Downtown Matthews is, without a doubt, one of the hottest spots in the Charlotte area for an evening of food and drink. During several recent presentations, however, we’ve heard there are no vacancies in the Downtown area. We did some digging to see if that is, in fact true.
Good news for those of you interested in buying, renting, or leasing! There are more than a handful of vacant spaces in downtown.Below are five options in the Downtown District as defined by the Town Planning department.
BB&T: When the closure of the John St. BB&T was announced, staff cited the widening of John Street as one of the reasons the company closed this location. According to the County Polaris, Wilkinson Properties c/o BB&T owns this property. They’re tough to get a hold of, but the building has been vacant since late 2018. There have been a few breweries interested in opening in Downtown Matthews…maybe one will land here?
Built in 1973, the 4,701 square foot space is zoned B-1.
Ames Station: Certainly the biggest vacancy in the downtown area, Ames Station is ripe for creative development. The size alone is an artist’s dream. The price of rent in downtown Matthews is not. The owner will lease subdivided areas, but the overall building is 32,635 square feet and zoned I-1.
The Old Library: A building with an interesting history and a modern design, this spot has weathered the seasons but hasn’t weathered rezoning. Most recently a brewery approached Council to rezone for a brewery and beer garden. The idea was not well-received. Most interestingly heavy metal music was mentioned more than once. (The brewery is now in Harrisburg.) The 1957 building is 3,594 square feet, and zoned B-1.
Griffin Square: Perhaps the most retail-friendly space available, again the rent might be prohibitive to a small business owner. Griffin Square is conveniently located across from Stumptown Park and is highly visible during festivals. With that visibility in mind, this vacancy might be filled before we get this post up.
Traditional office spaces: Several spots around downtown are available for lease as traditional office space. These properties appear to be more affordable than spaces that would be more retail-friendly. The office available through the Nichols Company is at the corner of Trade and East Matthews and is part of the HUC zoning. The other, available through Mark Real Estate, is at the intersection of Ames and West Matthews and is zoned O.
