CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Three chances to rebuild in three corridors of opportunity. The City of Charlotte is seeking solutions for crime and lack of housing in underserved areas by buying abandoned properties and selling them to builders who will revitalize them.
The City of Charlotte acquires crumbling properties across town to ensure they’re redeveloped without pushing people out. It’s now asking developers to submit proposals for several properties it acquired in the corridors of opportunity.
One is the Economy Inn in the Sugar Creek corridor. The city is looking for builders who will replace it with affordable, for-sale townhomes.
President of the Hidden Valley Community Association, Marjorie Parker, told WCNC Charlotte that she is happy to see the Economy Inn go because of previous issues it's had with crime.
"It is a gateway into Hidden Valley so when crime does travel, it’s like a wildfire, it's gonna continue to go unless you stop it," Parker said. "Sex trafficking, drugs, prostitution, all of these things happen, so I applaud Mayor Lyles and the council for trying to rectify that situation."
Another property the city is hoping to flip is a shut-down strip mall in the West Boulevard corridor. Councilmember Victoria Watlington told WCNC Charlotte it also has attracted crime over the years.
"We’ve had several shootings here," Watlington said. "Across the street, you can even probably see when you pass by an open-air drug market as well, and so we’re really concentrating on: How is it that we can revive this section of the community?"
Watlington is hopeful someone will buy the strip mall and turn it into a cultural center for the community. The city's request for a proposal for this property does not call for affordable housing. Instead, it envisions, "a vibrant hub of commerce that enhances economic growth and community development."
Watlington said proposals for the commercial property could include housing since the site will be near the light rail's future Silver Line. "What we’d like to see is additional density, additional retail, and services brought to the community that normally we have to go outside to get."
Lastly, the city is requesting proposals from developers to turn the old Double Oaks Elementary property in the Graham Street corridor into a mixed-income community, "with affordable and workforce housing options."
Once developers submit bids for the properties, city staff will review their plans and the Charlotte City Council will vote on which they believe are best.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.