OMB’s plans for Cornelius just got much bigger

The mixed-used development will include apartments and townhomes, Cornelius Today first reported. The Charlotte Ledger wrote last week that the development will be named Greenway Gartens.

Why it matters: With fewer people commuting into Uptown, Lake Norman residential real estate has boomed. And this OMB Northwood Ravin mixed-use project shows developers have heart eyes for the area, too.

Quick background: OMB owner John Marrino bought the land about three years ago with the plan to open a second OMB location. “Our (current) place is great for the south Charlotte area, but people aren’t driving 45-60 minutes to go have a beer. The idea is to bring the same experience to the lake area,” he said.

• While mapping out the new location, Marrino saw the need for a walkable community surrounding the brewery and biergarten. So, he partnered with Northwood Ravin to help create a main street vibe.
• “OMB is obviously an incredible attraction is South End and I don’t think there’s anything like it in Lake Norman,” Michael Gribble, Northwood Ravin’s vice president of development, told me. With the arts center and other developments underway in Cornelius, it makes sense to be in that area, he added.

Vision: Marrino told me he wants OMB to function like a community park that people in the area can walk or bike to. There will be condos and townhouses as well as some retail.

• The site also backs up to the Antiquity greenway. Marrino envisions people stopping by the brewery to rest and refuel while out biking or walking.

Residences: Gribble said they’re planning for 398 apartments and up to 50 townhouses. As of now, they’re thinking of those units as rental properties.

Timeline: Marrino is hoping to open OMB late 2022, early 2023.

Renderings by Risden McElroy