FAQs

We are committed to creating a quality multi-use project that adds to the fabric of Sedgefield and elevates the level of sophistication across the whole neighborhood. The master plan combines all the ingredients needed to make a great neighborhood development. We wanted to offer a full-service grocer to the neighbors that is approachable and creates a friendly gateway to Sedgefield. We also wanted to offer great destination restaurants and convenient services to the neighborhood as well as livable new residences in a variety of styles and an employment center.

The density of development is in line with the Light Rail station area plan and Transit-Oriented Development zoning and tapers in density towards the back of the site as it meets single-family neighbors where the buildings are more modest in scale.

Our master plan utilizes the existing street network, which allows for us to maintain the tree canopy. We planned the blocks, sidewalks and park to allow for the large, old trees to stay in place in the planting strips which are not currently to standard building code, so we’ve requested variances. Heartwood Tree did a tree survey and a few are in bad shape and will need to be removed, but the majority are still in pretty good shape given their age.

The first phase of the development will take place closer to South Boulevard and Poindexter. As development occurs on each parcel, it is planned that only the existing apartments on that parcel will be demolished. Thus, we will not be tearing down all buildings at once but rather large numbers of residents will be able to remain in existing buildings for quite some time. Each block will be designed with a compatible style but distinct identity, so the community ages well and it doesn’t look like one giant development. If you take a look at each parcel, the imagery gives more detail.

The first parcel we’ll start with is Parcel A (Harris Teeter parcel) with a projected start date of Jan 2015 and completion expected in early 2018.

The next area we’ll start is Area C- likely in 2018, with one of the two buildings, closer to Poindexter.

Area B, the other side of the shopping center with Monsoon and Star Cleaners would be redeveloped later on (at a minimum 3 years).

The rest of the parcels will be based on demand.

The Marsh Family has owned this land along South Blvd. between Poindexter Dr. and Marsh Rd. (named after the Marsh Properties founder, Lex Marsh’s family). The land was a former family farm, and the property has been in the Marsh family for over 80 years. Marsh Properties has been a good steward of the land and has strived to be a good neighbor to the broader Sedgefield community over the years.

The apartments were built approximately 65 years ago and though we have maintained them well, they are fast approaching the end of their useful life. We face issues with structural elements, plumbing and electrical systems as well as functional obsolescence. We’ve been analyzing the redevelopment for many years and we decided the market fundamentals support proceeding with the first phase of development.

When we analyzed just renovating the units, the cost exceeded what we could conceivably get back in rents, so higher density is necessary to underwrite the improvements needed.

We chose to approach the redevelopment as a Master Plan for the entire property. It made sense for us to rezone the whole site, which allowed us the flexibility to think long term about the site as a whole master plan, versus just a parcel at a time in a vacuum. It also allows us to respond to the market demand as things change over time. In addition, it affords us the ability to do large-scale infrastructure planning and place in a nice park and preserve the wonderful old trees.

It is common for large-scale developments like this to be developed over a long timeline. For example, Blakeney was developed over a 12 year period and Marsh’s own Strawberry Hill Apartments were developed from 1977 through 1994.

We are planning to preserve two acres of open space for residents and neighbors. We are being sensitive to residents relocating from the apartments in Area A so it wouldn’t be right away. It is possible that infrastructure needs require the storm water area to be developed earlier in the overall timeline which would bring this open space sooner than potential new buildings would be built on adjacent properties.

We have been approved to change the existing zoning (B-2, B-1, O-2, R17MF and R8) to MUDD-O and UR-2 (CD) with five year vested rights. For more information about zoning, visit City Zoning page.

The maximum gross sq. ft. for development is up to 98,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area of retail, Eating Drinking Entertainment Establishment (EDEE), and personal services uses, up to 100,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area of offices uses, together with accessory uses in the MUDD-O zoning district and up to 980 residences units. The number of residences can be increased to a total of 1,050 residential units if the 100,000 sq. ft. of office is not developed on Parcel B.

The phasing of this allows us to move some tenants who wish to remain to the latter phase, and then back to the new shops if desired, such as Star Cleaners.

