Mills Market | Highline Partners
Sept. 18. By Dave Vieser. A public hearing on Mill’s Market, another transformational project in downtown Cornelius, takes place this evening at Town Hall.
The planned 250,000 square foot development would be four stories tall and, if approved, one of the most significant projects downtown ever, in the same league as Town Hall, the Police Station and the Cain Center for the Arts as well as the live-work units across Catawba Avenue.
Prime parcel of property
The proposed location for Mill’s Market is a prime downtown parcel: 2.3 acres on the south side of Catawba Avenue, just east of Meridian Street, and west of the Cain Center.
The property includes the old Doc Washam house at the corner of Meridian and Catawaba. It would either have to be moved or demolished for the project to go up as planned.
As it was making its way through the town’s rezoning process, the project gained a unanimous thumbs-up from the Planning Board. However, that only came after developer Mark Miller of Highline Properties agreed to reduce the size of his original plan.
Key parking component
Tonight’s meeting will also include a public hearing on an unusual development agreement that would allow the Town of Cornelius and the Mills Market developer to partner and set terms on infrastructure related to the planned parking deck.
Specifically, Miller plans to build 130 parking spaces on the lower levels which will be owned by the town and provide added parking for downtown activities and the Cain Center.
The meeting will take place in Town Hall on Catawba at 6 pm. It may also be viewed via live stream on the town website: www.cornelius.org. Click on “watch meetings live.”
Im in favor of Mills Market project, as amended. This project creates more Old Town living options, 130 convenient parking spaces for town events, supports the Cain Arts Center and more customers for recreational and cultural activities. Please vote in favor. CGray
Posted by CD Gray | September 18, 2023, 1:29 pmUnfortunately if Mill’s Market is built, there will no longer be any “Old Town”.
Will the town charge a parking fee to use the 130 spaces?
How does this project help ameliorate the traffic congestion in town?
Posted by James S | September 18, 2023, 2:09 pmIt looks like a beautiful addition…if it were to be built in a location that could handle the additional traffic. Sure, you can park the cars there, but the intersection of Main Street and 115 will now also be parking lot itself. Mills Market, along with the two large scale residential neighborhoods (thanks prior board) going in next to Antiquity? I’d love to hear all about the traffic study results for this project.
Posted by Justin B | September 18, 2023, 3:55 pmHow will these parking spaces be defined? What is to keep occupants of Mills Market from using those spots in addition to their designated spots?
With this combination of apartments and commercial traffic will being worse, and we will be at the mercy of NCDOT to create a fix for a problem which already exists, but will be made worse prior to any thought being out as to how to alleviate it. Those of us who live on the east side of 115 struggle to reach 77 now during peak travel periods NOW.
And with the fake front showing four stories while the back has five, thanks for reducing the residential and increasing the commercial by over 70%.
Posted by Norm P | September 18, 2023, 11:04 pm