Massive multi-use building latest to open doors as West Charlotte develops

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A new multi story, multi use building opened it’s doors Thursday along West Moorehead. ‘Refinery 1213’ near I-77 will house creative office and retail space. It the latest in a long list of projects that continue to transform the West Charlotte neighborhood.

“This has been an industrial area with manufacturing, and supply houses, and distribution houses. This building is designed, as a brand-new structure, is designed to emulate all the history,” said Jay Blanton, a partner at Insite Properties. “This area is developing now as another radial out of downtown.”

The building is 107,000 square feet and will house retail on the bottom floor and 4 floors of office space above.

“A variety of amenities and features that will help businesses recruit and retain employees,” said Blanton. “We have engineering firms, recruiting firms, and design firms either signed up or interested in the building.”

Blanton says the building is already about 65% spoken for with others lining up to get in.

It is the latest in potentially transformative development that has exploded in the area along Freedom Drive and Moorehead Street.

“Number one, the community has to have a voice in it,” said Teddy McDaniel, the President and CEO of Urban League of Central Carolina.

McDaniel says development is a good thing and West Charlotte is an area seeing more of it than most places, however, there are challenges that come with that.

“You have to have a mechanism where those that have been there can afford to stay,” said McDaniel. “Some property tax relief or working with some sort of land trust. There are all sorts of things on the table.”

Home values and property values have also sky rocketed over the past 7 years.

“If businesses are there you have to have the ability to own instead of leasing,” said McDaniel.

Multiple construction projects are underway, and an abandoned Target store has been re-purposed as the Valerie Woodard county office complex.

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