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Legacy Union (former Charlotte Observer redevelopment)


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2 hours ago, Dale said:

Never a more apt appraisal. On closer inspection it’s ridiculously banal. Can’t wait for Deloitte to draw attention from it.

Why do we wait until it's too late everytime? This is the perfect place to organize people with the knowledge to demand a public comment period before council sign off (if I'm saying that right?). In some ways it's like herding cats of course but if nothing else it would drive getting this into the open since the press doesn't seem able to for some reason. It would also give the council political cover if they need it.

I've thought of going to all the meetings and raising hell but with my "outsider accent" and no background in planning can imagine how that'd go! :-)

 

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1 minute ago, elrodvt said:

Why do we wait until it's too late everytime? This is the perfect place to organize people with the knowledge to demand a public comment period before council sign off (if I'm saying that right?). In some ways it's like herding cats of course but if nothing else it would drive getting this into the open since the press doesn't seem able to for some reason. It would also give the council political cover if they need it.

I've thought of going to all the meetings and raising hell but with my "outsider accent" and no background in planning can imagine how that'd go! :-)

 

I don't think it's fair to the developer to have to directly change the superficial design based on public opinion. Street presence, size, parking amount, and major aesthetics like (like huge blank walls or massive exposed parking decks) should definitely be influenced by the public to an extent and I think that they're already at that point.

This building isn't hideous but who are we to demand them to change it when they're the ones paying for it? It's smart for them to get feedback and listen to it especially if there is an overwhelmingly negative and mostly unanimous public opinion.

Does this belong in the 90s? Yes. Should they have to change that because we UP nerds want them to? No.

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No significant retail is cool too right? It could be 10x worse and you would still have NO input other than the hints those in the know drop and we could all churn on those hints with 0 effect. It's awesome people like RD go out on the limb to drop those nuggets but this process is totally dysfunctional. Personally I'd rather bank the land than have this crap. 

I think you pretty much missed the point. The process is opaque to the public and even neighbors and that's not right. My opinions are not more valuable than yours but all our opinions should count for something. Well, actually, my opinion used to be more valuable than yours, as a neighbour,  but I've given up hope of anything much positive happening downtown and cashed out. 

BTW, thanks RDJ and others for your advise on where to live downtown. Financially it worked out well. It's just not worth living there.

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8 hours ago, elrodvt said:

Why do we wait until it's too late everytime? This is the perfect place to organize people with the knowledge to demand a public comment period before council sign off (if I'm saying that right?). In some ways it's like herding cats of course but if nothing else it would drive getting this into the open since the press doesn't seem able to for some reason. It would also give the council political cover if they need it.

I've thought of going to all the meetings and raising hell but with my "outsider accent" and no background in planning can imagine how that'd go! :-)

 

I have seen your calls for a public input or demands for buildings built by companies. I cannot disagree with this idea more. 

Do you know what a camel is?  It's a horse designed by committee. 

1.  My biggest issue is, why, why, why... why should one person dictate how another spends their money or time. I completely understand that one can have an ideal of how they wish their community to look, but that doesn't mean one person or group should dictate what others should or can do. 

2. The public would never agree on how a building should look, it's subjective. Even on this board where people who spend their free time researching and documenting the developments in town (because they enjoy these activities) cannot agree on this building. 

3. Issues with above ground parking, the opportunity cost is just not there to build underground parking at certain locations, this will change over time. Will it be for the next highrise? probably not, but in another 10yrs..maybe so.  And as land becomes more valuable or flying cars happen garages like the big beotch on this project can be torn down and rebuilt like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. 

4. Uptown retail (non restaurant and bar) again this is just a matter of simple economics. As of right now, individuals or companies with the capital do not see it as advantageous to open in uptown. This again will only change with time as additional people move into the area and shopping habits change. 

 

In sum, not everyone has to like this building, you can call it trash or you can love it, and you're allowed to. There is nothing wrong with that. My issue is that you wish to stop people from expressing their opinions (the building itself is an expression) because you do not like it, and to me that is not acceptable. 

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54 minutes ago, Popsickle said:

4. Uptown retail (non restaurant and bar) again this is just a matter of simple economics. As of right now, individuals or companies with the capital do not see it as advantageous to open in uptown. This again will only change with time as additional people move into the area and shopping habits change. 

Is it because rent to sustain non restaurant/bars too expensive?  Uptown has more people living and working within 277 than ever before.  With this recent construction boom (hotels & resi), I think the area could definitely support shops.  If it is because of rent, whatever happened to the city programs to help attract locally owned shops into Uptown, like The House of LeMond?  In my eyes, all the ingredients are there...the hotels, the residents, the workers, NBA/NFL, disposable income, and other (conventions/visitors).  Someone just needs to take the leap!

