Drive for 'Center City' retail

[tozmervo]

With that said, I've seen anthropologie & urban outfitters (same parent) go into neighborhoods like South End and if there were better retail spaces with adequate parking, I could see this happening in Charlotte too. I think that's about all we can hope for in the near future.

This is the only city I know of where Urban Outfitters is in a mall.

[49er]

I think as a whole our nation is over retailed when you look at what Amazon is doing to brick and mortar stores. Perhaps we will see a return to more mom and pop type local stores that sell unique and used goods. Unfortunately, Charlotte lacks the storefronts that would be affordable for such businesses. If we're seeking a shopping experience with non stop storefronts, we're mostly out of luck. The original First Ward plan was our best shot at a retail district. They were going to base it on a development in West Palm Beach named Cityplace. I am not saying this is the best solution because it is far from organic. It was more or less plopping a lifestyle center with multistory buildings in the heart of downtown. Still, there would have been the instant gratification of having anchor retail in the city. When you tally up the retail present in new buildings downtown it is still pretty depressing how many lack first floor retail. Isn't the new tower on Bearden park to be void of retail?

[NCMike1981]

Urban Outfitters chose to locate in a mall in Durham as well (Southpoint)....the only downtown U.O. in NC is in Asheville....one of the few cities (if not the only city) in the state who really would rather not have any chain retail downtown

Edited September 11, 2012 by NCMike1981

[Prodev]

I actually used to live in CityPlace a few years back. It's funny you mention this b/c it goes back to my previous post about high-profile retail development and the risk associated with them. Related developed the deal and was successful with the residential component, but the retail has struggled over the years. They were approaching foreclosure until finally getting approval to modify the loan in January. The retail users have slowly declined and there are a much higher percentage of local and temp tenants from what was originally a great mix of national and local tenants.

[15895]

So can all our city do is just hope for more retail (whether it be a grocery store, etc.) or do they have any tangible plans. I know there is an ordinance that requires buildings to have retail. It seems this is a joke and defunct law as show rooms can be considered retail...

[Guest]

So can all our city do is just hope for more retail (whether it be a grocery store, etc.) or do they have any tangible plans. I know there is an ordinance that requires buildings to have retail. It seems this is a joke and defunct law as show rooms can be considered retail...

As can rental/leasing offices and clubhouses. FAIL

[49er]

I am most encouraged by the number of locations where new storefronts are being punched out of previously blank walls. Just imagine for a moment if Bank of America Plaza was totally opened up at the street level facing the Square and all the way around the building. You could have small storefronts lining the plaza and perhaps a newsstand or pavilion in the middle similar to what Raleigh has now on Fayetteville Street.

[15895]

I was reading an archived thread titled "Uptown Belk?" back from 2005 where it was being discussed whether Belk should have a store in uptown or not. That was nearly 8 years ago and I think Charlotte has had a massive makeover since. I read on that thread Belk had been approached and declined on a location.

I wonder if Charlotte 2013 might be a little more promising for Belk to even consider a move back uptown. Not that I expect it at all, just wondering the odds that anyone would approach them again and what their thoughts would be. SouthEnd and Uptown have had a huge surge in residents. I wonder how many would choose uptown over Southpark? Then in 2017 or so, NoDa will have the light rail option.

Edited November 21, 2012 by AirNostrumMAD

[Matthew.Brendan]

If not Belk than maybe Macy's....

[15895]

Oh, a Macy's... That'd be amazing. That's on my fantasy list.

I'd love for a Department store in uptown to be at 300 South tryon. 300 South Tryon fronts both Romare Bearden, Tryon, and be right across Latta, and within a block you have Mint, Betchler, and the Green.

That, or a Mixed Use on that property the church owns along Trade & 5th. Vue, Trademark, Avenue, and the other lowrise condos surround that property.

Edited November 22, 2012 by AirNostrumMAD

[Missmylab4]

It's a shame we can't get the local department store, Belks to take the reign and open an uptown store. I really want the city to push for retail in the gateway station. It's in a weird state right now with soo many restaurants, clubs but no retail. I think with this incoming wave of multifamily around the inner ring that some more retail would be the next natural reaction. Could always be wrong though!

Is the church consider selling that site?? It's prime for multiple things including retail.

[ah59396]

It's a shame we can't get the local department store, Belks to take the reign and open an uptown store. I really want the city to push for retail in the gateway station. It's in a weird state right now with soo many restaurants, clubs but no retail. I think with this incoming wave of multifamily around the inner ring that some more retail would be the next natural reaction. Could always be wrong though!

Is the church consider selling that site?? It's prime for multiple things including retail.

The church may be the last quasi interesting building pre-1990 in uptown. Yes, let's sell it, tear it down and get a Dillard's instead. Color me excited...ugh.

