Another four-story mixed-use building proposed for downtown Huntersville across from controversial project

Yahoo

a day ago

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A proposed development would bring a four-story building of mostly apartments to downtown Huntersville, but town planning staff and developers are focused on promoting the benefits of the project's retail space.
Northstate Development is attempting to rezone a 1.7-acre property on Gilead Road that is across the street from the Holbrook Town Center, a once-controversial project that set a strong precedent for the future of downtown. This is Holbrook Phase 2.
The new Northstate rezoning presented at Tuesday night's town board meeting seeks to construct a 60,000-square-foot building with a mixture of retail and apartments on the ground floor, and the three floors above all residential, totaling 55 units. The land is currently zoned Neighborhood Residential.
The land is adjacent to the 760 Craft Works brewery, and the developer is seeking to share an entrance in order to maximize street frontage.
All required parking would be on site, on the back side of the property.
Huntersville's 2040 Community Plan suggests using the property to expand Holbrook Park south to Gilead Road. However, planning staff pointed to the narrower Downtown Plan that recommends retail use to promote the 'gathering' aspect of the evolving community.
'We want to promote a balance of food-and-beverage venues and those stores that support downtown life and appeal to visitors,' Assistant Planner Director Brad Priest said. 'They come for services, walkability, enjoy open space. Parks are a part of it, but businesses are as well. Staff recommends the mixed-use, gathering component.'
When asked by Commissioner Amanda Dumas if Northstate would consider a residential-only building, company representative Rachel Krenz suggested it was unlikely. The Land Use Plan requires 60 percent ground-floor commercial for new downtown construction.
'We could develop only as residential, but we want to put retail there,' she said. 'We want to do this mixed-use, desirable building. We know retail is needed downtown, and we want to be part of that solution.'
If the shared driveway is not approved, then Northstate is preparing to put the entrance on the left side of the building. A two-story home is that neighbor, and a fence would be built, along with a dense, 10-foot buffer.
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There is also an option to make the main residential entrance along Gilead, one that the developer opposes since it will reduce retail square footage and 'make the space more difficult to lease.'
The property is within a few blocks of Discovery Place Kids, Huntersville Elementary School, Holbrook Park, Town Hall, and the proposed Red Line station. It backs up to a greenway, where three pedestrian connections would be provided.
Despite the controversial nature of the sister project, which spurred 'Save Downtown Huntersville' signs, there was only one speaker during the public comment period.
The town planning board is scheduled to review the project on June 24, with commissioner consideration slated for July 15.
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