Crescent Communities says it has presented a Site Plan Amendment to Charlotte City Council for a proposed community at the corner of 7th Street and N. Caswell Road.
“The original request for rezoning on the 1.7-acre site was filed in February. “Following multiple months of working with community residents, business owners and Elizabeth Community Association members, Crescent Communities is excited for the opportunity to bring a mixed-use community to the Elizabeth neighborhood,” the developer says.
The Site Plan Amendment proposes to change the designated use from multifamily to office.
“The proposed community will include active ground-floor retail and streetscape amenities that promote safety, walkability, and community connectedness. In alignment with the overarching Elizabeth Area Plan, the new mixed-use community will provide an open, public space that creates and promotes an active neighborhood center. Additionally, the community will include much-needed parking for both on-site tenants and surrounding retail.”
“Many of our team members live within walking distance of this site, so we fully appreciate its significance within the Elizabeth community,” said Elizabeth McMillan, senior director of development for Crescent Communities. “We see this not only as an opportunity to partner with the neighborhood to design an exceptional mixed-use community, but also to create a space that will complete and add real value to the place where we live.”
“We are pleased to have worked so closely with Crescent from the inception of this project; they have really made a considerable effort to listen to the community and incorporate our feedback,” said Beth Haenni, vice-president of the Elizabeth Community Association. “Let’s hold this project up as an example of how to achieve a ‘win-win’ for a new development inside a historic neighborhood… respecting our rich history while also bringing modern amenities to the heart of Elizabeth. The project aligns with the Elizabeth Area Plan, and we look forward to seeing it take shape.”
Faison had previously proposed a project that included multifamily housing with street-level retail. After a long process of predevelopment and considering the required design modifications, Faison determined that the planned project was not financially viable and has maintained the site as a vacant lot before Crescent Communities made its proposal.
Crescent Communities also says it is currently developing two additional high-profile, distinct mixed-use communities in the fast-growing Charlotte market. These include The River District, a 1,400-acre master planned community in west Charlotte to be developed over two decades, and Ally Charlotte Center, a 26-floor mixed-use office tower currently under construction in uptown Charlotte and slated to deliver in 2021.
“Both are examples of Crescent Communities’ unique approach to placemaking, and commitment to building community and bettering people’s lives,” the statement said.