Beacon Partners just signed their first lease at Metrolina Park (sight of the annual Fanta Festival), which will soon become Charlotte’s largest new industrial parks at 1.2 million square feet. Bonded Logistics will lease the first 371,895 square feet in the project.

The ±95-acre site along Statesville Road was formerly home to Metrolina Expo when Beacon Partners purchased the property in June 2016.

“We are very excited to expand our warehousing footprint here in Charlotte,” stated Scott Carr, President of Bonded Logistics. “The city has become a major hub in the Southeast for companies in need of logistics services. This building is a perfect location as it sits next to several of our other facilities, creating a campus atmosphere that encompasses over 750,000 square feet. The modern space is expansive and customizable, offering us an open canvas to grow our current business as well as take on new clients. We really appreciate Beacon bringing this opportunity to us. They are a great partner to Bonded and have been a big part of our company’s growth over the years.”

“Metrolina Park provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop this state-of-the-art industrial park,” said Tim Robertson, Director of Industrial Leasing at Beacon Partners. “That a company of the caliber of Bonded Logistics has made such a significant commitment demonstrates the intrinsic quality and value that Metrolina Park offers.”

Beacon Partners is currently building two of the planned speculative industrial buildings at Metrolina Park. When completed, Building 1 (7224 Statesville Road) will be a 140,634 square foot rear-load facility fronting Statesville Road. Building 2 (5224 Gibbon Road) will be a 495,950 square foot cross-dock building positioned just off the park’s main entrance.

Both are scheduled to deliver in the first half of 2017.

Charlotte’s Time Out Youth recently announced plans for a new homeless shelter in Charlotte.

Thanks to a generous $100,000 donation by Myers Park Baptist Church, the LGBT organization will now have enough funds to purchase and renovate their new shelter, also doubling as a new center for the organization.

The shelter is expected to house at least a dozen homeless youths.

According to The Charlotte Observer, Myer’s Park Baptist has been an active supporter of Time Out Youth for the past two decades – it even provided it’s meeting space when the orgainzation first launched in the early 90s.

Scott Crowder, one of the leaders at Myers Park Baptist, commented that the church is called to protect those who are at risk, dehumanized or excluded.

Sugar Creek Construction (the construction company building the I77 toll lanes) just announced that they will be closing the LaSalle Street north ramp onto I77 for about 12 months starting on April 26th.

They noted that once construction is complete, a new dedicated lane will allow drivers to continue traveling to I-85, or continue onto I-77 northbound.

Once the ramp is complete, the new toll lanes will run parallel with the ‘free’ lanes.

In their announcement, the Sugar Creek Construction company also noted:

“Motorists are encouraged to pay attention when approaching the work zone, obey the posted speed limit, work zone signs and detour signs, and allow extra time to reach their destinations safely.”

This new warning is likely due to the recent accidents and damage caused by I-77 construction debris hitting cars.