Siemen’s Expansion| Energy’s Big Day In Charlotte
March 12th, 2010 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte Business
Siemens Expands in Charlotte- $135M Expansion is Another Big Energy Get for Charlotte
Siemens, an international leader in energy, has been in Charlotte for more than a decade and yesterday announced a $135M expansion to its Westinghouse Rd facility, creating over 800 jobs in the next 5 years. This will more than double the size of Siemens in Charlotte-already the German company’s largest installation in the US- they will be manufacturing turbines and generators for nuclear and steam power plants, making Siemens a key player in the US energy future.
Siemens expanison is on top of a $50 M 75000 sf expanison begun in November. It is now just one of many major energy companies, Duke Energy and the Shaw Energy Group are the largest players so far. This expansion will make Siemens the largest manufacturer in Charlotte. This is good news for Charlotte’s desire to become an energy hub.
In Real Estate News
February Home Sales Prices up from February 2009 with the number of houses, condos and townhouses up 3.6% from our local board of Realtors- and their median ome price rose 4.6%. I’ll look at actual square foot increases next week over at Charlotte Real Estate
Realty Trac announced a 6% increase in foreclosure filings, the smallest increase in more than 40 months. These are primarily unemployment related foreclosures.
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The Relocations are back… so far we will move 6 families in the first half of the year to Charlotte- these are all moves by choice to Charlotte. Cost of living and the quality of life are the most often cited reasons. Vistit Terry’s sister site to Search for Charlotte Homes for Sale
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Charlotte Real Estate and Business On the Move
March 8th, 2010 Categories: About Charlotte
It’s a beautiful day in Charlotte… finally. March 8th, temperatures in the middle to upper 60’s, feels like 80’s, thank goodness.
I’d like to say thank you to Ray Terry for inviting me on Ray’s, About Your House Radio program this past Saturday morning. We had a fun and hopefully informative 2 hours together fielding questions from 2nd living quarters to hardwoods floors. see more About Your House
Custom home at Springfield
Custom home at Springfield
Clear Springs is developing real estate again, and it is good to see.
Yes the folks who brought you the successful Baxter Village which is all but complete, are building another mixed use project at Springfield, also in Fort Mill, but on the eastern side of 77, and a little closer to Charlotte.
The 300,000 square foot Springfield Town Center will feature a “main street” feel (like Baxter and ahem Birkdale) and begins its development with a Harris Teeter in the fall in Phase 1. 17 Acres are cleared now, expanding to 37 acres eventually, and as the new home market revives plans are on to add up to 600 residential unist, multi famil and signle family in a major community along Springfield Golf Course.
The proposed town center is just a short distance from Springfield- Fort Mill’s nicest and most expensive community and also nearby is the Ann Close Greenway, a 2500 acre park donated to the city by the Springs-Close family.
This is good for Fort Mill and good for Charlotte.
Related Fort Mill Posts
Fort Mill Real Estate- A Market Report
Fort Mill First Home Buyer Report
Duke Energy is on the move.
Duke was names as a minority investor in a $17M venture-capital investment in General Compression, Inc, a company that plans to solve the problem of intermittent supply of solar and wind power. Essentially it is a “green battery” able to store power for those days when there is little wind or sun, solving a major utility issue with wind and solar.
Duke, through it’s Duke Energy Generation Services, is a major wind energy company in the US. It is the 10th largest producer of wind power in the nation, producing about 735 megawatts at full capacity… each megawatt would run a Walmart, or power about 800 homes. Duke is “testing the waters” in the Atlantic off Pamlico Sound with a 3 Turbine project to designed to measure cost, ecological impacts and performance in tropical storm conditions, but sees the Atlantic Coast as the major source of wind energy that it is.
Duke brought a 99 MW wind farm online in Wyoming in in December, and is looking to Texas for an additional 300 megawatts wind farm, and has negotiated local tax concessions and will move forward once if finds and contracts with a long-term buyer.
I’ve said it before, I think Charlotte’s economic future is about Energy… nuclear, renewable and sustainable energy. Banking will always be a major player here, our local economics favor it, but the city’s economic future is in Energy, and Duke will play a key leadership role…
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Charlotte News- 2010 So far…
February 20th, 2010 Categories: About Charlotte
Most of our news is good for the economy, so I’ll start with that…
Two new major discount firms are coming to Charlotte. Nordstrom Rack is taking over an old Circuit City location on South Blvd- this will make ladies venture out on South Blvd I am sure!
