Carolinas Crane Watch 2025: Six Projects Adding Mixed Use and Housing

ULI

The ULI Carolinas Conference in Charleston, held in early March, offered a glimpse into groundbreaking projects transforming the urban landscapes of North and South Carolina, with developers delivering rapid-fire presentations during the high-energy Crane Watch session. Each presenter shared the vision, challenges, and impacts their projects promise for communities across the Carolinas.

1. Gateway 737, Columbia, South Carolina

Jeff Schaus, vice president of development with Holder Properties, showcased Gateway 737 in the heart of Columbia, South Carolina, a cutting-edge student housing development poised to redefine campus living at the University of South Carolina.

Transforming a 3.75-acre (1.52 ha) parking lot into 730,000 square feet (67,819 sq m) of premier Class A student housing, the development features 940 beds/baths, 555 parking spaces, 12,500 square feet (1,161 sq m) of courtyard with a pool, and 43,000 square feet (3,995 sq m) of academic areas, including more than 50 collaboration and study spaces.

The nine-floor building employs Columbia’s first-ever fully precast construction at $180 million ($195,000 per bed). It was built bottom to top in four major phases, a logistical marvel involving 930,000 trucking miles—comparable to driving from Columbia to Los Angeles more than 400 times.

2. The Holbrook at Town Center in Huntersville, North Carolina

Shane Seagle, managing partner, North State Development presented The Holbrook at Town Center in Huntersville, North Carolina, a project aimed at revitalizing the sleepy downtown into a vibrant mixed-use destination. By leveraging a key parcel owned by the town and making strategic land acquisitions, the site was expanded to nearly 10 acres (4.0 ha).

The $61.4 million development features 186 residential units, a bustling retail scene anchored by local favorite Corkscrew wine bar, and a state-of-the-art wellness center. Despite mirroring the town’s plans for the area, the project faced significant rezoning hurdles, including a lengthy review process that took 10 months, community push-back, and Covid-19 disruptions. Today, however, The Holbrook at Town Center symbolizes exactly what the town needed to spark downtown revitalization.

3. Wye Junction in Durham, North Carolina

Jeff Kurtz, senior vice president, Ram Realty Advisors introduced Wye Junction in Durham, North Carolina. Strategically sited in the heart of the Durham Warehouse District, the project lies adjacent to the bustling downtown, a historic ballpark, and the future 1.8-mile (3.2 km) Durham Rail Trail.

Financed through a two-bank syndication, the $135 million Wye Junction was designed to enhance walkability in Durham’s continuing evolution as a vibrant urban destination. The mixed-use development creatively integrates modern and historic elements, preserving the neighborhood’s legacy while adding 310 residential units and dynamic retail spaces.

The site itself is rich in history, originally made up of four parcels and used as a city garage for municipal fleets and fire trucks. Part of the property had been used for oil and coal distribution, which required environmental remediation before development. The project’s innovative use of stormwater infrastructure and public areas provides open space for live music, food trucks, and outdoor gatherings. Of the 26,325 square feet (2,446 sq m) of retail, 18,687 square feet (1,736 sq m) is housed in a building on the Historic Register. In addition, 7,638 square feet (709.6 sq m) was designed as integrated ground level.

4. Trinity Court in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Dominick Dunnigan, vice president with Community Housing Partners, spotlighted Trinity Court in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, as a response to the affordable housing shortages in areas of persistent poverty. CHP’s mission is to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, and this is evident in its work on Trinity Court, which sits about three-quarters of a mile from well-known Franklin Street.

Once a 40-unit public housing project from the 1970s, the deteriorated apartment buildings had been vacant since 2018. As with all such projects, redevelopment required thoughtful planning, strong community collaboration, and a complex financial stack valued at about $19 million. When complete, the plan calls for 54 modern, energy-efficient units—a dramatic 35 percent increase in dwellings on the same footprint. With more than two-thirds of the site having a grade greater than 15 percent, construction was an enormous challenge, especially during heavy rain events such as Hurricane Helene. Despite the setbacks, framing is finished and move-ins are expected in September 2025.

5. Queensbridge Collective, Charlotte, North Carolina

Riverside Investment and Development’s $262 million Queensbridge Collective, presented by James Anderson, a Riverside vice president, showcases how strategic urban design can bridge uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, with the booming South End neighborhood. The transformative, phased development will feature a 42-story tower with 409 apartments and nearly 25,000 square feet (2,323 sq m) of retail; it will be followed by a second tower with 525,000 square feet (48,774 sq m) of office space. Sprouting from the site of a former club and diner, these ambitious high-rises—with a double-helix parking deck for 1,600 vehicles—feature 100,000 square feet (9,290 sq m) of unique indoor and outdoor amenities, including a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) activated rooftop deck and a high-end steakhouse. A street that had bifurcated the site also had to be included into the plans as part of the approval process. Construction began in 2023, and the first tower is expected to be completed in third quarter 2025. The project was underwritten at $3.45 per square foot ($37.13 per sq m) rents, which are already being achieved in the submarket today.

6. Project Core, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Lastly, Devin Bird, CFO, Johnson Development Associates, highlighted Project Core, the cornerstone of an $800 million growth plan designed to revitalize downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. Anchored by a new ballpark opening in May for the Texas Rangers’ High-A baseball team—with 2.5 million attendees expected annually—the project will eventually bring a 150-key hotel into the urban core, 600 residential units (a 50 percent increase in current stock), and 240,000 square feet (22,300 sq m) of office space. Phase 1 is earmarked for 180 apartment units, with office space and hotel to follow. This transformational initiative promises to attract more than 1,800 additional people to downtown each day, injecting energy, economic activity, and community pride. The public/private partnership was financed with $340 million in public funding and more than $400 million in private investment. Also in the works for downtown Spartanburg is the planned renovation of Morgan Square, a new $14 million planetarium, a Fairfield Inn, and additional Project Core phases as the development matures.

These visionary projects not only reflect the Carolinas’ continued growth but highlight the resilience and innovation driving regional development in today’s challenging landscape.

Julianne McCollum, principal at Yellow Duck Marketing, and Amanda Adams Thompson, Director of Client Services at Yellow Duck Marketing.

Creating Value in Mixed Use:

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• New Stadium, Entertainment District Are Last Puzzle Pieces for Downtown Oklahoma City
• Forgotten Factory to Thriving Neighborhood: The Redevelopment of St. Louis’ Steelcote Square