Nantz Road is to the left in this site plan

Jan. 18.  By Dave Vieser. Site preparation work has begun for a new convenience store and day care center on West Catawba opposite Nantz Road. Convenience Development Partners will extend Nantz Road to the south and east, behind the storage business and meeting up with another extension that is expected to be built by the developer of Magnolia Villas.

Magnolia Villas is a proposed 60-unit residential project on vacant land behind Dunkin and the existing 7-Eleven convenience store that would connect with Magnolia Estates Drive. The original zoning approval had BV Belk Properties listed as the applicant, but in December 2020, a new application and site plan, filed by Mooresville-based Nest Communities.

Will the extension to Magnolia Estates, not far from the Fifth Third branch, occur in a timely fashion? That remains to be seen.

Evan Walton, of Convenience Development Partners, says he will do his part.

“We are dedicating our land and paying for the entire road on our property. It will be a full cross section with sidewalk and multi purpose path. Magnolia Villas will pick up the road at the property line and build the rest of it to Magnolia Estates Drive.

Herein lies the rub: The zoning for the Magnolia Villas project, which consists of over 60 residential units, was originally approved back in 2005, but no site work has ever been done. Town planning Director Rox Burhans says the Nest Communities construction plans are under review by the town.

“This project requires having construction plans approved to move forward with development,” Burhans said. “We are unaware of the developer’s planned start date since they are still in the permitting process.”

Ideally, the two sections of the road could be built at the same time.

The convenience store/day care project encompasses nine acres that were previously undeveloped except for two vacant homes which were recently demolished. The project will include two commercial/retail buildings totaling 9,400 square feet fronting West Catawba Avenue.

Original plans also called for a 45,000 square foot office building, but Walton said the demand for such space has dramatically dropped since COVID.