EpiCentre Retail

[Commoner]

Charlotte is over 230 years old (forget the exact date). What keeps it in the teenager stage? I have spoken before about how lacking the design of the Epicenter is maybe reflecting the immaturity of the place still. How does this keep happening?

Maybe it's the collective 230-year old being drowned out by the massive influx of newcomers from the past 25 years, who don't identify with Charlotte as a 230 year-old institution, but rather as somewhere that is drawing tens of thousands of newcomers like them.

It's not as simple as "blame it on the newcomers" at all. Lots of them come from places with much more (design and planning) "maturity" but I think that a place's maturity can be compromised by a huge influx of geographically diverse people.

But then again, this is coming from a relative newcomer, who came from a place not a whole lot older than Charlotte, but with an exponentially greater sense of history and/or place.

[voyager12]

Once Muvico and Lucky Strike hopefully Epicentre will feel a little less hollow and disjointed. I got a Myrtle Beachy artificial feeling when I went for the first time. In the end it's a self contained mall. More people will come to Uptown to go inside but it's not going to help encourage small storefront retail which is what I really want .

[PwC Keith]

I don't want to ruin the parking debate, but does anyone know when the bowling alley will open and for that matter how many lanes it will have. I'm one of the many northerners that has moved to Charlotte and look forward to having it open uptown. I've heard many rumors about the bowling alley, but can't seem to find many details on the internet.

[Guest]

I don't want to ruin the parking debate, but does anyone know when the bowling alley will open and for that matter how many lanes it will have. I'm one of the many northerners that has moved to Charlotte and look forward to having it open uptown. I've heard many rumors about the bowling alley, but can't seem to find many details on the internet.

Strike City Lanes

[U4ick]

Please tell me that they have a better Crosswalk planned for the Whiskey River

side entrance? After having a few drinks I would prefer not to have to play Frogger

to get back on the Lynx! I would think that at least a dedicated Pedestrian right-of-way

would be in order due to the volume of foot-traffic that will likely take place here.

[Spartan]

There is a pedestrian bridge straight to the Lynx platform from Epicentre. Its also the only ped bridge that has managed to elude my hatred-of-all-ped-bridges policy.

[southslider]

Now if only there could be a way to get through the BofA parking deck from the CTC/Arena station to the new Winter Garden, and then I wouldn't hate its ped bridge to Founders Hall as much either.

[voyager12]

I went to Rock&Roll Emporium tonight. They have great deals on everything since they are still moving to Epicentre at the end of the month. I don't know the exact date that Revolution is opening but it should be in the Fall. I can't wait This is just the kind of wandering around urban retail Uptown needs. And will help me to get over my Epicentre grouchiness from the above post ^

[Guest]

Epicentre has won the code battle by a NC Building Code Council ruling!!!!

All the open business will be issued a permanent occupancy permit by the end of the month. I'm not sure how this will effect the F&C vs. Ghazi & Co. issue, but it shouldn't hurt, maybe we can get something in the air someday after all.

On another note. Next up to open this month, Smoothie king, the Fudgery (candy store, horray, Charlotte is definately missing one of these), PJs Coffee Shop, and Jason's Deli. While these are all chains, I feel 3 outta of the four are definately needed in downtown, we will finally be getting another Smoothie place, a Candy place, and a Deli. Supposedly PJs Coffee is a bar at night so that will be a nice thing to have as well. Even tho I think there is a Smoothie King in the jukebox building it will still be a nice new thing to have.

[New Name]

Supposedly PJs Coffee is a bar at night so that will be a nice thing to have as well.

I would love to see a cafe style nightspot in the city, especially at Epicentre. Ya know, as bad as I may want to experience all this cool new "stuff" uptown, I have no interest in house music/DJs/$9 drinks/important "fashions"/booty dancing/herpes.

[ontap]

Epicentre has won the code battle by a NC Building Code Council ruling!!!!

All the open business will be issued a permanent occupancy permit by the end of the month. I'm not sure how this will effect the F&C vs. Ghazi & Co. issue, but it shouldn't hurt, maybe we can get something in the air someday after all.

What exactly was the code battle about....horizontal rights? Who was the battle between?

[Durhamite]

I would love to see a cafe style nightspot in the city, especially at Epicentre. Ya know, as bad as I may want to experience all this cool new "stuff" uptown, I have no interest in house music/DJs/$9 drinks/important "fashions"/booty dancing/herpes.

Gasp...that's news to me and the overall medical community, coming down with a case of the Big "H" bowling or watching a movie (what kind of popcorn will they be serving ).

I'm going to check the place out in October or November.

[Guest]

The battle is between Flaherty and Collins and the Ghazi Company.

Here is a quote, so I don't haveta explain it.

In June, Flaherty & Collins filed a federal suit against a Ghazi subsidiary, seeking more than $70 million in damages.

Ghazi shot back, suing a Flaherty & Collins unit for $92 million. The suits center on disputes over the EpiCentre, built on the site of Charlotte

[monsoon]

^I think those are the stated reasons. My guess is the real reason is F&C, like the Park, knows they can't build the tower for the amount budgeted and supported by contracts. If this is true, they have bailed and are looking to lay blame where they can. It's been suggested on UP for a long time they under priced and under estimated this project, and of course the current mortgage/real estate meltdown doesn't help.

