New Article on the Arts Center

The following article appeared today in the Observer:

The Morrison Family YMCA, along with York Development Group, has assembled music, theater, dance and education partners to create the Ballantyne Arts Center.

The center, which opened in May, is in a 9,000-square-foot second-floor space at the corner of Ballantyne Commons Parkway and North Community House Road, approximately one mile from the Morrison YMCA.

"The Ballantyne Arts Center is a collaboration of different partners coming together from different organizations, some for profit and some not-for-profit, to deliver arts to the Ballantyne community," said Laura Smith, associate executive director of the Morrison YMCA.

The Ballantyne Arts Center was developed to fill an art void the YMCA and York Development Group experienced in the local community.

"We've known for a time now in the Ballantyne area that there is a void in arts-based programming for all ages," said Smith. "There's a lot that goes on in Matthews, Pineville and uptown but that skipped Ballantyne. This is a true partnership between consortium members working together and meeting needs for programs and performances.

"It has been almost a two-year process making the vision of this center actually come to reality."

The Morrison YMCA will open the Ballantyne Preschool of the Arts on Sept. 6 in the center.

High-quality preschool education is in demand in Ballantyne, evidenced by the large number of preschool-age children in the area and on the waiting lists of the Morrison YMCA's traditional preschool over the past six years, said Smith.

The new preschool's curriculum combines traditional education with the arts. Children will be taught math, science, reading, writing and social skills in a creative environment that integrates visual arts and the performing arts of dance, drama and music.

The curriculum was designed by Meghan Nance, arts coordinator for Morrison YMCA, and Loren Meyer, program director for Children's Academy, the Morrison YMCA's traditional preschool.

The Ballantyne Preschool of the Arts will offer three classes to children age 3-5, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The classes can accommodate 45 children. Depending on YMCA membership, member or program fees apply.

"I'm excited about being an even bigger part of the Ballantyne community, outside of the YMCA campus, and to have interaction with more members of the community who might not even be members of the YMCA," said Amanda Watkins, who will be the director of the Ballantyne Preschool of the Arts when classes start in September.

Until classes begin, the YMCA is hosting a parent's-morning-out program three days a week in the new preschool's space.

The Morrison YMCA has also worked with theater producers Chip Caldwell and Marika Metting to launch the Ballantyne School of Theatre and the Ballantyne Theatre Company, located in three instructional classrooms and a black box theater at the center.

"This is a small, intimate theater where performers will learn how to hold an audience," said Caldwell, director of the Ballantyne School of Theatre. Caldwell also is a technical theater teacher at Northwest School of the Arts.

The Ballantyne School of Theatre is the education component. During the summer, it is offering seven weeklong theater camps between June 27 and Aug. 12 for third- through 12th-graders, with a performance at the end of each week's camp. Camp themes include comedy, improvisation, classical theater, cabaret, drama and more.

"The experience of performing in front of an audience makes an actor better in ways that cannot be taught," said Caldwell. "We are selecting shows that are flexible and making the scripts fit the kids who are involved."

Caldwell is working on developing fall theater classes for preschoolers, school-age children and adults.

For Caldwell, the Ballantyne School of Theatre is a family affair. His wife, Marika Metting, who is on the executive board of the Metrolina Theatre Association, is the production manager for the Ballantyne School of Theatre. Their daughter, Martina, is a recent graduate of Greensboro College with a degree in theater, and she will be teaching at the Ballantyne School of Theatre.

In the fall, the Ballantyne Theatre Company will hold auditions for a holiday show involving performers age 17 and older.

The Ballantyne Arts Center also includes additional consortium partners separate from the YMCA team.

Streetwise Music offers instrumental instruction for youths and adults in six lesson rooms and onstage. Kindermusik offers music exposure for children as young as 6 months.

The Ballantyne Orchestra will provide youth instruction and practice space, with performances out in the community.

The YMCA and York Development Group, which specializes in development of retail and mixed use properties, also are looking for an upper-level dance component to join the consortium.

Bissell Seeks to Expand Corporate Park - Will Complete Bridge Over 485

The Bissell Companies is in for a rezoning to allow an additional 1M SF of office space to the Ballantyne Corporate Park, bringing the total to 6.5M SF.  They have also committed $11M to completing the North Community House Rd bridge over I-485, linking it to Community House Rd behind the Earthfare.

Bissell brings road projects before city, county

Bissell Breaks Ground on New Office Across from Ballantyne Corners

Bissell Development made another big bet on Ballantyne on Thursday - a $100 million speculative office project, among the largest under way in the nation.

It's a risky move given the economy and high office space vacancies nationwide, but Bissell Companies President Ned Curran said he is confident the company can fill 550,000 square feet at Ballantyne Corporate Park.

The development is one of only six in the Southeast planning to deliver in 2012, according CoStar Group, which collects and analyzes commercial real estate data.

