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Big Boxes Of Independence & More

DigitalSky

By DigitalSky
in Charlotte Coffee House

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otherstream Whistle-Stop

otherstream

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So basically the Haverty's building will become parking lot, and where the other smaller shop buildings are currently will become the Wal-Mart.

It's interesting to see the site go full circle over forty years with a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, since -- if I'm not mistaken -- that Haverty's building was originally a Clark's Department Store. Clark's was among the first "supercenters". Most of their stores in the mid to late 1960s combined a discount department store with a supermarket under one roof, which seemed a very novel concept at the time.

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  • 2 weeks later...
mediamongrel Hamlet

mediamongrel

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Pre 1981! I had no idea that Winn Dixie closed so early

Winn Dixie's were all around here I was told, especially before 1980! Another big box that is intriguing is the old "Coliseum Center" shopping area. The old Burger King still stands, along with the old Eckerds, and a few buildings which look like they were grocery stores and department stores at one time...possibly in the 60's and 70's. It would be interesting if someone has pictures of this plaza circa 1970-1990.

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lupitachica Whistle-Stop

lupitachica

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Well the shopping center where Best Buy is located at off of Independence will be partly demolished anyways and the reconstruction of Independence down the road will kill off some of those stores. NCDOT along with CATS plans to relign Harris Blvd to connect to Village Lake Drive and make it an interchange with Independence. A park and ride lot will also go around the interchange where the shopping center is.

Do you have more details on this? I'm trying to envision how Village Lake Drive is going to connect with Harris Blvd..I'm just not seeing it. What's going to happen to Margaret Wallace?

What do you think this is going to do for the neighborhood? I'm thinking the proximity to new mass transportation might really enhance the area - especially if they make it easier to cross back & forth across Independence.

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lupitachica Whistle-Stop

lupitachica

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Thanks.

wow..that looks pretty interesting. I wonder what they're going to put in that shopping area w/ the Bilo and Ruby Tuesdays. I'm wondering if the Citgo and CVS will go.

That bridge will really improve the ability to cross Independance. That area is in perfect proximity to uptown, imo, but close enough to Matthews to utilize the new stores & services in that area too. Its going to be interesting to see how the community changes with all the new options. There's a weird mix of low cost rentals and condos in this neighborhood. Those Cross Creek & East whatever apartments may benefit from the improvements.

They need to expand the sidewalks on Village Lake Drive though I suppose they're better than in many communities. They might want to put another street light n Village Lake btwn Independance and Monroe.

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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Well, I know Walmarts are controversial and all that, but the one replacing the blighted and empty Amity Gardens on Independence was approved.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/14588547.htm

The final siteplan revision had a removal of outparcels, details on the facades (which, while not great, are better than what is there now). It has a CATS busstop and the parking lot broken up by landscaping and a new sidewalk. They moved the Garden Center to the Independence side to allow for improved pedestrian access, and aesthetics (similar to what Lowe's did on South Blvd). Also, the siting of the actual Walmart building being close enough to the semi-vacant Coliseum Center next door that it will likely serve as a catalyst for new tenants there.

So while there are some, or many negatives to this company overall and to this project specifically, this building will help to revive suburban retail in the inner ring sections of Independence. It will help to revive the struggling Coliseum Center next door. It will support a future transit station nearby in the Independence median. It will reduce the retail square footage in the area, helping both the numerator and denominator of the retail vacancy numbers for Independence.

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cinco Burg

cinco

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^ i agree this project will help this area tremendously. my only hope is that "coliseum center" is born again through restoration rather than renovation. i have always loved the look of that place... with the old skool neon red sign - backdropped by that myriad of trees and vegetation behind it. not too mention the building office depot was in, is very cool. it would be a shame if they decided to "clean" up the uniqueness of this shopping center.... and we have to give it up to infinity's end... how they have survived in that location, can only be a true testament to peoples' spirit of experimentation. :)

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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I kind of agree with you, but I'm not sure how likely that is. It would be a separate project, anyway. But given its difficulty to lease, usually new tenants require brand new facades, etc. I'll bet that the owner of Coliseum Center would end up needing to do that. I think that no one really wants to located in an old Park-n-Shop-looking building. I think Office Depot tried it for a while recently, but they quickly shut down. Updated looks help get people to try it again. But who knows, maybe they'll just be able to lease just by virtue of being near the Walmart.

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DigitalSky City

DigitalSky

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Well, I know Walmarts are controversial and all that, but the one replacing the blighted and empty Amity Gardens on Independence was approved.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/14588547.htm

The final siteplan revision had a removal of outparcels, details on the facades (which, while not great, are better than what is there now). It has a CATS busstop and the parking lot broken up by landscaping and a new sidewalk. They moved the Garden Center to the Independence side to allow for improved pedestrian access, and aesthetics (similar to what Lowe's did on South Blvd). Also, the siting of the actual Walmart building being close enough to the semi-vacant Coliseum Center next door that it will likely serve as a catalyst for new tenants there.

So while there are some, or many negatives to this company overall and to this project specifically, this building will help to revive suburban retail in the inner ring sections of Independence. It will help to revive the struggling Coliseum Center next door. It will support a future transit station nearby in the Independence median. It will reduce the retail square footage in the area, helping both the numerator and denominator of the retail vacancy numbers for Independence.

At least this Wal-Mart will not be 230,000 square feet.. and yet will still be a supercenter. I really hope that Wal-Mart relocating doesn't kill the Eastway Shopping Center though. I'm all for a revival of Coliseum Center too... I remember we used to shop at Kmart and HQ there waaay back in the day.

^ i agree this project will help this area tremendously. my only hope is that "coliseum center" is born again through restoration rather than renovation. i have always loved the look of that place... with the old skool neon red sign - backdropped by that myriad of trees and vegetation behind it. not too mention the building office depot was in, is very cool. it would be a shame if they decided to "clean" up the uniqueness of this shopping center.... and we have to give it up to infinity's end... how they have survived in that location, can only be a true testament to peoples' spirit of experimentation. :)

I hope so too. I hope they don't totally demolish it and start anew. it's a charming place if they do clean it up. And yes, we do have to give it up to Infinity's end... it's all in the name there ;)

I kind of agree with you, but I'm not sure how likely that is. It would be a separate project, anyway. But given its difficulty to lease, usually new tenants require brand new facades, etc. I'll bet that the owner of Coliseum Center would end up needing to do that. I think that no one really wants to located in an old Park-n-Shop-looking building. I think Office Depot tried it for a while recently, but they quickly shut down. Updated looks help get people to try it again. But who knows, maybe they'll just be able to lease just by virtue of being near the Walmart.

Who knows.. maybe that Park-N-Shop will become a Compare Foods like the one on N Tryon did.

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cinco Burg

cinco

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it was my understanding the reason office depot left the old park n' shop building was due to the independence blvd. work... that basically killed off access to the place. oh well, if they restored this strip with a great color scheme and some tweaks here and there, i think it will go alot further in the long run.

steven, do you have pictures or know of any strip malls of this era that have been restored to prominence?

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StevenRocks City

StevenRocks

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steven, do you have pictures or know of any strip malls of this era that have been restored to prominence?
Not really. Retail developers aren't particurally sentimental about old designs like that. The closest thing you'll see is maybe an occasional faux '50s modern shopping center, but they tend to subscribe to a cutesy "Johnny Rockets" mentality.
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cinco Burg

cinco

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^ man, i'd love to see the home economist, thats further down independence, relocate to the old park n shop. i bet that would place it closer to the majority of it's patrons.

steven, is your avatar PAUL WALL? funny... thats an expensive smile.

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