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8 minutes ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

Is it because rent to sustain non restaurant/bars too expensive?  Uptown has more people living and working within 277 than ever before.  With this recent construction boom (hotels & resi), I think the area could definitely support shops.  If it is because of rent, whatever happened to the city programs to help attract locally owned shops into Uptown, like The House of LeMond?  In my eyes, all the ingredients are there...the hotels, the residents, the workers, NBA/NFL, disposable income, and other (conventions/visitors).  Someone just needs to take the leap!

I agree that certain stores would work uptown, just need somebody to take the leap. Once a store is successful others will follow. 

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Uptown retail non restaurants or bars is difficult because of extremely high rents.  Landlords want to charge they same rates as SouthPark or Concord Mills malls uptown when the traffic pedestrian or otherwise is not there.  They need to adjust their rents to reflect and view the retail space as more of an amenity to their office workers.  Charge a lower base rent with escalating percentage of sales ie. the more successful the store is the more the landlord gets paid.  Right now they throw out $40/sq ft rent that is comparable to the best shopping centers in Charlotte and that is why our restaurants and bars seem to open.  Chains non food retailers can afford these rents but they want high traffic counts pedestrian or otherwise.  Local independent retailers find it very hard to afford these types of rents and that why they are lacking in uptown.  

My plan would be a large landlord uptown lets say a Lincoln Harris or Childress Klein make the rents lower for non food retailers so a critical mass can be created.  

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3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Uptown retail non restaurants or bars is difficult because of extremely high rents.  Landlords want to charge they same rates as SouthPark or Concord Mills malls uptown when the traffic pedestrian or otherwise is not there.  They need to adjust their rents to reflect and view the retail space as more of an amenity to their office workers.  Charge a lower base rent with escalating percentage of sales ie. the more successful the store is the more the landlord gets paid.  Right now they throw out $40/sq ft rent that is comparable to the best shopping centers in Charlotte and that is why our restaurants and bars seem to open.  Chains non food retailers can afford these rents but they want high traffic counts pedestrian or otherwise.  Local independent retailers find it very hard to afford these types of rents and that why they are lacking in uptown.  

My plan would be a large landlord uptown lets say a Lincoln Harris or Childress Klein make the rents lower for non food retailers so a critical mass can be created.  

Is there existing empty space that just needs a rent reduction, or is it that developers aren't setting aside enough space for retail/restaurant? In other words, will it take new developments to solve this problem? From a Concord...ite(?)...ian(?) (no idea what to call myself!) who doesn't venture uptown very often.

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4 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Uptown retail non restaurants or bars is difficult because of extremely high rents.  Landlords want to charge they same rates as SouthPark or Concord Mills malls uptown when the traffic pedestrian or otherwise is not there.  They need to adjust their rents to reflect and view the retail space as more of an amenity to their office workers.  Charge a lower base rent with escalating percentage of sales ie. the more successful the store is the more the landlord gets paid.  Right now they throw out $40/sq ft rent that is comparable to the best shopping centers in Charlotte and that is why our restaurants and bars seem to open.  Chains non food retailers can afford these rents but they want high traffic counts pedestrian or otherwise.  Local independent retailers find it very hard to afford these types of rents and that why they are lacking in uptown.  

My plan would be a large landlord uptown lets say a Lincoln Harris or Childress Klein make the rents lower for non food retailers so a critical mass can be created.  

Nashville appears to be on the verge of destination retail. But that may be because its downtown is becoming a destination.

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7 minutes ago, Exile said:

Is there existing empty space that just needs a rent reduction, or is it that developers aren't setting aside enough space for retail/restaurant? In other words, will it take new developments to solve this problem? From a Concord...ite(?)...ian(?) (no idea what to call myself!) who doesn't venture uptown very often.

Actually there is vacancy in the bottom of the deck at 3rd and S Church across from Kimpton and Ink and Ivy, vacant space at the bottom of the parking garage behind Spectrum arena and next to the Springhill Suites (has been vacant since opening about 10 years ago) more new space is coming at Legacy, Ally Bank at Tryon Place plus some vacant space on N Tryon and at the Epicentre too. 

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On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 6:06 PM, GoldenEagle128 said:

Foggy day in the Queen City

IMG_20181215_153603.jpg

IMG_20181215_153716.jpg

Anybody else see the rainbow on Saturday morning? I was driving on Kenilworth and very briefly the sun came out and there was a brilliant, perfectly framing uptown. It only lasted a minute and unfortunately I was driving or I would have snagged a picture, it was a tremendous photo op.

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