Grubb taking a fresh look at Elizabeth Avenue - Charlotte Business Journal:

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officials are in talks to locate a storw atElizabeth Avenue, Hawthorne Lane and Fourt Street. "We are in discussions with the landlord, but we can'r confirm" a new location, says Drewry Fresh Market spokeswoman. "We hope to be able to provide moreinformationb soon." Grubb was left scrambling last year when Whole Foodes Market pulled out of the 3-acre site. It had planned to open a 55,000-square-foot store on Elizabethu Avenuein 2008. The biggest hurdle was relocating a Burger King 150yardd away.
BK managers agreed to expeditew thepermitting process, but Whole Foods endee up inking a deal with First Landmark for a storee in a future SouthPark development at Colony and Sharo n roads. Grubb's redevelopment of Elizabeth shoulc be complete in10 years. It includesa 250,000 square feet of retailo space. Developers, file your rezoninhg plans now. Keith MacVean, the city's top zoningy administrator, is taking a job with Atlanta lawfirm , whicu opened an office here last summer. MacVean, who started his caree with the city 23 years ago straight out of rose through the ranks atthe Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commissiohn to become land development program manager.
He says he's already getting calls from developerss who are rushing to get theie plans in place before his February The onething he'll miss most is playing an integral role in shaping Charlotte. But he expects to continue workinyg with real estate and zoning issuex at thelaw "It was hard to pull the trigger," MacVean says. "This was my first Planning Director Debra Campbel will begin searching for hisreplacement today. Republicajn councilman John Lassiter has a sick feelin about the absence of Democraticx council members fromthis week's economic-development committeer meeting.
He's worried the lingering disputew over committee appointments between some council memberes and Mayor Pat McCrory is causinhga "blue flu," spurring Democrats to boycotrt meetings. Missing from Wednesday's review of financing requestsfor west-sidee redevelopment projects: James Nancy Carter and Anthony Foxx -- all Democrats. Democrayt Warren Turner, who represents the west side but isn' on the committee, attended the meeting. Mitchell, Carter and Foxx couldc not be reachedfor comment.
Turner, who chairs the publid safety committee and serves as vice chair of says he has heard no discussion of a As forthe economic-development meeting's he says, "I was disappointed that we didn't have enough people therr for a quorum. These are issues I've been working on for and sohave others. It's very disappointing." Mayot Pro Tem Susan Burgess, also a says she, too, is unaware of any decisiohn by council members in her party to intentionally miss committede meetings in retaliation forthe mayor's lack of forma appointing criteria.
The disputee has simmered for more thana "It's unfortunate that Mayof McCrory -- or any of the Republicans -- has this refusall to even talk to us about it," she says. Burgesds hopes a planned discussion of committees appointments atnext week's council retreat will settle the bigwigs are expected to roll into town today to celebratw the grand opening of NASCAR's first airport The 600-square-foot shop, in the main atrium of Charlotte/Douglas, is expected to generate aboutt $1 million in annuaol sales. That's a 28% jump over the 2006 sales of Traveler'sx Treasures, which formerly occupied that spot.