Ballantyne developer Northwood Office is reimagining office space in the midst of a pandemic

When Northwood Office announced their transformative vision for the Ballantyne community back in 2019, things were a little different.

Offices were filled with employees, there were no masks in sight, and the term ‘social distancing’ hadn’t yet made its way into our daily lexicon. It was a pre-pandemic world and we were playing by pre-pandemic rules.

The project, called Ballantyne Reimagined, is a redevelopment effort of the Ballantyne community. Ballantyne is one of the city’s fastest-growing suburbs, home to more than 300 companies like Brighthouse Financial, Liberty Mutual, Campbell Snacks, Premier, Synchrony, and Wells Fargo.

Related Story: More and more millennials are deciding to live and work in Ballantyne – here’s why

The redevelopment project is expected to create the opportunity for 7,000 permanent jobs and 5,500 construction jobs, as well as parks and green space, a substantial commitment to affordable housing at mixed-income levels, improved transportation options, and an amphitheater for arts and culture.

Ballantyne Reimagined was officially given the green light by the City of Charlotte in June 2020.

Here’s a look at how it will transform the community:

Northwood Office’s first big project in Ballantyne signaling a new phase of development is a 328,000-square-foot, 11-story Class A office building at 13146 Ballantyne Corporate Place.

The building, right across the street from the core of the future Ballantyne Reimagined redevelopment, is expected to be completed by March 2021.

Even before Covid-19, the Northwood team’s goal was to elevate the standard for what it means to create a high-performance, healthy office building. They’ve since been working on implementing a variety of changes to ensure the project meets standards that have evolved during the pandemic.

Some of those changes include installing automatic door operators with wave plates on all core restroom doors and most exterior doors. The building will also feature hands-free products in the restrooms, automatic hydration stations on all floors, technologically advanced, managed-capacity elevators, and wall-mounted hand sanitizers throughout the common areas.

Restroom layout changes include increasing width between sinks and installing dividers between sinks. HVAC enhancements include high-performing filters for better air filtration.

One of the project’s signature features, a top-level amenity floor, is being configured to address social distancing and will feature furniture with washable fabrics. The amenity floor will include a rooftop terrace, fire pit, 14,500 square feet of versatile space, and a 50-seat conference room.

“Our excitement for this building continues to grow as we evolve the design process,” says Clifton Coble, Senior Vice President of Development at Northwood Office. “We continue to add features that provide more value for future occupants.”

Here’s a look at the pre-Covid renderings of 13146 Ballantyne Corporate Place, plus you can check out the current progress here:

Here’s a look at the building right now:

The project also introduces residential space, in partnership with Northwood Ravin. An adjacent 16-story residential tower and five-story mid-rise building, comprised of 212 luxury apartment homes, is under construction as well.

Future residents can select from a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats and townhomes, ranging in size from 650 to 3,800 square feet. Amenities will include a rooftop lounge, large dog run, 1,700-square-foot saltwater pool with private cabanas and fire pit, health club, and an on-site concierge.

Considering post-pandemic needs, Northwood Ravin is reworking the outdoor amenity areas and adding built-in desks in some units.

“The benefit of working close to home is more appealing than ever,” says John Barton, President of Northwood Office. “When you factor in Ballantyne’s abundant open space, its value takes on a whole new level in a pandemic-impacted environment.”

Luckily, improving walkability and providing more open green space was in the plan from the beginning.

The Ballantyne Reimagined plan includes 100+ acres of green space, with the creation of 10 parks, five of them the size of Romare Bearden Park or larger (including one 20-acre park).

One of those parks is Stream Park, which was unveiled last month. The 8-acre park will be a community green space connecting the surrounding trail network with streams, green lawns, and a planned 3,500-person amphitheater.

It’ll include features such as an event lawn, hammock area, beach, play zone, and a potential food truck plaza, according to Northwood.

Northwood also aims to create a greenway connection and bridge to the existing Lower McAlpine Greenway, connecting walking trails and bike paths within Ballantyne to the extensive South Charlotte greenway system.

Interested in learning more?  Check out 13146 Ballantyne Corporate Place for more info on the project and follow @NorthwoodOffice to keep up with the progress.

Plus, explore Ballantyne Reimagined to see what else is in store for the Ballantyne area.

This content was created in partnership with Northwood Office.

All renderings courtesy of Northwood Office.