Charlotte’s skyline may soon be spreading further from the center city. City council approved a developer’s plans Monday night to build a 20-story office tower just southeast of uptown Charlotte, despite resistance from neighbors worried about the building’s height and traffic congestion.
The council voted 10-1 in favor of the project. The tower, proposed by developer NAI Southern Real Estate, would be one of the tallest buildings outside of the I-277 loop. The office tower would be a block from the streetcar on Fourth Street next to the Cherry neighborhood and would include a 240-room hotel.
City councilor Larken Egleston represents that area. He acknowledged the concerns of neighbors but said the development fits with the city’s plans.
“This is the future of our city is to create density along transit and a lot of people addressed that they were concerned about sprawl," Egleston said at Monday's meeting. "To me, this is how we prevent sprawl."
Charlotte City Councilor LaWana Mayfield was the only member to vote no on the plans.
NAI says it’s still searching for an anchor tenant and will not move ahead with construction until it finds one.