Not to be outdone, Ollie’s Bargain outlet announced plans to open in big boxes stores on a temporary basis as Close Out stock permits. This chain store recently bought 350,000 pair of Crocs- and are selling the $30 shoes at $9.95/pr. Stores will open in Matthews and Mooresville.
The New York Times reports fewer 4th quarter mortgage delinquencies and B of A announced that late credit card payments declined 7.35%in January.
Charlotte was the major statewide winner in the high speed train sweepstakes last month, landing a $152,000,000 to build an expanded train station in 3rd Ward, out of a total of $400m or so awarded the state to improve the rail speed between Raleigh and Charlotte.
White Water Center lenders have forgiven (written-off) 2/3’s of the $38M loan offering the center a chance at the future. This is good news. While I feel for the lenders (not really that much) I like even more the resource this provides the Charlotte Community. They make money from operations- there just wasn’t enough to pay a $38M note. Very good.
On the bad…
the NY Attorney General has something about us Charlotte folks and can’t let the B of A matter rest. Obama administration regulators thought a fine sufficient, but he thinks it’s criminal. What are we talking about? The shotgun wedding between Merrill Lynch and B of A , orchestrated by the Treasury Department, that Bof A may not have disclosed all the bonuses agreed to be paid… yes I know I hate bonuses too-but this is 2nd guessing after the fire. Or it is suing the good Samaritan who stops at the accident because you don’t think he did enough. Merrill Lynch would have been dead if B of A doesn’t do the deal- dead like Lehman within 48 hours. At the request of the Treasury, they did the deal. Maybe they didn’t disclose everything, maybe in the rush of the weekend, they didn’t have time. To hold them criminally liable?
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Charlotte Arts and Science Council Begins 2010 Fund Drive
January 28th, 2010 Categories: About Charlotte
Charlotte’s Arts and Science Council- or ASC for short, is one of the most successful, if not the most successful independent fund raising group for the arts in the nation. After a decade run of steadily increased funding for the arts, in many years ranking only behind New York City in funds raised, the economic slide and uncertainty led to a dramatic drop in ASC funding in 2009, from $11.2M to $7.2M and the wrenching of budgets began for non-profits across the city.
This year’s goal is $7.3M, running through March 12, reflects the uncertainty still in the economy. However, $2.5M is already pledged from the biggest players in town- Bank of America, Duke, Wells, and they are increasing their support over 2009. That is welcome news.
Here is he Mission and Vision of the Arts and Science council from their website:
Mission & Vision
The Arts & Science Council (ASC) is:
• The community’s chief advocate for arts, science, history and heritage
• A gatherer and steward of public and private community resources
• An investor of those resources in the cultural sector and community
• The strategic planner for the community’s cultural sector
• The public art agent for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
Mission:
Building appreciation, participation and support for the arts, science, history and heritage in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Vision:
Shaping a vibrant cultural life for all.
Please give generously,
your personal donations start here, business donations start on this page.
Thank you ASC for your excellent work. Good Luck in 2010.
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The Friends School of Charlotte
January 13th, 2010 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte Schools and Education
Friends School of Charlotte
Friends School of Charlotte
The Friends School Of Charlotte- Next Open House February 4, 9:30-10:30 am
The Friends School of Charlotte is a K-3 learning community in southeast Charlotte, an independent private school within the Friend’s tradition, a tradition established by the Quakers more than 300 years ago.
Friends Schools have a tradition of excellence, and are recognized around the country as providing some of the the very best independent education in the world. Friend’s Schools believe in the dignity of each person, that literally there is a “spark of God” within each student, and believe in experiential learning, learning by doing. Students of all faiths and no faith are accepted. Tolerance is another key virtue. All Friends Schools are based on the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and service.
The most recognized Friends School is Sidwell Friends in Washington DC, where many of Washington’s elites send their children… past -Presidents and the current one, President Obama, chose a Friends School, from the many quality private and public schools available. A Friend’s education is recognized as offering much more than just small “e” education, it educates the total child.
What is a Friends School? What is their “model” of education?
