A new project was announced for a 325,000 square foot 15-story tower in South End. The building will have mixed-use and is being developed jointly by Stream Realty Partners and The Durban Group. It will be located next to South End Brewery on Griffith Street. Construction is expected to begin in 2022 and take around 2 years to complete. As the plan is not yet finalized and construction costs are always in flux, there is no cost of construction published yet.
The vision for the tower is a mix of offices and retail spaces. The ground floor will likely have restaurants, retail and entertainment venues. Other floors will have outdoor spaces. A rooftop restaurant with outdoor patio space will top the tower.
Daniel Farrat leads Stream Realty Partner’s investment and development business in the Carolinas. He has indicated that much of the retail area for the project will incorporate the existing space of The Suffolk Punch, a Brewery, Culinary Café & Taphouse, and Coffee Bar that currently sits on the site. The Suffolk Punch could also be expanded to include entertainment and additional dining space. Expansion would allow more people to enjoy the craft brews, thoughtful cocktails, and scratch-made menu paired with the seasonal selections.
This project is expected to help existing businesses by attracting more customers during business hours. The new retail, employment options, and entertainment will help people who already live in the area, but should also draw many more people to the fast-growing South End.
This project joins many other towers that have gone up in recent years, finally breaking the stronghold that I-277 has had over Uptown Charlotte. For the longest time, South End only had the “pink building” as a proof that larger buildings could exist outside the loop. With the city continuing to grow, South End has become an attractive option as the price of land is cheaper and there is more land available to pursue new projects. It is also a great option for companies because of the Lynx Blue Line connecting South End with Uptown and many other parts of the city. Expansions in the Lynx Blue Line continue to make South End attractive for companies and residents alike.
LendingTree and Lowe’s have a large presence in South End, and as of February, there are now 3.5 million square feet of office space and 1.9 million square feet of retail space in the area. There are also many new residential projects, especially ones that take advantage of the Rail Trail which provides green space, exercise venue, and community connection. There are also many nearby neighborhoods, many that are walkable to the area. Residents of these areas are glad to have additional options for dining, shopping, and entertainment.
Continued growth in South End compliments the SouthPark area, and Uptown and helps round out the south side of the city. There are many other exciting projects in the works, or just completed so this new project by Stream and Durban is a welcome addition.
