Legacy Union (former Charlotte Observer redevelopment)

[DJ8hep]

Progress today, it is definitely really filling in that space now!

[QCxpat]

Today 2:30 p.m.

Edited January 11, 2023 by QCxpat

[BJKM]

Back in the office after the holidays. Looks like they’re working on floors 6/7. 

[BJKM]

Also I’m not sure what they’re doing here. There are doors from BOAT that lead out to this space as well as a connection to the front balcony side of Boat which also has doors. Amenity deck maybe?

[CLT Development]

43 minutes ago, BJKM said:

Also I’m not sure what they’re doing here. There are doors from BOAT that lead out to this space as well as a connection to the front balcony side of Boat which also has doors. Amenity deck maybe?

This portion of the building was built to hold up to an 8 floor, 100K Sq foot expansion, and Highwoods has been intent on making it happen for a while. I don't believe any super structure permitting has been filed, but I wouldn't doubt it if it happens.

[Madison Parkitect]

32 minutes ago, CLT Development said:

This portion of the building was built to hold up to an 8 floor, 100K Sq foot expansion, and Highwoods has been intent on making it happen for a while. I don't believe any super structure permitting has been filed, but I wouldn't doubt it if it happens.

So the addition would be just a couple feet away from the existing tower wall? You'd just have two offices looking into the windows of each other? Seems awkward. Or would the exterior wall on 8 floors of the BOAT be taken off and the new tower would directly connect to it?

[CLT Development]

1 hour ago, Madison Parkitect said:

So the addition would be just a couple feet away from the existing tower wall? You'd just have two offices looking into the windows of each other? Seems awkward. Or would the exterior wall on 8 floors of the BOAT be taken off and the new tower would directly connect to it?

Keep in mind the roof pictured above is 31,000 square feet. an 8 floor, 100,000 square foot building could be massed along Good Samaritan Way and be sufficiently spaced away from the building. That said, I've never pushed far into this conversation, and had a "wait and see how they do it" mentality.

[DJ8hep]

Keep in mind the roof pictured above is 31,000 square feet. an 8 floor, 100,000 square foot building could be massed along Good Samaritan Way and be sufficiently spaced away from the building. That said, I've never pushed far into this conversation, and had a "wait and see how they do it" mentality.

Sounds like the addition could essentially be a smaller scale version of the Museum tower.

[Prodev]

21 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

So the addition would be just a couple feet away from the existing tower wall? You'd just have two offices looking into the windows of each other? Seems awkward. Or would the exterior wall on 8 floors of the BOAT be taken off and the new tower would directly connect to it?

Yeah, I don't see this happening. There aren't any elevator shafts in the parking structure below so it would likely have to be bolted on to the existing tower to utilize their vertical transportation.  Otherwise, retrofitting new elevator shafts through the parking garage is likely going to be cost prohibitive, particularly for inefficient 12,500 SF floorplates. 

[DMann]

Unless they ride the outside of the building!

[queensguy06]

On 1/11/2023 at 7:42 AM, BJKM said:

Also I’m not sure what they’re doing here. There are doors from BOAT that lead out to this space as well as a connection to the front balcony side of Boat which also has doors. Amenity deck maybe?

 

Looks to me like they are doing some roof repairs due to possible water intrusion. If you notice in the blue box below that is roofing material. The reason it is all the way to that side is that it would have been roof loaded with a boom lift/crane from the street and then they built temporary walk pads to the area that requires the repairs. In the red box below when you zoom in it looks like they possibly took two core samples to check something - water intrusion, bad ISO board, etc. My guess is water intrusion due to the location. That roof is tapered like a W so that water runs down to the roof drains that you see in pairs running vertical. The work is located in the trough of the taper where water would pool and/or drain. Also could be unrelated, but it looks like the workers on the right are not laborers but probably project manager, etc. and they appear to be standing around a an area that was patched at some point. If they were to make this an amenity deck ideally you would build a deck structure over the roof to allow proper drainage over the taper system and to provide a level amenities surface; or tear the entire roof system out down to the roof deck and build to suit.

Edited January 12, 2023 by queensguy06

[ertley]

19 hours ago, queensguy06 said:

Looks to me like they are doing some roof repairs due to possible water intrusion. If you notice in the blue box below that is roofing material. The reason it is all the way to that side is that it would have been roof loaded with a boom lift/crane from the street and then they built temporary walk pads to the area that requires the repairs. In the red box below when you zoom in it looks like they possibly took two core samples to check something - water intrusion, bad ISO board, etc. My guess is water intrusion due to the location. That roof is tapered like a W so that water runs down to the roof drains that you see in pairs running vertical. The work is located in the trough of the taper where water would pool and/or drain. Also could be unrelated, but it looks like the workers on the right are not laborers but probably project manager, etc. and they appear to be standing around a an area that was patched at some point. If they were to make this an amenity deck ideally you would build a deck structure over the roof to allow proper drainage over the taper system and to provide a level amenities surface; or tear the entire roof system out down to the roof deck and build to suit.

Ahhhh...expertise...!

[QCxpat]

Today 9:30 a.m.

Edited January 16, 2023 by QCxpat

[BJKM]

Updates from this morning as well as watching what they’re doing on top of the Deloitte garage.

They have added some kind of lip or barrier if you zoom in. Looks like it has holes for water to drain so @queensguy06 probably hit the nail on the head. 

[queensguy06]

On 1/18/2023 at 1:20 PM, BJKM said:

Updates from this morning as well as watching what they’re doing on top of the Deloitte garage.

They have added some kind of lip or barrier if you zoom in. Looks like it has holes for water to drain so @queensguy06 probably hit the nail on the head. 

