Vol. 9 No. 3
January 15, 2016 www.matthewsminthillweekly.com
Downtown Matthews Station redevelopment nearly complete by Justin Vick justin@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com
Lining up for Matthews Charter Matthews Charter Academy, an affiliate of the nondenominational church Team Church, hopes to open in August and is accepting applications. But the increase in traffic promised to come with the new school has some parents, and Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor, concerned. Turn to page 8 for more information on Matthews Charter, and page 4 for its impact on the church and town's infrastructure.
MATTHEWS – Matthews Station is coming full circle for Charlotte-based Lat Purser & Associates (LPA). LPA took on the downtown redevelopment project that led to a new town hall and library, four commercial buildings, public streets and parking in 2000. The firm leases some of the property. It also is finalizing details to develop the last remaining lot. Town commissioners held a public hearing Monday, Jan. 11, to sell the lot for an appraised value of $17 per square foot. No one spoke for or against the proposal. The sale involves between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet at 122 Matthews Station St., putting the price at $136,000 to $170,000. Lat Purser, the firm’s namesake, told town leaders his firm is working with the project’s contractor and architect to confirm construction costs before bringing back a final deal structure in 30 to 60 days. LPA will develop a two-story, 8,300-squarefoot building, with two outdoor patios and seating areas. It would share an elevator and covered stairway with the adjacent building to provide cover from the rain. “When we first started developing this street, we wanted to do things that were consistent and
complementary, but not identical. That’s our intent here,” Purser said. “There will be some things here we will modify – things we feel functionally are not appropriate. Overall, the theme and design will stay consistent with what you see.” LPA’s proposal mentioned that Matthews Station will have an “architectural theme which connects one to the heritage of Matthews,” yet Commissioner John Urban suggested toning down the façade to make it a bit more “Southern rural.” He’d rather the building feature exposed brick rather than Romanesque archways. Purser agreed, noting the covered patio on the second floor was “heavy.” Purser said his firm would continue look at project details. Town leaders directed staff during its February 2015 planning retreat to market the last lot along Matthews Station Street to developers, according to senior planner Jay Camp. Matthews sought proposals but LPA submitted the only bid at $50,000, requiring the town to sell the lot for its appraised value. The timeline set in the proposal called for construction to start in April and end with occupancy in November. “The design allows for continued ease of flow through the entire Matthews Station complex, allowing people to enjoy their time relaxing, sitting to eat and visit, with the property serving as a center for social, business and public events,” according to LPA’s proposal.
Photo courtesy of Matthews
Here’s a rendering of what the building proposed for 122 Matthews Station St. could look like. Notice how it’s connected to an existing building on the far left.
Bank of Matthews Local historian Paula Lester takes a look at the history of the Bank of Matthews in a new column. Page 5
ShopLiah opens
Covenant Day improves
A new women’s clothing and accessories store opened off Monroe Road on New Year’s Day. Page 10
News Briefs 6 | Opinion 7 | Education 8 | Faith 10 | Calendar 11 | Sports 12 | Classifieds 15
The Lions’ girls and boys basketball teams have made big strides this season, and are ready for more. Page 13