CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
Per the July 23 action of the Mayor and City Council, the City of Charlotte has closed on the purchase of 80.45 acres at Eastland Mall for $13.154 million.
The City Council accepted the assignment of purchase contracts from a broker who negotiated with the seven property owners for the following amounts:
Property Purchase Price
Boxer (in-line stores) $5.264M**
Belk $1.20M
Dillard's $1.14M
Sears $2.5M
Field's (JC Penney) $1.2M
EJG -Firestone $925K
Hollywood Video $925K
TOTAL $13.154M
** The City assumed three leases with the purchase. One lease is for a Sprint antenna mounted on the roof of the property. The other two leases are for businesses that have not opened. These will be terminated and the tenants compensated with funds provided by the broker.
This purchase allows the City to play an active role in the redevelopment of the property. The goals for the property remain consistent with the City's policy objectives, including:
-- Improving neighborhood and business corridor revitalization efforts through public and private collaborative strategies and investments to eliminate blight and create strong local economies.
-- Strengthening adjacent Albermarle and Central Avenue commercial districts by removing 1.2 million feet of vacant retail space.
-- Focusing on job growth and increasing the tax base in the priority corridors including Eastland.
"The purchase of Eastland Mall brings the community closer to having the property redeveloped by the private sector," said Patrick Mumford, Neighborhood & Business Services Director.
In addition to the City's policy objectives, there has been interest from multiple parties to construct film studios, sound stages and ancillary uses to support the film and television production industry in Charlotte. To better determine this demand, the City will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ)/Request for Proposal (RFP) to interested developers for a film studio/sound stage by the end of the year, with a recommendation to City Council in the spring of 2013. Any such development would likely occupy only a portion of the 80.45-acre site and would be designed to encourage redevelopment of the remainder.
If the film and television industry RFQ/RFP does not yield an acceptable development proposal, City staff will propose specific steps for an interim strategy until the real estate market materializes.
Copyright 2012 WBTV. All rights reserved.