 

I think I was completely wrong!! Full disclosure - even as a commercial roofing contractor myself I can only guess at what they are doing from these photos. With that said, I think they are building a patio/deck! Or installing HVAC units but that doesn't really make a ton of sense with the location and how this is getting built out. I personally don't have a ton of experience with installing rooftop decks, we deal mostly with HVAC/mechanical units, skylights, traditional cricket/taper systems, etc. 

My assumption is the patio would extend to that mini parapet wall/curb they are building that runs along the roof drains and will be used to anchor a railing/fence of some sort. In the red box below you can see an overflow scupper right at the drain to allow water to flow into the drains. They could build a deck system like Trex or Duradek, but I would assume they would use whatever system they have in place that currently exists in the yellow box - could be roof paver tiles? The blue box below highlights one of the new curbs they built which are all pretty equidistant apart - these are meant for something to sit on top of them; possibly planters of some sort to add some greenery or seating/tables?

@BJKM you certainly have piqued not only my interest but a few people on my team! Keep the photos coming, I'm excited to see the progress and how this gets built out!

Edited January 19, 2023 by queensguy06

[KJHburg]

Uptown Charlotte does have an office tower rising of course Legacy 4.   Today. 

Still like the BOAT with its 100 foot tall pyramid.  

[DonkeyKong]

[KJHburg]

today.   When the Charlotte Observer was reduced to rubble a few years back  I would have not thought we would have 3 completed office towers and a 4th one under way on these blocks.  More customers for Ally's retail and other places nearby since only a Night Swim coffee shop is open inside of Legacy which is one beautiful coffee shop and quite busy I hear. 

[FLOSC843]

So, only retail thus far is a coffee shop?!?!  That's insane  by comparison to its neighbor.  Love the development, hate the lack of activity. I remember before the "boat" was even started, UPers  (hope I said that right, lol), speculating about the retail  potential - mostly optimistic too.  Maybe the future holds something special once all towers are built out. Fingers crossed.

[JRCLT]

So, only retail thus far is a coffee shop?!?!  That's insane  by comparison to its neighbor.  Love the development, hate the lack of activity. I remember before the "boat" was even started, UPers  (hope I said that right, lol), speculating about the retail  potential - mostly optimistic too.  Maybe the future holds something special once all towers are built out. Fingers crossed.

Needs more than just offices…

[KJHburg]

5 hours ago, FLOSC843 said:

So, only retail thus far is a coffee shop?!?!  That's insane  by comparison to its neighbor.  Love the development, hate the lack of activity. I remember before the "boat" was even started, UPers  (hope I said that right, lol), speculating about the retail  potential - mostly optimistic too.  Maybe the future holds something special once all towers are built out. Fingers crossed.

There is a coffee shop and BofA branch.   They have lots of good retail spaces in the upcoming Legacy 4 tower and a good restaurant spot in Deloitte.  They have spots for at least 2 more towers on the 2nd block.  

[Hushpuppy321]

Amazing how this tower could Deliver around the same time as the East/West Tower even though it started many months after.  I believe both Towers are in the 23/24 floor range.

[RANYC]

On 1/29/2023 at 9:06 AM, FLOSC843 said:

So, only retail thus far is a coffee shop?!?!  That's insane  by comparison to its neighbor.  Love the development, hate the lack of activity. I remember before the "boat" was even started, UPers  (hope I said that right, lol), speculating about the retail  potential - mostly optimistic too.  Maybe the future holds something special once all towers are built out. Fingers crossed.

I could be wrong, but while LU retail could have been designed better, I think it worth considering that the reason the retail in this development isn't in the phase that ACC retail finds itself, is that the main block of Legacy Union simply isn't done.  A big part of that block is just a massive construction zone and the block really isn't that inviting for walking due to so much activity.  As a retail tenant, I'd be trepidatious putting so much investment into something that's in the middle of (or attached to) adjacent construction intensity.  I sense that once the dust settles on LU4, retail leasing will pick up in earnest.  I don't suspect much leasing in the parking garage or on the ground floor of Honeywell will happen until the big patch of dirt and fencing on that block gets built up as well.  

Also, the overall LU project is just a different beast of a complex with several high-profile corporate tenants.  ACC is just Allied only in terms of office users.  And while I'm pleased it has retail which I partly attribute to the fact that it's actually done, it's not like the most amazing block in history.  I can't stand the parking garage and think the way the new Duke Center cloaked its garage is just far superior.  Not sure what was stopping ACC from designing its garage in similar fashion.  Also, I checked out the Museum of Illusions, and while I enjoyed the content, I was quite under-whelmed by the facade design.  I do love the Live Oak on the corner and the plaza as well.  I would have been fine with just an open plaza there and don't need the Golden Cow, but that's just me.

Edited January 30, 2023 by RANYC

[KJHburg]

the newest tower 600 South Tryon has 4 retail spaces 2 with patios on S Tryon

https://www.loopnet.com/common/viewer/?file=https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/gLQq17jmqlPQlbqb7BMGknAiy83Ti16_guZ5QPajof0/20220825 Retail Leasing LODrev01.pdf

650 South Tryon has a restaurant spot with patio seating   (I heard multiple times this space was taken by a new to market restaurant but never confirmed with a name) 

https://www.loopnet.com/common/viewer/?file=https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/px4HLDlDNCkr4JDXHOIEwai5aBQT2uug3pmfz3MQddQ/650 S Tryon Retail 12022REDUCED.pdf

this plan shows the retail spaces along the Mega parking garage along S Church and one on the back side of the BOAT also on S Church. 

IF they can get most of this retail space they will have lots of street activity.  The 3 existing office towers are 85% leased so there is a lot of people in them. 

[BJKM]

Foggy Tuesday updates. They are pumping in a very large amount of what looks like plant substrate to create the large amenity deck on top of the Deloitte garage.