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LKN Chamber comes out against CMS bond
Oct. 13. Following the lead of the town boards in Huntersville and Cornelius, the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has come out against the $922 million Charlotte Mecklenburg School bond proposal. “The rubric used to determine school priority and the analysis of what defines classroom overcrowding does not address either the current or ongoing needs […]
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Oct. 13. Following the lead of the town boards in Huntersville and Cornelius, the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has come out against the $922 million Charlotte Mecklenburg School bond proposal. “The rubric used to determine school priority and the analysis of what defines classroom overcrowding does not address either the current or ongoing needs […]
Oct. 11. By Dave Vieser. One of the last large vacant parcels of land in Cornelius, the 54-acre Alexander Farm at the corner of West Catawba and Westmoreland, would be filled with townhomes, ”independent living” units and non-residential buildings under a subdivision proposal submitted this month. This is the first time a formal application […]
Twenty-one successful women will be recognized at the 2017 Top Women in Business Awards, one of the oldest and largest events honoring women in Lake Norman and Cabarrus County. This year’s Top Women finalists are a diverse group, ranging from small business owners to physicians and Realtors. Business Today’s Top Women awards have a 13-year-long […]
Oct. 3. By Dave Yochum. An architectural team that includes Malcolm Holzman, a “late modernist icon” and a leader in the world of theater and art center design, has been selected to design the new Cornelius Arts Center downtown. Holzman, whose New York City firm is Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, is joining forces with C […]
Sept. 29. Officials in Davidson have terminated the Luminous project, the controversial plan to develop 19 acres of town-owned land. Town officials and the developer were unable to agree to contract terms. The board of commissioners had approved plans to enter negotiations for the $1.65 million sale of wooded land near Main and Beatty streets to […]
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Pat Cotham has won the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Champion of Diversity Award for individuals. Well-known for her work for a diverse constituency—from transgender individuals to the homeless—Cotham is also a staunch opponent of the current plan for tolls on I-77. Realtor Kay Fisher was the finalist in the individual category. The […]
Sept. 19. Haines, the largest floor covering distributor in the US, will spend $6.4 million on a new distribution center that will create 172 jobs in Concord. The new distribution center will serve as Haines’ southern hub and will house Haines’ entire stocking portfolio of floor covering, installation and maintenance products. “Haines is so pleased […]
Sept. 12. By Dave Vieser. In a surprise development, Crescent Acquisitions rezoning request to build nine homes in Cornelius was withdrawn at the Cornelius Planning Board’s Sept. 11 meeting. About 20 residents, mostly from Davidson, were in attendance and applauded the news. “For those who are here for the Crescent Acquisitions application, please be advised […]
Tim Worley, a former University of Georgia running back who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft, will speak at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Champions of Diversity luncheon at River Run Country Club Thursday Sept. 21. The Chamber will recognize people who […]
Sept. 6. The City of Kannapolis is offering façade and site improvement grants to businesses and property owners on Cannon Boulevard, Main Street, Jackson Park Road, Lane Street, and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. City leaders recognize this area as a key gateway to those who travel to Kannapolis as well as those who live and work […]
Cornelius-based Aquesta Bank plans to open a branch on Ardrey Kell Road in a fast-growing upscale area of South Mecklenburg. The full-service branch, pending approval from the Commissioner of Banks as well as the FDIC, will likely have about 3,000 square feet. “We are expanding in south Charlotte to capitalize on the terrific growth we […]
By Bill Russell. Recently I was asked by one of our Chamber members what I considered to be the most significant accomplishments since I was hired as its CEO in 1996. While changing the name from the North Mecklenburg Chamber to the Lake Norman Chamber certainly helped brand the association and buying property for an […]
In August of 1987, businessman John Cherry gathered approximately 50 people together at the old Home Federal Bank building at Exit 28 in Cornelius to discuss the formation of a North Mecklenburg Chamber of Commerce. The 20 to 25 businesses represented elected John president and created a board with 12 members. The initial 12 were […]
By Dave Vieser. If there was any doubts that people in Iredell County have significant concerns about the I-77 toll lanes, they were erased in August when more than 300 people showed up at the Charles Mack Citizen Center. The event was a community meeting on the controversial issue hosted by Widen I-77, the original […]
