Around Town

Getting your morning Starbucks gets harder. And other development news

Big stuff in the development arena:

(1) Death-defying Starbucks run: We go to the Starbucks in the Duke Energy building just about everyday. So when we saw all of this:

… we weren’t thrilled. Turns out work has started on the Mint Museum Apartments, a 42-story apartment building atop the Mint Museum, between Tryon and Church.

Details:

– 394 upscale units

– Resort-style pool and fitness center

– All businesses surrounding the site will be open, but Levine Avenue of the Arts will close

– Fall 2016 finish

(2) First Ward explosion: Levine Properties basically owns First Ward, that quadrant of uptown near the UNCC Center City building and the arena. And it has big plans:

– Two Hilton hotels. One would be a Hilton Canopy and one would be a Homewood Suites.

– One or two residential high rises, 20-25 stories, one rental, the other possibly condos.

– A 264-unit apartment complex at 10th and Brevard streets.

– At the center of it all: the 4-acre First Ward Park, between Seventh Street at the ImaginOn children’s library and Ninth Street at the UNCC building. That’s set to open the end of this year.

(3) Hornets D League: The Hornets want to start their own Developmental League team and are looking for a city to host it. Such teams are training grounds for players on the verge of NBA worthiness. Currently, the Hornets rely on other D-League teams, but now want their own. Possible cities range from Asheville to Charleston.

(4) Two-fer at Ballantyne Village

– Upscale women’s consignment shop Nouveaux will open in Ballantyne Village mid-June, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. You’ll find discounted Prada, Kate Spade, Chanel.

– The Tinder Box is opening its fourth Charlotte location in the Village this month.

(5) Bar Method: Will open its first Charlotte location in the SouthPark area, near Whole Foods, this summer.

Photos: Bar Method, Levine Properties, David T. Foster/Charlotte Observer

This story was originally published May 3, 2015 at 9:50 PM with the headline "Getting your morning Starbucks gets harder. And other development news."

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