Tag: Lake Norman

New Lake Norman restaurant offers modern Indian cuisine, ‘street-style bites’
A new Indian restaurant has joined the metro Charlotte food scene.

Masala Bitez Indian Kitchen officially opened Monday, Jan. 12, on Mooresville Commons Way in Mooresville. The restaurant is in the former Chefry’s Blue Smoke BBQ restaurant space in the Lowes Foods center off Brawley School and Williamson roads.

Vishal Makkar and his father, Ashok Kumar, also own the longtime Sangam Indian Cuisine in Cornelius and Masala Mastee in Davidson. Makkar’s sister, Marina Makkar, is general manager of all three.

The family searched for a Mooresville site for some time before finding the perfect spot, Vishal Makkar told CharlotteFive at Masala Bitez on Thursday.

Masala Bitez Indian Kitchen officially opened in Mooresville, offering a daily lunch buffet of Indian favorites, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Joe Marusak jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

“We’ve been here almost 25 years,” he said. “I love Mooresville. We live in Mooresville, and this location, I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Masala Bitez offers a 24-item, $14.95 daily lunch buffet featuring “a flavorful spread of freshly prepared Indian favorites,” according to its Facebook page.

Customers will find classic dishes and street-style offerings, plus vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The dinner menu, available all day, includes Tandoori, chicken, lamb, seafood, vegetarian and rice entrées, and appetizers, soups, salads, breads and desserts.

Masala Bitez has three chefs, each from a different part of India, Vishal Makkar said.

Malai Kofta, Aloo Baingan

Marina Makkar mentioned these customer favorites on the 96-item menu:

Chicken Tikka Masala ($16.95): Tender chicken breast pieces cooked in its signature tandoor, then simmered in a creamy tomato sauce.

Lamb Korma ($17.95): Tender meat pieces cooked in cashew nuts and almonds paste enriched with fresh cream.

Malai Kofta ($15.95): Vegetable and homemade cheese balls cooked in an onion and creamy sauce with almonds, cashews and raisins.

Tandoori Mixed Grill ($21.95): Combination of tandoori specialties like chicken, lamb, shrimp and salmon served with fresh vegetables.

Aloo Baingan ($14.95): Potatoes and eggplant sautéed with ginger, garlic and freshly ground spices.

She also mentioned two of the 10 appetizers:

Gobi Manchurian ($12.95): Cauliflower florets glazed in tangy sauce.

Aloo Tikki Chat ($9.95): Spiced chick peas, potatoes and flour dumplings delicately tossed in the restaurant’s sweet and sour tangy sauce.

“We took part of the menus from Sangam and Masala Mastee and blended them together,” Vishal Makkar said.

The restaurant seats 60 at white linen tables indoors and 20 on the outdoor patio.

Both the menu and the restaurant interior have a “modern classic” design, Vishal Makkar said.

A wall displays original 25-pound decorative doors from 20th-century farmhouses in the Punjab region. Those were flown in, Makkar said. A mosaic of the Taj Mahal graces another wall.

Masala Bitez Indian Kitchen officially opened in Mooresville, offering a daily lunch buffet of Indian favorites, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Joe Marusak jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

Location: 134 Mooresville Commons Way, Mooresville, NC 28117

Cuisine: Indian

Instagram: @masalabitez_mooresville

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Tanasia Kenney

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Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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January 16, 2026
Man suspected of robbing Lake Norman Dollar Tree found in Virginia, police say

A man charged in the robbery of this Lake Norman Dollar Tree is under investigation in a string of other Dollar Tree holdups, police said.

Joe Marusak

jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

MOORESVILLE

In the Virginia mountains Wednesday, Jan. 7, U.S. Marshals apprehended a 62-year-old Rowan County man suspected of robbing a Lake Norman Dollar Tree store and possibly ones in nearby towns recently, police said.

The man was caught four days after a robber approached employees in the Dollar Tree at 221-R Norman Station Blvd., flashed a handgun and ordered the workers to give him all the cash in a safe, Mooresville police said on social media, citing surveillance footage.

“Once the suspect had the money, he took the store’s phone and left the store,” according to a Mooresville Police Department news release. The suspect drove away in a dark Honda sedan, police said.

Through further investigation, police said they identified a suspect who was arrested without incident in Bristol, Virginia, 180 miles from Mooresville.

The China Grove man was jailed without bond pending extradition to Mooresville. He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon, police said.

“More charges are forthcoming from Mooresville Police Department, as well as surrounding jurisdictions,” police said.

Mooresville police thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and police in Bristol for helping apprehend the man.

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January 10, 2026
Texas developer plans Lake Norman mixed-use community with hundreds of homes

A Texas developer plans a Lake Norman mixed-use community that will include 259 multifamily homes and commercial space, public records show.

High Street District Development Inc., a subsidiary of Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co., has submitted plans for the project to the Huntersville Planning Department.

The 11.87-acre development would be on Old Statesville Road near Mount Holly-Huntersville Road.

