The Design Review Board has given the go-ahead for a proposed $4.5 million retail and office building at South Main and South streets, 
site of the current Stowe’s Exxon. Given its prime downtown location, the building — tentatively dubbed Stowe’s Corner — could become a local landmark, housing stores and a restaurant as well as offices.
Above, a drawing shows the proposed Stowe’s Corner looking south along Main Street. CVS is on the left, Ben & Jerry’s to the right. Click for a larger image (Illustration courtesy of David Stewart)
At its meeting Wednesday night, the design board approved David Stewart’s plan for a 3-story building, with minor conditions. Designed by Charlotte architect Babak Emadi, the proposal calls for a modern structure with a V-shaped brick-and-glass façade.
As designed, the 15,000-square-foot building does not require Town Board approval because it meets what is allowed in the town planning ordinance for the site. Mr. Stewart, of Harris LLC, told DavidsonNews.net he hopes to break ground in March and finish work in late 2008. New owners then would begin their own improvements, which likely would be ready in early 2009.
Craig Lewis, chair of the Design Review Board, said Thursday he thinks the building will be “notable.” “It’s one of the most prominent locations in downtown. I’m excited about it as an addition to what we have downtown.”
Mr. Lewis said the structure would be “more contemporary” than some other buildings nearby. “I think a little bit of diversity will be good. … It is simple, yet elegant, and they’re really focusing on the details of the canopies and awnings and cornices that will help this building stand out,” he said.
AUTO SHOP CLOSING
Dec. 21 will be the last day of business for Stowe’s Exxon. Mr. Stowe has worked at the auto repair shop since 1963 and owned it for the past 30 years. He told DavidsonNews.net in February he planned to sell the property and retire, saying the auto repair business has become more competitive in recent years.
Mr. Stewart bought the property from Mr. Stowe on Oct. 29 for $742,000, according to county real estate records. Gasoline pumps and tanks were removed over the summer.
Mr Stowe will not be going out of business entirely. He’ll help out his son-in-law, Jerry Cline, who is opening a new shop in January about 4½ miles north of downtown Davidson on Highway 115.
SPACE MOSTLY TAKEN
The building will have retail space on the ground floor and two stories of offices above. Mr. Stewart said Thursday nine of the 10 office units are reserved; a 1,000-square-foot office space is still available.
An investor also has reserved first-floor space that could be used as a restaurant. Mr. Stewart said the buyer likely would begin shopping the space around to potential tenants soon.
“We are designing the ground-floor to accommodate a restaurant,” Mr. Stewart said. “The final decision on that will fall to the owner of that space.”
The Design Review Board asked Mr. Stewart to make sure details on the building façade are coordinated. It also wants to look at how the architect handles the design of exterior vents.
EXTRA FLOOR DIFFICULT
The building is one floor shorter than Mr. Stewart envisioned when he first presented his plans at a public planning workshop in March. A four-story building might have included residences on the top floor, but it also would have required additional on-site parking, something difficult to put on the site. It also would have required approval of the Town Board for an exception to the town planning ordinance. In May, Mr. Stewart scaled the building back to 3 stories.
Mr. Lewis said the Design Review Board liked the idea of a four-story building. But on-site parking requirements apparently made it difficult for the developer to design a building that met the rules.
“It is unfortunate that the building could not be taller. The DRB as a whole was disappointed that it couldn’t be four stories,” he said, because members liked the approach Mr. Emadi was taking in early his early 4-story designs.
“If we’re going to allow development downtown, we’re going to have to get over the idea of everyone providing their own parking,” Mr. Lewis said.
He said the town needs to look at parking as a public utility. Town officials already have been discussing ideas for a downtown parking deck, possibly on land on Jackson Street, next to Town Hall.
Based on the illustrations provided here and previously, this is simply a beautiful design. I think this will become a landmark building in Davidson; something that we can all utilize and take pride in.
Kudos to Dave Stewart. It is so nice to not only see a wonderful design, but also to see it presented in such a way that the public can get a good idea of what it will look like in context. Too often developers just provide 3-D computer mockups without any surrounding context. Thanks to David for taking the time (and money) to do it right.
The proposed building on Stowe’s corner should only be two stories. How will that intersection handle all the additional traffic? This development may be the beginning of the destruction of historic downtown Davidson.
It certainly dresses up downtown. I’ll enjoy walking past it. And, maybe it will inspire some of the neglected facades on Main to spiff up a bit. Thank-you David Stewart.