This Charlotte apartment complex lets you rent Teslas
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Photo: Courtesy of Space Craft
A Charlotte apartment community along the Blue Line light rail is offering residents free Tesla rentals, free e-bike and e-scooter use, plus free shuttle rides around NoDa. The thinking is that tenants should rarely have to use their own cars.
Why it matters: Charlotte has long been a car-first city. But the Joinery is a model for what future apartments may increasingly offer as development along the Blue Line grows and excitement buds for non-car transit, like the planned Silver Line light rail.
Catch up quick: Developed by local urbanist firm Space Craft, the Joinery is one of Charlotte's first parking-free apartment communities, although a third building onsite opening soon will offer some additional parking spaces.
- Opened in 2021, the Joinery debuted with 83 apartments and Night Swim Coffee at Brevard and 22nd streets in Optimist Park. This year Board Babe, a charcuterie business, is set to open as well.
- The Joinery has always offered rental cars and bikes, but Space Craft launched an expanded version of its transit bundle when the second phase recently opened, adding 360 apartments and more retail spaces.
- Residents are within scootering and biking distance to Plaza Midwood, Camp North End and South End and just across the street from the Parkwood light rail station.
How it works: The goal of the Joinery is to combine housing and transportation costs into one monthly payment.
- Car rentals: Tenants can rent Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3 cars for up to 40 free hours a month through Envoy, an electric car-sharing service. Additional time starts at $5 an hour.
- E-bikes and e-scooters: Residents get unlimited use of e-bikes and e-scooters from Ridy, docked in charging stations.
- Microtransit: Joinery residents can call up to eight free rides monthly from JUMP Transit, an electric shuttle service that stays within Optimist Park, NoDa and other nearby neighborhoods.
What they're saying: Mohit Shewaramani, Space Craft's COO, says use of the EVs and bikes has steadily increased each month.
- Shewaramani says Space Craft hopes its offerings "improve — not just the leasing tour — but their experience actually living in our buildings."
- Apartments are increasingly advertising unique amenities, from rock climbing walls to coffee bars, to win over prospective tenants amid record new apartment openings.
The big picture: Constructing less parking allows developers to reallocate costs for resident perks and better building designs.
- Charlotte leaders have considered ending government regulations that force developers to pave a certain number of parking spots per building.
- Raleigh dropped parking minimums in 2022, and Durham followed suit in 2023.
The other side: Charlotte has hesitated to end parking minimums because some argue the city lacks the transit infrastructure to expect people to ditch their cars.
- The Joinery, in particular, has evoked concern that residents still own cars and keep them parked on crowded nearby streets.
