Nantz Road is to the left in this site plan
Jan. 18. By Dave Vieser. Site preparation work has begun for a new convenience store and day care center on West Catawba opposite Nantz Road. Convenience Development Partners will extend Nantz Road to the south and east, behind the storage business and meeting up with another extension that is expected to be built by the developer of Magnolia Villas.
Magnolia Villas is a proposed 60-unit residential project on vacant land behind Dunkin and the existing 7-Eleven convenience store that would connect with Magnolia Estates Drive. The original zoning approval had BV Belk Properties listed as the applicant, but in December 2020, a new application and site plan, filed by Mooresville-based Nest Communities.
Will the extension to Magnolia Estates, not far from the Fifth Third branch, occur in a timely fashion? That remains to be seen.
Evan Walton, of Convenience Development Partners, says he will do his part.
“We are dedicating our land and paying for the entire road on our property. It will be a full cross section with sidewalk and multi purpose path. Magnolia Villas will pick up the road at the property line and build the rest of it to Magnolia Estates Drive.
Herein lies the rub: The zoning for the Magnolia Villas project, which consists of over 60 residential units, was originally approved back in 2005, but no site work has ever been done. Town planning Director Rox Burhans says the Nest Communities construction plans are under review by the town.
“This project requires having construction plans approved to move forward with development,” Burhans said. “We are unaware of the developer’s planned start date since they are still in the permitting process.”
Ideally, the two sections of the road could be built at the same time.
The convenience store/day care project encompasses nine acres that were previously undeveloped except for two vacant homes which were recently demolished. The project will include two commercial/retail buildings totaling 9,400 square feet fronting West Catawba Avenue.
Original plans also called for a 45,000 square foot office building, but Walton said the demand for such space has dramatically dropped since COVID.
What impact does all the connecting roads have on existing developments,how is Catawba Ave going to handle the flow of traffic as it is reduced at Nance Road to 2 lanes and is already a bottle neck for existing traffic? Why do we need another convenience store in that area, four already exist on or near Catawba; Oasis, Circle K, Quik T and Cashions.
Let’s take care of the roads first.
This project was approved for a different builder 19 years ago before all the traffic on Catawba. I think the city should think twice about approving it given the amount of building and construction that has happened since then.
An absolutley terrible project. Ugly blight that isn’t needed. If you are going to put in retail make is more like Jetton Village – this is garbage.
The builders out this city are some of the stupidest I have ever witnessed. What a ridiculous stupid idea this is. Why do they think that this is what will bring revenue and excitement to this city? I can’t think of anyone who would any this. These jobs just be passed down by nepotism because there is no thought or intelligence going into these projects. What idiots we have.