The Zoning Commission has posted a tentative agenda for their January 12th meeting here .
Cornwallis Elm LLC (who are they anyway) has apparently not updated their request. They are asking for rezoning to "all uses permitted in the Business Professional and Personal Service category of the Limited Office zoning district" and the requests mentions "buildings."
You may remember that one of their rationales for delaying consideration was to allow time to meet with neighbors. I know they've met with a neighbor representative once but I don't believe they've met with any real live neighbors.
Guess I should as where they are as well as who they are. (We do know that Stanhope Johnson submitted the rezoning proposal.) Maybe we'll see them on the 12th. Or maybe not...
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Grinches, Scrooges...
Thedore Geisel and Charles Dickens gave us pretty good models for holiday curmudgeons.
Cornwallis Elm LLC. seems pretty minor compared to the Grinch and Scrooge. Still, they seem to be doing their best.
Rezoning notices just before Thanksgiving, an ill publicized "neighborhood" meeting on December 1st and now a Zoning Commission meeting on January 12th. All pointed toward rescuing their speculative investment at the expense of our neighborhoods and longer lines of cars on N. Elm and Cornwallis.
Merry Christmas Cornwallis Elm LLC!
We look forward to your next "neighborhood" meeting. How about on New Year's Eve?
Cornwallis Elm LLC. seems pretty minor compared to the Grinch and Scrooge. Still, they seem to be doing their best.
Rezoning notices just before Thanksgiving, an ill publicized "neighborhood" meeting on December 1st and now a Zoning Commission meeting on January 12th. All pointed toward rescuing their speculative investment at the expense of our neighborhoods and longer lines of cars on N. Elm and Cornwallis.
Merry Christmas Cornwallis Elm LLC!
We look forward to your next "neighborhood" meeting. How about on New Year's Eve?
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Shifting Plans
Drip by drip by drip.
The original traffic study commissioned by Cornwallis Elm LLC anticipated two banks with four drive-in lanes each on the site of four residences including the Commencement House. That study called for dedicated turn lanes on Cornwallis and Elm. Cornwallis would have to be "improved." Bet that meant widened. Hardly an improvement for the neighborhood that staff's report worried about.
The plan they first filed with the Zoning Commission asked to build two office buildings and a parking deck. The traffic study prepared for the apparently abandoned bank plan was filed with the office building plan.
Now, I understand Cornwallis Elm LLC will file a plan calling for one mammoth two-story 35,000 sq. ft. building, converting the Commencment House to an office and 137 parking spaces. No word yet on a new traffic study.
What do you think? Bet they will maintain the impacts will be minimal.
What do you think? Bet there is another drip in the works to follow this one.
The original traffic study commissioned by Cornwallis Elm LLC anticipated two banks with four drive-in lanes each on the site of four residences including the Commencement House. That study called for dedicated turn lanes on Cornwallis and Elm. Cornwallis would have to be "improved." Bet that meant widened. Hardly an improvement for the neighborhood that staff's report worried about.
The plan they first filed with the Zoning Commission asked to build two office buildings and a parking deck. The traffic study prepared for the apparently abandoned bank plan was filed with the office building plan.
Now, I understand Cornwallis Elm LLC will file a plan calling for one mammoth two-story 35,000 sq. ft. building, converting the Commencment House to an office and 137 parking spaces. No word yet on a new traffic study.
What do you think? Bet they will maintain the impacts will be minimal.
What do you think? Bet there is another drip in the works to follow this one.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Support from the Triangle
Modernist Homes are important. Just ask George Smart, editor of Triangle Modernist Houses. George recently wrote and emailed the piece below to people interested in such homes. His site, www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/ is fascinating.
Thanks, George.
Hello Folks,
Update: The rezoning hearing has been delayed for 30 days, by request of the developer. Henry Isaacson, legal counsel for the developer Cornwallis Elm LLC, requested more time to address concerns from the numerous neighborhood groups possibly impacted by the project. Don Vaughn, council for several neighborhood representatives, agreed to the 30-day extension.
Approximately 60 people attended the hearing in relation to the case. The request was approved unanimously. Under the new timeline, the request will be presented to the Zoning Commission on Monday, January 12th at 2:00 pm.
Questions related to this case may be directed to Planning staff contacts Rawls Howard and Fred Boateng at (336) 373-2144.
Source: Preservation Greensboro Demolition Alert: A proposed rezoning case threatens Ed Loewenstein’s 1958 Commencement House in Greensboro - The Squires Residence, 2207 North Elm Street, Greensboro NC. Loewenstein began teaching an innovative course in architectural design at Woman's College (now UNC-Greensboro). Twenty-three female students designed a house, oversaw its construction and decorated the resulting structure, dubbed the "1958 Commencement House" by the university's public relations office.
