Diners gathered around the Sunrise Grill & Sandwich Co. truck in the Oak St. Mill parking lot Wednesday. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Updated 4:08pm
Beginning this Wednesday and continuing every Wednesday indefinitely, the Cornelius Cultural Art Group will host “Food Truck Wednesdays – Lunch In The Lot” in downtown Cornelius. They’re planning a different food truck (or two) from 11am – 2pm.

The first one was at Oak Street Mill Wednesday. Future sites may include the parking lot behind Town Hall or the gravel lot at Memories Pawn shop, according to organizer Case Warnemunde with the Cornelius Cultural Art Group.

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RELATED COVERAGE

May 15, 2013, Dining News column, “Cornelius adds a lunch option: Food Truck Wednesdays.”

The long-planned commercial phase of the Antiquity Cornelius development in downtown Cornelius is about to get a big kick-start, with the construction of a grocery story and two other retail buildings near the neighborhood entrance on NC 115.

Cam Finley and his company Venture Properties, which has been developing Antiquity for a decade, are in negotiations with Harris Teeter to put a 53,000-square foot grocery near the front of the property. The developers have applied to the town of Cornelius to amend the project’s master plan to allow for a larger grocery than originally envisioned.

Finley, his business partners and architect presented a rough outline of the plan to the Cornelius Architecture Review Board on Friday. Their goal was to get input on what kind of design the Cornelians would like to see on the site.

“We finally have an anchor that will pull the retailers in,” Finley told architectural review board members. Later, he called the grocery “the engine” that would drive commercial development at the site.

Although Harris Teeter’s name was mentioned several times during Friday’s meeting and appeared on plans shown to the board, Finley was quick to say that he’s still negotiating a final agreement. Part of the deal will hinge on whether the developer and the town can reach an agreement on a building design that meets Harris Teeter’s approval.

The original plans for Antiquity envisioned a smaller “boutique” grocery, on a lot deeper in the development. But that idea failed to attract interest from grocers, the developers said in their application.

“The applicant has marketed the property to grocers since 2008 and found that there is no market for a reduced-size grocer. However, applicant has been able to obtain the interest of a quality grocer to create the impetus for the commercial portion of Antiquity,” the developers wrote.

“It’s always been on the books as a smaller grocery, and the smaller grocery was in a different location,” Cornelius Planning Director Wayne Herron said.

The developers are proposing to move the grocery site a block closer to the front of the project, and expand it. The plans up for review right now also include two smaller buildings facing the Catawba Avenue extension, which could house retail stores or restaurants.

Friday was the first time the name of Harris Teeter has surfaced publicly, though rumors have been circulating since at least December, both in the neighborhood and among real estate agents selling houses in the neighborhood, that a Harris Teeter was coming to Antiquity.

Architecture review board members offered a variety of ideas for the site, urging the developer to ensure that it is pedestrian friendly. Member Joe Harris suggested that the design reflect the theme of mass transit, invoking the future commuter rail station planned nearby. And board chair David Eve proposed a historic look: “It needs to have an older feel to it,” he said.

Architect Mili Mulic, of Arch Studio 7 in Winston-Salem, said he and the developers will take all the ideas back to the studio as the plan the final design. “We didn’t come here with a finished product,” he said.

Plans handed out at Friday’s meeting (and later retrieved by the developer) showed a two-story grocery building and two 2-story retail buildings. A note on the grocery plans said the grocery building’s architecture would be adjusted to accommodate the tenant, and that the second floor “may be installed by the developer according to market demand.”

The grocery plan could come up before the Planning Board in June, and if plans stay on track, it could face a final vote at the Cornelius Town Board in July, Herron said.

FIRE CALLS

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 7:31pm, 19710 S. Ferry St., Cornelius – firefighters responded to a call for a motor vehicle accident involving a motorcycle. Upon arrival two vehicles were involved with the driver of the motorcycle seriously injured. Life saving measures were taken and a helicopter was called before MEDIC transported the patient to the hospital with life threatening injuries. He later died. (See April 10, 2013, “Motorcyclist dies after wreck with minivan.”)

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 6:14am, 400 Avinger Ln., Davidson – firefighters responded to a fire alarm at The Pines. After arrival a pull station was found to have been accidentally activated. No fire and hazardous conditions were found and the alarm was reset.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 4:19pm,  I-77 northbound near Mile 26 – firefighters responded to a call for an outside fire on the side of the interstate and found a small fire burning in the grass. The fire was quickly extinguished and no further hazards were found.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 5:12 PM 20409 Zion Ave., Cornelius – firefighters responded to a call for smoke in the area and arrived to find an oil / water seperator blowing steam. The machine was found to be functioning properly and no hazard were found.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12,  8:28 PM Old Canal St., Antiquity Cornelius – firefighters responded to a call for smoke in the area. Upon arrival a strong odor and smoke were present but the source could not be located. After a thorough search there were no hazards found.

MEDICAL CALLS

Cornelius Firefighters responded to 33 medical calls between April 8 and April 15. Privacy laws prevent the release of addresses or other information.

Falls w Injury – 6
Unconscious Patient – 5
Chest Pain – 3
Difficulty Breathing – 3
Diabetic Problems – 2
Assault – 2
Citizen Assist – 2
Psychiatric Patient – 1
Overdose – 2
Lifting Assistance – 1
Abdominal Pain – 1
Seizures – 1
Cardiac Arrest – 1
Medical Alarm – 1
Sick Person – 1
Hemorrhage – 1

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Leyla Herrera, 8, of Mooresville, helps guide the canoe for her sister, Lydia, 4. More photos below. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

A crowd came out to the Lake Norman YMCA on Lake Cornelius Saturday for the annual Family Fun Day. Activities included canoeing, archery, sports, bounce houses, face painting, and arts and crafts. The event also was a chance for the Y to promote its summer events, from day camps to the annual triathlon to adaptive water skiing, which allows people with disabilities to learn how to ski.

MORE INFO:  http://www.ymcacharlotte.org/lakenorman

Bill Gross holds “Fred”, an inflatable dog, while helping out his daughter, Dr. Lori Hoe, at the booth for new her practice, “Main Street Veterinary Hospital” in Cornelius. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

Brad Larsen, of Cornelius, coaches his son, Noah, 5, in archery. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

The band 3 Days Leave of Lawrence, SC, performed. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

Devin Gilroy, 4, of Cornelius, wears bunny ears while playing in the kids’ obstacle course area. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

The chat is April 15, from 9:30 to 10:45am, at the Acropolis Restaurant, 20659 Catawba Ave., off I-77 Exit 28.

Warnemunde and Sharpe will discuss the Cornelius arts movement they are leading as well as their open mic nights, which are quickly growing in popularity. (See April 5, 2013, CorneliusNews.net, “Local arts movement gains momentum at Bella Love’s open mic nights”)

Bradford’s chats are third Monday of each month (same time and location.) They’re open to all Cornelius residents who want to visit with a commissioner, and discuss town issues.

Meeting details and cancellation notices are posted on Commissioner Bradford’s Facebook and Twitter account at @JohnRayBradford.