Legacy Union (former Charlotte Observer redevelopment)

[KJHburg]

Revised site plan for Legacy 2 tower.  http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2018/113-125/2018-119 site plan rev.pdf   with all 4 sides shown.  For those who don't like the look of BOAT Legacy 1 tower this will block the view especially from South Tryon.   I like how it is so different than Legacy 1 but still fits into the overall project with many more towers to come.  I in the minority like both towers! 

Edited November 17, 2018 by KJHburg

[Merthecat]

"Legacy Union East Condominium"

I thought this was an office tower?

[atlrvr]

Condominium is just a legal definition of describing the separate ownership of the buildings but shared ownership of the land....it doesn't refer to residential in this case.

[Desert Power]

14 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Revised site plan for Legacy 2 tower.  http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2018/113-125/2018-119 site plan rev.pdf   with all 4 sides shown.  For those who don't like the look of BOAT Legacy 1 tower this will block the view especially from South Tryon.   I like how it is so different than Legacy 1 but still fits into the overall project with many more towers to come.  I in the minority like both towers! 

I like this design a lot, but wish it was at least 100 feet taller...

[southernnorthcarolina]

 

I'm new to this site, a Charlotte native, and currently living in the exurbs thereof (Weddington, Union County) -- hence southern North Carolina, almost within sight of Baja Carolina.  I figured the Legacy Union thread was as good a place for my first post as any.

I'm somewhat bemused about the negative sentiment on this project expressed by some.  I find it a very attractive building with real substance and dignaty.  There is, of course, no accounting for taste.  I don't intend to try to change anyone's mind about anything so subjective as asthetics.

I do, however, have some questions about the functionality of the project.  The question which is first in my mind is -- how is the vehicular traffic going to work?  As I understand it, there will be a total of almost 3,000  parking spaces in two decks, designed to serve the first office tower, the second office tower in the planning stages, as well as future hotel, residential, and/or retail (as well as being a nice profit center on game days).  And maybe even more parking under future residential or hotel towers?  Will not the majority of weekday traffic bound for the parking decks come via Stonewall?  With all the new developments on Stonewall underway or planned, isn't the street, only two lanes in each direction, going to become a rush-hour traffic nightmare?   Can any part of Stonewall be widened?

Second question:  what about a connection to Overstreet Mall?  Especially if a hotel is built as part of the project, a weatherproof link to the Convention Center would seem a near necessity -- most likely, via the second office building which is builg built to the Tryon right-of-way.  The Ally project and the JW Marriott would need to be connected as well, perhaps via the Westin, which will soon have a pedestrian bridge over Stonewall to the Convention Center.  Have there been any discussions, negotiations, or sketches?

And one more question:  are those narrow "left over" scraps of land between Hill Street and 277 buildable?

Edited November 17, 2018 by southernnorthcarolina
spelling

[videtur quam contuor]

Thoughtful first post. Welcome. This is how to enter the community. Return soon.

[KJHburg]

Hello @southernnorthcarolina  yes I like Legacy too.    As for your last questions those parcels are too small on the other side of Hill St for anything and I think the city or DOT owns it anyway.  However I think some additional tree plantings are in order once all the construction is done.  Egress/ingress into the parking garages are from Hill St,, S Church St and S Mint St at present.  As more is developed possibly off Stonewall.  Due to the locations next to 277 traffic should disperse pretty quickly and hopefully many will ride the LYNX light just 2 blocks away.  Depends on where a hotel is sited on the land for I think the corner at Stonewall and S Tryon is slated for another office building but not sure.  Probably won't connect to the Overstreet Mall from this location due to the fact Duke Energy is not and 400 South Tryon the white and gold building is not either.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

By splitting up these buildings into condominiums (which is just a form of ownership with shared common elements not a building type) they can easily sell some of these parcels including their office buildings off to other investors.  Lincoln Harris and Goldman Sachs partners of the Capitol Towers 1 and 2 have those buildings on the market now.  Plus if some tenant wanted to be an owner of their own building they can accommodate that as well.  

[DeleteMe]

Like the second tower.  The collection of buildings there could be interesting (good). Hate the pedestrian bridge to the office tower though (and, on different site down Stonewall, the one proposed to connect the convention center to the hotel). Pedestrian bridges kill street level activity and we more not less of that.

Great pix by the way.

Can some one post their pictures to the other urban/skyscraper forums?   Charlotte looks dead to the world and it's not...clearly!  I dont have the wealth of pix some of you have, or I would!

Thanks.

Edited November 20, 2018 by MACyr

[KJHburg]

24 minutes ago, MACyr said:

 

Can some one post their pictures to the other urban/skyscraper forums?   Charlotte looks dead to the world and it's not...clearly!  I dont have the wealth of pix some of you have, or I would!

Thanks.

I tried before but you have to put your photos in a 3rd party site or something.  It is just complicated unfortunately.  I agree those other sites are big in other cities but if they do any kind search they can find this site very easily.  That is how I stumbled upon it searching for information on a new building or project and kept finding this UrbanPlanet site and that was about 3 years ago. 

[King of the Queen City]

1 hour ago, MACyr said:

Pedestrian bridges kill street level activity and we more not less of that.

I understand the concern, but I think the street level retail will take care of that problem without forcing a ton of people to cross traffic just to get over to the tower.

