Developer proposes apartments near new Aldi

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Charlotte developer has proposed a 72-unit apartment complex for working families near the new Aldi on Brenner Avenue.

Tenants who earn 50 percent to 60 percent of the median income in Rowan County, or between $28,000 and $34,000 a year, could qualify to live in Westgate Commons Apartments. The county’s median income is $56,200, according to the N.C. Housing Finance Agency.

Jud Little of Chevington Associates, who is pursuing state and federal tax credits to help finance the $7 million project, has an option to buy five acres behind the new shopping center going up at the intersection of Brenner Avenue and Jake Alexander Boulevard. Childress Klein owns the land, and so far, Aldi is the only retailer under construction.

A similar project pitched for the Milford Hills and Meadowbrook neighborhoods in 2009 met steep opposition from residents, and the developer eventually withdrew the plans before the issue came before City Council. The Rowan Hospice House is under construction at the site, 1229 Statesville Boulevard.

Little, who worked for Crosland Properties of Charlotte for 20 years but quit two years before the firm proposed the Statesville Boulevard project, said he hopes his development on Brenner Avenue will be better received.

This project is a better fit than the Statesville Boulevard proposal, said Preston Mitchell, Planning and Development Services manager.

Westgate Commons Apartments would provide more affordable housing for Salisbury families and put people within walking distance from shops and restaurants — all city objectives, Mitchell said.

Little wants to build 72 units, while the Statesville Boulevard development would have been 104 units.

While the 2009 project would have been adjacent to a low-density, single-family neighborhood, Little’s proposal would put apartments in a retail and commercial area.

The location would take advantage of the amenities in the area, including the J.F. Hurley YMCA and the greenway, Mitchell said.

“If constructed, it will be a nice addition to the Brenner Avenue corridor,” he said.

Zoning already permits apartments, but Little must pursue rezoning through the city to allow a campus-style residential development. His plan has two buildings fronting Brenner and four buildings facing a private drive going through the new neighborhood.

Little needs an overlay to build a campus-style development.

The city’s Technical Review Committee unanimously recommended provisional approval of Westgate Commons Apartments to the Salisbury Planning Board, which will consider the matter Feb. 14.

Ultimately, Little’s plan needs a nod from City Council, which could see the item on its March 20 agenda.

Little is applying for tax credits through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, a competitive process that awards tax credits to developers throughout the state who provide affordable housing and adhere to state-mandated income and rent limits for tenants.

“With its walk-ability in relation to retail and service providers, I think the site will score very well,” Little said.

Assuming he earns a high score in April, Little said he will submit his final plan in June and should know in September whether he wins tax credits.

Construction of what Little calls “workforce housing” would include two- and three-story buildings with two- and three-bedroom units. The complex would include a playground, gazebo, clubhouse, sidewalks and landscaping, as well as sidewalks connecting with the bike path on Brenner Avenue.

Building materials include brick veneer, fiber cement siding and fiber cement shingles.

“It’s planned as an attractive, well-managed community,” he said.

Although he was no longer with Crosland at the time, Little said he’s familiar with the resistance against the Statesville Boulevard site. He said he hopes this time, things will be different.

“There is often misunderstanding about the households served and the type of housing, and we hope to overcome that misunderstanding,” he said.

The architecture of the masonry buildings will pick up elements of historic homes in Salisbury, Little said. Apartments will have nine-foot ceilings.

“We will be serving working households,” said Little, who helped develop Birkdale Village and other mixed-use properties in the area. “I hope that we can have success in getting the message out.”

Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.