Enterprise site development aims to connect South End with Uptown

Why it matters: It’s the latest project in a flurry of development that will ultimately connect Uptown to South End. One Crescent executive said his firm has been eyeing the site for “quite some time.”

“This address and location quite frankly provides the best of both worlds,” Sagar Rathie, managing director at Crescent Communities’ commercial business unit, said of South End and Uptown.

Zoom out: This development comes on the heels of a nearby project that also will stitch together South End and Uptown. Riverside Investment & Development, a Chicago firm, plans to spend $750 million to build three towers on the Midnight Diner site for a range of uses, including offices, a hotel, residences and retail.

• City boosters are enthusiastic about all the work to bridge the gap between Uptown and South End, among the many takeaways from the Charlotte Center City Partners’ “State of the Center City” report.
• There’s also a planned pedestrian bridge that will connect the two neighborhoods.

“Quite honestly as this continues to grow we believe Carson and Tryon will turn into its own mini district, serving as connectivity between South End and Uptown,” Rathie said.

Details: The Crescent/Nuveen development, called Carson South End, will include:

• Nearly 560,000 square feet of office space
• 10,000 square feet of retail
• A 200-room luxury boutique hotel
• More than 100 apartments
• An 8,000-square-foot amenity terrace

Most apartments will be one-bedroom, and all will be market rate, Rathie said. The development will have a parking deck with about 1,300 spaces.

“Everything we’re prioritizing is how do we ensure employees, hotel patrons, residents etc. feel connected to South End and Uptown,” Rathie said.

Timeline: The project is in its pre-development phase, she said. The goal is to begin construction later this year and deliver sometime in 2025.

Here’s a look at what Carson South End will look like.

Renderings courtesy of Crescent Communities