We’re excited to bring back Harris Teeter to the site. When the center opened in 1952, Harris Food Store, owned by W.T. Harris, was the original Sedgefield anchor. In 1960, Harris and Willis L. Teeter - another North Carolina grocery store owner - successfully merged to become Harris Teeter, making this location the second-ever Harris Teeter grocery store. The retailer operated in this location until 1988.

The new store totaling 53,000 sq. ft. is mid-century modern style, which is a nod to the center’s establishment in 1950. Smaller shops will provide rich outdoor spaces for gathering and great views from rooftop dining offering “urban comfort” that are characteristics of Sedgefield as it meets South End.

Harris Teeter has made a strong commitment to welcome neighbors to its Sedgefield store by placing an additional pedestrian oriented entrance on South Boulevard. This entrance opens into a Starbucks coffee shop and prepared foods area of the store. With this entrance, Harris Teeter is adjusting its typical store layout to accommodate the current lifestyles in Sedgefield and South End. Additionally, there will be outdoor seating located just outside this pedestrian entrance.

Aston Properties will be developing and leasing the retail component. Aston was founded in 1980 and has been the lead company in the development of upscale shopping including Colony Place in Charlotte, The Village Commons in Wesley Chapel, N.C. and McKee Farms in Matthews, N.C. They also led the renovation of Specialty Shops on the Park in Charlotte and Mint Hill Pavilion in Mint Hill, N.C.

Visit https://harristeeter.taleo.net/careersection/field_cs/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en&location=1134600019688&SRC=CWS-10200 for jobs at the Sedgefield location.

The rezoning approved up to 100,000 sq. ft. of office in a single building on South Boulevard. The city would like to offer more office space along the light rail corridor, so that’s why we are looking at stacking office space over retail in the later commercial phase. We will continue to monitor speculative office development and vacancy rates as we get closer to that redevelopment timeframe to see if it makes sense to have office space or residential. The office space would be stacked on top of street-level retail, similar to the Southborough building with the Five Guys and Wine Loft.

We are planning for 980 multi-family units or townhomes, and if we eliminate the office space that number would be increased by 150 units. The vision is to provide a variety of living options over a number of years that offer stylish, urban living in a lush, neighborly and pedestrian-friendly community. The architecture mixes midcentury modern and arts and crafts elements, and each building will look different, so it isn’t a mass of repetitious buildings that won’t age well over time.

In Area G, we have written into the development restrictions that the balconies lie at least 100 feet from the property line.

In Areas J, K and I, we will install a 6-foot privacy fence and landscape buffer. There is also a 30-foot rear yard between buildings and the property line. .

We are asking residents to vacate as we go through the development parcel by parcel. Neighbors living where the HT will go were given notice in April that their move out date will be November. We are working with the residents to relocate within the property if they would like or to another Marsh Property.

In the first phase to be redeveloped, currently all residents have moved out, and 12 of the 15 relocated within the property or to other Marsh Properties due to incentives.

The building heights vary by parcel. Please reference the parcel descriptions.

At the end of the tapered extended median, we will be adding a new left-turn lane into Elmhurst for grocery shoppers to turn safely and directly into Elmhurst, taking traffic pressure off Marsh and Poindexter, and not blocking southbound traffic on South Boulevard.

There will also be a high-visibility crosswalk added on Elmhurst Road.

There will be a new right in/right out only entrance into Parcel A midblock between Elmhurst and Poindexter.

During the completion of Phase 2, there will be a new right turn lane added on westbound Marsh Road, so there will be a total of 3 lanes: left turn lane, straight lane for traffic onto New Bern and a right turn lane. There will also be a new road built behind Parcel B (commercial building) connecting Elmhurst and Marsh Road.

Our estimate based on the existing and new street work is that we will build 3.5 miles of sidewalks throughout the development to ensure the community is as walkable as possible. We are creating wider sidewalks, and are asking for variances by block to allow for as much tree-save as possible. [ Cross section illustration? ] On South Boulevard, we are installing 15’ sidewalks to allow for outdoor dining and lots of room for a double stroller!