BELMONT, N.C. — Big changes could be coming to Belmont, but the future of its downtown is uncertain.
The prominent Stowe family plans to sell 10 acres of land behind businesses on Main Street. Ahead of listing the property, they and three nearby property owners worked with an architect to conceptualize a plan that would drastically change downtown.
The plan by Historical Concepts recently won an award, and while some like it, others worry about what it could mean for their small town.
The idea was presented to city leaders in December of 2022. However, a recent article on the design and its award by Congress for the New Urbanism has stirred the topic back up.
"It's all over social media," Robert Stowe told WCNC Charlotte. Several people downtown also said they had seen the plans online that day.
Stowe explained that he and the downtown property owners had the plan made simply as an idea to show the land and surrounding area's potential.
"There is quite a bit of underutilized property," Stowe said. "Plus, there's a parking problem, which this plan addresses."
The plan shows how potential buyers of the 10-acre property may be able to work with nearby businesses and the city for an even bigger transformation.
"Once we have a buyer, then the buyer will determine what they're going to do with the property," Stowe said.
The plan includes new businesses, apartments, parking decks, and relocating city hall to extend roads.
While it’s just a concept, it has people talking.
"I would like more restaurants preferably but I think we’re good on apartments for now," Belmont resident Jackie Styrcula told WCNC Charlotte.
Belmont is growing, and Styrcula worries more apartments would worsen the already bad traffic.
"It takes like two hours to get anywhere," Styrcula said.
Andrew Aiken is a new Belmont resident. He hopes whoever buys the downtown property will preserve some of the woods.
"I mean, that’s really beautiful land so you kind of hate to see that turn into just a big shopping center," Aiken said.
None of the downtown plans have been formally submitted to the city and nothing has been approved. Stowe told WCNC Charlotte that he is working with a broker to get the land on the market soon.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.