Nominations for Business Today’s 13th Annual Top Women leadership awards closed Thursday, August 31. The prestigious awards honor the Golden Crescent’s most dynamic women in business, community service, education and politics. To be eligible for this awards program, women leaders are based in Cabarrus County or Lake Norman—a business region we started calling the “Golden […]
Patience is a virtue when it comes to multimillion-dollar properties. The average DOM for $2 million-plus properties in Cornelius is 147, down 11 percent from same time last year. Nevertheless, Cornelius has a 9-month supply of inventory priced at more than $2 million, but that’s down 53 percent from this time last year. Spoken in […]
OPINION. By Dave Yochum. Seeing the devastation in South Texas reminds me that we’re all people regardless of race, color or creed. Eight feet of water in your house will have you in over your head no matter who you are. In a disaster, there’s no doubt we’re all created equal. If only we were able […]
Aug. 29. Daumar Corp., a vertically integrated manufacturer of machinery and the consumables the machinery utilizes to make packaging for the fresh produce industry, will build its first plant in The Park – Huntersville. Daumar will invest $21 million during the first phase of construction. The 120,000 square-foot facility will bring 40 new jobs to […]
Aug. 18. Alevo, the battery manufacturing company, has filed bankruptcy, which means 290 people at its plant in Concord will lose their jobs. Alevo launched here with much fanfare in 2014 amidst a Hollywood-worthy setting at the old Philip Morris plant on Hwy. 29. The Swiss company offered an exciting vision for energy storage—and employment in […]
Aug. 15. Amazon will build an $85 million distribution center in Kannapolis that will employ at least 600 full-time people. The online retailer will open its 1 million-square-foot center in 2019 on Macedonia Church Road, off N.C. 73 and Kannapolis Parkway, in 2019. The giant online retailer said in January that it wanted to hire 100,000 full-time workers […]
Aug. 14. It looks like a buoyant economy—consumer confidence in June rose higher than expected—helped put a Lake Norman job resources group out of work. The board of Helping Others Help Themselves (HOHT) has decided there is no longer a need to continue operations. “The economy is back on its feet and we’ve run out of people […]
By Katie Piccirillo Sherman. Whether it’s the decline in gas prices or the spike in air fare, local meetings and conferences are becoming the go-to venue, according to Meeting Planner International (MPI) and the Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA). Planners expect to organize 28 percent more meetings in 2017 with only 2 percent expecting to plan […]
By Kate Stevens. With local election primaries only two months away, online groups promoting political activism and levying criticism on Davidson, Cornelius and Mooresville leaders have never been more popular. But whether these online forums, convenient places to complain, cajole and promote change, can affect the region’s economic development process is still largely unknown, several […]
By Kate Stevens. A new 180-acre mixed-use development featuring residential units, retail, office and medical space along with entertainment options in a village center-style layout is coming to Cabarrus County. It will take seven to 10 years to build out. The Farmington development, by Charlotte-based MPV Properties, will split the Cabarrus and Mecklenburg County […]
Aug. 9. TrueLearn LLC, which helps physicians achieve board certifications in various fields of medicine, will receive a $50,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund to facilitate its move to Mooresville from Pittsburgh. Its new offices are near the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. True Learn COO Jason Wandersee say the company contemplated the move for […]
Nominations for Business Today’s 13th Annual Top Women leadership awards are officially open. The prestigious awards honor the Golden Crescent’s most dynamic women in business, community service, education and politics. To be eligible for this awards program, women leaders should be based in Cabarrus County, Lake Norman or University City—a business region we started calling […]
By Dave Vieser. With local tax rates set for the new fiscal year, will the lowest municipal rate help recruit the most new businesses? Not necessarily, say local economic development officials. “Municipal tax rates are, for sure, one of the factors in determining the cost of operations for businesses” said Russ Rogerson, executive director […]
Aug. 4. By Dave Yochum. Is there life after politics? There definitely is in the case of former NC Rep. Robert Brawley, a 2016 contender for the GOP gubernatorial primary. He lost to incumbent Pat McCrory who went down in a wave of anti-toll sentiment around Lake Norman in the general election. Brawley, 73, has launched […]
Aug. 4. By Dave Vieser. It looks like one of the mainstays of Lake Norman publishing has been scuttled. Lake Norman Magazine will cease publication before the end of the year, according to advertisers. SouthPark Magazine, which is owned by the Observer, will increase its presence in Lake Norman, advertisers said. The slick monthly was […]