The developer’s rezoning request calls for removing a greenhouse and accessory buildings for the development called Old Statesville Road Mixed-Use, town documents show.

This sketch shows the layout of High Street District Development Inc.’s proposed mixed-use community in Huntersville. Seamon Whiteside

Timetable for a decision

On Tuesday, the Huntersville Board of Commissioners will consider scheduling a public hearing on the rezoning request for 6 p.m. Feb. 3 at Town Hall, 101 Huntersville-Concord Road.

The Huntersville Planning Board would then consider making a recommendation on the rezoning at a meeting to be announced. The Planning Board is an advisory panel that makes recommendations to the Town Board, which has final say.

A date for the Town Board vote also is still to be scheduled.

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January 5, 2026
SC developer plans hundreds of Lake Norman apartments, townhomes, grocery store

The Knox Crossing mixed-use community would include around 330 apartments and 430 townhomes, according to the developer’s site plan.

Cline Design Associates

A South Carolina developer plans a major mixed-use community at a prime Lake Norman intersection that will include hundreds of apartments and townhomes and a grocery store, public records show.

Knox Crossing by Mount Pleasant developer WLA Enterprises Inc. would cover 44 vacant acres on the northeast corner of Sam Furr Road (N.C. 73) and Old Statesville Road (N.C. 115) in Huntersville, according to the developer’s rezoning application.

A South Carolina developer plans a major mixed-use community at this prime Lake Norman intersection, to include a grocery store and hundreds of apartments and townhomes, public records show. Street View image from October 2025. © 2026 Google

Plans call for around 330 apartments and 430 townhomes in four- and five-story buildings, according to the developer’s site plan filed at the Huntersville Planning Department.

The development also would include a gas station and retail shops.

The Knox Crossing mixed-use community would include around 330 apartments and 430 townhomes, according to the developer’s site plan. Cline Design Associates

Timetable for a decision

On Tuesday, the Huntersville Board of Commissioners will consider scheduling a public hearing on the rezoning request at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 at Town Hall, 101 Huntersville-Concord Road.

The Huntersville Planning Board would consider making a recommendation on the rezoning at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Town Hall. The Planning Board is an advisory panel that makes recommendations to the Town Board, which has final say.

At 6 p.m. March 17, the Town Board is scheduled to vote on the request.

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January 1, 2026
Walmart developer seeks Lake Norman town’s approval for a nearby restaurant

The developer of a Walmart Neighborhood Market in rapidly growing east Mooresville wants to add a restaurant and a gas station/convenience store nearby.

Iredell Avenue Residential Development LLC will seek a rezoning from the Mooresville Board of Commissioners on Monday for a Wendy’s and a 7-Eleven in its Harris Crossing development on Coddle Creek Highway (N.C. 3) at Harris Crossing Boulevard, Mooresville Planning & Community Development documents show.

At a neighborhood meeting held by the developer in May, residents raised concerns about traffic, safety, noise and potential pollution, according to the town documents.

The developer said existing trees, a proposed berm and an eight-foot-tall wall with landscaping on both sides would create sound and visual barriers along the southern end of the nearly five-acre property.

A proposed 50-foot-wide buffer of trees and other vegetation “would deter the possibilities of vagrants trying to walk through and get to the existing backyards of the adjacent homes along the east side of the property,” according to town planning documents.

On May 27, the Mooresville Planning Board sided with residents in recommending the rezoning be denied by the town board.

The Mooresville Board of Commissioners will consider the rezoning at 6 p.m. Monday at Town Hall, 413 N. Main St.

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November 29, 2025
Exclusive: Mooresville mayor unveils plans for village of free homes for veterans

MOORESVILLE

The town of Mooresville is partnering with Lowe’s and the New York-based nonprofit Building Homes for Heroes to develop a “village” of free homes for veterans, Mayor Chris Carney said Thursday.

The 14 homes will sprout over the next year or so on 4 1/2 town-owned acres along North Maple Street, across from the town’s War Memorial Recreation Center.

Carney announced the initiative before about 75 veterans at Welcome Home Veterans Military Museum at Richard’s Coffee Shop on North Main Street.

Andy Pujol, founder, CEO and chairman of the board of Building Homes for Heroes, joined Carney for the announcement.

“We love our soldiers, we love our veterans, and we want to treat them with pride and appreciation,” Pujol told The Charlotte Observer on a visit later Thursday to the site of the planned homes with Lowe’s and town officials. “But we also want to treat them better.”

Pujol participated in the search and rescue after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. He was not there on the day of the attacks, but was part of the bucket brigade alongside first responders in the aftermath

He later developed cancer, which doctors strongly believe is linked to the toxins he inhaled during that time.

Town got legislation passed for veteran housing

Carney said the location for the homes is fitting. It’s a short walk along a path and a bridge to the town’s six-acre Liberty Park, where markers honor the service of veterans of various wars. The back entrance to Welcome Home Veterans is across Church Street from the park.

