Leaders discuss future of North Tryon redevelopment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Big changes are coming to the North Tryon Street area.

“There's been a lot of development with South End and on the east and west side and the north side. This is kind of the last frontier of redevelopment,” senior project manager Tom Russell said.

Russell was referring to a 4-mile stretch of North Tryon that is undergoing a major transformation.

A new road called a one-way pair will tie in North Church Street with North Tryon to allow two lanes of traffic to flow in each direction, similar to the Kenilworth Avenue and Scott Avenue split in Dilworth.

Utility relocation has already started with new power poles. The relocation is expected to take about a year to complete.

“We'll run into the big phase, selecting our contractor, and go right into construction,” Russell said.

The construction is expected to be completed by late 2020. or area businesses, this couldn't have come a minute too soon.

“I've been here for almost 20 years. There's not been one improvement to North Tryon Street,” said Mark Middlesworth, owner of Extravaganza and president of Northend Partners.

Northend Partners has been asking the city for improvements for years, although it's not the large overhaul that some want to see.

“It's going to give us new sidewalks and going to give us beautification this area desperately needs,” Middlesworth said.

Middlesworth and Northend Partners are hopeful that the project will spur more improvements.

"Is it really going to produce what it says? I don’t know, but anything to improve the streets of North Tryon, we're all for it,” Middlesworth said.

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