Aug. 2. North Carolina First Lady Kristin Cooper helped christen Locomotive #1984 for use in North Carolina’s daily Piedmont passenger service yesterday at the N.C. Department of Transportation Locomotive and Railcar Maintenance Facility in Raleigh. Its name: “City of Kannapolis.” NCDOT names its locomotives for the cities along the Charlotte to Raleigh passenger rail corridor. Each locomotive’s number […]
July 31. A nutrition supplements maker based in Palmyra, Wisc., will open a “Center of Excellence” at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. The center will occupy more than 10,000 square feet on the first floor of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building on the NCRC this fall. The center will consolidate Standard […]
A year from now, the first class of 50 students will kick off UNC Charlotte’s new Master of Science in Management program. Beginning in July 2018, program enrollees will be able to earn their master’s degree after just 10.5 months of full-time study. This fast-track program will deliver business fundamentals that prepare graduates to solve complex […]
July 23. Aquesta Financial Holdings reported unaudited net income during the second quarter of 2017 fell to $482,000 (15 cents per share) compared to second quarter of 2016 net income of $623,000 (20 cents per share). Total assets were $356.6 million at the end of the second quarter vs. $353.1 at year-end. “The primary reason […]
By Dave Yochum. An associate professor of architecture and urban design at UNC-Charlotte is the new chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission. Deb Ryan, who has been on the planning commission for six years, says what urban planning is about now is choices. “For the longest time we did single-family housing and we did […]
July 17. By Dave Yochum. The developer behind the proposed retail project on 11 acres of prime commercial property on West Catawba has a strong portfolio of high-quality holdings in the northeast, the Carolinas and Montana, with tenants ranging from CVS and Starbucks to Nordstrom and Tesla. Charter Realty & Development, based in Greenwich, […]
July 12. By Dave Vieser. Despite fierce opposition from a wide range of residents, the Davidson Town Board approved the sale of 19 acres of town-owned land along Beaty Street to Davidson Development Partners Tuesday evening. The developer, who is not registered with the NC Secretary of State, plans to build a mixed-use development called Luminous on […]
By Dave Vieser. With recent town board approval, Vermillion Village in Huntersville appears to have a clear path for development, at a time when several other large mixed-use projects, including Lake Davidson in Mooresville and the Beaty Project in Davidson, are in various stages of consideration and controversy throughout the Golden Crescent. The Vermillion […]
JULY 11. By Dave Yochum. Resale home prices continue to soar across the country, with cities like Seattle, Portland, Dallas and Denver reporting huge year over year gains. Seattle had a 12.9 percent year-over-year price increase, followed by Portland with 9.3 percent, and Dallas with an 8.4 percent increase and Denver coming in at […]
July 10. By Sam Boykin. The town of Davidson currently has about 20 development projects that are either approved, pending approval or under review. That amounts to 2,000 new residential units, from single-family homes to apartments to condos, along with mixed-use developments, a hotel, and municipal buildings. For a town that has garnered national recognition […]
GUEST OPINION. By Bill Russell. Recently, while reading a book about President John Kennedy, I was reminded that Robert Frost was the first poet to speak at a presidential inauguration. Frost was 87 years old when he stood at the podium in Washington, D.C. on that blistering cold day in 1961. The brightness of the overhead […]
July 7. Every hip downtown district needs a mobile app of its own, and now Downtown Concord has one. The free app enables visitors and residents alike to get the most out of tours of the picturesque historic district in the heart of Cabarrus County just by looking at their mobile device. Some 50 beacons […]
July 6. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is among the Top 10 Digital Community Colleges, according to the Center for Digital Education. RCCC was recognized for its work on mobile technology, smart classrooms and technology innovation, including online tutoring for students 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Digital Community Colleges Survey analyzes how community colleges use […]
July 5. Sutter Street Manufacturing, part of the Williams-Sonoma home furnishings group, will expand in Catawba County. The upholstered furniture manufacturing company plans to invest $1.9 million over three years to upgrade its facilities in Claremont, creating 72 new jobs. “North Carolina is home to some of the most skilled furniture talent in the world,” […]
July 5. The long-time mayor of Concord, Scott Padgett, announced that he will not seek re-election today. Padgett was elected mayor in 2001 after serving on the City Council since 1995. A longtime resident of Concord, he is a retired elementary school principal. Prior to becoming an elected official, the popular pro-business mayor served as a […]