North Carolina cities and towns are prohibited by state law from giving away government property, but Mooresville worked with legislators on a local bill to let the Lake Norman town do so when benefiting veterans, Carney said.

The law was enacted in much less time than most legislation and can serve as a model for communities across the state, the former state senator said.

With military bases including Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina has many veterans who could benefit from such initiatives, Carney said.

Lowe’s has been ‘a great partner’

Building Homes for Heroes has gifted 440 homes in 36 states, including nine in North Carolina, David Weingrad, director of communications, told the Observer in a phone interview later Thursday. That includes new homes and modified and renovated ones, he said.

Veterans apply for homes on the organization’s website. Those with the greatest need, because of injuries both physical and mental suffered during their service, are the likeliest to receive homes, Weingrad said. They also can’t be homeowners.

“Lowe’s has been a great partner with us,” donating several million dollars to the organization and several million dollars from customers through its Round Up for Charity effort, he said. Customers can round up their bills to the higher dollar, with the change going to the donation program.

“It’s because of Lowe’s generosity that we’re able to achieve this amazing milestone,” Weingrad said of the number of homes the organization has given to veterans.

Joe McFarland, executive vice president of stores and merchandising at the Mooresville-based home improvement retailer, serves on the Building Homes for Heroes board, Weingrad said.

The homes effort will be formally announced during Veterans Day events in downtown Mooresville on Nov. 11, Carney said.

This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

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October 24, 2025
Birkdale Village is sold again, less than a year after an Atlanta firm bought it

Birkdale Village in Huntersville has a new owner – a global property investment firm with $92 billion in assets — less than a year after its sale to an Atlanta-based real estate giant.

Terms were not disclosed Wednesday of developer Jamestown’s sale of the property to Houston-based Hines U.S. Property Partners.

The mixed-use development Birkdale VIllage in Huntersville has been sold. Birkdale Village

Hines announced the acquisition in a news release Wednesday afternoon, calling the iconic mixed-use development near Lake Norman a “premier” community that is 99% leased.

In May, Birkdale Village was up for sale less than a year after getting a new owner, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Two months prior, the Huntersville Board of Commissioners approved Jamestown’s request to add to the development a 125-room, full-service hotel, 150 multi-family units, 26,715 square feet of commercial space and an office building.

History of development ownership

In August 2024, Jamestown announced the acquisition of Birkdale Village owner North American Properties’ Atlanta subsidiary. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jamestown’s projects have included some of the most iconic buildings in the U.S., such as One Times Square, where the New Year’s Eve ball drops in New York City.

Jamestown also is a joint owner of two North Carolina properties: Optimist Hall in Charlotte and the mixed-use development, Raleigh Iron Works.

Birkdale Village was a joint venture partnership with Jamestown, Nuveen Real Estate and North American Properties, Jamestown said.

The community was among the first of its kind in the Charlotte area when it was built in 2003 by Charlotte firms Crosland and Pappas Properties.

In 2022, North American Properties’ invested $20 million to transform the 52-acre property into an entertainment destination with the addition of an outdoor stage, green space and retail kiosks. Retailers include Apple, lululemon, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma.

Birkdale Village had a total assessed value of $37.3 million in 2023, Mecklenburg County public tax records show. Its current assessed value is under review, according to the county.

Notable Hines buildings are The Lipstick Building in New York City, a 34-story building that opened in 1986 at 885 Third Ave., known for its curvy design; and the largest skyscraper in Texas, the 75-story JPMorgan Chase Tower in Houston.

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This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 5:09 PM.

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October 22, 2025
Major Lake Norman road closed for hours after gas line break prompts evacuations

Construction barrels line N.C. 150 from U.S. 21 to Talbert Road in Mooresville NC on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, for the long-awaited expansion of the highway to six lanes. A gas line rupture along this stretch prompted evacuations and the closing of the road on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.

JOE MARUSAK

jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

Crews expanding a major Lake Norman-area highway cut a gas line Friday, prompting evacuations and closing the busy road for hours, witnesses and town officials said.

The line ruptured on West Plaza Drive (N.C. 150) in Mooresville, near the Randy Marion auto dealership, town officials said on social media.

Fumes shot skyward, along with red clay dirt caught in the spewing gas, Charlotte Observer news parter WSOC reported.

Dirt blanketed the dealership’s sign and outdoor vehicles, according to the station.

“We heard the sound, and at first I was like, that’s a pretty loud sound,” Corky Trutza, manager of the nearby Mooresville Golf Range, told WSOC. “Next thing I know, fire guys are knocking on the door.”

On the town’s Facebook page, a witness said he was 200 feet from the gas line when a back hoe operator ruptured the line.

“It was pretty crazy,” the man said. “Dirt and natural gas shooting about 60 feet in the air.”

No injuries were reported.

Highway widening project

Crews are expanding the highway to three lanes in each direction as part of the $249 million widening of N.C. 150 in Iredell and Catawba counties.

The project will include a massive new 10-lane bridge over the highway at Interstate 77 exit 36.

