Dec. 12. By Dave Yochum. The International Council of Shopping Centers has recognized newly reimagined Birkdale Village with the Gold ICSC Global Design & Development Award. It is one of only eight retail and mixed-use properties around the world to be recognized by the prestigious trade association.

Others include the Lovi Center in China’s Xi’an City, the Phipps Plaza makeover in Atlanta and Tiffany & Co. The Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Background

The previous owners of Birkdale came under fire during much of the redo, but North American Properties persisted, with a new tenant mix, paint scheme and new stand-alone retail “jewel boxes.” Nevertheless, this is the second time Birkdale Village has received the ICSC honor—it also won in 2004 soon after it was completed.

The ICSC awards recognize outstanding achievement in the design and development of retail and mixed-use properties and design of retail stores around the globe.

The retail and mixed-use arena constantly reinvents itself, according to the ICSC.

Quotable

From the ICSC: “Birkdale Village features 320 multifamily units atop 240,000 square feet of street-level retail; 50,000 square feet of office; and a movie theater. It all surrounds a central green. The goal was to reposition the nearly 20-year-old asset into a modern-day community gathering place. The team energized and animated the pedestrian experience and re-merchandised the tenant mix, adding a 6,000-square-foot plaza with restaurant patios that spill out onto the sidewalks.”

Flash forward

Birkdale Village is taking another shot at a major expansion. Jamestown, Birkdale’s new owner, is asking the Town of Huntersville for approval for a 100-foot-tall office, 150 apartments, a hotel, two parking garages and additional retail.

Tim Perry, an executive with Jamestown and North American Properties, the prior owner, said the mixed-use project needs hotel visitors, office workers and apartment residents to create the necessary traffic flow to support the businesses that are already there.

Another expansion plan failed nearly two years ago, having received abundant community criticism.

“We’ll be back,” Perry said back in 2023.

Details

The project would require Conditional Rezoning. The proposed hotel would contain 125 rooms.  The plans include 26,715 square feet of retail space and 122,300 square feet of office space.

Community meeting

A community meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16 from 6 to 7 pm at Community In Christ Lutheran Church at 7621 Norman Island Drive.

Residents nearby apparently have different opinions as to the expansion.

“There is a deep split in the neighborhood between those who want the additional parking vs those who want to preserve the small town look,” one resident said.