The article below originally appeared in and is posted with permission from:
https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com
The skyline-defining Queensbridge Collective project on the edges of Charlotte's uptown and South End recently celebrated a major milestone. Structural framework on the development's first tower, which rises 42 stories, is officially complete after breaking ground in May 2023.
Riverside Investment & Development and Woodfield Development, the developers of Queensbridge Collective, along with the contractor, Clark Construction Group, headquartered near Washington, D.C., celebrated the final beam placement on Feb. 6, 2025.
With that beam in place, the residential portion of the $700 million project should open by September 2025, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Anthony Scacco, Riverside's president, told the newspaper that Queensbridge's name signifies it is a "bridge between Charlotte's two most important neighborhoods from a commercial and residential standpoint. Being about six months out from our opening date, we're feeling really great about the quality of the product and how it's going to transform this area of the city."
The development, located at 1111 S. Tryon St., is being built at the former locations of Midnight Diner and Uptown Cabaret. The popular 24/7 diner moved about a mile away to 420 E. Trade St., while the strip club closed in 2023.
Sitting on approximately 2.75 acres, the overall Queensbridge project is a mixture of residential and commercial properties.
Its housing component will come first, the Observer noted. The 42-story tower is set to be the city's second tallest residential building once it is complete — behind only the 51-story VUE Charlotte in uptown's Fourth Ward.
Queensbridge's tower will house approximately 409 market-rate units and include amenities such as a pickleball court, a fitness center and coworking spaces.
Among the announced retail spaces in Queensbridge, Charlotte-based Night Swim Coffee will open in 2025 on the ground floor and the Denver-based steakhouse Guard and Grace will open on the 10th floor in mid-2026.
Scacco added that three other retailers will likely set up shop in the tower, including a rooftop restaurant space. Another retailer will also be announced soon, he said.
"Our goal for the retail was to have a mix of local and national operators," Scacco elaborated, with the overall goal of making the building a "destination" for both residents and visitors.
While the current focus is on the residential tower, office space is coming to the site, too.
The adjoining tower, connected by a parking deck, will be a 35-story office building with approximately 600,000 sq. ft. of space and its own set of amenities.
The details on that project are in flux, not surprising given the state of the office real estate market, the Observer noted. With low tenant demand, office vacancies nationwide are increasing.
Charlotte metro's office vacancy rate ended 2024 at around 24.6 percent, according to a report from Cushman & Wakefield, which includes suburban areas such as Matthews.
But most of those vacancies are in aging buildings. Getting the commercial Queensbridge tower leased up is not necessarily a concern, Scacco said, especially with how new and central the space will be.
"Office space is becoming more residential and hospitality-like in terms of the type of services and amenities that are provided to the onsite workers," he explained, adding that it is all about creating a "live, work, play dynamic" at the site.
Construction on the second tower is set to begin mid-late 2025, and the entire project should be completed by 2027.
Charlotte Airport Plans to Construct New Taxiway
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) officially commissioned the North End Around Taxiway in January 2025, which promises to enhance connectivity between the facility's west runway and the terminal ramp and boost both safety and capacity at one of the busiest airports in the United States.
"The completion of the North End Around Taxiway is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance the safety, efficiency and capacity of our airfield," said CLT Chief Infrastructure Officer Jack Christine in a news release. "By reducing aircraft crossings on Runway 18C-36C and improving traffic flow, this project directly supports our growing demand and ensures we continue to operate at the highest standards."
As a vital part of the Charlotte airport's expansion and modernization efforts, the taxiway minimizes aircraft crossings on the runway, enhancing airfield safety and operational efficiency. It also provides additional queuing space for flights arriving, streamlining traffic flow on the central runway.
The project encompassed several enabling initiatives, such as relocating the Airport Overlook, rerouting a 1-mi. section of Old Dowd Road, permanently closing Marshall Drive, and building a new access road next to the Long Term 1 parking lot.
Construction began in April 2021 at a total cost of $253 million. The project was funded through a mix of Passenger Facility Charge revenues and federal grants.
Work continues to progress on Charlotte's fourth parallel runway, with ongoing drainage pipe and utility installation. Grading will be under way through mid-2026 with approximately 5 million cu. yds. of runway and taxiway fill remaining to be placed.
Concrete paving also begins mid to late 2025 and is expected to last until early 2027, CLT noted. The $1 billion project is scheduled for a fall 2027 commissioning and opening.
