Corcoran OTA Group Blog A New Urban Approach to Multi-Family Development

Charlotte is North Carolina’s largest city; a place that is changing the mobility game for its citizens by leveling up its public transportation. With the city’s first rail line recently completed, Charlotte has begun to transform – and not just in the realm of getting around.   Multi-family design and building have also innovated, shifting to cater to the new opportunities created by accessible rail service, requiring developers to adjust their approach to design and construction as well. Part of the mindset change includes rethinking the way we plan and create buildings; the other is reconsidering how those buildings function for the people who call them home. Construction on our first Charlotte rail line project is now complete, and looking back, we’re thrilled at how the city has shifted in the interim, and also at how we’ve altered the way we think about what multi-family means in this new era.   As we mentioned in our first article about this property, V & Three is a 338 unit, multi-family development just stops from UNC’s campus. But what’s even more interesting is that it’s more than just housing…it’s the start of a new urban destination; one that we’re building for today, even though realization of an urban core in the area is years away.  With its south rail line a dense, booming locale with excellent walkability and lots of urban-style construction, the city of Charlotte turned its attention to the north side. Spread out and suburban, the area looked nothing like the modern “downtown” of its polar opposite.  “It was wooded and had an 80-foot drop from one end of the property to the other,” says COG Principal Michael Corcoran, “We first had to get our heads around the site before we could do anything else.” But natural obstacles weren’t the only thing our team had to contend with. The city also required a public street run straight through the building site, bisecting the residences. It made sense; Charlotte’s goal was to pre-emptively create connectivity, ensuring the development didn’t act as a barrier island – cut off and self-contained. The forethought was revelatory and helped shape the vision of the entire project. This, we found, would be no ordinary suburban multi-family development.  The difference begins at the street, where residents’ doors open just steps from the sidewalk. Greenspace is placed between and behind buildings rather than prominently around the grounds, coercing people to walk through the parade of residences to find grassy enclaves; more openly accessible “park in the city” than suburban cul-du-sac. Buildings were also given a hybrid exterior aesthetic, with some traditional but understated brick playing against modern flat roofs and urban material choices. But some of the most impressive elements play out on V & Three’s interior.  21st century apartment and townhome living is all about luxury, which is all about amenities. And oh, this project has a few. A showpiece leasing center and community hub with a grand staircase. A state of the art exercise center and pool. Amazon package pickup. Multiple pet perks, including a spa and contemporary dog run. And finally, a few extras that blur the line between amenity and paradigm shift for this formerly suburban area. We added 10 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, plus room for more. Secure vertical bicycle storage allows residents to feel safe parking their thousand-dollar commuter bikes on the property. But most remarkably, we limited parking on purpose.    “Instead of creating more than enough parking, the city required we reduce parking overall to nudge people toward choosing to ride LYNX,” says Dean Ota. As a transit-oriented development (TOD), V & Three is bound to support Charlotte’s burgeoning rail system and encourage usage of the new amenity.  So, we are bound to help push the boundaries of suburb-meets-city.  Multi-family properties aren’t what they were a decade ago – they’re more interesting, more diverse. They have transformed into varied, versatile experiences for residents, from TOD-supported design to luxury pet care to other cutting-edge amenities. And the only thing that excites us more is what might come next.  Read more about our Charlotte project and our approach to TOD design here.