In the first phase of the bridge work, crews will build additional eastbound lanes on N.C. 150, according to NCDOT. The second phase will add westbound lanes, officials said.

“The final phase will complete the transition to a 160-foot-wide structure featuring ten travel lanes, tying in the bridge to the existing roadway, and removing the existing bridge,” according to the NCDOT statement.

Between U.S. 21 and I-77 exit 36 in Mooresville, crews are installing storm drains, hauling and grading dirt, moving water meters and building small retaining walls, according to an update by the town on Friday.

Major fill work is underway near Chick-fil-A, and a temporary traffic signal is being installed, town officials said. Wall construction has started, beginning at the exit 36 bridge.

15-mile, five-year highway expansion

The overall, 15-mile N.C. 150 widening project is needed to ease decades-old congestion and handle future crowding, officials said. Charlotte-based contractor Blythe Development LLC heads the work.

Construction began this year and is expected to finish in 2030.

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October 18, 2025
9 things to know about the food scene in Lake Norman

The Lake Norman food scene is thriving, with new eateries, expansions, and local spots pushing culinary boundaries.

A new Mooresville family restaurant, The Happy Egg, serves chef-owner Cornelio Garcia’s homemade recipes, featuring dishes like shrimp and grits with a Cajun cream glaze.

7 Brew Coffee expands with its first Charlotte-area drive-through, offering a plethora of drink combinations.

Hilda and Gabriel Manjarrez introduce Lake Norman diners to their popular Charlotte restaurant, La Michoacana, known for its tacos al pastor.

Meanwhile, Whataburger plans to open a branch in Mooresville, offering specials to its first 100 customers.

These developments from the past couple of months signal a dynamic growth in food options around Lake Norman, catering to diverse tastes and preferences.

NO. 1: HERE’S WHERE TO GO APPLE PICKING THIS FALL NEAR CHARLOTTE

Grab your best flannel and a Pumpkin Spiced Latte and get ready to pick some apples at these local farms. | Published August 16, 2022 | Read Full Story by Lorenza Medley

Duckworth’s offers a variety of game day foods, including burgers, nachos and sandwiches. By guerrillaRAW

NO. 2: MY FRIENDS ARE NEW TO THE CHARLOTTE AREA. HERE’S WHERE WE EAT IN HUNTERSVILLE

In a stroke of good luck, my husband‘s best friend and his family — the couple who set us up together and have been by our side ever since — have moved to the Charlotte area this year and landed in Lake Norman. | Published October 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley

Whataburger has set the opening date of its Lake Norman location in Mooresville, shown here on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. By JOE MARUSAK

NO. 3: WHATABURGER OPENS LAKE NORMAN LOCATION THURSDAY. FREEBIES TO FIRST 100 CUSTOMERS

Texas-based Whataburger is scheduled to open its Lake Norman location in Mooresville at 9 a.m. | Published September 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Tacos Al Pastor at The Happy Egg.

NO. 4: NEW MOORESVILLE FAMILY RESTAURANT FEATURES CHEF-OWNER’S HOMEMADE RECIPES

After decades as a chef at well known Lake Norman and other Charlotte-area restaurants, Cornelio Garcia fulfilled a longtime dream recently. | Published September 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

The eight-episode drama “The Hunting Wives” premieres on Monday, July 21, and parts of it were filmed in the Charlotte area.

NO. 5: IS ‘THE HUNTING WIVES’ GETTING A 2ND SEASON ON NETFLIX? WE HAVE OUR ANSWER

Netflix has officially confirmed that “The Hunting Wives” will return for a second season.The series, based on May Cobb’s novel, follows Sophie O’Neill, portrayed by Brittany Snow, as she gets pulled into the dangerous world of glamorous socialite Margo Banks, played by Malin Akerman. | Published September 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Evan Moore

Owner Gabriel Manjarrez poses outside the soon-to-open Lake Norman location of his family’s popular Charlotte restaurant on Friday, July 25, 2025. By JOE MARUSAK

NO. 6: CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT WITH ‘BEST TACOS AL PASTOR’ EXPANDS TO LAKE NORMAN.

Gabriel and Hilda Manjarrez opened a Lake Norman location of their popular Charlotte family restaurant on Tuesday.With “the best tacos al pastor in Mooresville,” La Michoacana Taqueria y Tortilleria is now serving diners across from Walmart Supercenter off Interstate 77/N.C. | Published September 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Wichita’s second 7 Brew drive-through coffee shop opened today at Douglas and Rock. By Courtesy photo

NO. 7: DRIVE-THROUGH COFFEE CHAIN CONTINUES EXPANSION WITH FIRST CHARLOTTE-AREA SHOP

7 Brew Coffee, an Arkansas-based drive-thru coffee chain, is expanding its footprint in North Carolina with a new location in the Charlotte area. | Published September 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Evan Moore

Owner Case Warnemunde poses outside Old Town Public House in downtown Cornelius on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. The popular nightlife venue will close in January before the building is demolished for a major new development project. By DESIREE MATHURIN

