The latest land acquisition by a real estate developer affiliated with Lennar will add even more rental properties to the Queen City horizon.

The property purchased by Lennar in Uptown Charlotte.

LMC Block 42 Holdings LLC purchased 7 parcels of land close to Uptown for $23 million, according to a recent Charlotte Business Journal report.

The property, which is bordered roughly by the Lynx Blue Line, East Eight and East Ninth and North College streets, will be the site of a multi-phase, mixed-use development with plans for mid- and high-rise apartment buildings with ground-floor retail opportunities. The mid-rise property will likely be 5 floors of apartments with ground-level retail, while the high-rise plans include 30 floors of living above ground-level retail.

A later phase in the project could include more multi-family rental units or commercial real estate for office space or a hotel at the intersection of Eighth and College.

The site’s proximity to the Lynx Blue Line extension and First Ward Park were key reasons for Lennar’s interest in the property, according to the report.

Located at 710 W. Trade Street, Gateway Lofts are modern residential lofts in the heart of Gateway Village. 

Completed in 2001, the 51 residences offer industrial, urban chic interiors with 20-foot windows to take in views of Gateway Village, Third Ward and Johnson & Wales University.

Gateway Village combines living with commercial space, dining and entertainment. The lofts are walking distance to numerous shopping and dining destinations in addition to the Gateway Village YMCA, Knights and Panthers stadiums and Uptown parks and green spaces.

Gateway Lofts are typically 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom residences. Some have living space and kitchen on the first floor with stairs to a bedroom and bathroom loft space; other residences are true loft spaces on one floor.

The industrial interiors have 15-foot ceilings, exposed brick walls, duct work, concrete ceilings and stained concrete floors. Some units have balcony space, while others have extended living room with floor to ceiling glass.

Prices in Gateway Lofts range from high $100,000s to low $200,000s. Most of the residences are in the 800-square-foot to 1,100-square-foot range.

The building has secure access and secure parking for residents.

Eight loft units sold during the last 12-month period at an average sales price of . The average sales price of those units was $212,875 and nearly $250 per square foot. Those sales averaged 98.7% of list price.

There are currently 2 residences for sale in Gateway Lofts as of Dec. 11. Neither is under contract. List prices for the 2 residences are $199,900 and $275,000.

Whether you call Fourth Ward home or not, you will want to make it there for the 39th annual Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour taking place Dec. 2-4.

Friends of the Fourth Ward is putting on the 3-day that gives ticket holders access to a number of private homes decked out in all their holiday grandeur.

Tickets for the self-guided walking tour cost $30 for all 3 days, though ticket holders may only visit each tour stop or location once. There will be choirs and hand bell ensembles performing throughout the weekend on neighborhood porches.

Ticketholders will also receive wine, food and beer samples and complimentary horse and carriage rides throughout the neighborhood. Some of the vendors providing drinks and food tastings are Rock Bottom Brewery, The Asbury, Mert’s Heart & Soul and Assorted Table.

Tour hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m Dec. 2 & 3 and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 4.

Tickets may be purchased online or on location at the corner of 9th and Poplar streets. A limited number of paper tickets are available at Alexander Michael’s and Park Road Books.

This annual tour is the largest fund-raiser for the Fourth Ward neighborhood. Monies raised go toward neighborhood improvements such as better lighting for the neighborhood and park, crosswalks and money for bags for dog walkers to keep the neighborhood clean, among other community supplies and support.

JJ’s Red Hots’ Dilworth location

JJ’s Red Hots will be serving up its tasty hot dogs and sausages from a new location at 400 S. Tryon next year.

The Queen City’s self-proclaimed “hot dog joint” signed a lease for 1,500 square feet of space in space across from Romare Bearden Park. JJ’s already has locations in Dilworth and Ballantyne as well as a food truck.

