Posted On: December 10, 2008 By: admin

Last night, the Charlotte City Council approved approximately $160, 000 for the Hall House in Uptown Charlotte, a homeless shelter for children. The Salvation Army hopes to raise an additional $300,000 to open the shelter by December 19, 2008, which is prior to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg winter break for students.
 
The shelter, which will be residence to at least 100 families with children, is located at North Tryon and 8th Street in the First Ward. Before becoming the Hall House, the children’s shelter was first built as a hotel, then operated as a residence for seniors and the disabled.
 
The Salvation Army and the Charlotte Housing Authority will be working on a security plan to maintain safety in Uptown Charlotte businesses and neighborhoods close to the shelter.

Category: First Ward

Posted On: August 10, 2008 By: admin

After decades of pitching several options for a key stretch of First Ward property, Daniel Levine has finally found a partner…us. Charlotte Business Journal reports taxpayer funding will add around $26 million to the project. Although causing skepticism in a few, this massive plan and the accompanying request for public money have given hope to political leaders and Uptown supporters that Levine is serious this time.

Levine controls 20 acres on which he plans to build 2 million square feet of office space, 2,150 residential units, and 282,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. His plans include $26 million in tax-increment financing from the city and county. This would pay for parking decks and other improvements, with $8 million that could be spent by the city on road improvements. The county would kick in money for the construction of a 3 acre park.

There is also a $46 million UNC Charlotte Classroom building planned for the corner of East Ninth and north Brevard streets. This will be the anchor of the initial phase of development, and has a 2011 opening planned.

Levine is showing a lot of enthusiasm for the project to move from planning to ground breaking at last. He is totally committed to bringing the best development to the Queen City, but this complex deal has a long way to go before it’s a sure thing.

Mecklenburg County commissioners will get their first real look at the proposal this week. If they approve moving ahead with discussions, then more details will have to be worked out, starting with land appraisals for a property swap between the developer and county. The city staff hopes to have a deal ironed out for the council to consider by the end of 2008, with the county pursuing the same schedule. That would allow construction on Levine’s first phase, which is dependent on park and tax-increment financing on 1,300 of 2,000 new parking spaces in First Ward, in 2009.

Levine has a 10 – 15 year schedule for the entire project. The county park, UNCC, underground parking, and a 300,000 - 400,000 square feet building would come first. Levine would build the office building with ground floor shops and restaurants. A 1,500 car parking deck and a property with 525 residential units, hotel, and street level retail would come next.

The excitement is spreading with stakeholders gathering to talk about the possibilities and negotiate the framework of a deal. This would copy several other public-private ventures in and around Uptown. We have to credit both Levine and the city and county for coming up with a deal that will put the risk in the private sector not the public.

Category: First Ward, Fourth Ward, Second Ward, Third Ward