NO. 8: LAKE NORMAN NIGHTLIFE VENUE TO CLOSE AND BUILDING RAZED FOR MAJOR NEW PROJECT

Old Town Public House, a popular nightlife venue in downtown Cornelius, will close in January before the building is demolished for a new development project, its owner said Thursday. | Published October 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Courtesy of Corkscrew Wine Pub

NO. 9: CRAFT BEER, CROISSANTS AND MORE: NEW SHOPS ARRIVING SOON IN DOWNTOWN HUNTERSVILLE

A Charlotte-area city is looking to grow its food and dining scene with two new options coming next spring. | Published October 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Tanasia Kenney

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

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October 17, 2025
Police reveal new details about a pedestrian killed on a busy Lake Norman road

Police named the pedestrian killed on a busy Lake Norman road on Friday and said no charges will be filed.

Street View image from April 2023. © 2025 Google

Police revealed new details Tuesday about the woman who was killed on a busy Lake Norman road last week.

Elizabeth Wagstrom, a 63-year-old Huntersville resident, was lying in the 10000 block of eastbound Gilead Road when a driver hit her around 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3, police said in a news release. She had dark clothes on, officers said.

Wagstrom was pronounced dead at the scene, and no charges are expected, police said.

Police aren’t saying if they know why Wagstrom was in the road, but asked anyone with information about the collision to call Sgt. Bryan Gantt at 704-464-5371.

The driver remained on scene and cooperated with investigators, according to a police statement on Friday. “No determination has been made regarding factors that contributed to this collision,” officials said.

“The Huntersville Police Department extends sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” according to the police statement.

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October 7, 2025
Pedestrian killed on a busy Lake Norman road. Police seek witnesses, video.

A pedestrian was killed on a busy Lake Norman road on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, and police asked witnesses to come forward and anyone with video of the scene.

Street View image from April 2023. © 2025 Google

A pedestrian was killed on a busy Lake Norman road Friday, and police asked witnesses and anyone with video of the scene to come forward.

A driver hit the adult around 6 a.m. on eastbound Gilead Road in the 10000 block, Huntersville police said. That’s near Reese Boulevard, west of Interstate 77 exit 23.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Their name is being withheld until their family is contacted, police said.

The driver stayed at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, police said.

“Sincere condolences”

Officers haven’t determined what might have contributed to the collision.

Police asked witnesses and anyone with video, including dash camera footage of the area around 6 a.m., to call Sgt. Bryan Gantt of the department’s traffic safety section at 704-464-5371.

“The Huntersville Police Department extends sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” police officials said in a statement.

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October 3, 2025
Lake Norman nightlife venue to close and building razed for major new project

Owner Case Warnemunde poses outside Old Town Public House in downtown Cornelius on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. The popular nightlife venue will close in January before the building is demolished for a major new development project.

DESIREE MATHURIN

dmathurin@charlotteobserver.com

Old Town Public House, a popular nightlife venue in downtown Cornelius, will close in January before the building is demolished for a new development project, its owner said Thursday.

OTPH, as everyone calls it, opened in 2015 at 21314 Catawba Ave. The neighborhood coffeehouse and pub features craft beer, fine wines, espresso and live entertainment seven nights a week.

“It’s been the place you came to shake off a rough day, to make friends you didn’t know you needed, and to hear the kind of music that makes a Wednesday feel like a Saturday,” owner Case Warnemunde said on Facebook on Wednesday.

On Instagram, he described the venue as “a ‘home’ where we’ve shared countless toasts, stories, and songs, and every one of them has left its mark.”

On Thursday, Warnemunde told CharlotteFive: “We made the decision that we’re ready to ride off into the sunset.”

Still, he said, he hopes to find an even bigger spot in downtown Cornelius to expand his venue’s offerings.

He supports the new project that’s causing his business to close Jan. 11, he said.

“The development is going to be an amazing thing for the downtown,” Warnemunde said. “It’s bringing restaurants, nightlife and parking. ”

5-story building, 238 multi-family units

In 2023, the Cornelius Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning for Charlotte developer Highline Partners’ 2.33-acre Mill’s Market project at the southeast corner of Catawba Avenue and Meridian Street.

Mill’s Market in downtown Cornelius will include a five-story building with 12,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor and 238 multi-family units on the other stories. HIGHLINE PARTNERS

The project will include a five-story building with 12,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor and 238 multi-family units on the other stories.

Four of the stories will front Catawba. Parking will be provided, with access from Meridian Street and the neighboring Cain Center for the Arts driveway, according to the developer’s plans.

The building is owned by Cornelius-based Corner Oak LLC, founded by real estate investor Bob Stamey and Cashion’s Quik Mart owner Gordon Cashion.

Old Town Public House shown on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. DESIREE MATHURIN CharlotteFive

“We still have not closed on the property with the developer,” Stamey told C5 on Thursday, declining further comment.

Cashion referred C5 to Highline Partners.

