11 developments that will transform the South End skyline

Why it matters: The rapid development in South End is expanding the city skyline. Several projects will blur the line between the neighborhood and Uptown. Many consider the area to be revitalization success story akin to NoDa. But with any neighborhood changes come concerns about displacement.

Context: South End used to be known for its abandoned factories and overgrown grass. In the ’90s, developers took an interest in the neighborhood’s proximity to Uptown and a new trolley that ran on the old rail tracks. The neighborhood was charmingly, but perhaps misleadingly, branded as “Historic South End.”

• Then came the light rail in 2007, ushering in years of transformational development projects.

What we’re watching: The 11 most notable developments in South End.

• Of note: These projects are listed in no particular order; this is not a ranking. Also, this list does not include every construction project underway in the South End area.

Queensbridge Collective

Ground broke just last month on Queensbridge Collective. It will include two towers: one with 409 high-end apartments across 45 stories; the other a 42-story office tower spanning 700,000 square feet.

• Plans call for 15,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor and another 10,000 square feet on the rooftop, plus 1,600 parking spaces.

Who: Riverside Investment & Development from Chicago

Where: 1111 S. Tryon St., the old Midnight Diner location and where Uptown Cabaret currently is

Timeline: Construction on the multi-family building will wrap up first in summer 2025. The office will be completed soon after that.

The intrigue: Queensbridge Collective will be the city’s tallest building outside of the Uptown central business district, according to Charlotte Center City Partners.

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110 East

Where The Manchester speakeasy used to be, work is underway on a 23-story, 370,000-square-foot office building. There will be retail and restaurants on the ground floor and a 900-space parking garage on levels two through 10.

Who: Florida developer Stiles and California real estate firm Shorenstein

Where: Like the name says, 110 East Blvd.

Timeline: The project is on track, nearing the mid-point in construction. It will be ready for occupancy in 2024.

The intrigue: The glass-wall building is uniquely positioned directly on the East/West light rail station platform.

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Future apartment tower on Camden Road

Devoted customers lined the block around Price’s Chicken Coop on its last day in the summer of 2021. Since then, the old restaurant has sat empty, looking abandoned.

• But there are plans to develop it eventually. The developer shared plans almost two years ago for a 30-story, “ultra-luxury” apartment tower. It would have 291 units, 9,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and about 10,000 square feet of office space for the developer, Catalyst Capital Partners.

Who: Stiles and Charlotte-based Catalyst

Where: 1600 and 1614 Camden Road

Timeline: There is no date for a groundbreaking yet, according to a Stiles spokesperson.

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Linea

From Sycamore’s new spot in The Line, a new 16-story office building, there’s a great view of the ongoing construction at the brewery’s old home: It’ll be a 22-story, 293-unit luxury apartment building that will have 25,000 square feet of retail.

Who: Atlanta-based Portman Residential

Where: Along the Rail Trail at 2161 and 2151 Hawkins

Timeline: Expected to deliver in 2024.

The intrigue: The residential building is designed to complement the office tower. An outdoor plaza and sky bridge will connect the two.

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Bland Street

A developer is reimagining Bland Street. Cousins Properties previously announced plans to turn a surface parking lot into a boutique office building.

• John McColl, executive vice president at Cousins Properties, tells Axios they’re still planning and designing 205 E. Bland St. in conjunction with a broader mixed-use project that would enhance its work nearby at The RailYard.
• Cousins Properties owns the adjacent property home to Hot Taco, Oak Room, All American Pub and Slate Charlotte.

Who: Atlanta-based Cousins Properties

Where: 200 and 205 E. Bland St., also known as the South End Station parking lot.

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Tremont Alley

At about 19 stories tall each, Tremont Alley will consist of two neighboring towers: one office building at around 300,000 square feet and one apartment building with 300-plus units, the Observer first reported. Plus, there will be 18,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor.

Who: Cousins Properties

Where: 2.4 rare, vacant acres across from Common Market

Timeline: The project is in the early stages of permitting.

The intrigue: Tremont Alley continues the trend in South End of building two neighboring towers, one office and one residential. This one will also have a sky bridge and plaza, like 2161 Hawkins.

Centre South

Centre South is a major mixed-use, mixed-income project that’s years in the making. Plans include a 330,000-square-foot office tower, more than 700 multi-family units, over 50,000 square feet of retail and outdoor areas, including a “Centre Park.”

Who: The Fallon Company, from Boston

Where: More than 16 acres at 1301 South Blvd., on the edge of Dilworth

Timeline: Plans were announced back in 2020, but it’s unclear when it will break ground. Signage has been up for months now.

The intrigue: In partnership with Charlotte’s housing authority Inlivian, this project will incorporate affordable housing. There used to be public housing for elderly residents on the site, but the cottages were torn down years ago.

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Carson & Tryon

Yet to break ground, this future 31-story tower will have 565,000 square feet of office space, 10,000 square feet of retail, a 200-room boutique hotel, 200 apartments and a parking deck with about 1,300 spaces.

Who: Crescent Communities and Nuveen Real Estate

Where: 1102 South Tryon St., where the Enterprise Rent-A-Car is and next to Queensbridge Collective

Timeline: Construction is supposed to start this year. It would deliver in 2025.

The intrigue: The highlight of the building will be an 18,000-square-foot outdoor terrace on the 12th floor that connects to an indoor amenity space.

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1714 and 1728 South Blvd.

In yet another sign of South End’s rapid and seemingly never-ending transformation, Walgreens turned into a pile of rubble one day last June.

• A new 400,000-square-foot office tower is going up in its place, with ground-floor retail and a rooftop terrace.
• Another White Point development — a 24-story apartment tower that they’re developing alongside Greystar — is on the adjacent property, at the former Rosemont site.

Who: Charlotte’s White Point Partners, along with MRP Realty and Barings

Where: 1.2 acres at the corner of South and East boulevards

Timeline: Construction is underway.

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High-rise apartments at Tremont Avenue and South Boulevard

A prominent corner in South End will become a mixed-use, high-rise apartment building with 300 units.

Who: Nashville-based Southern Land Company

Where: Just under 1 acre at Tremont Avenue and South Boulevard

Timeline: Ground will break this year and construction will finish in 2025, according to SLC’s website.

The intrigue: Tyber Creek, which is on the property, will close and reopen as part of the new development in a 4,500-square-foot space on the street level.

• There’s currently a 1903 historic building on the site, but Charlotte restaurateurs Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown are moving it to another location.

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2825 South Blvd.

As an expansion of the Sedgefield Shopping Center redevelopment, home to the South End Harris Teeter, work recently finished on a 138,780-square-foot, six-story office building. It includes 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a 400-space parking deck.

Who: Marsh Properties and Aston Properties

Where: Between Elmhurst and Marsh roads, formerly a strip mall

Timeline: There are some finishing touches happening, but the building is open for business.

• “We’re looking forward to announcing some great concepts on the ground floor that we think will give a little shot in the arm to this corridor and to office leasing,” Chase Merkel, office leasing director for Trinity Partners, tells Axios.
• Office tenants so far include Samet Corporation, the project’s general contractor, and Aston Properties.

The intrigue: The building was designed as a “post-pandemic office,” with touch-less technology, a spacious layout for social distancing and upgraded air filtration systems.