According to the JJ’s web site, the restaurant serves sausages and hot dogs from Sahlen’s, a brand that has been around since 1869. JJ’s offers a variety of house made toppings for its sausages and dogs, including homemade chili.

JJ’s will share space in the renovated 400 S. Tryon location with Rhino Market and b.good restaurant. The new space is expected to open somewhere between spring and summer 2017.

400 S. Tryon, which is owned by Trinity Capital Advisors and DRA Advisors, currently is under renovation. The 33-story building in the Third Ward recently opened its newly renovated lobby and fitness center. The building is currently 90% leased.

A aerial computer rendering of the 300 North Tryon tower.

National boutique hotel company Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced it is bringing 2 hotels to the Queen City as part of the company’s plans to expand in the southeast, according to a company press release.

One of the hotels, Charlotte Kimpton, is to be located at the corner of Third and Church streets as part of  Spectrum Properties’ planned mixed-use development 300 South Tryon. The 18-story hotel will have 216 rooms, 9,200 square feet of meeting space and rooftop bar.

Charlotte-based Catellus Group is developing the second Kimpton Hotel location in Dilworth. Catellus purchased the 1.2 acre site at the corner of East Worthington and Cleveland avenues for $2.5 million in mid-2014.

At the time of the purchase Catellus announced it planned an upscale hotel with a restaurant, pool and skyline views.  According to the Kimpton press release, the “lifestyle boutque” hotel will be a six-story, 128-room hotel at the site, which is a block from the light rail station.

The Dilworth location is to be called The Worthington. It will have 4,500 square feet of meeting and event space, a fitness center, an outdoor pool and bar and a rooftop lounge.

“Charlotte has long been a financial and cultural hub; it’s always been on our radar as a city that admirably balances both history and modern day appeal,” said Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino, in a statement. “Travelers to Charlotte have missed a true boutique experience and we’re excited to be in a position to offer two distinctive hotels that bring Kimpton’s heartfelt hospitality to this special city.”

Kimpton has 66 boutique hotels in 34 cities nationwide. Tentative plans are for the hotels to open in 2017.

This warehouse at 300 North College, the former site of Cosmos and Republic, is getting a makeover!

A management duo is bringing music, beer and family-style Italian dining to Uptown.

Tim Dolan and Jason Astephen are the faces behind 300 Bar Group, and they have big plans for the 300 block of North College Street.

The pair is set to open their beer and music hall Flight next month.

The casual, North Carolina-centric German-style beer hall will have 80 brews on tap from behind its 70-foot bar. The list will include Tarheel State brews, such as Asheville’s Wicked Weed.

Flight’s musical selections will be as diverse as its tap list. A house band and local groups will perform weekly, but nation performers will appear a few times a month. Open mic night will also be a staple of the schedule.

In addition to Flight, 300 Bar Group has plans to bring family-style Italian dining to the block.

The 8,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Cosmos will be turned into a 1950s era as yet unnamed Italian restaurant. It will feature a high-end wine bar for wines by the glass or bottle.

300 Bar Group has leases on three spaces in the 300 North College warehouse location, which is being called Northside Station.

300 Bar Group’s goal is to rebrand the location with local restaurants and destinations that keep people eating, drinking and enjoying local fare to give back to the Queen City economy.

You won’t find your sprawling 4,000-square-foot home in Chantilly. What its homes lack in size, they make up for in character. Unlike new construction, there aren’t limited floor plans from which to choose. Every Chantilly home is unique and many have been lovingly renovated.

The location is convenient Uptown, Plaza Midwood, Elizabeth and major roadways to get you anywhere in Charlotte. There are a variety of nearby parks and playgrounds, making Chantilly an ideal neighborhood for young families.

The average sales price for homes in Chantilly during the last 12 months was just over $432,000. Chantilly sales prices average within 2% of list price, as was the trend for the last 12 months. The price per square foot fluctuated slightly around the $230 mark in the past year.

