What’s next for the old Epicurean Restaurant property in the Dilworth area?
The site of the old Epicurean Restaurant in Dilworth remains vacant after it was closed and demolished about 25 years ago — but a new fence is catching the attention of people passing by the property at East Boulevard and Scott Avenue.
Selwyn Property Group is making plans for the property where the historic restaurant once stood before the doors closed in the late 1990s after being in business for about 50 years. But the firm said the public should not expect anything anytime soon.
The 1-acre space at 1324 East Blvd. in the Dilworth neighborhood was once owned by the Castanas family. They had plans to build a new Epicurean restaurant with stores and offices, but couldn’t get the financing. The property was listed for sale in 2018.
Looking back
A corporate group affiliated with Selwyn Property and co-founder Grey Poole purchased the property in 2021 for $5.1 million from the family, according to previous reports.
Charlotte council members approved plans proposed by Selwyn in 2020 to build 80,000 square feet of office space or 170 apartment units, The Charlotte Observer reported. Up to 10,000 square feet of retail space was approved through a zoning change.
With the site being close to retail and major employers like Atrium Health, Poole told the Observer in 2021 that Selwyn was leaning toward building apartments. Plans were put on pause because of the pandemic, but the firm expected to start in 2022.
So what’s next for the site?
After purchasing the site, Selwyn worked closely with the Dilworth Community Association to rezone the site for developing the property, Poole told The Observer on Wednesday.
However, the start of construction of either multi-family or office development will not happen soon because of market conditions, Poole said. He said the firm will continue to follow the market closely to determine the appropriate time to move forward with building something.
Poole said that a lot of capital markets, including banks, were sitting on the sidelines in 2023 when it comes to investments.
Although a timeline for construction is not set, Poole said that something will be built this decade.
“Certainly, our site is only getting better,” he said about the property’s value. “It’s a wonderful location and it has nothing to do with the dynamics of our site.
“We like what’s going on with the hospital expansion and the construction of the medical school. Those are all going to be really positive things for us.”
So what about that fence?
A fence was installed to prevent debris dumping and because telecommunications utilities on the site are being relocated.
“Most of those line are being put underground. so they won’t impact our ability to construct the building, once we get started,” Poole said.
Hey, what’s that?
Curious about construction going on around the Charlotte region? Email reporter Chase Jordan with the location that you are curious about, at cjordan@charlotteobserver.com. Your suggestion may appear in a future story.
This story was originally published February 9, 2024 at 5:40 AM.