The office vacancy rate in the market area of southern Mecklenburg that includes the corporate park was at its lowest rate since the third quarter of 2008, according to the latest report from Karnes Research. It sits at 17.6 percent, just above the Charlotte average of 17.5 percent.

Over the last two years, Bissell, which is self-financing the project, has signed leases for more than 850,000 square feet of office space in the 535-acre corporate park, much of which has been speculative.

The two planned 10-story office buildings and parking decks will fill in the northwest corner of North Community House Road and Ballantyne Commons Parkway. It could bring up to 2,200 jobs, Curran said.

Still, with no signed lease agreements or letters of intent, Curran said he sees the risk inherent in such a large-scale speculative project. That risk could become reality after construction is finished, as developers search for tenants.

"There's a lot of uncertainty. A lot of things can happen," Curran said.

City and county officials characterized the move as a calculated risk that asserts confidence Charlotte business markets will continue to grow. Attendees at Thursday's ground breaking included Mayor Anthony Foxx and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Chair Jennifer Roberts.

"They walk that fine balance of being out there, being willing to take a risk and a chance, but also know the right risk and chance to take," said Pat Rodgers, chairwoman of the Charlotte Chamber.

From a vacant fourth-floor office space overlooking the planned project, Bissell executives and Charlotte officials also said they hoped the development will strengthen Charlotte's profile as a growing national and international business hub.

High-growth suburban area

The developers are counting on Ballantyne's position as a desirable, high-growth suburban region.

New or announced companies in Ballantyne in recent years include Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy, Akima, HVM and Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems.

The office park's proximity to the airport, schools, churches and other neighborhood needs are strong selling points, Curran said.

Ballantyne's population has grown by an estimated 115 percent since 2000, to more than 57,000 residents, according to census data.

Another factor spurring Ballantyne's growth is Bissell's ownership of multiple buildings within the corporate park, which allows tenants to expand within the park.

The southern Mecklenburg area is the second-largest suburban submarket in Charlotte, and filled 274,690 square feet of space the first quarter of this year.

The jump comes primarily from health care company Premier Inc.'s relocation of its corporate headquarters from San Diego to Ballantyne.

The uptown submarket gained 86,000 square feet in the same quarter, while the SouthPark region lost almost 29,000 square feet, the report said.

Likely to draw global clients

The newest plans are the latest in a series of speculative projects Bissell has developed in the corporate park. While some office space remains vacant, the company says the park holds a 93 percent occupancy rate for space that has been completed for more than 12 months.

Real estate analyst Frank Warren, president of Warren & Associates in Charlotte, said there is little cross-shopping between Ballantyne and uptown due to differing tenant bases, but noted the Ballantyne area is likely to draw more global clients with its proximity to Interstate 485, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and a large, campus-like environment.

While the competition might not be direct, Jeff Edge, senior vice president for economic development at the Charlotte Chamber said some developments in the city might need to spruce up to keep up.

"I think it'll probably up the ante a little bit," Edge said. "They are going to be competing with this nice, shiny, brand-new stuff down here."

Road improvements planned

The new buildings meet current zoning entitlements, which allow for almost 2 million more square feet.

Meanwhile, Bissell is seeking a separate rezoning to allow for up to an additional 1 million square feet for other expansion. The company also is hoping to be reimbursed from tax revenue for the $11 million the company could spend to improve roads around Ballantyne Corporate Park.

The road improvement project includes building a bridge over I-485 to connect the northern and southern parts of Community House Road.

Think Chocolate to Open At Ballantyne Corners

Local entrepeneurs Ruth and Jean Paul Faure have signed a lease for their new Think Chocolate store at Ballantyne Corners. Look for them to open early this fall!

Genghis Grill Now Open!

Genghis Grill opened to a packed house today!  They had their soft opening for friends and family today and will be open to the public tomorrow, Thursday May 19th, so be sure to check them out.

To the guys over at Genghis, thanks!  Everything was excellent!

Also, construction on Building B is finished, so all the dumpsters, trucks, equipment, etc. are gone, the awnings and landscaping are in and everything looks great!  If you haven't been over there in the past few days, be sure to take another look.

Lastly, check out this article that was in the Business Journal this past Friday: Major expansion planned for the east side of south Charlotte's Ballantyne  The Bissell Cos. are in for a rezoning to add an additional 1M SF to the Ballantyne Corporate Park, for a total of 6M SF.  They have also pledged the $11M for road improvements to North Community House Rd, including the bridge over I-485 which will connect to Community House Rd up behind the Earth Fare.  Now there will be alternate route to and from Ballantyne letting people avoid the traffic nightname that is the Johnston/485 intersection.

Blackthorne Bistro Under Construction!

Blackthorne Bistro is currently doing their interior build out and should be open mid-summer!  Be sure to swing by and check out their incredible patio and rooftop terrace and bar!

Also, Genghis Grill should be open before the end of May!



Streetwise Music Now Open!

Streetwise Music is now open in the new Ballantyne Arts Center!

Check out their website!