Will any of this make any difference with the Epicenter itself? Maybe. I think they will be challenged to maintain the retail it plans on all of its levels. This concept failed at Citifare and I suspect it will here too. The things that will survive will be the places to get drunk. The rest, its debatable. With the loss of so many condo project including 210 Trade the expected traffic is not going to be there. I can't imagine there are enough people willing to go downtown to support the bowling alley and movie theatre in the long term.

[nyxmike]

I actually think having a bowling alley and movie theater would help draw more people downtown.

[Charlotte_native]

I actually think having a bowling alley and movie theater would help draw more people downtown.

Exactly. As it is now, and has been for the two years I've lived downtown, about every place that is open from the bars to the restaurants to the little pizza places -- everything is pretty much busy all the time.

I think Epicenter will do just fine. Plenty of day time office worker business, draw businesses for the evenings, and residents that help as well. So far we quit going to Epicenter bars because they are actually too crowded. Once the theater and bowling are open we'll be back. Our friends that used to hang out on Montford, Elizabeth, and at times NoDa now primarily come into uptown to wine, dine, and play.

Add in the event weekend, of which every weekend seems to be one now with either a big concert, sports event, large convention, street fest, or other large draw, crowds always seem to be downtown (except holiday weekends).

[New Name]

Sorry dudes. I wasn't bashing...just having fun. I'll advocate all day long for Epicentre, and I certainly think we're on a better track with it.

I get a little bothered in that it seems that Uptown is in one mode, or the other. To me, it's business weekdays. It's club and party nights. It's family stroll saturdays. It's quiet lazy sundays. What about family Saturday nights? Let's hope bowling and movies bring that.

[monsoon]

I actually think having a bowling alley and movie theater would help draw more people downtown.

I simply don't understand this logic when these places are located all over the county.

[Charlotte_native]

I simply don't understand this logic when these places are located all over the county.

They are all over the country because people enjoy them and want them. I don't think anyone is implying they are a regional draw, just local and semi-local.

We don't have them now downtown so many think they will be a draw for those that live close including neighborhoods just outside downtown. Add to that people that come into town for the atmosphere and to go to a couple things in one evening (theatre, movies, dining). It certainly isn't to everyone's taste, but in a metro area of over a million, it only needs to draw a few. Add in those staying in the nearby hotels, conventioneers, etc.

The bars and restaurants uptown are a draw from all over the city -- the lines to get in them definitely aren't just from people who live nearby.

[monsoon]

I guess we will see. There were high hopes for Citifare too. It's not clear to me there have been significant change in numbers of people living close in since it operated.

[Guest]

To add to my news of openings the Observer has just posted an article detailing the theatre that is opening and a few other openings.

[jfuptown]

I agree having a bowling alley, movie theater and expanding selection of restaurants Uptown will help to draw more people. Every additional activity not only offers more for residents but adds greater appeal to make Uptown a destination and great place to live.

Can

[w8forme]

i'm just so glad there will be another Smoothie King and I'm guessing this one will be accessible from the street and I won't have to go inside the 'head and shoulders' bldg again.

[mallguy]

I'd think that the Epicentre would work better than CityFair. I remember CityFair- retail that definitely wouldn't attract anyone to drive in for (and originally meant to be retail that would get business from the Belk's and Ivey's customers, but then those stores closed), plus a thriving food court. In downtowns these days, entertainment and restaurants generally seem to work better than retail does, so Epicentre's mix of mostly restaurants plus the other entertainment options should bode well. Hope the movie theater does OK.

[Andyc545]

I'd think that the Epicentre would work better than CityFair. I remember CityFair- retail that definitely wouldn't attract anyone to drive in for (and originally meant to be retail that would get business from the Belk's and Ivey's customers, but then those stores closed), plus a thriving food court. In downtowns these days, entertainment and restaurants generally seem to work better than retail does, so Epicentre's mix of mostly restaurants plus the other entertainment options should bode well. Hope the movie theater does OK.

I think the bars and clubs will thrive. People will always come, even from decent distances because lets face it, you can't get this type of night life any where else in the metro and this is where all of the action is at night on the weekends (at least for it's target demographics). The 2030 plan will only make this more accessible and more venturing for those living further away that would currently not drive. Light rail also makes a safer and more logical method when drinking. I'm skeptical about some of the smaller places that don't have visibility from College or Trade. These businesses are in the shadows of aLoft and all of EpiCentre and makes it sort of a maze for those that may find it easier to get to places on the street. Anything with Trade or College visibility and access will likely thrive because they have sidewalk access and are located in a prime block. Where I disagree with Monsoon is the bowling alley and theatre. It is something that is needed in uptown with it's growing central population to support it, but then you have to account for all of the additional office workers that would want to go after work, it acting as an alternative night life attraction, it being an additional "thing to do" on the weekend afternoons, which right now is limiting until the museums are opened, and then of course the easy access via transit makes it a primary theater and bowling alley for surrounding neighborhoods, especially S. End. It also acts somewhat uniquely from the typical Regal Theater as it has dinner options in the theater and the bowling alley is just unique overall for what this area is used to. I guess time will really tell though.