The Greensboro Daily News proclaimed the house "as modern as tomorrow," hailing the women who designed it as pioneers, reporting that "they are the first pupils outside the schools of architecture to attempt the complete designing and building of a house." At its May 1958 dedication, an event covered by the paper and broadcast on WUNC-TV, North Carolina First Lady Mrs. Luther Hodges, herself an alumna of Woman's College, cut the ribbon on the house. Written up in the November 1958 edition of McCall's Magazine. Contractor: Eugene Gulledge (Superior Contracting Company of Greensboro). The plan is to develop the property for two medical buildings.
The property is zoned residential single family; the applicant is requesting light office zoning. Rezoning will be considered at a public hearing by the Greensboro Zoning commission on Monday, 12/8 at 2:00pm in the City Council Chambers. Discussion may follow at City Council meetings on 1/6 and 1/20.
The owner is Cornwallis Elm LLC, PO Box 4761, Greensboro, who bought the property on Nov 7, 2006 for $285,000.
Kind Regards,
George Smart, Editor
Thanks, George.
Hello Folks,
Update: The rezoning hearing has been delayed for 30 days, by request of the developer. Henry Isaacson, legal counsel for the developer Cornwallis Elm LLC, requested more time to address concerns from the numerous neighborhood groups possibly impacted by the project. Don Vaughn, council for several neighborhood representatives, agreed to the 30-day extension.
Approximately 60 people attended the hearing in relation to the case. The request was approved unanimously. Under the new timeline, the request will be presented to the Zoning Commission on Monday, January 12th at 2:00 pm.
Questions related to this case may be directed to Planning staff contacts Rawls Howard and Fred Boateng at (336) 373-2144.
Source: Preservation Greensboro Demolition Alert: A proposed rezoning case threatens Ed Loewenstein’s 1958 Commencement House in Greensboro - The Squires Residence, 2207 North Elm Street, Greensboro NC. Loewenstein began teaching an innovative course in architectural design at Woman's College (now UNC-Greensboro). Twenty-three female students designed a house, oversaw its construction and decorated the resulting structure, dubbed the "1958 Commencement House" by the university's public relations office.
The Greensboro Daily News proclaimed the house "as modern as tomorrow," hailing the women who designed it as pioneers, reporting that "they are the first pupils outside the schools of architecture to attempt the complete designing and building of a house." At its May 1958 dedication, an event covered by the paper and broadcast on WUNC-TV, North Carolina First Lady Mrs. Luther Hodges, herself an alumna of Woman's College, cut the ribbon on the house. Written up in the November 1958 edition of McCall's Magazine. Contractor: Eugene Gulledge (Superior Contracting Company of Greensboro). The plan is to develop the property for two medical buildings.
The property is zoned residential single family; the applicant is requesting light office zoning. Rezoning will be considered at a public hearing by the Greensboro Zoning commission on Monday, 12/8 at 2:00pm in the City Council Chambers. Discussion may follow at City Council meetings on 1/6 and 1/20.
The owner is Cornwallis Elm LLC, PO Box 4761, Greensboro, who bought the property on Nov 7, 2006 for $285,000.
Kind Regards,
George Smart, Editor
Traffic and Bail Outs
So, it's an ordinary Thursday morning about 9:00 and you need to drive east through the Elm-Cornwallis intersection. This photo by Steve Cowie captures today's situation. Now add 35,000 square feet of medical offices and 137 parking places just to the left in Steve's picture. You're going to have to leave home a lot earlier and probably thread your way through residential neighborhoods. Commuters on N. Elm will face the same deteriorated situation.
Cornwallis Elm LLC seems to have no respect for the neighborhoods they plan to damage with their ill-conceived attempt to recover a bad investment. The apparently have no respect for the thousands who pass through the intersection either.
Speculative investments don't warrant rewards. Do you think the Zoning Commission and City Council will bail out Cornwallis Elm LLC?
Tired of traffic, bad development and bailouts? Tell the Commission and Council.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Commencement House Today
Driving in either direction past 2207 N. Elm doesn't allow much time to look at the Commencement House. A rotting addition on the back of the house, the deteriorating carport and trash are evidence of Cornwallis Elm LLC's poor stewardship. I understand the house is structurally sound today inspite of their lack of attention.
In the two years of ownership, Cornwallis Elm LLC has chosen not to care for one of Greensboro's architectural treasures. The Zoning Commission and City Council must not allow them to degrade our neighborhoods further.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A Big Bite
So it's only a couple of acres.
To mix some really old cliches, an acre here an acre there, soon there goes the neighborhood.
