‘Timeless design, high-end’ condominiums coming to Cornelius
The Cornelius Board of Commissioners on Monday night approved a couple’s planned six-story, $20 million mixed-use condo building on vacant land that residents have called a longstanding eyesore.
Cashmere Condominiums, on Jetton Road Extension at Bethel Church Road, will have 14 “high-end” living units, and 2,157 square feet of commercial space on the first and second floors, according to the plans by Adam and Iryna Jones.
“Timeless design,” the couple said in their application for approval.
“We believe this project will serve as a landmark development, contributing to the long-term vision of Cornelius as a dynamic and thriving community,” the couple said.
The Cornelius Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning for the building by a 4-to-1 vote.
“This project is a carefully shaped investment in the future of Cornelius and the Village Center ... providing elevator-served luxury condominiums and retail – something Cornelius lacks,” Adam Jones told the board. “And structured parking that supports both the site and surrounding area.”
“It’s a thoughtful solution that enhances walkability, eases future parking pressure and reflects the town’s vision for a vibrant, mixed-use village center,” he said.
The property will include 14 underground parking spaces and 19 outside, according to the couple’s plans.
Adam Jones said he “embraced every condition the town asked for,” including a bump out at the intersection, meaning a curb extension that slows traffic.
Commissioner: Land use plan not followed
Commissioner Michael Osborne, who voted against the rezoning, said the town’s land use plan calls for three stories, not six.
“Cornelius has a mission to create the highest quality of life for our community and for our residents,” Osborne said. “To accomplish a mission though, you need a strategy, and Cornelius has a strategy. And part of that strategy is to shift the balance from residential to business-commercial ... the approach to that strategy is to follow the town land use plan.”
In June, the Cornelius Planning Board recommended the project to the Town Board with the stipulation that the developer cut the number of stories in half, per the land use plan.
Other commissioners said Monday night the building will benefit the town.
“I’m very excited about this project,” commissioner Susan Johnson said. “Adam and Iryna Jones have done a very good job of putting together an aesthetically pleasing, beautiful building that certainly will enhance that space.
“I work nearby,” Johnson said. “I have to travel that road, and just seeing how it’s been a dumping ground for so long, anything would be better that what it is currently.
“But what the Jones’ are bringing is just a different element,” Johnson said. “I‘m really excited about just the quality, about it being a catalyst for future development in the Village Center, and they’ve just done a great job.”
Adam Jones said Cashmere “transforms a site that has sat dormant for 26 years into 14 thoughtfully designed luxury condominiums with retail space, welcoming long-term residents and businesses who are truly invested in our town of Cornelius.”
Cashmere will be “a catalyst that can energize the entire Village Center corridor,” he said.
The board’s vote followed a public comment period where five residents and business owners urged the board to approve the rezoning, and five residents urged denial over building-height, traffic and other concerns.
The 78-foot-tall building would appear no higher than nearby buildings given the slope of the land, Jones said.
“Unlike other sites in Cornelius, the natural topography of 19725 Jetton Road allows for vertical expansion without disrupting the existing skyline or overwhelming the streetscape,” the couple said in their application.
Developer: Building will improve blighted look of road
The building will generate $35,000 in annual tax revenues, Adam Jones told the Planning Board.
The stretch of road has been 50% undeveloped for 26 years, appearing “more as a storage yard and trash dump than a gateway to Lake Norman,” he said.
Cashmere Condominiums “is exactly the kind of development this corridor needs,” Jones said.
This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM.