New Design Includes 400,000 Square Feet of Office, Reduces Residential Component
As you may know from previous bulletins, Lecount Square is the name of the mixed-use development slated for construction on the downtown block bounded by Huguenot, North, Anderson, and Lecount. The developers of Lecount Square announced this month a significant shift in the proposed composition of the project, tripling the planned office component from 126,000 to almost 400,000 square feet, while reducing the number of residential units from 527 to 258.
As in the previous plan, two towers would rise from a three-level retail podium. However, the north tower would contain only office space with the first two floors above the retail featuring financial trading floors with 40,000-square-foot floor plates. The remaining office floors would have floor plates of approximately 23,500 square feet. The total height of the north tower would be reduced from 500 to 375 feet.
The south tower, which would retain its planned height of 500 feet, would have a hotel on the lower thirteen floors with residences on the remaining upper floors. The hotel would have 209 rooms. There would be 200 residences in the south tower and 58 in the adjacent loft building. The mix of retail and restaurants would change slightly, with 200,000 square feet of retail, up from 180,192 square feet, and 12,000 square feet of restaurant space, down from 22,000 square feet.
On balance, I am pleased with this new configuration. Developing office space in close proximity to mass transit is consistent with the City’s commitment to smart growth. In addition, office space will enliven the daytime streetscape, and provide for a balanced twenty-four hour population that supports and attracts new businesses.
Lecount Square must still complete its environmental analysis, architectural peer review, and a series of other steps before it receives final approval. Presuming that the issues associated with such reviews are resolved successfully, construction should begin later this year or early next year.