Belk Place: Carolina Theater and Hotel Intercontinental

[Andyc545]

I just read this on the Center City Living Blog...
http://centercityliving.blogspot.com/2007/...here-first.html

Encore will have a very unique, luxury feature - an elevator for your car.

Will be built at the corner of 6th and Tryon.

Has a very nice architectural style to it, at least as depicted by the drawing...

http://bp3.blogger.com/_7ouWXenj03s/RttEY2...00-h/encore.jpg




________________________________________________________________________________
See the original thread on Berkman and the history of the plans for renovating Carolina Theater here:
http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Berkman-...a-T-t10141.html

[BUILDIT]

cool but is it real? looks like it was done on sketchup

[Andyc545]

It said an announcement is going to be made. I hope it's real. Sounds really good to me.

[Raintree21]

Isn't this what we've been talking about at the Carolina Theatre?

[Uncle Dennis]

Isn't this what we've been talking about at the Carolina Theatre?

Yes

[rjp212]

I really don't think that building looks good. Maybe another rendering will change my mind.

[BUILDIT]

well then very cool, I like the building and think it will be a cool fit right there. I wish they would give this project a better name though, I am kinda tired of Catalyst, Trademark, and now Encore those names are cheesy (maybe avenue too because its not on an avenue right?)

but otherwise looks cool

[Andyc545]

Here's a link to the Encore in Tennessee that was also by Novare...

http://www.encoresobro.com/building.html

[dubone]

This is the same name, but not a similar project. Firstly, Novare is not a part of this project. It is Camden, who originally was involved in Berkman, now taking a backseat to Jim Donnelly, who developed the Trust. Apparently, the Trust was so popular, he had some leads or ready buyers to do a similar project. They will do this almost exactly like the Trust, only bigger and a new building structure. It will be all luxury units over $2m, where the buyers will have complete ability to design the floor plan to their liking.

The idea is that luxury condos allow for larger square footage, so you can afford to do the project but have much fewer total units. That helps to eliminate the problem with parking. It appears that they will simply have a single 'surface lot' of parking on top of the theater, rather than a whole deck like Camden planned for Berkman. They then just need to do an elevator up to it, rather than all the decked spaces turned 45-degrees.

I think this is a great idea, and appears to be the only way to make this project happens. Parking was a big problem for this site, so this seems like a great solution. If Donnelly had a decent number of buyers leftover after the Trust, then that might be enough to simply get started with building. It won't take that many buyers to make 50% with such a fewer total number.

[BUILDIT]

well now im excited... change the name and I really like the project. though it does seem like residential "luxury" buildings are just being put down whereever the developer pleases, no sort of luxury are, but it leads to a bit of diversity, so thats good, there just wont be an area where you can walk down the block and see fancy condos and a rolls royce driving by...

[UptownUptown]

This is the same name, but not a similar project. Firstly, Novare is not a part of this project. It is Camden, who originally was involved in Berkman, now taking a backseat to Jim Donnelly, who developed the Trust. Apparently, the Trust was so popular, he had some leads or ready buyers to do a similar project. They will do this almost exactly like the Trust, only bigger and a new building structure. It will be all luxury units over $2m, where the buyers will have complete ability to design the floor plan to their liking.

The idea is that luxury condos allow for larger square footage, so you can afford to do the project but have much fewer total units. That helps to eliminate the problem with parking. It appears that they will simply have a single 'surface lot' of parking on top of the theater, rather than a whole deck like Camden planned for Berkman. They then just need to do an elevator up to it, rather than all the decked spaces turned 45-degrees.

I think this is a great idea, and appears to be the only way to make this project happens. Parking was a big problem for this site, so this seems like a great solution. If Donnelly had a decent number of buyers leftover after the Trust, then that might be enough to simply get started with building. It won't take that many buyers to make 50% with such a fewer total number.

