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Can you guys give some local insight regarding the Brio condos on N Church. I know there are a few for sale in there but since I know nothing about the area I don't know what the local thoughts on the value of these would be. I know there's a major city renovation that's supposed to be either started or about to begin and that these units appear to be primarily owner occupied. I got so much good info on here when I asked about another place that I thought I'd try again . Thanks in advance... I really appreciate the help!!
Can you guys give some local insight regarding the Brio condos on N Church. I know there are a few for sale in there but since I know nothing about the area I don't know what the local thoughts on the value of these would be. I know there's a major city renovation that's supposed to be either started or about to begin and that these units appear to be primarily owner occupied. I got so much good info on here when I asked about another place that I thought I'd try again . Thanks in advance... I really appreciate the help!!
I wrote a pretty long message on the ups and downs and realized this may be useful to others considering the building - here's the long and short of it:
As far as honest input, on the good side, I think this is a great investment because there are tangible revitalization activities that are taking place right around the building. I also like the convenience and proximity to downtown without actually having to be in any of the downtown traffic to access any of the major highways. From here you also have easy access to I-385, I-85, hwy 123 and hwy 25. Those 4 highways take you almost anywhere you want to go and there is not a lot of traffic to get to them.
The building is fairly quiet and the neighbors are very nice. The pool is a great social place during the summer - there are people of all ages there and it isn't loud and out of hand. If you are into running or biking, there is easy access to two really nice parks - falls park and cleveland park without having to get out on the highways. There have been a few improvements since I moved in - they improved the lobby, put in security cameras, painted the elevator areas in each hall etc.
My friend's parents just bought a 6th floor unit as an investment and they are pretty savvy so that does give weight to my theory that this would be a good investment for the long term. I think they have sold a few over the past month so there should only be a few left - it's nice to see the building filling up. If it's not full before they start the road improvement project, it will sell out then I'm sure. There's more info on that at
The street right in front of our building is going to get a very, very nice makeover with green spaces, sidewalks, etc. That is instant property appreciation when that happens, and it will be a catalyst for future improvements in this area. If you review the property maps, the owners on all the the lots in the adjacent properties are all well-known high end developers so the consensus seems to be that this area is going to get a lot nicer in the near future.
As far as the downsides, the HOA fee is a little higher than I would like it to be, but I think that comes with the territory since we have a pool, landscaped grounds, and someone who cleans the common areas several days a week. The only other downside I can think of is some of the run-down houses in the neighborhood next to the building are getting removed a little slower than I would like, but progress is progress. I really love it here and am so glad that I bought in.
I think it would be a good investment. The road diet on Church Street will beautify the corridor, and surely cause a ripple effect and hopefully improve the neighborhood behind The Brio. You're blocks from McBee Station (I would eat breakfast at Mary Beth's regularly if I lived that close!) and really convenient to the heart of downtown. I also believe that the County Square property will be redeveloped in the not too distant future, and you would be an easy walk from there.
This area will only improve. It isn't a property I would buy hoping to "flip" in a year or two, but in 5-10 years I think you'll be very glad you purchased at The Brio.
Plus, if you choose a unit on a higher floor, you should have nice views of the downtown skyline.
I wrote a pretty long message on the ups and downs and realized this may be useful to others considering the building - here's the long and short of it:
As far as honest input, on the good side, I think this is a great investment because there are tangible revitalization activities that are taking place right around the building. I also like the convenience and proximity to downtown without actually having to be in any of the downtown traffic to access any of the major highways. From here you also have easy access to I-385, I-85, hwy 123 and hwy 25. Those 4 highways take you almost anywhere you want to go and there is not a lot of traffic to get to them.
The building is fairly quiet and the neighbors are very nice. The pool is a great social place during the summer - there are people of all ages there and it isn't loud and out of hand. If you are into running or biking, there is easy access to two really nice parks - falls park and cleveland park without having to get out on the highways. There have been a few improvements since I moved in - they improved the lobby, put in security cameras, painted the elevator areas in each hall etc.
My friend's parents just bought a 6th floor unit as an investment and they are pretty savvy so that does give weight to my theory that this would be a good investment for the long term. I think they have sold a few over the past month so there should only be a few left - it's nice to see the building filling up. If it's not full before they start the road improvement project, it will sell out then I'm sure. There's more info on that at
The street right in front of our building is going to get a very, very nice makeover with green spaces, sidewalks, etc. That is instant property appreciation when that happens, and it will be a catalyst for future improvements in this area. If you review the property maps, the owners on all the the lots in the adjacent properties are all well-known high end developers so the consensus seems to be that this area is going to get a lot nicer in the near future.
