Yeah I posted about this in one of the other university city development threads.
It’s a real shame. This area was slated for transit oriented development with a mix of single family homes, small retail / office, and multi family.
Now we’ll have a big disgusting auto mall next to one of the light rail stops.
To make thing worse, the guy that wants to develop this auto mall is the chairman of University City Partners.
It’s a fucking joke.
It says their goal is to lure the auto dealers that may be negatively impacted by light rail…which means we’ll just end up with empty old car dealerships all up North Tryon.
Just stop the light rail at NoDa and call it a day. The city has already fucked the success of this line. With leadership like University City Partners, the university area deserves every shitty development it gets.
I sent Barnes a quick email asking him to vote no on this auto mall. It’s probably a foregone conclusion the dealership will be built at this point, everything else is theater, but it can’t hurt.
Zoning meeting is September 16… time to make a difference. Allowing development that is short sited is what has occurred too often in the UC area… Time to make smart choices.
So create more blight on North Tryon by leaving a bunch of vacant auto dealer lots by moving them a short distance away to an open field. University City has some horrible zoning strategies. Continuous impracticable sprawl of big box store and cheap apartment complexes only to be replaced my more big box stores and cheap apartment complexes a few years later.
Nothing says “University” like an auto mall. Come on guys, get with the program! These leaders know what is best!
it amazes me there are enough people buying new cars to support more auto malls.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with an auto mall in theory just as long as it is not placed in an area that will get in the way of transit related development.
This is especially short sited because it seems to me that when the light rail line is in place the UC corridor is going to explode with development. Way more than the south side line. Why do I say that? I may be wrong but just based on how close some of the really bad neighborhoods are to the south line it would seem to me that the UC area would be more attractive for potential investors and residents. Not saying that the north tryon corridor is a rose garden by any means but it doesn’t seem as bad as south tryon. Especially the areas really close to the south end area.
I have never explored off of N Tryon so correct me if I’m wrong.
Just seems like the transit related development is UCs big chance to get out from behind the 8 ball.
My zoning views, pay to put something else there, or quit meddling in others’ livelihoods.
[quote=“Gassman, post:8, topic:27954”]I don’t think there is anything wrong with an auto mall in theory just as long as it is not placed in an area that will get in the way of transit related development.
This is especially short sited because it seems to me that when the light rail line is in place the UC corridor is going to explode with development. Way more than the south side line. Why do I say that? I may be wrong but just based on how close some of the really bad neighborhoods are to the south line it would seem to me that the UC area would be more attractive for potential investors and residents. Not saying that the north tryon corridor is a rose garden by any means but it doesn’t seem as bad as south tryon. Especially the areas really close to the south end area.
I have never explored off of N Tryon so correct me if I’m wrong.
Just seems like the transit related development is UCs big chance to get out from behind the 8 ball.[/quote]No it won’t.
NoDa will, just as SouthEnd has. Look at the southern end of the blue line though. It hasn’t done a single thing for development in that area.
UCity will continue to be a poorly developed surburban cesspool even after light rail is finished (and I don’t mean all suburbs are cesspools, UCity is a just one of the most poorly developed areas of Charlotte).
UCity will never be a destination except on gamedays. People will then get in their cars or on the train and leave.
[font=Verdana]Zoning laws exist to build neighborhoods in a way that helps a lot of people. This proposal would hurt the UCity area and also create further blight on N. Tryon street. Look at Independence and the southern portion of S. Blvd. There are a lot of empty car dealerships that have simply been left to decay. They look terrible and bring down the property value for everyone else around them.[/font]
[font=Verdana]Zoning laws are how you don’t end up with a chemical factory next to a neighborhood. They’re a good thing in most cases. They protect against short sighted developers that do not care about the long term viability of an area. [/font]
Let’s build a light rail that provides easy access to car dealerships! ??? Makes perfect sense.
Makes it easier to shop for a car by yourself…
This is the exact kind of development University city doesn’t need. It’s not dense, its not pedestrian friendly and it does nothing for most people that live here. I emailed Barnes as well though it sorta seems like he’s already on this side.
This is especially short sited because it seems to me that when the light rail line is in place the UC corridor is going to explode with development. Way more than the south side line. Why do I say that? I may be wrong but just based on how close some of the really bad neighborhoods are to the south line it would seem to me that the UC area would be more attractive for potential investors and residents. Not saying that the north tryon corridor is a rose garden by any means but it doesn’t seem as bad as south tryon. Especially the areas really close to the south end area.
[size=1.35em]
Just seems like the transit related development is UCs big chance to get out from behind the 8 ball.[/size]
No it won’t.
NoDa will, just as SouthEnd has. Look at the southern end of the blue line though. It hasn’t done a single thing for development in that area.
UCity will continue to be a poorly dev areas developed surburban cesspool even after light rail is finished (and I don’t mean all suburbs are cesspools, UCity is a just one of the most poorlyUCity will never be a destination except on gamedays. People will then get in their cars or on the
[font=verdana][size=1.35em]Zoning laws exist to build neighborhoods in a way that helps a lot of people. [/size][/font]This proposal would hurt the UCity area and also create further blight on N. Tryon street. Look at Independence and the southern portion of S. Blvd. There are a lot of empty car dealerships that have simply been left to decay. They look terrible and bring down the property value for everyone else around them.
[size=1.45em][font=verdana]They protect against short sighted developers that do not care about the long term viability of an area. [/font][/size]
[size=1.45em]Can someone provide the e-mail address to those that can influence this decision?[/size]
I emailed barnes and the mayor, here is what barnes response was "
Good afternoon.
Thanks for your e-mail. Feel free to speak at the Sept. 16 public hearing on this case. You may also wish to share your thoughts with the Mayor and other Council members.
Michael D. Barnes
Charlotte City Council District 4
Candidate for City Council at-large
www.facebook.com/barnesforcharlotte
Twitter: @barnes4CLT
P.O. Box 481629
Charlotte, NC 28269
"Leading Charlotte To A Brighter Future"
Does CLT even have a Mayor? :))
I don’t know if this has been discussed in the past, but has anyone/alumni wanted/planned on putting a Charlotte fan store, University focused restaurant/bar in University City or specifically UCity Place?
Also, why hasn’t anyone touched the old Gus’ Original 49er building in 3 or 4 years?
[quote=“Charlottean, post:17, topic:27954”]I don’t know if this has been discussed in the past, but has anyone/alumni wanted/planned on putting a Charlotte fan store, University focused restaurant/bar in University City or specifically UCity Place?
Also, why hasn’t anyone touched the old Gus’ Original 49er building in 3 or 4 years?[/quote]
I’ve been wanting to, its part of my whole plan… one day…
I am guessing it is due to the seemingly bad reputation that UC is getting (or at least I perceive) for crime.
I have been meaning to post about this for a while. From what I hear (and this could all be anecdotal so PLEASE correct me if I am wrong with facts, nothing would make me happier).
It just seems that the last decade as the university itself has gotten nicer the UC has been “de-gentrifying”. It seems like I am always hearing people talk about crime in the area and how there are no nice places to live.
To me that is the biggest challenge long term to Charlotte. How to encourage positive growth and crime reduction around the university.
Cheap housing attracts some bad mojo…