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ThINeG BUILD ! E U S IS NoDa Mills Steel Gardens Yards at NoDa The Mercury For the Birds! page 2 A Hardhat Tour through Renovations of Mecklenburg Mill by Shannon Lynch with photography by Lenny Annaloro Each time I walk by the Mills during the day, I hear the buzz of power tools and see the construction workers headed to and fro in their brightly colored safety vests and hard hats. Curiosity gets the better of me and I can’t help but wonder what the inside is looking like at this point in the renovation. In August, I finally had the opportunity to see for myself. I originally met at Smelly Cat with Jen Duncan, Director of Marketing for The Community Builders (TCB), when they were taking rental applications in person at Neighborhood Theatre. A few weeks later, I sat down with Andrew Connell, Construction Manager, and Ron Wong, Senior Project Director, to get an update of how things are coming along. They offered to take me on a physical tour. There are 48 units in Mecklenburg Mills (Phase 1) with currently 150 applications to process. As NoDa requested, TCB made an outreach to target artist applicants specifically. So far, applications have come from teachers, artists, nannies, and airline employees, to name a few. All the apartments are around the perimeter of the mill, so they all have those great 11’ high x 8’ wide windows. The apartments themselves will have an industrial/modern feel with exposed brick walls. Completion of Phase 1 is targeted for mid-late October with move-in starting in late October. Phase 2 will be the Johnston Mills’ renovation. 70-80 units with commercial/office/retail space is planned, though nothing is definite at this time while TCB continues to research how best to utilize the space. TCB told me that they want to tap into the NoDa vibe by providing unique amenities for their residents. In Mecklenburg Mill, there’s a club room with kitchen and lounge, an art gallery (property management intends to put together artist shows), a fitness room, and a twostory activity room. Many of these areas feature skylights. The South Wing (facing North Davidson) includes a sunroom/library/reading room with a large desk made of reclaimed wood. There will also be tenant bike storage, a laundry room, and an elevator. Outdoor features include a tot lot/playground, gazebo/pavilion area, pet stations, bike racks, and grills. And the parking, you ask? It will be permitted for the residents’ use with guest passes/tags. Additional parking is planned along North Davidson Street. As part of their M.O., TCB seeks to preserve the historic character of the buildings they develop. The ceiling in the art gallery room showcases the Mills’ original metal camber rods restored to a new 11x13x43’ beam (see photo opposite). The old boiler was saved and is on display in the club room. The old smokestack remains, and the MECKLENBURG MILL painted sign on the side of the building also stays. page 3 Unfortunately, the old mill home that used to be the paymaster’s house when the Mills were still operable, was demolished. The house had been vacant for years and was unsalvageable. Deidre Hill, a former resident of the mill house whose father was the paymaster, spoke with TCB about the history of the Mills and the house. She supplied them with vintage pictures of the Mills dating from the late 1950’s to early 1960’s. TCB is considering displaying the photos through the Mill. Two mantels were saved from the old house and will be repurposed in the new community room and art gallery. The Mill itself needed a lot of salvaging. TCB had to replace most of the roof which had been damaged during the years of condemnation. Several sections of the building needed to be rebuilt due to the deteriorating brick work and rotted wood. The North Tower is brand new construction; the old one was taken down, then the original bricks cleaned and reused. In the West Wing, the roof decking and beams are original. When on the main floor, look up and you’ll see the original mill floor used in the common areas on the second story. Basically, it’s the ceiling now for the first floor. They took all the decking out, did the beam work, and then put it all back. They have preserved the old metal fire doors as well. On-site discoveries during the construction process include some old gears, and they have put together a vintage glass bottle collection of finds from various spots: milk bottles, Dr. Pepper soda bottles, etc., some that date back to the 1930’s. These may be put in an enclosed display case in the building. In the spirit of repurposing, TCB gifted beams and decking to Free Range Brewing who approached them and asked about salvageable materials. page 4 Big Lizard in My Backyard Meets Birdhouse in Your Soul... Happiness Ensues I recently astounded my friends by sharing the news that the National Wildlife Federation has officially recognized our backyard as a certified wildlife habitat. But the joke is on them. It turns out that pretty much anyone can qualify for an official certified wildlife habitat, and that’s great for our neighborhood and the natural world around us. Food Butterfly bushes, like the one in the photo, also attract bees, which are essential for pollination. Hummingbirds love them, too. Plant native flowering plants. They are easier to maintain, establish more quickly, require less water, and wildlife species depend on them as they have co-evolved over the years. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has lists of recommended native plants by region and state (www.wildflower.org/collections). Cover Article and Photography by Matt Lemere Being a wildlife habitat means more than protecting birds – you should also consider the protection of other animals such as frogs and lizards. North Carolina lizards are not poisonous and hunt flies, spiders, and other insects. They usually appear in spring and summer and should be left undisturbed, according to the NC Cooperative Extension. It is extremely important for as many people as possible to become certified for the protection of all our wildlife. One backyard in the midst of urban sprawl is an oasis. A couple of certified backyards spread far and wide will offer little protection and cannot be easily accessed by a diverse population of animals that must travel for food. A string of certified homes, however, creates a superhighway filled with a plethora of resorts for critters to hang out, gather food, and simply live. Black-, blue- and raspberries do very well in the southeast, and birds love them. If you’re lucky, they’ll save some for you. Place bird feeders in locations that do not provide hiding places for cats and other predators. Place feeders ten to twelve feet from low shrubs or brush piles. Dead trees are home to lots of different animals, including some that use tree cavities and branches for nesting and perching. Here are a few tips I have learned from the experience. I hope it encourages you to consider becoming a certified wildlife habitat, too: A surprising number of shrubs provide twigs, seeds, and berries for wildlife. Watch where birds tend to cluster and chances are it is a food source. Abundant examples in NoDa include crepe myrtle and mulberry trees. You can construct a birdhouse specifically for the types of birds you would like to attract to your habitat. Clean your feeders regularly with hot water, and let them air dry completely. Also keep areas under and around the feeders clean. Black oil sunflower seed is a favorite of just about every seed-eating species. Water The easiest water source to install in your garden is a birdbath. Be sure to change the water 2-3 times per week during warm weather when mosquitoes are breeding, so that any eggs laid in the water don’t have time to hatch. Don’t stop providing water in the winter. Ponds provide cover for aquatic wildlife, such as fish and amphibians. A “toad abode” can be constructed to provide shelter for amphibians on land. Wildlife need places to hide to feel safe from people, predators, and inclement weather. Shrubs, thickets, and brush piles provide great hiding places within their bushy leaves and thorns. Raising the Youngins Provide a place for butterflies to rest. Butterflies need sun for orientation and to warm their wings for flight. Place flat stones in your garden to provide space for butterflies to rest and bask in the sun. Wildlife need places to reproduce, bear and raise their young, and see their young survive to adulthood, all safe from predators, bad weather, and human intervention. Many habitat features that serve as cover can double as locations where wildlife can raise their young: from wildflower patches where butterflies and moths lay their eggs and small mammals burrow into the undergrowth, to constructed birdhouses or ponds for amphibians and fish. Certification Several streams run through NoDa, and you may have one in your backyard. Make sure it is cleared and easily accessible for wildlife. For details on registering your own Certified Wildlife Habitat, visit www.nwf.org. Application cost is $20. Signs start at $30. You will receive subscription to an e-newsletter, a full year’s membership in the National Wildlife Federation including subscription to National Wildlife® magazine and 10% off NWF catalog merchandise. Visit the website to find out how to build a bat house, make a bee house, determine the best trees to plant, attract dragonflies and butterflies, and incorporate Mother Nature’s foibles into your natural shelters and gardens. worldly art! handcrafted items from over 40 countries 3202A N. DAVIDSON ST puravidaart.com /PuraVidaArt page 5 Color Consultants Help Create Vibrancy at the Yards at NoDa by E. Plante NoDa will continue to add housing and residents for a long time. The neighborhood will grow up (and out), getting busier and adding more opportunities. An astute commentary would be to ask ourselves how NoDa feels. For all the square footage measurements, upgrades, and ceiling heights on the interiors that most of us will never even see, we should be pushing for quality of the exterior finishes, colors, sidewalks, and landscaping of these new developments. Enter James Martin of the Denver, CO-based The Color People. The Color People were hired as consultants for the Yards at NoDa condo development currently under construction behind the YMCA. The property was once a barren former rail yard, cut off from our downtown by two separate train crossings. When GVEST Partners of Atlanta began to develop the property into new residential housing, they had a choice: to offer minimum urban appeal and simply provide dwelling units (think of the many faceless condos you might find in University areas) or to build a complement to the vibrant style of NoDa. Lucky for us, James Martin and The Color People made it their priority to give us all something to be proud of. “We were going for unexpected colors,” Martin told us in an interview. Aiming for colors you might find in an industrial warehouse such as blue-gray, terra cotta, and green accents, Martin admits, “There is no way you can fool yourself into thinking the buildings have been there for a long time, but we wanted it to fit into that genre.” He adds, “I was taken with the mills in NoDa. There’s no question those buildings have been there for a long time...” So the challenge was to make the new condo project fit in with the feeling of historical buildings without seeming over-the-top or kitschy. The Color People consult on large- and small-scale projects, ranging from iconic single family houses, to high-rise buildings, to commercial and retail projects that need to fit national brands into sensitive historic communities. Consider Norman Rockwell’s paintings of a perfect town, and how much work it would take to maintain a proud aesthetic across the board in modern times. With so many hands building and creating new developments, adding their own style and flare, it would be reasonable to think that there could be an eyesore in every Norman Rockwell painting today. The Yards at NoDa offers a long list of amenities, floor plans, and styles that range from private yards and balconies, a fitness and salt water pool, and a dog park for residents. The light rail facing walls will be a face of NoDa to commuters, and the GVEST partners have consulted on a graffiti/art wall. Original plans call for further accent flare in the project such as artistic neon signage. We look forward to getting a new feeling for Yards at NoDa as it becomes a part of our community. page 6 Election 2014: Jump On Board! Steel Gardens: Phase Two by Lauren Schalburg Steel Gardens faces North Charlotte Park, bounded by Spencer St., Herrin Ave., and the railroad tracks. The community within our community features condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. Maybe you live here. Maybe you’ve been a guest in one of these gorgeous urban homes. Maybe you’ve envied their easy present-day conveniences like tall ceilings, high-end kitchen finishes, and efficient storage spaces that are not found in unrenovated mill homes like my own. Somehow, the lofty modern architecture and the surrounding historic mill village seem to complement each other. Bonterra Builders, the developer, partnered with Babak Emadi of Urbana Architecture, a well-known architect familiar to NoDa, who specializes in creating urban homes with distinctive architectural detail. “It was important to us not to have a ‘cookie cutter’ townhome community that you see everywhere,” remarks Whitney Hicks, Bonterra Builders’ sales agent for the community. The Steel Gardens we know is actually the first phase of a larger project. Development began in 2007 and units have been constructed and held from construction since then, following the rhythm of the dynamic Charlotte real estate market. Today, Phase One has just one condo pad left to develop. Now, Phase Two is about to begin on the neighboring tract of land between Spencer Street and the railroad, bordered by Academy and Anderson Streets. There will be two entrances to the new phase, one off Academy and one off Spencer. Phase Two will visually fit with the existing Steel Gardens but will have its own flavor. “The biggest difference in the new phase will be the topography. The land will have lots of changes in elevations and will give the new neighborhood unique and interesting curb appeal,” Hicks says. She adds that outdoor living has been a focus point for the new phase. Another difference: while Phase One currently has about 150 units, ranging from 1-bedroom lofts to 2500 square-foot stand-alone houses, Phase Two will be a smaller neighborhood with 54 townhomes. The townhomes will feature three different floor plans: the Town D which is a three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath with a rooftop terrace; the Davidson which is a two bedrooms, two-and-a-half bath with a deck off the kitchen and a spacious two-car garage; and the recently designed Gallery which has a three (optional four) bedroom plan, including a guest room and attached bath on the ground level, a two-car garage, and a deck off the living room. Prices will range from the mid $200s to the low $400s, and all units are Energy Star Certified. So when can we expect the construction to begin? Bonterra Builders estimates that the land work will be completed this winter, and construction of the homes will begin immediately after that. As long as sales are promising, the plan is to completely build out Phase Two all at once. Whitney Hicks explains, “Weather is always a factor that plays into construction but we plan to have homes ready to move in within the next 6-10 months.” No need to wait, though. If you’re interested in one of these units, give her a call at 980-207-4530. The benefit of contacting the builder early is that you will get introductory pricing and can choose your own details: granite, backsplash, tile, cabinets, hardwoods, carpet, lighting, and so on. Bonterra Builders is a locally owned and operated company based out of Matthews, NC, with about 75 employees. They offer a diverse range of housing options ranging from urban living townhomes, to craftsmanstyle single-family homes, to high-end estate homes. Some of their other developments are Barber Rock in Indian Land, SC, which won community of the year in 2011, and their new three-level estate series in Mia Manor in South Park. Bonterra Builders has always actively supported the surrounding NoDa neighborhood, including sponsoring quite a few Neighborhood and Business Association fundraising events over the years. “We pride ourselves on the quality of construction in all of our homes and the fact that we always try to do the right thing,” Hicks concludes. Find out more by visiting their website: www.steelgardens.com Nominations for the NoDa Neighborhood & Business Association Board of Directors are now being considered for the election which will be held during the October Association meeting (October 7, 6:30 pm, at Evening Muse). Nominate yourself or someone else. Anyone may submit a nomination, but remember that candidates must be voting members of the Association. Voting members are paid-up on their dues and have attended 3 meetings within the past 12 months. (Yes, September and October meetings count as two of those!) What is required of a Board member? In addition to attending the monthly Association meetings on the first Tuesday of every month, the Board also meets on the last Tuesday of every month. Each Board member takes responsibility for one committee to enhance communication between the committee and the Board. Board members have final votes on policy changes, rezonings, and other neighborhood activities. Each year, the Board appoints its executive officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer), and every Board member is eligible for any of these positions. The Board has 11 members serving out staggered 3-year terms. Four positions are open this year. Liza Hart will not be running for another term, but Jason Idilbi, Chad Maupin, and Lauren Schalburg are up for re-election. The 2014 Election Committee consists of three Board members: Liza Hart, Joe Kuhlmann, and Kevin Sutton. Please ask them about the position, the process, or to nominate yourself or another candidate. You may also address inquiries to [email protected] or during the September Association Meeting (September 2, 6:30 pm, at Evening Muse). personal ads Friendly neighborhood committee seeking passionate individuals who like Piña Coladas, long walks on the beach, and clever conversations about keeping art in NoDa. NoDaRioty has been out of the dating game for a while but is looking to jump back into the pool with both feet. Not an artist? No worries! You’ve got what we are looking for. We are desperate and our clock is ticking, so we are willing to hook up with pretty much anyone. Our committee is not just for artists: it’s for anyone who cares about keeping our neighborhood edgy and cool. You won’t even have to draw! So meet us for a drink and a few laughs as we brainstorm about how to get ourselves back out on the big dating scene. We’ll be at Solstice Tavern on Wednesday, September 10, starting at 6:30 pm. Please help us help you (and the neighborhood). We’ve Lowered Our Rates! Advertising helps us pay for the NoDa News month after month. So support the neighborhood while promoting your business or special event. We have very affordable advertising rates, starting at only $25 a month. With a circulation of 3,000 and a strong web presence, that’s a great deal! Send an e-mail to [email protected] for more info. Managing Editor: Lauren Schalburg Content Editor: Carol Oliveira Art Director: Evan Plante, Docklands Design Direct all advertising inquiries, submissions & comments to: [email protected] 816 East 37th Street Charlotte, NC 28205 Any submission will be considered for publication if received by the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Content approval is based on newsworthiness, available space, and the discretion of the editors. NoDa News is a publication of the Historic North Charlotte Neighborhood Association, Inc. a 501(c)3 charity d/b/a NoDa Neighborhood and Business Association in Mecklenburg County, NC. page 7 The First Ever Carolina Arts & Theatre Awards Citizens of the Universe (COTU), a collection of artists who have brought several innovative theatre productions to Charlotte, have partnered with UpStage and Shakespeare Carolina to present the inaugural Carolina Arts & Theatre Awards on September 7, 8 pm, at UpStage (3306 N. Davidson, 2nd floor). The CA&T Awards are a celebration of the diverse cross-section of Charlotte’s arts and entertainment community—an event that aims to introduce and mingle local artists from across genres during one fun-filled night. Nominations for awards closed September 1, and we expect a wide variety of artists will be recognized. Organizers opened nominations on the facebook event page saying, “Have you worked at the Carolina Renaissance Festival? Performed on stage? Created art locally? Play in a band? Are a band? A promoter? Venue? Poetry? Comedy? Work in or on film? Dancer? Comic book maker? If you create, let’s nominate!” The show will be hosted by Big Mamma D with music by Jill O’Neill and David Hensely on media. In addition to the presentation of awards, scheduled stage performances include comedian William Jacobs, musician The Funky Geezer, the poet Navee, Jenny Wright (performing a selection from her one-woman show), Hannibal the Magician, and aerial and contemporary dance by Caroline Calouche & Co. Attendance for the award show is free, but guaranteed seat reservations are available with purchase of a $5 advanced tickets (see www.upstagenoda.com). Specialty drinks and dinner options (with reservation) will also be available. Association Member of the Month: Amy Farris Ray The August NoDa NBA Member of the Month is a familiar face, Amy Farris Ray. Amy has been recognized in the past for her tireless work with Greenification, and bless her heart if she doesn’t keep right on doing great things for that committee and for the neighborhood. The thing you will most likely notice about Amy’s work is that she spends a lot of energy concentrating on other people’s trash. As leader of the Greenification Team, Amy coordinates bi-monthly neighborhood and semi-annual Little Sugar Creek cleanups to help rid the area of unsightly, destructive litter. She also helps protect our large historic trees from pesky, destructive canker worms by organizing a yearly tree banding. Speaking of trees, she just finished work securing NoDa a spot as an official tree store for the City’s new NeighborWoods Program. Look for more details about the NoDa tree store on http://NoDa.Nextdoor.com and in upcoming editions of the NoDa News. If you would like to see someone recognized for their contributions to the neighborhood, please email your nominations to [email protected]. Remember, the AMOM must be a dues-paying member of NoDa NBA. SEPTMEBER Pinback & Tera Melos Concert Spotlight by E. Plante featured events Wednesday September 10 @ The Chop Shop, NoDa Doors at 7:00 | Show at 8:00 $15 ADV & $18 DOS Indie Rock is such a broad term these days. With it, bands claim credibility, all the while peddling the same boring Top-40 radio formulas. In the past, Indie Rock was a term that spoke to a genre as well as an ethic. Simply, a band who chose (or sometimes was forced) to remain independent was doing so in order to remain free of the trappings of the music industry. Indie Rock was free to explore alternative song structures, instruments, and styles without fear of record label executives saying they “don’t get it, where’s the single?” Now, it seems every Indie Rock band has a single, and they’re all vying to be in the next BMW commercial. So when I think of the original criteria of