Swinerton Builders (Swinerton), an industry-leading commercial general contractor with offices nationwide, announces the topping out of Cordo, an $111 million multifamily development in Charlotte’s Optimist Park and the construction firm’s fifth collaboration with Space Craft. Just blocks from Joinery and Oxbow, also developed by Space Craft and built by Swinerton, Cordo is designed to be a walkable, transit-friendly community for active families and young professionals. The hybrid-structure broke ground last fall and is expected to be ready for occupancy by summer 2027.
“Cordo is a continuation of Space Craft’s vision to create a walkable neighborhood in Charlotte’s Mill District by adding high-quality homes, neighborhood retail and vibrant, connected spaces,” says Harrison Tucker, founder/CEO of Space Craft. “With its brick-and-tile aesthetic and proximity to the light rail, Cordo reflects our clearest bet yet on design-forward, sustainable living centered around human connection, not car ownership.”
Built on a 1.7-acre site in Charlotte’s Optimist Park community, Cordo totals seven floors with 1,200 square feet of street-level retail just steps from Cordelia Park, Optimist Hall and LYNX Blue Line light rail access. The 325,000-square foot development features 287 studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units and offers premium amenities including a rooftop terrace, resident lounge/game room with a full kitchen, meeting and coworking spaces, outdoor courtyard and fitness and wellness areas, in addition to resident services including shared EVs, e-bikes and e-scooters built into monthly rent, keyless access control and high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the building. Mass timber brings a biophilic element into each residence with cross-laminated timber (CLT) decks creating exposed timber ceilings. Charlotte architecture firm Shook Kelley designed the community located at 512 E. 21st St.
“With the construction of Cordo, we continue to play a part in reshaping Charlotte’s Mill District into a highly desirable urban community known for its walkability and unparalleled access to dining and entertainment,” explains Kevin Smith, vice president, division manager, Carolinas division. “As with other projects, we’ve leaned into our mass timber capabilities with our sister-company Timberlab to support Space Craft’s priorities of sustainability and quality.
“Nothing creates a sustainable, modern living experience more than incorporating timber into a living environment,” continues Smith. For Cordo, Timberlab prefabricated approximately 50,000 linear feet of wood wall framing and 185,000 square feet of CLT using responsibly sourced pine, spruce and fir
and prefabricated the materials in its Greenville, SC facility. In addition, approximately 125,000 square feet of concrete and metal stud-framed construction completes this build. To date, Swinerton Timberlab has constructed over 70 mass timber projects nationwide, with an additional 30 in design or under construction, totaling nearly 6.3 million square feet.
In addition to its general contractor and construction manager duties, Swinerton also oversees Cordo’s design-build mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection (MEPF) systems and played an integral role in preconstruction and estimating to ensure a cost-effective build. The firm’s master builders are self-performing wood framing, drywall, carpentry, doors, finishes and hardware (DFH) and specialty work.
During construction, Swinerton is relying on its full suite of cutting-edge technologies for the most efficient and precise results, including OpenSpace, a 3-D imaging technology that collects data via helmet devices during walk-throughs to build exact models of the space for planning and reference. The company is also using Field Materials AI for materials tracking and invoicing and regularly deploys drones for progress photos and visibility.
“One of Swinerton’s most unique differentiators and a true competitive advantage is our integrated ecosystem of companies,” says Smith. “This network includes Timberlab and Lindgren, among others, each bringing unique expertise to the table. Lindgren, Swinerton’s national investment arm, has partnered as a co-general partner investor with Space Craft on Cordo, and also invests and collaborates with other developers in high-growth markets across the United States. It’s exciting to see how these diverse capabilities and strengths within the Swinerton ecosystem come together to transform ideas into reality and deliver exceptional projects.”
Since expanding to the Southeast in 2018, the Carolinas Division has constructed nearly $550 million of commercial environments. The dedicated team of 70 construction leaders specializes in corporate interiors, office, healthcare, education, restaurants and hospitality, multifamily, civic and mass timber construction.
About Swinerton Builders Swinerton Builders provides commercial construction, construction management, design-build, and self-perform services throughout the United States. Founded in 1888, Swinerton is 100% employee-owned and is the preferred builder and trusted partner in every market it serves—proudly leading with ownership, integrity, leadership, passion, and excellence. Swinerton has 24 nationwide offices in Spokane and Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Boise, ID; Sacramento, Fairfield, Fresno, Concord, San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Diego, CA; Honolulu and Maui, HI; Denver, CO; Dallas and Austin, TX; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte and Raleigh, NC; Summit, NJ; and New York, NY.
For more information, please visit swinerton.com.
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