A large new mixed-use development in a restored textile mill in Charlotte’s Optimist Park, between uptown and NoDa, has had its name changed from Tompkins Hall to Optimist Hall, developers recently announced. “When we first embarked on this development over three years ago, we had two primary objectives,” said the developers, White Point Paces Partners. “The first was to preserve and reuse a piece of history that played a significant role in Charlotte’s meteoric economic rise in the late 1800’s. The second was to reimagine the mill as a beacon of innovation and community.
“With the physical transformation nearing completion and as tenants are beginning build-out, we recently shifted our focus to the second objective, and in doing so rethinking the name initially chosen – Tompkins Hall. We want the opening of the mill to be a new chapter in Charlotte’s history – a rebirth instead of looking in the rearview mirror. Therefore, we hope you will support us as we reintroduce this development as Optimist Hall. This name is reflective of our second objective and honors the community in which it stands – Optimist Park.”
White Point Paces Partners are Jay Levell, Erik Johnson, Merritt Lancaster and David Cochran. Optimist Hall is located at at 340 E. 16th St.
“We have been hard at work transforming a late 1800’s textile mill into one of the most unique, authentic developments in Charlotte,” their announcement continued. “We look forward to our long-term partner and tenant, Duke Energy, opening later this year in the office portion of the mill. Soon thereafter, in the first quarter of 2019, we will open the doors of the food hall, with a lineup that is shaping up to be a foodie’s paradise.”
Food hall participants announced so far, as reported in the Charlotte Observer, include:
• Papi Queso, Brian Stockholm’s popular grilled-cheese food truck. Stockholm plans to have a 645-foot stall that will be set up like a modern luncheonette, with bar stools, an open kitchen and vintage tiles. The food will be custom-made grilled cheese sandwiches with seasonal and local touches. This is Stockholm’s first brick-and-mortar location since starting the food truck in 2012.
• The other two vendors are both coming from the Tampa area: AVA, with Italian food and Neapolitan-style pizza, and Zukku Sushi, with sushi rolls, sushi burritos and poke bowls. Both have locations in Tampa’s Armature Works, a restored factory with a public market that’s similar to the Optimist Hall project.
When it’s finished, Optimist Hall will have a food hall with about 15 vendors, one to three restaurants, a large tasting room for Fonta Flora Brewery, as well as retail shops and offices for Duke Energy.
With the three new names, six vendors have been announced for the food hall — Bao + Broth from Bruce Moffett and Larry Schreiber; Aix, a rotisserie chicken stand from the owners of Aix En Provence; and Undercurrent Coffee. More announcements on the remaining and restaurants are expected in the next few weeks.
