Truist - New HQ (BB&T-SunTrust Merger)

[ChessieCat]

47 minutes ago, Trickbot said:

Is stealing  Coca Cola an option? I'd gladly take that from the ATL too

Stealing Coca Cola and SunTrust are nice, but I don't want ATL's traffic...  Seems like we are halfway there..

[Nick2]

5 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

Stealing Coca Cola and SunTrust are nice, but I don't want ATL's traffic...  Seems like we are halfway there..

Honestly we really aren't even halfway there. Seriously, for a city its size, clts traffic is very mild. However in two decades it could get bad unless they plan for the continuing population boom.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

1 minute ago, Nick2 said:

Honestly we really aren't even halfway there. Seriously, for a city its size, clts traffic is very mild. However in two decades it could get bad unless they plan for the continuing population boom.

Yeah we are no where close to Atlanta's traffic and never will be. Charlotte has a much better designed road system. 2 major N/S interstates converging  in the downtown area in a huge bend is unlike any other traffic causer this side of the 405 lol. People in Charlotte only typically need to use surface streets. Atlanta's streets are much older, poorly designed and hillier. Most people in Atlanta need to get on an interstate everyday to get to work. In Charlotte that just isnt the case.

[kermit]

1 hour ago, Nick2 said:

However in two decades it could get bad unless they plan for the continuing population boom.

Yea, this is the thing that pisses me off the most about this town.

#1 We know that our traffic will become paralyzing if we continue to grow at this rate.

#2 We know that building more roads won’t help fix #1 (see Atlanta)

#3 We know that land use change and increased use of non-auto transport are the only way to avoid #1

None of this is rocket science. We have a great deal of knowledge about how to build sustainable cities, yet Charlotte mostly just twiddles its thumbs (by focusing on BS scooter regulations and not offending NIMBYs with the UDO) as we all hurtle towards Atlanta traffic levels. 

Edited February 8, 2019 by kermit

[Dale]

3 minutes ago, kermit said:

Yea, this is the thing that pisses me off the most about this town.

#1 We know that our traffic will become paralyzing if we continue to grow at this rate.

#2 We know that building more roads won’t help fix #1 (see Atlanta)

#3 We know that land use change and increased use of non-auto transport are the only way to avoid #1

None of this is rocket science. We have a great deal of knowledge about how to build sustainable cities, yet Charlotte mostly just twiddles our thumbs (by focusing on BS like scooter regulations and not offending NIMBYs with the UDO) as we hurtle towards Atlanta traffic levels. 

We could be Nashville. Its plan for choking congestion appears to be scooters.

[Tyrone Wiggum]

15 hours ago, Dale said:

Texcitement, on SSP, says he’s quite familiar with this deal, that a permanent headquarters will likely be announced, in 2 to 3 years, and that Charlotte will likely have to fight for it.

 

So here's what happens next:  Kelly doesn't do ANYTHING he can't predict with reasonable certainty a decade out; if Charlotte were a weigh station they would have just kept - while eliminating redundancies, natch - two operations bases.  The move to Charlotte precipitates yet another acquisition, but not ones you think:  Regions is a dog, and Ally doesn't have the margins Kelly craves (John and Kelly love(d) them some investing platform, but they can't play with the big boys because they're super regionals; now they can at least get traction):  Key and Fifth Third get gobbled up  - as an entre into the Northeast and Pacific Northwest and a further consolidation of market share in Florida, Atlanta, and Charlotte - and moved here, and since the KeyCorp HQ can't be the tallest property and sure as hell can't look like 1BAC, they build Charlotte's new tallest within five years.  Unfortunately, it becomes the ugliest building in the skyline, on top of being a 1200+' er that doesn't get challenged for height before I'm fish food.

Sorry for party rocking but it's a mixed bag if you care about aesthetics in Charlotte; otherwise it's a huge win with more wins to come.

 

 

 

 

 

[DMann]

Say.....has anyone thought of the AMTRAK site for an office tower for SunBBT, it would have great visibility from the BBT Stadium as well as sitting on a rail line that goes both to Atlanta and Winston?

[Dale]

1 minute ago, Tyrone Wiggum said:

 

So here's what happens next:  Kelly doesn't do ANYTHING he can't predict with reasonable certainty a decade out; if Charlotte were a weigh station they would have just kept - while eliminating redundancies, natch - two operations bases.  The move to Charlotte precipitates yet another acquisition, but not ones you think:  Regions is a dog, and Ally doesn't have the margins Kelly craves (John and Kelly love(d) them some investing platform, but they can't play with the big boys because they're super regionals; now they can at least get traction):  Key and Fifth Third get gobbled up  - as an entre into the Northeast and Pacific Northwest and a further consolidation of market share in Florida, Atlanta, and Charlotte - and moved here, and since the KeyCorp HQ can't be the tallest property and sure as hell can't look like 1BAC, they build Charlotte's new tallest within five years.  Unfortunately, it becomes the ugliest building in the skyline, on top of being a 1200+' er that doesn't get challenged for height before I'm fish food.

Sorry for party rocking but it's a mixed bag if you care about aesthetics in Charlotte; otherwise it's a huge win with more wins to come.

 

 

 

 

 

With world’s tallest circular garage ramp ? 

[Nick2]

I think Charlotte will get better transit before traffic gets crazy especially better bus routes and at the minimum the silver/airport line. They are already adding toll roads which help alleviate traffic congestion whether you hate them or not. And as we move towards the future, people in general are more likely to stay in their neighborhoods rather than travel to another destination for leisure. And people are increasingly likely to seek out housing closer to their job rather than commute in some crazy distance (like lake Norman to uptown).