Why would you be interested in a Friends School of Charlotte for your TK to early elementary child?
To me the answer has many layers, but it begins with the Quaker philosophy. The Quaker school of Charlotte then borrows effective precepts from various teaching models. It is guided by the Quaker belief there is God in everyone, and that means each child will be a treasured part of the learning community. There is a culture of respect and caring. If you want your child’s mind cultivated, his/her freedom to express her views celebrated, and want him/her to be a lifelong learner, this may be the place.
The school uses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study as it’s core curricula, a “roadmap of learning goals and objective… but not just a surface understanding, students will be encouraged to to seek, dig deep, analyze and interpret.”
Your childs’ education at Friends School of Charlotte will be inquiry based, experiential learning. There is a strong consensus that children learn best by doing, questioning, analyzing and interpreting their learning. Educators call it “constructivist”, learners “construct” their own learning, facilitated and guided by the teacher. Inquiry is the base mode of learning, the interdisciplinary nature makes it relevant to their lives. Studies have repeatedly confirmed students learn best when the construct their learning- they learn if for themselves, and the learning is relevant.
Your kids won’t be learning tons of little factoids, and tested and tested… they will be loved, inspired and treated with dignity they deserve.
Go meet the wonderful teachers and Head of School at the Friends School of Charlotte.
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Bank Of America Chooses New CEO, Electrolux HQ Moves Here
December 17th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte
It was a big news day in Charlotte, NC. Early in the day, the big news was
Electrolux, USA is relocating to Charlotte.
Governor Bev Perdue announced Electrolux would be moving its North American headquarters in the first quarter of 2010,and more than 700 jobs (over several years) to Charlotte from Augusta, Georgia. The Swedish home appliance firm is consolidating their North American operations at the former First Charter facility in the University City area, and will be home to more than 700 employees, most of whom will be relocated from around the US to Charlotte. Governor Perdue cited North Carolina’s well trained work force and pro-business climate. We in Charlotte real estate like the sound of 700 families moving here!
Charlotte had two big advantages, Charlotte’s airport has given Charlotte an advantage among international companies seeking to locate in the south for a decade. Then last August, another Swedish firm Husquavarna, a former Electorlux division, now independent, relocated here… That and over $10 Million in incentives from city, county and state resources didn’t hurt either.
Still, the incentive package was small by most regional comparisons- they wanted to be here. All good. Then late in the day, it was announced that
Bank of America had named Brian Moynihan as the bank’s new CEO replacing the retiring Ken Lewis.
Moynihan was quick to point out he will be based in Charlotte and that the bank’s headquarters would remain in Charlotte. This settles a few months of uncertainty since Ken Lewis made his announcement. Combined with the early re-payment of the TARP money, this offers Bank of America a new start in a nee decade and can begin the work of rebuilding its reputation.
A number of Bank of America’s Board sought a business relocation to NYC, making many around here, lets say, uncomfortable. Fifth 3rd Bank announced as part of the Electrolux deal they’ll move their headquarters uptown, GMAC has expanded their operations and are moving uptown, US Bank established their Southeast office here in July, all seeking to capitalize on the talent let go by the old Wachovia.
Kudos to our excellent Chamber and city government for putting together the package that made this work.
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Charlotte NC- Three Big Wins for the City
December 10th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte Business
CMS Tops the Nation in 4th Grade Urban School Performance,
Wells Fargo Gives $6M in Year End Charitable Contributions
The Nations Report Card, NAEP, or National Assessment of Educational Progress, is a nation wide study of 4th and 8th grade students in 18 urban school districts. This interim report released yesterday, or TUDA, indicated that CMS 4th graders were at the top in math of the 18 cities, that they scored above average national mathematics scores in 4th and 8th grade. Another win for Charmeck Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman. State Department of Education release.
Wells Fargo made their presence known in Charlotte, surprising the recession-starved non-profit community with $6Million in grants Tuesday. In a year where there weren’t enough dollars to go around to Charlotte’s non-profits, this was happy news, dance in the street news… and it was a shot in the arm the whole community needed.
Bank of America announces they would re-pay the Federal Government TARP $45 Billion, including interest, before years end. Good news for Bank stock, and good news in the search for a CEO replacement.
These are powerful statements about Charlotte’ s future. I’ll write more in the future
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