seems small to me, considering a parking deck and residences will go on the same 2-block site. Will it be a move back the olden-day lowes that were smaller scale hardware stores?

Even if it is a small store, it will still be so good to have one nearby for basic stuff.

Also, I'm glad that the semi-local have finally placed a bet on in-town stores. Before, i had to go to home depot because they have stores at woodlawn/south and monroe/wendover. (both ~ 4miles from downtown).

[DigitalSky]

It would be interesting to see a Lowe's come to Dilworth, now seeing that Target and Home Depot Expo Design are coming to Midtown.

[dubone]

It would be interesting to see a Lowe's come to Dilworth, now seeing that Target and Home Depot Expo Design are coming to Midtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Although each of the three are somewhat overlapping, they have their market niche, so i think any competition will be oblique. The big shift, in my opinion, will be that the in town neighborhoods (within 4 mi radius of tr,tr) will be more mainstream. It also eliminates some of the remaining reasons to occassionally need to travel out to 485 for some products. Hopefully a major/national electronics firm will be next.

[monsoon]

It's interesting this location does not need the huge taxpayer outlay that was requested for the Home Depot locale. My guess is that both will not make it in the long run especially if the extra-485 stores are larger and offer more options. I think Lowes is making its move now to keep from being shut out of the DT area. (Especially bad since it is HQ'd here)

[dubone]

It's interesting this location does not need the huge taxpayer outlay that was requested for the Home Depot locale.  My guess is that both will not make it in the long run especially if the extra-485 stores are larger and offer more options.  I think Lowes is making its move now to keep from being shut out of the DT area.  (Especially bad since it is HQ'd here)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The taxpayer contribution was to stack 2 bigbox stores, and to also build a newurban mainstreet shopping district. I think they were saying that without the public contribution, they could build the bigbox, but figured the public would be willing to make front the cash to make the development more dense, as the city benefits in the long run.

I see your point about success factors, considering 485 sites are much larger, but i think high population density and more old home renovations will create enough of a market for these stores to be successful.

[DigitalSky]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/bus...th/11146665.htm

there's an article today about it

[dubone]

I'm really excited about this project. I love the idea of parking on the roof of a big box store... They say the store will be the same sq ft as most of their suburban stores, so that is good news for retail rebirth in that area.

a traffic signal at magnolia and south is needed, and may help the other retail in that area, but may increase traffic on magnolia a bit.

It is interesting that this project ends around when the light rail is built... do you think they consider that a factor? i can't imagine carrying home improvement merchandise on the light rail .

[monsoon]

WSOC is reporting that many residents of Dilworth do not want Lowes to build this project. (surprise, hehe) They are concerned that it will bring crime, traffic, and noise to their community. One resident suggested that it needed to be build further down on South Blvd, maybe near Woodlawn. (apparently the residents of this area are more deserving of crime traffic and noise, than those in Dilworth.)

I expect this is just the tip of the iceburg of protests.

[atlrvr]

Below is a link to the Dilworth community forum discussing Lowe's......it is interesting to see Mary Hopper's take on it, though granted she does live on the far opposite side of Dilworth from this development. In the end, I can't see this not happening. DCDA doesn't have the power to stop it, and this property is outside of HDC's control. The councilwoman representing the distric lives in Elizabeth so she won't be affected. I think the position that most everyone on the council will take is that it's nice that Lowe's is building an urban store, and it's better to stick it where industrial uses are, rather than directly in a residential area.

http://dcda.org/dcforum/DCForumID1/96.html#6

[dubone]

I wonder if those dilworth residents have ever driven past the buildings that are there now! Do they not realize that this site is half a mile away from high-crime Southside Homes public housing!?! how in the world will a hardware store create crime!?! Not to mention that it was only a decade ago that this area was filled with porn shops and strip clubs.

Oh well, i agree that this will almost definitely happen, but i just don't understand people sometimes.

[atlrvr]

There is still leather and lace "Charlotte's Original Rock and Roll Strip Club"

[DigitalSky]

I wonder if those dilworth residents have ever driven past the buildings that are there now!  Do they not realize that this site is half a mile away from high-crime Southside Homes public housing!?!  how in the world will a hardware store create crime!?!  Not to mention that it was only a decade ago that this area was filled with porn shops and strip clubs. 

Oh well, i agree that this will almost definitely happen, but i just don't understand people sometimes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it's another world on the other side of the railroad tracks.

[DigitalSky]

here's the story from WCNC http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/storie....1550dfc14.html

there are some good points in there.

[atlrvr]

Hmmmm.....the site plan sounds different than I imagine from the article......I wonder if they plan on building Euclid through? I hope so.....I wish it connected all the way down to Ideal Way.