Mike Miller of Highline Partners wasn’t immediately reached Thursday regarding the project timetable.

Pub owner sees great future for downtown

Warnemunde said he’s excited about downtown’s future.

Owner Case Warnemunde poses outside Old Town Public House in downtown Cornelius on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. DESIREE MATHURIN CharlotteFive

“We’ll be honest — saying goodbye to these old buildings stirs up real emotion,” Warnemunde said on social media. “We know many of you feel the same way.

“But … we can honor what’s been, while also believing in what’s to come,” he said. “Because sometimes the very doors we’ve loved the most have to close to make room for new ones — and with them, new magic.”

“And while it’s hard to imagine these old walls coming down, we CHOOSE to see this as part of something bigger.”

Hinting at a new venture, he said: “And trust us … we’ve already got some things brewing.”

Old Town Public House

Location: 21314 Catawba Ave., Cornelius NC 28031.

Instagram: @oldtownpublichouse.

This story was originally published October 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM.

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October 2, 2025
Drones will soon track suspects in Lake Norman town, police chief says

A drone is pictured in this file photo.

Ricardo Gomez Angel via Unsplash

Mooresville police will soon deploy drones to track robbery and theft suspects running or driving from the scenes of their crimes, Police Chief Ron Campurciani said.

A trained drone dispatcher will simply press a button and release a drone from police headquarters at U.S. 21 and Brawley School Road/West Wilson Avenue, Campurciani told the Mooresville Citizens Academy on Sept. 24.

The six-week academy, free to town residents, gives an inside look at various town departments. A Charlotte Observer reporter signed up for this year’s academy and was present when Campurciani announced the drone initiative.

The drones will zip along at 58 mph, meaning they can often get to a crime scene faster than an officer, the chief said. The drone will tail the person until officers arrive, he said.

The drone will be given the description of the suspect as called into police 911 by the person reporting the crime, he said.

The police department is among only 12 in the nation deploying such drones, Campurciani told the group of about 25 residents. He didn’t name the other communities.

Observer files public records request

The department expected its shipment of drones this week, the chief said.

He said a news conference will be held after dispatcher training.

That could be a few weeks from now, town spokeswoman Rika White said when the Observer later requested more details about the drones from the chief.

On Sept. 26, the Observer filed a public records request for any drone contract and the name of the provider. The Observer hadn’t received a reply from the town by Wednesday, Oct. 1; state public records law says responses should be done as promptly as possible.

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Joe Marusak

The Charlotte Observer

Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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October 1, 2025
Major intersection in Lake Norman to close for 6 months

A major intersection in the Lake Norman area is getting ready to close for the next six months.

>>LINK: Stay updated on live traffic conditions

The closure at Brawley School Road and West Wilson Avenue is part of a $51 million road-widening project, our partners at The Charlotte Observer reported.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to share more information about the closure sometime this week.

VIDEO: Dozens cited after drugs, guns found during boating event at Lake Norman

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September 8, 2025
Bear pictured in Charlotte neighborhood prompts alert. ‘All neighbors, be aware.’

A Charlotte homeowners association issued an alert Friday after a bear visited its wooded neighborhood near Mallard Creek Greenway.

“All neighbors, be aware,” the Wellington HOA in northeast Charlotte warned in an email.

The Charlotte Observer obtained a copy of the email, which included what the HOA said was a photo of a bear in woods near a homeowner’s outdoor deck.

Where the bear was spotted

The bear appears to be a young male black bear.

A neighbor spotted the bear near Saxonbury Way, and another resident reported the bear near Garden Grove Lane in the subdivision, according to the HOA.

“911 was called, to notify in interest of public safety etc.,” the HOA said in the email.

The HOA mentioned no reports of the bear being a nuisance. That’s about the only time a state Wildlife officer would respond, N.C. Wildlife Resources Officer Sampson Parker has said.

On Saturday, Parker said he “would be fairly confident” the bear was the same one that people reported swimming across Lake Norman last month.

Those sightings were about 15 miles west of Friday’s report in northeast Charlotte, a hop, skip and jump in bear travel terms.

The Lake Norman bear was likely the black bear spotted in western Mecklenburg a couple of weeks later, Parker previously told the Observer.

“Unfortunately, it’s sticking around,” Parker said Saturday. “I’ve never known one to stay this long,” and he’s stumped as to why.

Most young male bears seen in the region over the decades were merely passing through this time of year, he said.

Young male bears search for territories to claim that are far more vast and isolated than the Charlotte area, he said. They typically end up at the coast or in the mountains.

Parker said that unlike grizzlies and other brown bears, black bears are not likely to attack humans. The bears run away when they pick up a person’s scent, he said.

“They look big and bad, but they’re not known to be aggressive animals,” he said.

Keeping bears from your yard

Leaving trash out overnight can attract bears to your yard, and so can feed left in bird feeders, wildlife experts say. So don’t do it.

Also be sure to clean your grill, and avoid leaving candles and anything else with a scent outside or near open windows, Bearicuda.com advises.

