Brooklyn Village construction expected to start next year

CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County’s long-planned Brooklyn Village project may finally see action in 2023, county leaders told commissioners Tuesday afternoon. Brooklyn Village is the redevelopment of a large chunk of Second Ward in Uptown Charlotte. County commissioners expect the project to transform the area over the next decade.

The Bob Walton Plaza building, once one of the county’s go-to buildings, has seen better days. It’s been vacant for three years. However, in 2023, Mecklenburg County said construction on the site may finally get underway.

“What I hope we don’t do is further delay our project that is now four years underway and we haven’t seen the first dirt turned,” Chairman George Dunlap said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Details on future of Brooklyn Village in Second Ward
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The redevelopment of the Bob Walton Plaza is the first phase of the Brooklyn Village project. Plans call for hundreds of apartments with ground-level retail, and at least 10% of the units must be affordable housing. Construction on phase 1 isn’t expected to be done until 2026.

Then attention will focus on the demolition of the former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools building and Marshall Park. The developer is planning to build a hotel at the old education building’s location. Marshall Park will be replaced by office space or whatever the market dictates. Marshall Park is 5.5 acres, and only 2.5 acres will be open space in the Brooklyn Village project.

The thought of losing this park space still rubs Commissioner Pat Cotham the wrong way.

“This is, like, to me, revisiting a bad nightmare,” she said.

However, contracts have been signed and the deal is done, according to the county.

Commissioner Mark Jerrell said that the project gives him heartburn. He compared it to “peeling a scab.”

He wants to ensure former Brooklyn residents will benefit from this development.

“I do think we should find ways to accommodate legacy residents and other folks to be able to participate as opposed to just signs and street names,” he said.

It will take 12 years to build out the entire Brooklyn Village project. The county said that the hotel will include a conference center and the office space will include retail. The developer is BK Partners. Representatives of the developer did not address the county commission.

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