[Guest]

I tried before but you have to put your photos in a 3rd party site or something.  It is just complicated unfortunately.  I agree those other sites are big in other cities but if they do any kind search they can find this site very easily.  That is how I stumbled upon it searching for information on a new building or project and kept finding this UrbanPlanet site and that was about 3 years ago. 

They all think we are whiny know it all prima donnas so whatever, they can keep thinking nothing is happening in Charlotte.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Nick2]

1 hour ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

They all think we are whiny know it all prima donnas so whatever, they can keep thinking nothing is happening in Charlotte.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Well that's rude of them, I'm a bellyaching know it all prima Donna thank you very much. 

[KJHburg]

Guess who is back uptown? After my southern tour of "IT" cities, I'm  back in my favorite, the QC.  Legacy today from all angles and I think the brick on the garage looks good actually.  

[DeleteMe]

On 11/19/2018 at 10:35 PM, KJHburg said:

I tried before but you have to put your photos in a 3rd party site or something.  It is just complicated unfortunately.  I agree those other sites are big in other cities but if they do any kind search they can find this site very easily.  That is how I stumbled upon it searching for information on a new building or project and kept finding this UrbanPlanet site and that was about 3 years ago. 

It's worth trying.  Unless you are looking for Charlotte specifically, people aren't going Google new development in Charlotte.  You have let people know about Charlotte.  Hiding out here isn't helping spread the word.   

Edited November 21, 2018 by MACyr

[DeleteMe]

23 hours ago, King of the Queen City said:

I understand the concern, but I think the street level retail will take care of that problem without forcing a ton of people to cross traffic just to get over to the tower.

I have 30 years experience as an urban designer and a master's degree in landscape architecture.  I've lived and worked in New York, Berlin and DC before teaching at NC State and working for NCDOT.  I'm not a casual observer on these topics.  No offense but pedestrian bridges suck the life off streets.  "Adding retail" to a project at the street level is not going drive pedestrian traffic to the street, it takes it away.  

[Guest]

I have 30 years experience as an urban designer and a master's degree in landscape architecture.  I've lived and worked in New York, Berlin and DC before teaching at NC State and working for NCDOT.  I'm not a casual observer on these topics.  No offense but pedestrian bridges suck the life off streets.  "Adding retail" to a project at the street level is not going drive pedestrian traffic to the street, it takes it away.  

Amen, great post. There’s a lot of anti urban pieces planned with this project. It’s not what uptown needs. It’s more of the same. Lots of internal retail, too much parking, pedestrian tubes. Etc. hard pass.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DeleteMe]

3 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Amen, great post. There’s a lot of anti urban pieces planned with this project. It’s not what uptown needs. It’s more of the same. Lots of internal retail, too much parking, pedestrian tubes. Etc. hard pass.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you.  "Anti-urban"...nice, "geography of nowhere"

Good urban spaces are in the details.  I havent been to Charlotte since the Great Stonewall Transformation but the massings of the new structures look too monolithic to make the pedestrian realm very comforting.  Have you been down and walked it?  

Edited November 21, 2018 by MACyr

[Guest]

Amen, great post. There’s a lot of anti urban pieces planned with this project. It’s not what uptown needs. It’s more of the same. Lots of internal retail, too much parking, pedestrian tubes. Etc. hard pass.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

And in regards to the other sites, I’d happily contribute if the digital content loading methods changed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DeleteMe]

Just now, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

And in regards to the other sites, I’d happily contribute if the digital content loading methods changed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I may have to take it on.  People have to know what good is happening in NC.

[Guest]

I may have to take it on.  People have to know what good is happening in NC.

Would help if I lived in Charlotte, if I could walk out my door and take photos everyday I would. I follow development though contacts, friends, listing services, public record, this site, 5 or so annual visits, and lot of interaction with industry people.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[deleted]

I remain prochoice on pedestrian bridges and tunnels.  I'm all for smart urban design but think people should have the option of staying off the street (for safety, comfort and convenience) if developers are willing to give them the choice.  Those that want to be on the street will be there.  Making the streets safer and more attractive to pedestrians is the way to address this (as opposed to abolishing tunnels).  Just my opinion though.  I only have a GED...

[urbanlover568]

I actually like the bridges. Nobody wants to be outside on a hot Carolina day. You could put retail on the same level as the bridges too and  exits to street level retail. Having less people cross the streets is safe too and reduces vehicular deaths.

Edited November 21, 2018 by mpretori

[Guest]

I actually like the bridges. Nobody wants to be outside on a hot Carolina day. You could put retail on the same level as the bridges too and  exits to street level retail. Having less people cross the streets is safe too and reduces vehicular deaths.

Drivers need to be travelling Charlotte streets mindful of pedestrians. Thats how streets get more safe. Delivering people to their cars, past the retail is not how you build a cohesive urban realm.

[elrodvt]

Don't take my downvotes personally but you guys are so wrong.

We need to have the streets busy with people not cars. Putting retail in tunnels is nuts until there is no space on the streets. We're talking about a city with virtually NO retail! It's friggin dead compared to many cities of 50k or so. That's ridiculous and a pox on our leaders. I really don't think most of you have ever lived in the uptown area which clouds your judgement. In 5 years I've seen almost no progress. Yeah you can get all excited over office towers but for a resident..... Whatever....

Personally I've had enough. Might as well live in the darn burbs.