Black bear attacks on humans “are rare,” as the bears “are seldom aggressive,” according to BearWise.org, which the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission links to on its black bear site.

Stay still if you see a bear before the animal spots you, BearWise advises.

Admire the bear, then walk quietly away, according to the site.

If a bear sees you, never run, BearWise urges. Instead, “back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave,” according to the site.

Keep your dog leashed during walks, according to BearWise.

This story was originally published June 15, 2024, 2:49 PM.

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Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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June 15, 2024
Public outcry prompts Mooresville developer to shrink number of planned Lake Norman homes

A developer is proposing up to 660 homes and at least 10,000 square feet of commercial space on 52 wooded acres along Alcove Road at Lake Norman in Mooresville.

MOORESVILLE PLANNING DEPARTMENT

A Lake Norman developer that faced a public outcry over its planned 660-home community at the lake last year has shrunk the number of homes in hopes of getting the development approved Monday night.

Proposed by Mooresville-based Southwest 33 Associates LLC, the community would cover 52 largely wooded acres in the 400 block of the narrow, two-lane Alcove Road. The developer now proposes 180 fewer homes in its revised rezoning request, according to documents filed with the Mooresville Planning Board.

Alcove Road runs along Interstate 77 between Langtree Road and Williamson Road in Mooresville to the north, connecting the interstate’s exits 31 and 33. Exit 33 leads to the national headquarters of home improvement retailer Lowe’s Cos. Inc. and Lake Norman Regional Medical Center.

Neighbors and town commissioners decried the developer’s original plan last year, citing concerns over traffic, fire response and a lack of retail-commercial space.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a project come in with such a lack of support,” commissioner Tommy DeWeese said at a town board meeting in November. “I think it’s almost a tragedy that we’re calling it mixed-use commercial.”

Fairview ‘flyover’ road

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the rezoning request at their regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday.

In its rezoning application, the developer said its project will enhance the tax base, provide more housing for seniors and others and offer more retail to Mooresville.

The developer also said it has worked closely with the N.C. Department of Transportation on a planned state road over I-77 known as the Fairview Flyover. The road is so named because it would connect Alcove Road on one side of I-77 with Fairview Road on the other side of the interstate.

Construction of the Flyover is scheduled to begin in 2025.

“The start of our development will closely coincide with the approved Flyover, allowing us to partner closely with NCDOT on site work and other construction opportunities,” the developer said in its rezoning application.

Dog park, open recreational space

The revised plan for the development, called Alcove Road, includes as many as 280 apartments in two multi-family buildings and 200 town homes, according to the developer’s application reviewed by The Charlotte Observer.

The developer will provide 27,000 square feet of public recreational space on the west side of the project and a 2-acre commercial parcel on the east side.

A dog park and multiple open-space park areas are planned, along with a club house, swimming pool and walking trails.

The developer promises a 30-foot vegetative buffer along Alcove Road and a pedestrian connection across a realigned Fairview Road.

A traffic impact analysis is under way by a consultant for the developer, according to town documents.

The development’s landscaping will make the road “far more friendly to the eye than what otherwise would be displayed should (the Flyover) be built on its own,” according to the developer’s rezoning application.

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Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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March 31, 2024
Google Fiber set to expand in North Carolina. Here are the latest cities and towns.

Google Fiber is expanding in North Carolina with right-of-way agreements in the works in several more cities and towns, a company official said.

JOHN SLEEZER

THE KANSAS CITY STAR

Google Fiber is expanding in North Carolina, a company official said Friday.

The high-speed internet provider is nearing right-of-way agreements to add service in Mooresville, Wilmington and Kannapolis, Jess George, head of government and community affairs for Google Fiber’s east region, told The Charlotte Observer in an exclusive interview.

Wilmington will become the first community along the North Carolina coast with the service, she said. The company did not provide details on the timing or exact locations of the expansion. But George said she anticipates “big announcements” about the plans for Mooresville, Kannapolis and Wilmington “within the next couple of months.”

“It’s a very exciting time,” George said. “We’re thrilled to be able to serve these communities.”

Earlier in the week, Google Fiber revealed that it will expand to the Union County town of Stallings and extend service to its first community in Huntersville, Hambright Junction. Google Fiber will be the sole internet provider in that neighborhood, a 300-unit, multi-family development, company officials said.

Ongoing Charlotte-area expansion

Google Fiber arrived in Charlotte in July 2016. The first neighborhood to get the gigabit high-speed internet service was Highland Creek, which is mostly north of Interstate 485, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

The company has served Concord residents since 2022.

Google Fiber has no projected start date for service in Stallings and has not decided which areas of the town will be served first, George said.

“We will now go into high-level design,” she said.

Google Fiber “huts”

To begin rolling out the service, Google Fiber first identifies where to build a fiber “hut” in a community, George said.

Huts hold all of the hardware for the Google Fiber internet network and are typically constructed near an existing cell phone tower or other transmission site, she said.

