Housing planned near major intersection

Pat Kimbrough, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read

Jul. 27—HIGH POINT — A mixed-use project that would include hundreds of apartments has been proposed near a major High Point intersection.

Developer Brian Craven of High Point, who is part of a family that owns 13.7 acres at the northeast corner of N. Centennial Street and Beaucrest Avenue, is asking the city to rezone the site to support more than 300 multifamily units, as well as a possible commercial component.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the request on Tuesday. It will be heard by the City Council Aug. 21.

The site, which is just south of the N. Centennial Street/Eastchester Drive intersection, is behind the Sweet Shoppe Bakery and several other businesses that front on N. Centennial Street.

It's currently occupied by the Woodside Meadows Apartments and several single-family structures.

A tentative design of the proposed development submitted by Craven shows several new apartment buildings and parking areas that would be constructed on the site.

The requested zoning for this portion of the property would allow up to 26 units per acre, for a total of 313 apartments.

Limited business zoning would be allowed on a smaller tract at N. Centennial Street and Beaucrest Avenue next to the Sweet Shoppe Bakery.

It would be developed either for internal access self-storage or a microbrewery/winery/distillery use or as a continuation of the proposed multifamily community.

The applicant wants to close the part of Woodside Avenue that runs through the site and install a cul-de-sac that would provide one point of access to the development.

There would also be two points of access on Beaucrest Avenue and one on N. Centennial Street.

City planners recommend that the developer be required to install a sidewalk along Woodside Avenue within the public right of way once the street is closed to ensure safe pedestrian access to commercial areas along N. Centennial Street.

The developer said this shouldn't be a required zoning condition because of potential utility conflicts and other factors out of its control.

The commission recommended including the sidewalk as a condition, but with the caveat that it would only be required if it's determined to be feasible during the city's technical review process.

pkimbrough@hpenews.com — 336-888-3531