Harris Teeter

[mediamongrel]

A lot of these forums mention Charlotte's problem with empty storefronts and big box retailers who just abandon their old stores. It's funny though that one of Charlotte's biggest employers and businesses (Harris Teeter) seems to add to the problem. Last time I checked they have four empty stores just sitting (if you count the one in Mooresville next to the RR tracks). The other three being the old Providence Square store, the Piper Glen Store, and the Independence Boulevard store. Also, the one in downtown Matthews would still be there had they not built the new Matthews town hall. Just an observation on how ALL businesses, even local ones, are adding to the problem of empty big boxes that litter the city.

[monsoon]

They left one behind at Sugar Creek and Graham St.

[mediamongrel]

Sugar Creek and Graham St? Is it still empty? I never knew they had a store in that section of town. Eastland will probably be the next one they abandon.

[monsoon]

Yeah, it was one of the original Harris Teeters in town and was there for decades. They pulled out of the building sometime in the early 90s. I don't know if it is still empty or not as I never go to Derita anymore.

There was another Harris Teeter at the Hampshire Hills shopping center that closed and left an empty building. If you are not familar with it, Hampshire Hills is where The Plaza and Milton Rd. intersect.

[Miesian Corners]

Yeah, HT has empty shells too, but when you look at the numbers, they're really not that bad. The vacant Circuit City, Lowes and American Fare (Big K-Mart) on Independence contain nearly 450,000 square feet in three buildings. An older average HT store contains less than 40,000 square feet. A 40,000 square foot space is a lot easier to absorb (or subdivide for several new tenants) than a stand-alone box like the Big K Mart at Sardis Rd and Independence. You could look at it this way, you could fit nearly five empty HT's in the one Big K.

[f0xym0p]

I don't think HT cares any more about Charlotte than any national retailer. They go where they can make the most money and they don't care if they leave ugly, empty stores behind.

[mediamongrel]

Yeah they probably dont care any more than any other retailer, but I think they still own/or pay rent on a couple of their vacant locations. If they just want to stop another grocery store from coming in, that's fine, but I don't think it's beneficial to leave empty stores there for years just to keep out competition. They could at least avoid the eyesore and knock the building down. The same goes for Circuit City, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and all the other chains that have their abandoned stores still standing. This was brought up in the state legislature a couple of times but was voted down. It figures, no bureaucrats want bigger business to take any responsibility, but they'll let the eminent domain issue run rampant.

[f0xym0p]

Yeah they probably dont care any more than any other retailer, but I think they still own/or pay rent on a couple of their vacant locations.  If they just want to stop another grocery store from coming in, that's fine, but I don't think it's beneficial to leave empty stores there for years just to keep out competition.  They could at least avoid the eyesore and knock the building down.  The same goes for Circuit City, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and all the other chains that have their abandoned stores still standing.  This was brought up in the state legislature a couple of times but was voted down.  It figures, no bureaucrats want bigger business to take any responsibility, but they'll let  the eminent domain issue run rampant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not only is it not beneficial, I doubt it really keeps out any competition. It's not like Lowe's Foods or whomever won't just build a brand new store if they want one. They would probably rather do that than take over a vacant store anyway.

I agree with you that I would rather see them knocked down than left there vacant. Imagine if every vacant box down Independence was gone.

[Seeker]

Not only is it not beneficial, I doubt it really keeps out any competition. It's not like Lowe's Foods or whomever won't just build a brand new store if they want one. They would probably rather do that then take over a vacant store anyway.

I agree with you that I would rather see them knocked down than left there vacant. Imagine if every vacant box down Independence was gone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's going to happen anyway right? Since the plan is to make Independence into an expressway, you're not going to be able to get off anyway. Probably not until you reach the car dealerships.

[mediamongrel]

Yeah, Independence will become an expressway...about the same time 485 gets finished...2015? 2020?

[f0xym0p]

we'll all be dead before it happens.

[cosmoboy]

we'll all be dead before it happens.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

maybe you, but not me! Just kidding!

[f0xym0p]

maybe you, but not me!   Just kidding!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heh. I'm not that old, I just think it's going to take forever!

[mediamongrel]

If the same people they hired to work on it are working on 485, then there's no telling. It's too bad though if they really are going to get rid of ALL the retail along Independence. Just dont knock down South 21.

[Sabaidee]

According to CATS plans, whatever mode of transit goes on Independence, the old shopping center on Independence by Margaret Wallace and across Village Lake will be partial demolished to make way for the new relocation of the Harris Blvd to make the Village Lake interchange, and all the main intersections will all be interchanges in the future.

[mediamongrel]

Ok, well after looking at that map and what they plan to do, I think everyone on this message board will probably be dead and gone by the time that is finished.

[cosmoboy]

Whoa, they're going to get rid of all the retail along independence? that can't be right, can it? I must be missing something!

[Sabaidee]

I prefer them gone, I would like Independence to be a full freeway.

[dubone]

i'm glad to see that they plan to connect harris to village lake drive, so people can get to monroe rd and also to margaret wallace.

The interchanges are just part of the plan to convert independence to an expressway. The "removal" of retail will be up to the markets. NCDOT will likely continue independence as a jersey freeway or whatever, so retail access driveways will remain, just as on the part that is already done. I'm sure, though, that the corridor will continue to decline as far as retail, as it is already blighted and falling out of favor by customers.

Transit will come into play as a tool to help redevelop all that land in a more mixed-use capacity.

The independence interchanges are part of the transportation plan, and will happen no matter what happens with transit.

I'm not sure if these are the final dates, but according to the 2025 transport plan on CDOT's site, here are the dates:

By 2010:

- Sharon Amity Interchange $19.4m

- Freeway from Sharon Amity to Conference (6+HOV/BW) $62m

By 2020:

- Freeway from Conference to Village Lake (6+HOV/BW) $8.5m

- Freeway from Village Lake to Krefield (6+HOV/BW) $24.8m

- Freeway from Krefield to Hayden (6+HOV/BW) $8.5m

- Freeway from Hayden to 51 (6+HOV/BW) $19.8m

- Freeway from 51 to 485 (6+HOV/BW) $18.8m

[peaceloveunderstanding]

2020? Indeed. How big will Charlotte be then? 1 million+? We better well have some new expressways.

[dubone]

...and 77 will still be just 6 lanes (like right now) until a decade later, as construction won't begin until around 2025.

[Sabaidee]

Those dates have been pushed back, we won't see a completed Sharon Amity and Idlewild interchanges until 2015 with construction starting in 2012.

[cosmoboy]

gosh, i'll be 45 by 2020! charlotte has some real issues as far as transportation goes. and I-77 only 6 lanes! I hope they widen it to 5 lanes on each side.

[dubone]

that is why we need some separate funding sources, or a change in the statewide funding formula. these are projects that are already too late, but must wait in line for decades because of lack of money.

I know the Turnpike Authority has already made their selection, but i wonder if they could extend the "Monroe Connector" toll road project to include the southern end of independence as a toll road to speed construction.

[mediamongrel]

I-77 needs some desperate help, but anyone can imagine the traffic problems that will occur when they try to widen 77 again. It at least needs to be 4 lanes, maybe 5 on each side. I think the generation of kids that are in high school now MAY see the beginning of the Independence Expressway, but it will be another generation after that before completion. I'd say 2030, and that's a conservative estimate!