As far as the downsides, the HOA fee is a little higher than I would like it to be, but I think that comes with the territory since we have a pool, landscaped grounds, and someone who cleans the common areas several days a week. The only other downside I can think of is some of the run-down houses in the neighborhood next to the building are getting removed a little slower than I would like, but progress is progress. I really love it here and am so glad that I bought in.
Excellent info. Thank you. My partner and I are looking to downsize from a freestanding house to a condo. Tired of yard work.
Excellent info. Thank you. My partner and I are looking to downsize from a freestanding house to a condo. Tired of yard work.
Let me know if you 're ever in the neighborhood - I'm glad to show you what they look like on the inside if you'd like to see them without having to drag a realtor into the mix!
What's sad to me is the attitude these new owners have towards the people who live in the area immediately around the so-called Brio. I'm so sorry that the working class people, who were there first, can't be pushed out and their homes demolished for you wealthy people's convenience fast enough! And then some of you newcomers have the nerve to wonder why the natives don't like you? How laughable.
What's sad to me is the attitude these new owners have towards the people who live in the area immediately around the so-called Brio. I'm so sorry that the working class people, who were there first, can't be pushed out and their homes demolished for you wealthy people's convenience fast enough! And then some of you newcomers have the nerve to wonder why the natives don't like you? How laughable.
1. You don't have to be "wealthy" to buy a condo at The Brio. They aren't cheap, but you don't have to be a CEO to afford one either.
2. The area around The Brio is not what I would consider working class. It is very low class and perhaps poverty-stricken in areas, and many of the homes in the surrounding blocks are run down and unsightly. Nobody is asking for those homes to be razed, but I think everyone (especially those residents in those old homes who DO take care of their property) would like to see some of them improved. You don't have to be wealthy to take good care of your home and yard. The city understands this, which is why public money is being used to fund a master plan for the area. Hopefully the residents there will do their part as well.
3. Being somewhere first doesn't give one a right to treat that area poorly.
4. I'm so sorry that you view a desire to improve an area as "wealthy people" just trying to demolish homes. Way to miss the point entirely.
Don't assume that because I have a different take on this that I missed the point. I got the point. I just don't agree with it. As far as my opinion goes, unlike you, I'm talking about what I know first hand. I used to live on Pearl Avenue, just 3-4 doors down from the Ramada/The Brio. I think I know the neighborhood's demographics, and have more insight on the area than you.
I do want to say that relative to the people who live immediately around the Ramada (it will always be the Ramada to me), the people who live in the hotel are, indeed, wealthy. The area around the hotel is working class because there are people who live there who have jobs. Probably very low-paying, but labor-intensive, jobs that leave no money or energy to put towards "curb appeal" - and therefore contributes to the "old and tired" look the neighborhood has.
I just think it's arrogant and shows an entitlement mentality to demand these people do more with their homes just so people living in the Ramada will have a nice view out of their windows. That's what the gripes of the Ramada dwellers sound like to me. If these people don't want to come across as arrogant and entitled, then they need to stop saying things in an arrogant and entitled way. Point blank period.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenville
1. You don't have to be "wealthy" to buy a condo at The Brio. They aren't cheap, but you don't have to be a CEO to afford one either.
2. The area around The Brio is not what I would consider working class. It is very low class and perhaps poverty-stricken in areas, and many of the homes in the surrounding blocks are run down and unsightly. Nobody is asking for those homes to be razed, but I think everyone (especially those residents in those old homes who DO take care of their property) would like to see some of them improved. You don't have to be wealthy to take good care of your home and yard. The city understands this, which is why public money is being used to fund a master plan for the area. Hopefully the residents there will do their part as well.
3. Being somewhere first doesn't give one a right to treat that area poorly.
4. I'm so sorry that you view a desire to improve an area as "wealthy people" just trying to demolish homes. Way to miss the point entirely.
I spoke with a few law enforcement officers recently and they all agreed that the area immediately surrounding the former Ramada (now The Brio) was full of "crack heads". With the latest changes, I assume it has improved a bit, but is primed for positive investment. Some people (many of whom were former residents in that neighborhood) have no respect for their own property, much less for the community. In my opinion, it is a good thing that these people are being "pushed out" in some places.
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. Thanks in advance... I really appreciate the help!!
