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It was a trip to London that ignited Charlotte developer Greg Godley's love of urban architecture - high-ceilinged flats or lofts, in areas where residents can work, play and live.
He and a team of development partners have tried to re-create that vibe in a new condominium project at 28th RO, a mixed-use residential and commercial complex on the edge of Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood, along North Davidson Street between 27th and 28th streets.
It's the first major condo project in the NoDa area. And within weeks, the first residents of 28th RO should be hauling boxes into their new homes, or "flats," as developers are calling them.
Godley acknowledged it took courage to start the project given the uncertain real estate market. "We tried to have faith we would be able to move forward with it and we would be able to deliver a quality product," he said.
Just a few blocks away, the condo project Fat City Lofts converted to apartments in June. The same scenario has played out in several buildings uptown, where developers built them to sell as condos, then had to turn them into apartments when the market soured.
Meanwhile, the 50-unit 28th RO building that is now complete is the project's first phase; developers expect the project to total 184 units. The buildings sit on a 4-acre site adjacent to a restored industrial building that houses the N.C. Dance Theatre and Amelie's French Bakery, among other tenants.
Prices for the condos range from $159,900 to $249,900. Godley and his team, Ty Matthews, Jean Godley-Cooper and Chris Hanson, say they worked hard to fuse the area's industrial roots with modern design and conveniences.
"We wanted a warehouse feel that kind of slammed into technology," Matthews said.
High ceilings and balconies
Despite the "flats" label, the units are laid out in traditional fashion with bedrooms, full walls, etc. Units range in size from 800 to 1,200 square feet, and all come standard with extras like granite countertops, tile bathtub surrounds and 42-inch cabinets.
Every unit has two balconies. Ceilings are 11 feet 6 inches high. Doorways are 8 feet high. Every unit's HVAC unit is in a closet off the building's main corridors, so residents won't be bothered by the sound of loud blowers in their condo.
Of the 50 units, about 20 were under contract as of last week, Hanson said.
The development team hired three diverse Charlotte-area residents to decorate the building's three models: interior designer Toni Sawhney, Furniture Connector furniture store owner Rodney Hines and WCNC-TV journalist Bobby Sisk, who also dabbles in interior design.
The results are sleek, sophisticated units. But just as strongly as Godley and his team tout the building's construction, they make it clear they're selling the NoDa lifestyle, where people form a diverse mix at gallery crawls and restaurants.
"This is a bridge between uptown and the arts community. It's not idle chitchat, it's conversation here," Matthews said. "It's not something we built, we just encouraged it."
Back to Charlotte's roots
Godley says he believes people are drawn to the project and NoDa because it has retained its industrial feel and unique character.
"People love that because Charlotte has gotten so far from its roots. But here it's survived," he said.
Hollis Nixon, president of the NoDa Neighborhood Association, says she's excited for the 28th RO project to serve as a "bridge" between uptown and the main NoDa commercial area, which begins at North Davidson Street and 36th Street.
She says she's heartened that the project has remained a condominium project.
"They're here to stay," Nixon said. "They come to the (neighborhood) association meetings anytime there's a change in their plans. ... They've been so proactive with us, it's incredible."
When residents start moving in, among them will be Mary Kovacs, who first got hooked on 28th RO back in 2006 when she heard about the plans.
The 46-year-old Ohio native will have a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit on the fifth floor.
" I just saw that the potential was incredible," Kovacs said. "You have such an eclectic mix of intellects there. I think art just makes a city grow."
