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Fifth Street Pedscape / Ivey's Building Retail Improvements


ScottCLT

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I don't see how Coyote Ugly will be any better than the previous tenants. The priors all started out hot and ended up fading. I could be wrong but I don't think Coyote Ugly will be superior.

I think it was Twist that used to be there that seemed to have a healthy crowd. Not sure why it failed.

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Personally, I think Latorre should use this as leverage with the powers that be to push to get that block of 5th street redone with normal sidewalks (the plan is to remove the 6 spaces and replace them with wider sidewalks on both sides). If he can just open up a couple of store front entried on 5th, then that space that is slated for Coyote Ugly might do better with a regular restaurant.

It is a dog of a space right now because of the crazy sidewalks and the blankness on the way there, so they figure that by putting something that already has a draw in a dog of a space would be good.

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I don't see how Coyote Ugly will be any better than the previous tenants. The priors all started out hot and ended up fading. I could be wrong but I don't think Coyote Ugly will be superior.

The difference I see in this type of bar is name recognition. Visitors from out of town or outside downtown, those here for events and conventions, etc, are likely to go check out a place like this if they find out about it being there over a random local bar. Same reason, to me, people go out of town or even out of the country but still eat and drink at Hard Rock Cafe or Hooters. I doubt this place would be much of a locals hang-out.

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I hope the police are prepared to handle pedestrians spilling into the streets, 'cause there's no way a club crowd is going to squeeze onto the 5th St. sidewalk.

I'm pretty sure when I'm at my friends place in the Ivey's, I see that every weekend night they have the club crowd from Hom literally take over 5th street for about an hour when the bar closes and lets out. So this will just join the crowd. The police know the deal.

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The only issue I forsee is the crowd will be a little rowdier. HOM is more of sportcoat and slinky dress kind of place. Whereas Coyote Ugly is more of a blue jean jacket and cut-offs kind of place. These two crowds tend not to blend very well. We'll see. Perhaps the added cost of parking and difficulty to get to will create a different crowd. I imagine it could be a lot of fun and safe pending the type of clientele they attract at this locale.

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I am no fan of Coyote Ugly's but if Uptown is supposed to be a thriving diverse packed district you are going to have a mixture of establishments in close proximity to another. Other cities seem to manage this without the world ending.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Oh lord can we please not live in such a prudish society? You live in an urban area of the city, bars are just another part of urban culture around the world whether people want to admit it or not. And besides, this isn't some huge club with hundreds of drunks staggering out all night long. If this were Forum or BAR I could see why the residents wouldn't want to live right on top of them, but this is just a paltry bar chain. People need to pick their battles; denying a bar a liquor license due solely to proximity to urban residences is a bit much.

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Oh lord can we please not live in such a prudish society? You live in an urban area of the city, bars are just another part of urban culture around the world whether people want to admit it or not. And besides, this isn't some huge club with hundreds of drunks staggering out all night long. If this were Forum or BAR I could see why the residents wouldn't want to live right on top of them, but this is just a paltry bar chain. People need to pick their battles; denying a bar a liquor license due solely to proximity to urban residences is a bit much.

THe funny part about this, HOM after around 10 or 11 on almost every weekend spills into the street with people waiting in line, others trying to get around the line to go further down 5th Street to Tryon, and cars pulling up letting people out. It is semi-controlled chaos all the time, yet this is OK (and it is OK with me). Add a little bar that has bartenders that show some skin...on LORD what is everything coming to.

The Ivey's building sits on one corner at an intersection with a majority of the bar scene and nightlife in uptown - at least the most concentrated. How this place will make such a huge difference, can't see it. I guess just because it is inside the actual building. The part that doesn't make sense, though, is the noise and crowd will still be in the street regardless of which venue the people are coming or going to.

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Is there public info on the number of police call-ins or complaints of Coyote at its College St. location? I've been there a handful of times and it was actually rather laid back relative to some of the other bars uptown.

Yes, you can look up calls at CMPD's website.

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I can see why some people would be concerned since there is a church and pre-school near the proposed Coyote spot. But unless I am mistaken Coyote Ugly's peak times do not coincide with sunday sermon and playtime. I don't like Coyote Ugly or most bars but that block already has been home to Menage and HOM currently without issue. The neighbors don't want anything there that serves alcohol and they are using the church and school as excuses.

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Yes, you can look up calls at CMPD's website.