an Indie Rock band, my favorite and first to mind is San Diego’s Pinback. The duo consists of guitarist/singer Rob Crow and bassist/singer Zach Smith, accompanied by various band mates on stage. Pinback, on tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their seminal record, Summer in Abaddon, will play the Chop Shop on Wednesday, September 10. Pinback’s indie credibility starts with Zach Smith’s previous band, Three Mile Pilot. Often overlooked in favor of his work with Pinback, Three Mile Pilot’s early releases allowed Smith to develop a signature style of percussive bass playing that would come to define him as one of the most unique and exciting musicians around. The last original release of Three Mile Pilot, the epic and beautiful Another Desert, Another Sea, found the band selfdestruct while transitioning from Indie Rock to a major label deal with Geffen Records. Three Mile Pilot’s unique sound split perfectly in half into two new bands, each carrying over their unique aesthetic: the seasick sound of Black Heart Procession, and the plucky, and humble sound of Pinback. I celebrate Pinback’s entire catalog, and although this tour is to commemorate Summer in Abaddon, I’d recommend the freshmen to check out Blue Screen Life (2001). The understatement of Blue Screen Life is where Pinback gets their charm. The guitars and drums are thin spindles, the bass works its slide and strum spiderweb, all the while Rob Crow and Zach Smith’s separate lyrics and vocals circle the song but rarely come together. They flirt with songs that could land BMW commercials, and yet stay firmly in the wonderful off-kilter Indie Rock world. Start with the song “Penelope,” an ode to the loss of a gold fish. The last time Pinback played in Charlotte in 2008, I’ll admit they seemed uncomfortable. They were touring with the awesome (and odd choice of ) sludge metal band Kylesa, and headliner Pinback’s most delicate songs seemed rushed. The band was touring with the darker material from Summer in Abaddon and Autumn of the Seraphs, and I got the feeling that Rob and Zach probably felt a little constrained by the aesthetic of Pinback. Since 2008, Rob and Zach have taken time from Pinback and reformed Three Mile Pilot and other side projects. Pinback released a new record in 2012 called Information Retrieved, and hopefully will put on a show for us in Charlotte that reminds us why they are so very important to Indie Rock. September 20 - UN International Day of Peace @ Neighborhood Theatre The Charlotte Cooperation Circle and other peace building organizations invite the Charlotte community to unite in dialogue and celebration of the UN International Day of Peace at Neighborhood Theatre, 11am – 3pm. Keynote speaker is Ali Karti, the Foreign Minister of Sudan, and guest speaker is former congressman and UN Ambassador, Mark Siljander. Activities include international food vendors, participatory drum circle, children’s art projects, bicycle scavenger hunt, and jazz performance by Tenya Coleman. Attendance is free, but seating is limited, so we suggest you RSVP at cltunpeaceday.eventbrite.com. Mondays – Open Mic @ Evening Muse Tuesdays – NoDable Series: Small-Batch New Release @ NoDa Brewing Co. Wednesdays – Music Trivia @ Solstice Tavern Thursdays – NoDa Alley Rally @ Area 15 Fridays – Karaoke w/ Rachael @ UpStage September 5 – The Heritage & Sacramento @ Evening Muse September 5 – Protomartyr, Mineral Girls, & It Looks Sad @ Neighborhood Theatre September 5 – Improv Charlotte Comedy Show @ UpStage September 6- Time Sawyer @ Evening Muse September 6 – Burleoke! with Big Mama’s House of Burlesque @ UpStage September 7 – NoDa NBA Meeting – 6:30pm @ Evening Muse September 7 – Carolina Arts & Theatre Awards @ Upstage September 9 – Angie Aparo and Levi Lowrey @ Evening Muse September 10 – Pinback with Tera Melos @ ChopShop September 11 – The David Mayfield Parade @ Evening Muse September 12 – Frequency: feat Herobust & Mindelixir @ ChopShop September 12 – Tontons @ Evening Muse September 13 – Crowbar @ ChopShop September 13 – Amanda Shires with Valley Young @ Evening Muse September 16 – Water Liars w/ Amigo @ Evening Muse September 17 – Goodnight, Texas with The Bones of JR Jones @ Evening Muse September 19 – Lefty Williams @ Evening Muse September 19 – Gaelic Storm @ Neighborhood Theatre September 20 – UN International Day of Peace @ Neighborhood Theatre September 24 – The Revivalists @ ChopShop September 24 – Snarky Puppy with Banda Magda @ Neighborhood Theatre September 24/26/28 - The End of the World Sampler Platter @ UpStage September 26 – Malcolm Holcombe CD release show @ Evening Muse September 27 – Rockin for a Cure (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) @ ChopShop September 30 – Lil Dicky and DJ Omega @ Neighborhood Theatre