[15895]

The church may be the last quasi interesting building pre-1990 in uptown. Yes, let's sell it, tear it down and get a Dillard's instead. Color me excited...ugh.

We're talking about Post 1990 Charlotte Landmarks; parking lots. The Parking lot that last I checked (2005-ish) was owned by the church.

Google Maps

The lot circled in yellow. Lots of potential.

Edited November 23, 2012 by AirNostrumMAD

[DMann]

I think the church has an interest in a school on that site. The original developer for the VUE offered big bucks for that site before settling for there current location.

We're talking about Post 1990 Charlotte Landmarks; parking lots. The Parking lot that last I checked (2005-ish) was owned by the church.

Google Maps

The lot circled in yellow. Lots of potential.

[ah59396]

We're talking about Post 1990 Charlotte Landmarks; parking lots. The Parking lot that last I checked (2005-ish) was owned by the church.

Google Maps

The lot circled in yellow. Lots of potential.

Didn't know the church owned that lot. Color me stupid instead. I'm in Brussels, I've been drinking gueuze for a couple days, my apologies, ha-ha.

[ScottCLT]

So, I'm in Spokane, WA for a couple days on business. Thought I would go downtown tonight to find a good spot for dinner. I'm thinking to myself the whole time that Spokane is going to be something like Greensboro, Columbia, Winston, etc. But holy cow - talk about some downtown retail!! Nordstrom, Macy's, Banana Republic, Williams Sonoma, J Crew, North Face, Gap - all on the street! And there were plenty more I'm not thinking of right now, plus an AMC 20 theater and a 5-story downtown indoor mall filled with many of the stores you'd expect in a mall. Tons of restaurants, bars, etc. to top it off. Just blew my mind that a city the size of Spokane can support downtown retail like that. I'm envious.

[Norm2]

Charlotte is still not fully uptown oriented. Smaller towns tend to support more downtown retail because the retail never left and those downtowns are still destinations. Where as Charlotte wants uptown to be a destination and keeps putting things uptown like arenas and stadiums to get people to go there.

[ScottCLT]

Charlotte is still not fully uptown oriented. Smaller towns tend to support more downtown retail because the retail never left and those downtowns are still destinations. Where as Charlotte wants uptown to be a destination and keeps putting things uptown like arenas and stadiums to get people to go there.

It seems that cities out west never had the drive to move everything to the 'burbs like cities on the east coast did. I wonder why? Because similarly sized metros on the east coast don't seem to have hardly any retail, except for Charleston and Asheville, and even those aren't on the scale of Spokane. Heck, even the Sak's closed in Charleston. Maybe it is because these cities weren't developed enough when the car came along and made retail more readily accessible even if it was outside of town? I don't know, but it is a bit depressing to see people cheerily doing their Christmas shopping downtown in Spokane knowing that Charlotte is probably at least 3x the size in population, and none of the Christmas shopping is done downtown (uptown).

[Rufus]

The greater irony is that Belk has a commercial out right now that takes place at a downtown store. It's obviously fake, but the idea of Christmas shopping being spent downtown is so different from 100% of what Belk actually has, that it is laughable.

[New Name]

^I think that says a lot about us (Urban Planeteers) and them (retailers).... there is an idealized notion about what a city should be. But it's not reality for most of the country. Is it because we let idealism get in the way of practicality? Probably.

[mallguy]

It seems that cities out west never had the drive to move everything to the 'burbs like cities on the east coast did. I wonder why?

Spokane or Portland?

 

The Pacific Northwest has stricter zoning and density requirements (and better mass transit).  Those cities still have sprawl, but they've kept downtown retail just because it's harder to build in suburbia.

[ScottCLT]

Spokane or Portland?

 

The Pacific Northwest has stricter zoning and density requirements (and better mass transit).  Those cities still have sprawl, but they've kept downtown retail just because it's harder to build in suburbia.

Spokane particularly, but even bigger cities like Portland or Seattle. It was just particularly interesting to see such big city downtown vibrance in such a small city as Spokane.

[Matthew.Brendan]

With all the money walking around downtown it's amazing there is not, say, a jeweler. Or any boutique clothing stores. I really just can't wrap my head around it. It seems to me like retail is a tidal wave waiting to hit downtown but there's this collective apprehension holding it back??

[tozmervo]

Leo and Ivy and Jos A Banks in Founders Hall seem to do alright

[Guest]

With all the money walking around downtown it's amazing there is not, say, a jeweler. Or any boutique clothing stores. I really just can't wrap my head around it. It seems to me like retail is a tidal wave waiting to hit downtown but there's this collective apprehension holding it back??

Brownlee Jewelers is in the Fifth Third Building right on Tryon. Revolution sells higher end boutiquey items.