North Charlotte development plan would transform 182-acre site, improve roads near I-85
A large swath of land in Charlotte’s university area could soon be transformed into nearly 2,000 residential units, an elementary school and a 16-acre park.
That’s the proposal from Wilmington-based developer Tribute Companies. The company’s proposal for the 182-acre site near Interstate 485 was up for a City Council public hearing this week. A vote to approve the petition could come as early as next month.
Tribute purchased most of the property in 2021 for $18.4 million, county property records show. The property is just north of West Mallard Creek Church Road.
The proposal stands out because most developers’ zoning petitions up for council consideration each month are typically 10 acres or less. The council has approved at least 10 rezoning petitions in the last seven years that are over 100 acres, according to Dave Pettine, the city’s rezoning program manager.
Some council members expressed concern over parts of the Tribute Companies petition. They pointed to its size, whether any of the residential units would be priced affordably and how much consideration was given to bike and pedestrian improvements.
“I know this part of town is pretty auto-centric right now but there are arguments with developments like this, these are opportunities to change (transportation) modes,” Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston said during the meeting.
The total cost and construction start date of Tribute’s project are not clear.
What the developer is proposing
The property would be developed over the next 10 to 15 years, land use and zoning attorney Collin Brown told council members.
Tribute plans to build a mix of apartments and townhomes, according to a presentation shared at Monday’s meeting. A portion of the vacant property would be contributed for a Charlotte-Mecklenburg elementary school. Brown described the school as being a center of the development.
The developer also has plans for a 16-acre public park. Nine acres would be given to Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.
Transportation improvements
The property is sandwiched between Interstates 485 and 85 and North Tryon Street. Tribute is planning several road improvements.
That includes adding more turn lanes to get onto I-85 headed south as well as more turn lanes for North Tryon Street. A number of other improvements are planned.
Winston hoped the development could be an opportunity to focus on building out bike and pedestrian connection. He expressed concern over how bikers or walkers would traverse the interstate.
The developer has until next month to respond to some of council and city staff’s concerns.
Other sizable projects
The biggest project approved by the city in the last seven years was the River District.
Approved in 2016, that project covers nearly 1,400 acres with plans for thousands of homes plus shops and office space just west of Charlotte’s airport. Developer Crescent Communities broke ground on that project in late March.
The Ballantyne Reimagined project approved in 2019 was another massive rezoning covering 453 acres.
And this year, a trio of developers filed a rezoning petition for 115 acres in south Charlotte, proposing 1,500 new residential units, a 100,000-square-foot space for a grocery store plus retail and office.
This story was originally published April 21, 2023 at 12:53 PM.
