A large site in Dilworth could soon see new development, with hundreds of apartments, office space and retail as the Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) seeks proposals from developers to build a major mixed-use community on the 16-acre site between South Blvd. and Euclid Ave.
The authority’s development subsidiary, Horizon Development Inc., has issued a request for proposals for the site anchored by the authority’s Strawn Tower and bordered by South Blvd., Templeton Ave. and Euclid Ave. The Strawn building provides affordable housing for seniors, and the surrounding property is home to 121 cottages that house seniors, according to Charlotte Business Journal.
“This is an incomparable opportunity to do major redevelopment in one the fastest-growing cities in the United States,” said Troy Drawz, chief development officer at Horizon. “The Strawn site is an ideal location for a transformative project that builds off the strength of uptown Charlotte as well as one of the fastest-growing commercial districts in the city. The possibilities are endless.”
CHA would require a developer to include 132 new affordable units to compensate for the single-story “cottage” units lost. The housing agency can use deed restrictions to mandate the units’ inclusion, and CHA plans to stay involved in the project through a joint venture.
Horizon says the redevelopment plan is in keeping with its core mission of developing work force and affordable-housing options.
The portion of the site closer to Euclid Ave. would feature residential development, with maximum building heights declining closer to Euclid to fit in with the Dilworth neighborhood.
In 2008, the authority invited members of an Urban Land Institute panel to make recommendations on how best to use the Strawn site. The panel suggested rehabilitating the tower and using the rest of the tract for a mixed-use, mixed-income development with residential units and street-level retail and commercial space.
The housing authority completed renovations at the Strawn Tower in late 2012.
The ULI panel recommended the development of offices and street-level retail along South Blvd., saying the property has been viewed for too long as a “blemish on what is otherwise a classic success story for neighborhood revitalization.” The panel also suggested building one or more affordable residential towers to complement the Strawn tower.
Horizon will host a pre-proposal conference on Jan. 7, and developers will have unitl Jan. 15 to submit questions. Proposals are due Feb. 25, and Horizon is targeting late June of next year to finalize development agreements.