Team behind Charlotte’s first parking-less apartments doubles down in fast-developing Mill District

Yes, but: These apartment buildings — farther from the light rail but still within walking distance — will include parking. There will be at least one spot per unit.

What’s happening: This spring, Space Craft will wrap up about a year of construction and begin leasing an apartment complex on 36th Street in NoDa (called Inkwell) and another on Seigle Avenue in Belmont (called Millhouse). 

Why it matters: Developers, including Space Craft, are shaping the popular and fast-growing areas in and around NoDa, dubbed the Mill District, a nod to the neighborhoods’ textile history. Space Craft says it wants to make the Mill District more “walkable, convenient and vibrant” through its network of mixed-used buildings.

• “There’s a real opportunity there with the light rail expansion,” Space Craft founder Harrison Tucker, a Charlotte native, says of his interest in north Charlotte. “Our focus is on building walkable neighborhoods in high-growth markets.”
• He adds that the nearby Cross Charlotte Trail, another alternate mode of transportation, has drawn his team to the area.
• In addition to the two newly formally announced projects, Space Craft is constructing 361 extra units for its parking-free complex, The Joinery. Work will continue through the next year and a half.

Inkwell, at 724 East 36th St., comprises 65 units, including penthouses with city views, and three storefronts on the ground floor. Its three stories and has a stepped-back fourth floor.

• One retail space will lease for 60% of the market rent. The community specifically requested an affordable space in hopes of preserving some of the funkiness of the business community north Charlotte is known for.
• “There’s a focus on the ground floor experience. The parking is not highlighted, first and foremost,” Tucker tells Axios. “When you’re walking along the street frontage, it’s either activated residential or activated commercial.”

Millhouse, at 1115 Seigle Ave., is a three-story mix of 28 mostly two- and three-bedroom apartments. It almost looks like three different buildings, with varying brick and pitched roof facades inspired by the historic mills.

• “Residents are really proud in Belmont,” Tucker said. “They want to see elements of their neighborhood reflected in new development.”

Details: Each complex will have three affordable units with rents equal to the rates determined by the federal housing voucher program. Both offer a compositing option and are “solar ready,” meaning they will eventually have solar panels on the roof. “If you’re looking to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, this is a good next step,” Tucker said.

• Like The Joinery, Inkwell leasers can rent out their units on Airbnb for a limited number of nights per year.