Ok, I searched for police calls within 1000 ft of an address. Since the beginning of 2006, Daddy's/Twist location had 278 intoxicated person calls while Coyote Ugly's had 325. Also, fight calls were relatively even with 128 to 136 for Iveys and Coyote, respectively. Over a two and a half period, I would say it is a negligible difference.

However, there is a HUGE escort issue at the Ivey's building with a 128 calls, compared with a paltry 86 at the Ugly. :lol:

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Coyote Ugly is no longer coming to Ivey's...looks like there is still a chance for a good breakfast joint.

LaTorre had this to say in connection with the announcement....

"We hope people who choose to live in center city will understand and fully appreciate the circumstances that come with living in a vibrant urban area," he says. "Such an environment at times and at certain locations will generate a degree of urban tension. As property owners, we will continue to do our best to help make center city Charlotte a dynamic place for everyone."

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My personal preferences aside, (is it a shock to anyone that a gay man is not a fan of Coyote Ugly's? ) :lol: I am not sure if this sets a good precedent. The decision reeks of NIMBYISM. Theoretically, nearby residents live in Uptown to take advantage of the urban environment, it will always contain a mix of amenities not to everyone's liking. We shall see how receptive they are to the next proposal....

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A urban vibed 24hr diner spot serving breakfast, etc would be great. Not to go too far off topic but years ago I remember reading about a similar concept near CANS, it was going to be in a converted bus or something...wonder whatever happened to that?

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What struck of chord with me more than the Coyote Ugly debate was that LaTorre stated they have adondoned the idea of converting the street level retail at Ivey's to actually face the street instead of the interior atrium. I think that is a huge mistake on their part. 5th Street could become much more pedestrian oriented if they could take out that lane of parking and expand the sidewalks. But it seems those plans have now been put on the shelf :(

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Thats very disappointing! As others have stated, one of the reasons the corner spot at 5th and Church (Daddy's) has not survived time after time is because of the terrible block it is on. The 5th street sidewalk is all of 4ft wide with a wall next to it, the Church st sidewalk is next to nothing but parking garages, loading docks, and even a chain link fence. Its one of the more depressing blocks uptown. Turning Iveys to the street would have made such a huge difference, I cant believe LaTorre has decided not to make the change.

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The Ivey's building sits on one corner at an intersection with a majority of the bar scene and nightlife in uptown - at least the most concentrated. How this place will make such a huge difference, can't see it. I guess just because it is inside the actual building. The part that doesn't make sense, though, is the noise and crowd will still be in the street regardless of which venue the people are coming or going to.

I think the problem was that the bar itself -- not the building, but the location of the bar -- introduces a nightclub element to the residential end of 4th Ward that was not there before. It's caddy-corner from an historic cemetery, which is never a good thing, and the crowds/noise would be spilling out toward a quieter residential area instead of the chaos of Tryon or College St. That's not a good combination, and I don't think it would have gone over easily even in a larger city let alone Charlotte.

Latorre is making a major mistake in abandoning the streetscape improvements. How many tenants is he willing to lose? The only way a restaurant or bar will ever survive on that corner is if the block is upgraded to attract pedestrians. Otherwise it will simply be a money hole.

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  • 1 year later...

Uptownliving posted the following on the Misc.Uptown Projects/News - 23 July 2009 - 10:32 PM

"Looks like the renovation of the Ivey's Condo building first floor is going to move forward. On the City Council agenda for next week is a grant to expand the 5th St sidewalk to 14 ft in width. The owner of the building is also going to remodel the first floor to "turn around" the retail so that it faces the street instead of the interior atrium."

>>> I was talking with Ivey’s Just Fresh Manager earlier this week. Major renovations in the retail section of the Ivey’s building are to begin in mid November. I don’t know if this means the 5th street project is on, but he did tell me that the Just Fresh space is to be reconfigured and they aren’t scheduled to re-open until at least mid-January.

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:yahoo: That makes me very happy. I walk through this stretch a lot. The Ivey's side is bad enough with the gas equipment and parking meters, but the other side in front of Fiji is now very uncomfortable since they have a valet stand. I was walking my dog through there yesterday, and had to sidestep to get past them.

The block of 5th street is on my walking routes so many times. It will be so nice to have it be a stretch of retail that I might actually considering going in. I haven't been inside the Ivey's building in 8 years.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just an update – Just Fresh closed last Friday 11/06. I didn’t check for sure, but it appears all the restaurants from Just Fresh to Quiznos are now closed. That still supports my theory and hope that renovations include the plan to add street level access along 5th.

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