Yes, this will be an awesome development and a great location... Although I dont believe the buyers will be able to totally custom design their floorplan... at least not without a fee to do so. And, the parking will more likely be where owners pull in off of 6th St and pull into a car elevator which will take them directly to their condo level of the building where they can pull into one of their two private car ports.

[rockhilljames]

I would like something with a little more height at this location...but given the parking problems and the high cost of the units I understand why it's a little smaller.

Umm....where's Carolina Theatre's old facade? Should be a requirement for ANY project going here.

[Charlotte_native]

There are a lot of complications with building here AND saving the theater, so much of what we get are a result of SOMEONE SAVING SOMETING!! How un-Charlotte. I'll give Donnelly a lot of room for things that I might otherwise not like about this for that fact. It is also part of the reason for the name, think about it, an *encore* for the theater.

The facade for the theater, at least the architectural details, are numbered and stored in the basement to be reused.

The cover article in the most recent Uptown Magazine was about the Carolina Theatre and mentions this project or at least the possibility of it.

[uptownliving]

I like this architectural style and just like Charlotte_native I hope this building succeeds so that the Carolina Theatre can one day re-open.

[Raintree21]

Uptown Magazine had a nice article about a month or two ago showing the insides of the theatre and all of the storage of the facade.

[dubone]

Don't forget that the facade was just a single story store front. It is a tiny scale compared to this project. However, if you look carefully where the storefront facade was originally, I believe you can see it included in the design. Also, I'm almost positive that it IS a requirement to save it.

[rockhilljames]

I saw that and wondered if that was the facade. If so...how about a street-level treatment that at least attempts to relate to the facade?

[queensguy06]

I just happened to finish the article about the Carolina Theater in Uptown Magazine, I didn't realize how bad the interior was until I saw the pictures! I think they still have the original curtain hanging over the stage. Are they planning on restoring the inside of the theater as well? Some of the original accents sound expensive - terrazzo floors, imported French drapes, plaster moldings, wrought iron chandlers, stucco walls and walls with detailed murals, etc., etc.

[Charlotte_native]

I just happened to finish the article about the Carolina Theater in Uptown Magazine, I didn't realize how bad the interior was until I saw the pictures! I think they still have the original curtain hanging over the stage. Are they planning on restoring the inside of the theater as well? Some of the original accents sound expensive - terrazzo floors, imported French drapes, plaster moldings, wrought iron chandlers, stucco walls and walls with detailed murals, etc., etc.

It's bad, but not really that bad. These costs are one of the reasons plans have come and gone to restore the theater. Overall, however, the structure is fine. The plans to restore are definitely inclusive of the interior, and again, it is primarily cosmetic. I've been in the building and it is basically a massive masonry, steel beam structure with concrete floors and other solid concrete elements.

I really could get excited about this place being a viable venue again, it is a great huge space and the shows we could potentially get there would be fantastic.

[dubone]

I thought the interior was surprisingly GOOD. Much of it just needed some fresh paint. The details are still there. Just think in terms of creating that in the current construction world. Those details would cost a fortune. Some paint or plaster for the top coat finishing is nothing compared to that.

[moving uptown]

http://www.charlotte.com/484/story/274004.html

here is what we have been waiting for - doug smith has his new article up regarding the encore building! this elevator to your door thing is really cool!

[JerseyBoy]

That's one gorgeous, classy building!

[rjp212]

I like that rendering A LOT more than the sketch originally posted on here. Very interesting design that the windows create. I don't know about another tower that starts at 1.5 million + though. Why can't we start to see a high rise apartment building or two?

Edited September 12, 2007 by rjp212

[Raintree21]

Interesting. Each condo will have between 2 and 4 spaces and the elevator will take your car up to your floor where you will get off at your residence. Total number of units decreased along with number of stories and prices increased dramatically.

[cltheel.sdl]

Wow so the car elevator goes all the way up to floor 20? Wouldn't it suck if a strong wind came by and knocked your car off the elevator? Or is it an internal elevator? That would be so cool, like going into your secret high rise lair.