[dubone]

Here are some pictures of the area on and around the proposed Lowes Site in South End on 3/26/05:

Village of South End:

New loft site on McDonald in front of VoSE:

The corner of Magnolia and South, to get a traffic signal and townhouses:

South by Meecham St where lowes will go:

Further down South beyond Iverson Way and Lowes site:

Across South Blvd from Lowes site:

Lowes site along Iverson Way:

Old Shotgun houses on the south side of Iverson beyond lowes site

Oldstead Park neighborhood on the old Griffith baseball Park just south east of the lowes site across Lyndhurst:

Referburshed old houses on Magnolia that will face the new townhouse buffer:

[DigitalSky]

Great Pics Dubone!

[peaceloveunderstanding]

indeed. Great Pics.

[UptownJ]

The lowes is going to do great there... big plus for south end and dt. Thanks for the tour... good pics. I like the oldstead park area... close to dt and southend yet you have a yard and a family... not bad at all

[teshadoh]

What I am interested in is to see what Lowe's calls their store - i.e., the locational name they choose. There has been a bit of a fuss over the opening of a Lowe's near where I live, the first in the urban core of Atlanta (on the edge at least) near Little Five Points in a community called Edgewood. The retail development is called Edgewood, but Lowe's went for a 'flashier' neighborhood name - Midtown.

The problem is the Lowe's isn't in Midtown, nor is it even remotely close. In fact it's closer to Downtown, though Edgewood isn't a remarkable location - even nearby East Atlanta or god forbid Little 5 Points would have made more sense.

In an email to Lowe's I jokingly stated it would be like placing a store near South Park mall in Charlotte, & calling it 'Uptown'. So I am very curious what they choose to name this store. As another forummer stated, it might not seem to be a big deal to a suburbanite, but neighborhood identity is an important element of the urban environment.

Nonetheless - South Blvd corridor is truly one of the greatest transformed urban areas in the country. I would have never considered that strip of strip clubs & pawn shops would have developed as it has. Hopefully Lowe's will respect this area's development by not ignoring the significance of the location by calling it 'Uptown' - but I doubt it, since Lowe's retail exec's know the area whereas they obviously don't know Atlanta.

Anyways, a little off topic - but I love my new Lowe's (screw Home Depot)!

[dubone]

Almost certainly they will name it their "South End" location, as that is the trendy name around here. I guess technically, South End's eastern border only goes to the back of the lots that face South Blvd, so it is theoretically mostly in "Dilworth".

It is interesting to see the junk that is on that block and surrounding it, and knowing what is just a few blocks west across the tracks. It is absolutely laughable that dilworth residents (most of whom probably go out of their way to take Park Road to avoid South Blvd) would fight this proposal.

Olmstead Park is a cool little neighborhood. For a while, it was this sunny little island of fancy arts and crafts homes and bimmers, when most of that part of dilworth was overgrown, rundown 50s homes. I'm not sure they have lawns, though.

Ironically, I nearly bought a home on Magnolia 5 years ago, but decided against it, because it was so close to the awful rusty watertower with barbed wire, and it was so close to these run down industrial buildings (and the run down house was priced as though it and the neighborhood was already renovated). Now the watertower is VoSE, and the rundown industrial buildings are soon to be a Lowes... and that house has doubled in valued. . live and learn.

[monsoon]

I believe it is Olmstead Park that sits on top of the former baseball stadium. Crocket Park, aka Griffin Park. It is a relatively new development.

I understand the Dilworth HOA is organizing to fight the rezoning needed for Lowes to move into the area.

Nice Photos Dubone.

"urban core of Atlanta" Isn't that a contradiction in terms. J/K

[teshadoh]

"urban core of Atlanta"  Isn't that a contradiction in terms.  J/K 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, like "city" of Charlotte

[dubone]

I believe it is Olmstead Park that sits on top of the former baseball stadium.  Crocket Park, aka Griffin Park.  It is a relatively new development. 

I understand the Dilworth HOA is organizing to fight the rezoning needed for Lowes to move into the area. 

Nice Photos Dubone. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

- Yes, Olmstead Park is the site of Griffin Park. (i think i alluded to that in my caption).

- I am so irritated that Dilworth would fight this, i'm not even going to comment any more.

- Thanks.

[teshadoh]

- Yes, Olmstead Park is the site of Griffin Park.  (i think i alluded to that in my caption).

- I am so irritated that Dilworth would fight this, i'm not even going to comment any more. 

- Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Again - another similarlity with the Edgewood retail development in Atlanta. The neighborhood directly adjacent, Edgewood & Reynoldstown supported the project. But the neighborhoods to the north, the affluent Inman Park & Candler Park mostly opposed it. Unfortunately the project also had some racial tones which most likely won't occur here - but again an example of affluent intown NIMBYism.