Childress Klein tops out new 22-story apartment tower uptown

Childress Klein Properties celebrated the topping out of its new 22-story apartment tower in uptown Charlotte Friday with a barbecue lunch for the construction workers laboring on the project.

In biting January cold, officials and workers gathered under a heated tent in nearby Romare Bearden Park to mark the occasion.

Fred Klein III, a partner with Childress Klein, announced that the 352-unit apartment building will be called Element Uptown. He touted the $100 million-plus projects location next to Bearden Park and the nearly finished BB&T Ballpark.

Those factors, along with its luxury studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, will make it one of the most desirable rentals in the city, he said.

People want to live in an urban environment where theres lots of stuff going on, Klein said. We just felt it was the right time. Charlottes ready for it.

His father, Fred Klein II, said the project marks the firms seventh major project in uptown, but its first apartment tower there.

We felt this was a great site, a great location, he said.

Fred Klein III said pricing for the apartments hasnt been set, but the firm hopes to start preleasing in the next few months. JE Dunn Construction should finish the building sometime this summer.

It will include a seventh-floor outdoor pool as well as penthouse apartments with panoramic views featuring Bank of America Stadium and other uptown landmarks.

The project comes amid a post-recession surge in apartment construction locally. Complexes have been popping up throughout the South End; luxury apartment tower Catalyst sits next door to Element.

Read the original post:
Childress Klein tops out new 22-story apartment tower uptown