Marsh Properties needs rezoning for $190 million redevelopment near South End

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CHARLOTTE – Marsh Properties has filed a rezoning request with the city that would allow a $190 million redevelopment project at the Sedgefield Shopping Center and the surrounding area, according to a release from the company.

Marsh is asking to rezone the 60-acre area, along South Boulevard between Marsh Road and Poindexter Drive, to a mixed-use classification, which allows higher density and multiple uses.

The redevelopment would bring commercial and residential development, with plans to include a mix of multifamily rental and for-sale housing and possibly some office space, the company said. Marsh is partnering with Aston Properties to bring around 98,000 square feet of retail to the site, including a Harris Teeter, which will serve as the retail anchor. The property already has 303 multifamily units, which will be redeveloped if the rezoning is approved.

“Marsh Properties has a legacy of pride in ownership of our land and our developments, and we see this next chapter as continued stewardship of property that has been in the (Marsh) family for over 80 years,” Jamie McLawhorn, president of Marsh Properties, said in the release. “We have a lot invested in this development and we look forward to better serving the South End and Sedgefield neighborhoods by bringing the residential component into the new millennium while providing a new mix of retail and restaurant options.”

The public hearing for the rezoning has been scheduled for July 21, according to the company. The City Council vote on the rezoning will likely follow in August or September. If the rezoning is approved, construction would likely start in early 2015 and the first phase would open in late 2016, according to Marsh.

The first phase of development will include 68,000 square feet of retail and 300 apartments. For the first phase, which has several parcels, Marsh said it is seeking rezoning from B1, B2, O2 and R17MF to MUDD-O.

Additional phases are still in the planning stages, but the developers are seeking approval for 900 additional housing units that will include for-sale and rental options, the company said. The next phase would also include the redevelopment of 30,000 square feet of retail and the potential for 100,000 square feet of office space. The second phase of residential development will occur over an estimated ten-year period, depending on market conditions.

“We’re hoping to create a community that is relevant to today’s urban dweller but with a nostalgic mid-century modern design aesthetic that honors our past,” McLawhorn said. “We look forward to continuing to contribute to the Sedgefield community that we’ve long been a part of as well as watching the development evolve over the next 10 years.”

The residential component will adhere to the New Bern Station Area Plan by creating more density within one-half mile of the station, maintaining walkability to the station and preserving mature trees. The master plan also calls for creating a park on Ardmore Road, according to the company.

“The Sedgefield community is fortunate to have a developer with long-term vision and patience to get the redevelopment of this great piece of property right,” Richard Petersheim, partner and senior landscape architect of LandDesign who is leading the master planning of the development, said in the release. “We are pushing the envelope to preserve the existing mature neighborhood trees such as coming up with tighter street layouts and pushing the buildings back from the street more than you typically see to allow for adequate tree growth.”

Sidebar

Having a Harris Teeter grocery store in the redevelopment of the Sedgefield Shopping Center is a return to the genesis of the place, according to Marsh Properties. When the center opened in 1952, Harris Food Store, owned by W.T. Harris, was the original Sedgefield anchor. In 1960, Harris and Willis L. Teeter – another North Carolina grocery store owner – successfully merged to become Harris Teeter, making this location the second-ever Harris Teeter grocery store, Marsh said. Harris Teeter was in this location until 1988. When the grocer returns, the design team envisions it to have a mid-century modern style, which is a nod to the center’s establishment in 1950. Smaller shops will provide outdoor spaces for gathering and views from rooftop dining, according to the company.