June 30. Mark Gibbons, a captain with the Bank of America air fleet, will seek a second term on the Huntersville Town Board. He garnered the second highest vote total as a first-time candidate in 2015, when pro-toll Mayor Jill Swain was soundly defeated by John Aneralla. Gibbons serves on the NC 73 Council of Planning, […]
June 29. Corning Optical Communications, a division of Corning Inc., is moving its headquarters to Riverbend Village. Corning Optical Communications will build a $38 million, 182,500 square foot office headquarters. The move will bring about 400 jobs here from Hickory, where Corning will keep a manufacturing facility with more than 1,200 employees. According to Motley Fool, […]
June 24. It looks like NC Rep. John Bradford, a Cornelius resident, has secured $100,000 in discretionary funds from the state for the embryonic Cornelius Arts Center. The seed money will help launch the multimillion-dollar arts center in downtown Cornelius that will be built on 1.85 acres just to the west of the Police Station. Bradford, a […]
June 21. A new report from MSN/Lifestyle puts Cornelius at No. 5 on the list of 10 best lake towns in the United States. MSN Reporter Clara Appelbaum says Cornelius is an “awesome: lake town: “For city slickers, Cornelius, North Carolina, is the perfect town to enjoy lake living without sacrificing big city amenities. Located only […]
June 20. Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla has officially announced that he will seek a second term as Mayor. A small business owner and veteran community leader, Aneralla defeated incumbent Jill Swain by a wide margin in November of 2015. “It is an honor to serve the people of Huntersville as their Mayor,” Aneralla said upon […]
By Beth McLaughlin. Grace and poise—they’re the trademarks of a former Miss Connecticut and Miss America contestant, as well as qualities and titles belonging to Concord’s Dakeita Vanderburg-Johnson. They are two of the traits that have allowed her to reinvent herself after divorce, a business failure, and a what could have been a devastating health […]
By Dave Yochum. A full year into his two-year term, Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla called his regular monthly meeting with citizens and business owners at the Spare Time bowling and entertainment complex last month a “State of Huntersville Address” and ran down a long list of achievements. The room was quiet. Aneralla looked around. He […]
By Erica Batten. While the question about whether a college education is worth the cost has been looming for years now, colleges haven’t been sitting idly by waiting for potential students to decide. Instead, they’ve strategized on how to attract students and ensure the lifelong relevance of higher education. “Simplistic predictions fail to recognize the […]
The City of Kannapolis has hired a “construction manager at risk” to help ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of the West Avenue streetscape. The first component of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Project will be Birkdale Village incarnate, with vintage buildings, plenty of brick and the ambiance that draws a crowd. And investment. When completed, the Revitalization […]
By Kate Stevens. A proposed 137-acre mixed-use development in southern Iredell County could bring more housing and commercial opportunities to an area rife with potential but the economic impact on Mooresville and surrounding towns is still unclear. “It’s so early, it’s almost uncharted waters,” said Rusty Knox, a real estate broker with Allen Tate Real […]
June 15. ANALYSIS. By Dave Vieser. As the construction of the I-77 toll lanes continues, there’s been a great deal of speculation as to why state and Charlotte transportation officials seemed so anxious to push the project along. Reducing congestion was always the stated position, but there was a lot more to it, says Mecklenburg […]
By Dave Vieser. When Midtown Sundries closed in Cornelius back in 2010, people wondered who could take over the 500 seat, 13,000 square foot eatery. Indeed, after Latitude 36 opened and closed, the building stood empty. Then along came Nick Lyssikatos. With his extremely successful Brickhouse Tavern going strong in Davidson, Lyssikatos, after a year […]
By Erica Batten. With a growing population and a business climate that is increasingly favorable to beer, wine and distilled spirits production, North Carolina, once known worldwide as a center for tobacco production, may have found a new economic drug of choice. And like the large, leafy plant that once dominated the state’s economy, the alcohol […]
By Kate Stevens If you thought the roads seem more crowded or that new neighborhoods are sprouting up faster than ever, you’re right. Two studies released this spring have shown the Charlotte metro area is one of the most popular destinations for interstate relocations. Between 2010-16, four counties in the Charlotte metro area—Mecklenburg and Cabarrus […]
June 7. By Dave Yochum. After a nationwide search, the nascent Cornelius Arts and Community Center has a new executive director, and they found him close to home. Justin Dionne, who was a consultant to the Cornelius Arts Center last year, was the managing artistic director of the highly successful Lee Street Theater in Salisbury. […]
