Birkdale Village | Photo: Jamestown LLC

Dec. 17. By Dave Yochum. Jamestown, the owner of landmark mixed-use projects around the world, met residents around Birkdale Village at Community in Christ Lutheran Church last night.

The new owner of Birkdale Village hopes to gain approval for a previously denied rezoning request that would allow a 100-foot-tall office, 150 apartments, a hotel, two parking garages and more retail.

One of North Mecklenburg’s economic crown jewels, Birkdale Village is trying to reinvigorate the in-person retail model by creating a “third place” where people gather and interact outside of home and work, supporting brick and mortar retail.

Economic impact

—Jamestown officials said an expansion of Birkdale Village would include:

—$200 million in direct construction spending

—$212 million in employment benefits to the town

—$200,000 in additional Huntersville property tax revenue

—$15 million in new resident/worker spending

—New Class A office incentivizes business relocation to Huntersville

—On-site office employees increase daytime sales for tenants

—”Substantial” positive impact on on adjacent single-family home values

Feedback

However, many, if not the majority, of the roughly 75 neighbors attending disagreed.

Traffic and parking as well as crime dominated the feedback from residents, in the same manner as Birkdale Village’s previous attempt at rezoning.

Quotable

Birkdale resident Dan Ripoli said Jamestown’s plan is a “disaster waiting to happen.”

“The current infrastructure cannot support the existing growth and will only bring more traffic congestion and potential crime to the area,” he said.

Jamestown officials said an expansion would be appropriate since Birkdale Village is a high-density growth area as outlined in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. They hope to break ground in 2027, coinciding with the widening of Hwy. 73/Sam Furr Road.

A previous Town Board voted 4-2 in early 2023 to reject a rezoning request for a seven-story office tower and seven-story parking garage in Birkdale.

Next up

Call Public Hearing: Jan. 7, 2025 (tentative)
Public Hearing: Feb. 4, 2025 (tentative)