Google Fiber huts are 28 feet long and 9 feet tall, The (Raleigh) News & Observer previously reported.

“They’re the size of a trailer,” George said.

An entire construction project in a community can take two to three years to complete, George told The Charlotte Observer in March 2023 when the company first announced its Huntersville plans.

Google Fiber is already serving some customers in Huntersville, George said Friday. The company doesn’t disclose its exact number of customers in communities, she previously said.

The company, however, doesn’t “cherry-pick” neighborhoods, she said.

“Our goal is to construct our network to as many Huntersville residents as possible,” George told the Observer when Google first announced its plans.

By doing so, the company aims to “bridge the digital divide” in communities, she said Friday.

Besides offering higher internet speeds, the company also helps lower internet bills in communities by providing competition to existing providers, she said.

Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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March 30, 2024
Midwest-based coffee chain to continue NC expansion with Lake Norman area location

The Lake Norman area store will be in Denver.

Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

A Midwest-based drive-thru coffee chain plans to continue its expansion in North Carolina by adding a location in the Lake Norman area.

Scooter’s Coffee, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is currently under construction at 689 N.C. 16 Business North in Denver, according to the company’s website.

With nearly 750 stores in 30 states, Scooter’s Coffee is known for its espresso drinks, fruit smoothies, baked-from-scratch pastries and its signature drink, the Caramelicious.

About Scooters

The first Scooter’s Coffee franchise in North Carolina opened in Monroe in 2020, according to a news release from the company.

The company has since added three locations in the Charlotte area — Lincolnton, Monroe and Indian Trail.

A grand opening date for the Denver store has not yet been announced.

This story was originally published February 28, 2024, 11:20 AM.

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Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.

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February 28, 2024
Lake Norman farm-to-table restaurant expands its menu, unveils new name

SCREEN SHOT FROM EAT. DRINK. SHOP. MOORESVILLE ON FACEBOOK

A farm-to-table restaurant in Mooresville near Lake Norman is rebranding with a new name beginning Monday and will add breakfast plus other menu items, management said this week on the Facebook community group “Eat. Drink. Shop. Mooresville.”

The former Johnny’s Farmhouse on River Highway (N.C. 150) is now Mooresville Family House. The new sign went up on the building Thursday and the restaurant has been closed a few days while crews continued refurbishing the interior.

The restaurant will reopen at 7 a.m. Monday and will be open daily until 9 p.m., management said.

“Breakfast classics and everything in between,” Mooresville Family House posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon, promising to post its menu later in the day.

Mooresville Family House also has added vegetarian and weight-watching meals, according to its Facebook post earlier in the week.

The restaurant has “upped the quality” of its food while reducing prices, according to the post.

Mooresville Family House is affiliated with the China Grove Family House farm-to-table restaurant on Main Street in China Grove, Rowan County, management said.

“Our new menu is something that our owner has worked extremely hard on!” according to the Mooresville Family House Facebook post. “With definite improvements! We have options for everyone. We have mainly focused on quality products and pricing for our customers!”

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Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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Joe Marusak

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February 19, 2024
Longtime Charlotte-area bagel shop and deli to expand with second location

Bagel Bin & Deli in Huntersville plans a second location in the Lake Norman area this summer, its owner said on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

Google Street View

A popular longtime bagel shop and deli in Huntersville plans a second location in the Lake Norman area this summer, its owner said Thursday.

Bagel Bin & Deli intends to open in June or the beginning of July in the Harris Teeter-anchored Village at Byers Creek shopping center at N.C. 150 and Perth Road in Mooresville at the lake, owner Alex Cook told CharlotteFive.

With its bagels, sandwiches, salads and hot daily meal specials, the Huntersville location of Bagel Bin & Deli has been a fixture in the Northcross Shopping Center on Sam Furr Road for 28 years.

Cook, a longtime chef in Little Italy, New York, has owned the Bagel Bin for about a year and half. He said customers who drove from Mooresville urged him to consider a location in their town, and he looked at several. He liked the vibrancy of Byers Creek and its proximity (across N.C. 150) from Lake Norman High School.

The Mooresville location will add homemade grab-and-go Italian meals for families of four — such as lasagna, meatballs and baked ziti, he said.

Two of the three other chefs at Bagel Bin will head to the Mooresville location, Cook said.

The new 1,300-square-foot location will have indoor seating for about 20, like the Huntersville location, and will have three or four outdoor tables, Cook said

Cook moved from New York to Atlanta in 2008 to start a ministry that fed 650 people experiencing homelessness a day, he said.

The Bagel Bin also features hot daily meal specials, such as Thursday’s roadhouse chili.

“It’s a great business, a great product, and great customers,” he said.

Bagel Bin & Deli

Location: Northcross Shopping Center, 9815 Sam Furr Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078;

Location: Village at Byers Creek, Argus Lane, Mooresville 28117 (opening this summer)

Menu

Cuisine: Bagels, sandwiches, Italian

Instagram: @bagel_bin_huntersville

Related stories from Charlotte Observer

Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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February 15, 2024

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