June 5. The North Carolina economy is expected to continue the slow growth pattern of the past eight years, UNC Charlotte economist John Connaughton during the Mid-Year Economic Update. Foecasting a 2.4 percent inflation-adjusted growth rate, Connaughton said there are several positive economic indicators that could continue into the foreseeable future, including the pattern of growth, low unemployment […]
May 29. The Duke Energy Foundation is committing $2 million to the University’s Exponential Campaign, specifically to support the Charlotte Engineering Early College and the Women in Computing Initiative. As part of the gift, the Charlotte Engineering Early College (CEEC) will receive $900,000. The funds will support the Duke Energy Summer Bridge Program, the Duke Energy […]
May 25. A new 301,000-square foot speculative manufacturing and distribution facility is under construction on Old Murdock Road. The class A manufacturing and distribution speculative facility will be designed to meet the needs of today’s industrial market. Construction has begun and is expected to be completed in late July. The 301,000-square foot class A industrial building will […]
May 25. Allen Tate Realtors and employees recently contributed more than $145,000 to local arts and cultural programs and United Way agencies in the Carolinas through the Tate Cares combined giving campaign. During the month-long campaign, contributions were targeted to local and regional arts and United Way agencies identified by agents and staff. The Tate Cares […]
By Kate Stevens. Six North Carolina cities, including Mooresville and Cornelius, have placed in the top 100 best small-sized cities to start a business, according to a personal finance web site study released in April. Mooresville, ranked as the 32n d best small-sized city to start a business, and Cornelius ranked 80th, are included in […]
By Erica Batten. With a growing population and a business climate that is increasingly favorable to beer, wine and distilled spirits production, North Carolina, once known worldwide as a center for tobacco production, may have found a new economic drug of choice. And like the large, leafy plant that once dominated the state’s economy, the alcohol […]
By Dave Vieser. While much of the discussion concerning the I-77 toll lanes has been concentrated on the impact on residents and commuters, they will have a profoundly positive impact on trucking between Charleston and Greenville, SC. South Carolina is already stepping up to the plate, says Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett. “South Carolina is […]
By Kate Stevens. If you thought the roads seem more crowded or that new neighborhoods are sprouting up faster than ever, you’re right. Two studies released this spring have shown the Charlotte metro area is one of the most popular destinations for interstate relocations. Between 2010-16, four counties in the Charlotte metro area—Mecklenburg and Cabarrus […]
By Beth McLaughlin. Jobs in the tech industry grew 6 percent in North Carolina in 2016, according to the Computing Technology Industry Association, CompTIA. “A 6 percent job growth means North Carolina added over 11,000 jobs last year,” said Steve Ostrowski, spokesman for CompTIA. “That’s the second highest percentage growth rate in the country for 2016, […]
May 11. Novant Health has been granted “special consultative status” by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It means Novant can actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as on the international stage in the areas of women’s and children’s health, poverty and food security. Programs include women’s heart health, domestic and […]
May 9. Credit Suisse will expand its Research Triangle Park campus operations, creating 1,200 new jobs in North Carolina over the next several years. Now that HB2 has been repealed, the company plans to invest $70.5 million at its current campus in RTP to accommodate this expansion. “We opposed HB2, which was at odds with these […]
May 5. The water’s fine in the Lake Norman small business community, but you have to be willing to get your feet wet. That was the takeaway message at the fifth annual Small Business Week Lunch and Launch, held Tuesday at The Peninsula Club. Tricia Sisson, co-owner of The Range in Cornelius, said she had […]
April 30. Just in time for the May races, the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau has a new destination guide for visitors. The new guide, published quarterly, will feature four “strategically thematic” covers. Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Lenny Batycki appears on the first quarter cover. The second quarter cover emphasizes family travel with an image […]
April 26. Anti-toll leaders from business, politics and ordinary walks of life are planning to protest on the I-77 overpass on Catawba Avenue. Set for 5 pm Friday, this will be the third time toll protesters have met on the bridge to express opposition to the $650 million, 50-year Cintra contract. Organizers say the third […]
Hot Properties
If your abode truly is a castle, it takes time to sell Patience is a virtue when it comes to multimillion-dollar properties. The average DOM for $2 million-plus properties in Cornelius is 147, down 11 percent from same time last year. Nevertheless, Cornelius has a […]
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