In Staff's Own Words
"Staff is concerned that this proposal will destabilize the long-existing residential neighborhood which fronts on both sides of W. Cornwallis and N. Elm and continues toward the north, south and west of the applicant properties. If approved, it will put pressure on surrounding properties and encourage additional non-residential developments along neighborhood gateways or further into the neighborhood."
That's the opening paragraph of the Zoning Commission's staff report regarding "Elmwood Cornwallis LLC's" rezoning request. Unfortunately, staff's comments end with what are essentially the five easy ways to have the project approved listed below.
At least, the developers told neighbors they could easily meet staff's conditions at the December 1st meeting. They had no answers to staff's initial concerns about the neighborhood nor did they seem particularly interested in addressing them.
And how about staff's original concerns for the neighborhood? Did they melt away between the first and last paragraphs of the report? Did it get too hot to stand by that stove?
"1. Retaining and rehabilitating the residential building located at 2207 N. Elm Street for adaptive reuse.
2. All new development shall have similar scale and massing as adjacent residential properties.
3. Street facing facades shall be modulated with projections or recessions of at least 3 feet in depth once every 45 feet.
4. Height shall be limited to 40 feet above grade.
5. The front façade of any principal buildings on site shall be oriented towards either W. Cornwallis."
That's the opening paragraph of the Zoning Commission's staff report regarding "Elmwood Cornwallis LLC's" rezoning request. Unfortunately, staff's comments end with what are essentially the five easy ways to have the project approved listed below.
At least, the developers told neighbors they could easily meet staff's conditions at the December 1st meeting. They had no answers to staff's initial concerns about the neighborhood nor did they seem particularly interested in addressing them.
And how about staff's original concerns for the neighborhood? Did they melt away between the first and last paragraphs of the report? Did it get too hot to stand by that stove?
"1. Retaining and rehabilitating the residential building located at 2207 N. Elm Street for adaptive reuse.
2. All new development shall have similar scale and massing as adjacent residential properties.
3. Street facing facades shall be modulated with projections or recessions of at least 3 feet in depth once every 45 feet.
4. Height shall be limited to 40 feet above grade.
5. The front façade of any principal buildings on site shall be oriented towards either W. Cornwallis."
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
"Progress" and Communities
Sometimes it is easy to accept the idea of progress. Examples abound. Other times, the idea of progress seems tainted and passe. The latter feeling is particularly sharp when we progress toward generic office buildings and away from the history and people that make our communities unique.
The proposed Elm-Cornwallis rezoning would do just that. The developers have proposed office buildings and parking in spaces where generations grew, thrived and contributed.
As I mentioned in my first post, developers want to destroy the Commencement House - a very special space indeed.
The house was built by Women's College students in 1958. The story of the house is much deeper than that surprising fact and is told best on UNCG's web site - http://www.uncg.edu/iar/modernism/commencement.html. Since it's purchase by "Elm Cornwallis LLC', it has apparently been occupied by a series of short term renters.
What do you think - office buildings and parking or homes and a wonderful part of Greensboro's heritage?
The proposed Elm-Cornwallis rezoning would do just that. The developers have proposed office buildings and parking in spaces where generations grew, thrived and contributed.
As I mentioned in my first post, developers want to destroy the Commencement House - a very special space indeed.
The house was built by Women's College students in 1958. The story of the house is much deeper than that surprising fact and is told best on UNCG's web site - http://www.uncg.edu/iar/modernism/commencement.html. Since it's purchase by "Elm Cornwallis LLC', it has apparently been occupied by a series of short term renters.
What do you think - office buildings and parking or homes and a wonderful part of Greensboro's heritage?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Welcome
Citizens of the Elm-Cornwallis Neighborhoods in Greensboro, NC created this blog to discuss and listen to concerns regarding a proposed rezoning.
Developers are seeking to rezone four home sites from residential to office use. They want to build two two-story medical office building plus a parking garage on either side of and behind RegionsBank. Their project would destroy the Commencement House, add more traffic to the Elm-Cornwallis intersection and degrade our neighborhood.
Following neighborhood opposition at a poorly advertised meeting on December 1, the developers requested the Greensboro Zoning Commission postpone their hearing until January 12 at 2:00. Help us fill the Council Chambers and protect our neighborhood!
Developers are seeking to rezone four home sites from residential to office use. They want to build two two-story medical office building plus a parking garage on either side of and behind RegionsBank. Their project would destroy the Commencement House, add more traffic to the Elm-Cornwallis intersection and degrade our neighborhood.
Following neighborhood opposition at a poorly advertised meeting on December 1, the developers requested the Greensboro Zoning Commission postpone their hearing until January 12 at 2:00. Help us fill the Council Chambers and protect our neighborhood!
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