Over the past year, an average of 3.9 homes per month have sold in Chantilly. Currently, there are 9 homes on the market, 4 of which are under contract as of Jan. 5. That puts Chantilly’s inventory at about 2.3 months. Nearby Elizabeth has 2.1 months inventory. Chantilly is still well bellow the 3.7 months inventory for both Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Chantilly has long been one of Charlotte’s most in-demand neighborhoods. Given that many of the homes sold over the last year went for full list price, it does not seem the appeal of Chantilly is going away any time soon!

The approximately three-hour walking food tour will feature locally prepared foods with Southern flair as well as wine pairings and regionally-made craft beers for sampling.

Chefs and restaurants owners will explain the influence of Southern heritage on their food and beverage menus and how their restaurants source from or benefit the local area.

The tour is limited to 12 or fewer guests and starts at 4 p.m. Advance ticket purchase is required. The cost for the tour is $55. Participants must bring a valid ID in order to sample alcoholic beverages.

For more information or to reserve a spot in this or other upcoming food tours around the Queen City, see FEAST Food Tours and Culinary Events Inc.

With its continued growth, Charlotte has more to offer than ever!  From its many delicious restaurants (Italian, Indian, Southern Home-Cookin’ Cuisine, Chinese, and even Ethiopian, you name it, Charlotte’s got it) to the new urban green-spaces of Uptown, and the new Trolley-line that courses through Elizabeth to Uptown, Charlotte’s got it all!  There are many wonderful places to visit in Charlotte, so this blog simply features a few of my favs from around the our beautiful city.

Romare Bearden Park – this gorgeous 5.4-acre public park is located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, across the street from BB&T Ball Park, home of the Charlotte Knights and nearby the famous Brevard Court & French Quarter.  What makes it so fantastic? It’s equipped with a glass water-wall that is adored by all ages!  The park opened in August 2013 and is named for Charlotte born artist Romare Bearden, it opened in late August 2013.  With a picture-perfect view of Charlotte’s skyline, this is the perfect place to capture the moment in photographs!

Assorted Table, located at the 7th Street Market – Entertaining?  Need quality wine recommendations to go along with the menu you’ve planned? Be sure to stop by Assorted Table & speak with Josh Vlipiano about wines.  Josh always has great wine advice for me and I enjoy learning more every time I visit.  Plus you won’t want to miss the shop’s Weekly Tuesday Night Wine Flights, held every Tuesday from 5-7pm, $5.00 plus tax entitles you to a taste of five wines! Plus, you get a $5.00 voucher good on any future purchase. Same day purchases of featured wines are 10% off. Light appetizers provided by Church Street Realty and Orrman’s Cheese Shop or Pure Pizza.  This is definitely one of my favorite things to do during the work week!

Portifino’s Italian Restaurant – If you love Italian cuisine, you must stop into Portifino’s!  It’s a great place to dine-in or get Friday night take out.  Whether your passion is pasta or pizza, seafood or meats, cheeses or vegetables, they have it at Portifino’s.  With 3 locations, each Portofino’s restaurant is staffed by friends and family, many of whom are originally from Italy. The food is simply delicious and they have a nice selection of wines if you would like to pair.

The Manor Theatre – The Manor is Charlotte’s oldest movie house, often showing independent films that can be hard to find in Charlotte.  This is one of my favorite Charlotte movie theaters for that reason.  It’s fun to see a film that is not a Hollywood blockbuster.  Constructed in the affluent Myers Park neighborhood in 1947, the Manor was considered to be the most beautiful movie house in Charlotte at that time. The bathrooms were floored with hand-laid tile, and elaborate plaster work in art-deco styling framed the theater’s movie screen. The building was originally created as a single-screen theater, and opened with The Egg and I starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. Several years later, however, the theater was divided into two screens, and although this renovation made for smaller viewing auditoriums, it created a more intimate space that went nicely with the independent and foreign titles the theater became known for hosting.