Recent video update 
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I stopped at Cold Off the Press on Saturday morning for a coffee and a beet juice, and was shocked to see the Mira, the new Kane apartment building, and these two new towers - not to mention the South St tower - all within eyeshot.
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Morning 
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This is going to be such an amazing project. It really is the beginning of positive change coming to Dix park area.
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Almost there 
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Now that we are really on the cusp of thousands of new residents coming to this area, it’s time for developers to start thinking about how we activate the immediate neighborhood with experiences for all of the new people living there.
After watching all of the failed retail in mixed use 5over1 projects in the city, it would seem to me that the mixed use strategy may not be the answer to our prayers that we once thought it would be. I think that people like to go to more curated experiences that are not part of the building that they live in. This may be why folks feel so strongly about places like Char-Grill. Even Smoky Hollow hasn’t been lighting up the charts in the way people expected. IMO, it would have been nice for a developer to come in and do a RIW sort of things between The Weld and the Rockway instead of The Weld phase 2. Just imagine creating a cool pedestrian district out of those old brick buildings with a few ultra modern 2 story buildings tossed in among a festival marketplace experience. It would draw from the two massive housing developments and Dix Park visitors.
Alas, that’s not going to happen there. 
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I agree. The area will also really need a significant amount of retail and shopping that is in close proximity to all of these units. A large grocery store would nice, some sort of home improvement store (not sure where that would go) and a Walgreens or CVS would be good. I am sure there will be lots of other needs as well. I hope that happens.
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as someone that has lived on the other side of I-40 for 8 years, I really hope Dix Park and these developments Spur some form of restaurant and retail investment on this side of the highway. Because of all the NC State farmland south of Tryon, there’s very little appetite for better restaurant or grocery options in this little lake Wheeler road pocket. I’m hoping that changes in the next couple years
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Whats with that cluster of weird stores at Saunders and South at the edge of Boylan Heights? That will be the gateway to downtown for new residents once these projects get built. Could be more inviting. That little commercial strip seems underutilized and lackluster. There’s a record store thats never open, a custom screenprinting shop, a “part time multi sensory botanical design studio(?)”. The storefronts are cute but they could at least benefit from some facade improvements…
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Another video update :
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Looking pretty impressive from the ground as well.
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Don’t forget the exotic munchies place, custom sneaker shop (that’s actually been there a while and has a following), the day labor office, and the random door with huge address numbers but who knows what, if anything, is actually there.
Those are owned by the heirs of the guy who used to run the Kirby vacuum shop (now record store). He “ran” his vacuum shop up until three or four years ago (he was usually there, but was it open and did anyone ever go in?).
They also own the house behind the shops that has a permanent squatter living on the front porch. The last I heard was that his daughter took over the landlording. They don’t seem to care too much about these properties.
You’re right, definitely underutilized. I had high hopes that the record store would do something to their facade (paint at the very least), but alas. When Boulted was there at the end of the row, there was a lot more foot traffic and potential, it seemed.
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You didn’t ask for it, but as someone who has lived on the south side of I-40 for 27 years I’m giving you an AMEN!
I think the old Johnson’s Sewing Machine place would make for a cool coffee shop/cafe, but I lack the experience, financial backing, and ambition to pursue such ideas.
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Hey Brian, I may know some folks interested. Let’s connect on it
Except the zoning is R4…sigh
I wonder if there’s any precedent for restoring an old plat that mixes zoning? Probably not if it’s been officially recombined, but perhaps there’s not recombination plat recorded…
The Johnsons still own the property and live in the house behind it. I think they’re both close to, if not 100 years old - pretty amazing. I know their son Sam - only mid-late 70’s - and I don’t think they’re interested in doing anything with the property while the parents are still living there.
But I do appreciate your enthusiasm.