@CarolinaDaydreamin And I agree about people using secondary roads a lot more in Charlotte because there is solid secondary road infrastructure that doesn't simply funnel most traffic to interstates.

@kermit It sucks how slowly Charlotte is moving forward towards solutions but at least they are moving forward with them and acknowledging the problem and looking to solutions (e.g. the big bang transit plan).

[Tyrone Wiggum]

5 minutes ago, Dale said:

With world’s tallest circular garage ramp ? 

Bingo.  Ya'll thought LU was bad? Just wait till you get a fifty story garage that's got fifty spaces per floor.  

WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?

Edited February 8, 2019 by Tyrone Wiggum

[Dale]

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Wiggum said:

Bingo.  Ya'll thought LU was bad? Just wait till you get a fifty story garage that's got fifty spaces per floor.  

WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?

Presently, I’m an agnostic every other Tuesday. Such would likely push me into nihilistic atheism of a sort that would see Christopher Hitchens asking out of Hell.

[SydneyCarton]

Just now, Dale said:

Presently, I’m an agnostic every other Tuesday. Such would likely push me into nihilistic atheism of a sort that would see Christopher Hitchens asking out of Hell.

That sounds like the storyline from a Southpark episode.

35 minutes ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

Yeah we are no where close to Atlanta's traffic and never will be. Charlotte has a much better designed road system. 2 major N/S interstates converging  in the downtown area in a huge bend is unlike any other traffic causer this side of the 405 lol. People in Charlotte only typically need to use surface streets. Atlanta's streets are much older, poorly designed and hillier. Most people in Atlanta need to get on an interstate everyday to get to work. In Charlotte that just isnt the case.

Before taking the job at Duke, my wife thought about taking a job at Emory.  The Atl traffic made Providence Rd during rush hour look like a walk in the park.  Therefore, we passed.  (Anyway, while Emory is great, Duke is a much better institution.)

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

Yea, this is the thing that pisses me off the most about this town.

#1 We know that our traffic will become paralyzing if we continue to grow at this rate.

#2 We know that building more roads won’t help fix #1 (see Atlanta)

#3 We know that land use change and increased use of non-auto transport are the only way to avoid #1

None of this is rocket science. We have a great deal of knowledge about how to build sustainable cities, yet Charlotte mostly just twiddles its thumbs (by focusing on BS scooter regulations and not offending NIMBYs with the UDO) as we all hurtle towards Atlanta traffic levels. 

ATL started construction on MARTA heavy rail in 1975 when its MSA population was only 1.2 Million, and that included approval for the East-West line and North-South lines that would converge in downtown below ground at Five Points station. Now the ATL MSA population is 5.8 million.  

Charlotte's metro population is already 2.5 million and its safe to say it'll double to over 5 million in 30-40 years.  

We can't build more highways without cutting through established neighborhoods.   #3 is not rocket science at all!

[Trickbot]

3 hours ago, Dale said:

We could be Nashville. Its plan for choking congestion appears to be scooters.

As the late, great FDR said "A scooter in every pot"

[Nick2]

1 hour ago, ChessieCat said:

ATL started construction on MARTA heavy rail in 1975 when its MSA population was only 1.2 Million, and that included approval for the East-West line and North-South lines that would converge in downtown below ground at Five Points station. Now the ATL MSA population is 5.8 million.  

Charlotte's metro population is already 2.5 million and its safe to say it'll double to over 5 million in 30-40 years.  

We can't build more highways without cutting through established neighborhoods.   #3 is not rocket science at all!

I agree with your sentiment 100% but I feel like I have to say Atlanta's metro was actually about 2 million in 1975 when they started construction on the Marta heavy rail and well past it by completion in 1979. 

Heavy rail simply is too expensive and I doubt Charlotte will ever have it. But that doesn't mean we can't have an efficient and extensive light rail system.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Nick2

[ChessieCat]

13 minutes ago, Nick2 said:

I agree with your sentiment 100% but I feel like I have to say Atlanta's metro was actually about 2 million in 1975 when they started construction on the Marta heavy rail and well past it by completion in 1979. 

Heavy rail simply is too expensive and I doubt Charlotte will ever have it. But that doesn't mean we can't have an efficient and extensive light rail system.

Heavy or light rail is semantics.  ATL got permission to go below ground under the Five Points downtown when their population was only 2 million in the 1970's, and the Airport extension was completed by 1988.

For Charlotte, ANY type of rail with bike trail on the side that's separated from traffic should be the blueprint for the future, plus an option to go below ground under uptown if necessary.

Edited February 8, 2019 by ChessieCat

[Dale]

Talk to Atlantans, on forums like this, and they’ll tell their transit system is third-world.

[King of the Queen City]

6 hours ago, Trickbot said:

Is stealing  Coca Cola an option? I'd gladly take that from the ATL too

I think we should go all out after Pepsi to bring them back from New York. They use the whole “Born in the Carolinas” slogan and recently featured Riverboat Ron and BOA Stadium in an advertising campaign. They could be to Charlotte what Coke has been to Atlanta with their “World of Coke” museum and what not. I know Pepsi has a small museum in New Bern, but nothing like what World of Coke is.  Not to mention, PepsiCo is a lot more than just soft drinks. They also own Frito-Lay, Quaker Oats, etc.

Link: Pepsi - “Ice the Kicker” featuring Ron Rivera

[KJHburg]

23 minutes ago, King of the Queen City said:

I think we should go all out after Pepsi to bring them back from New York. They use the whole “Born in the Carolinas” slogan and recently featured Riverboat Ron and BOA Stadium in an advertising campaign. They could be to Charlotte what Coke has been to Atlanta with their “World of Coke” museum and what not. I know Pepsi has a small museum in New Bern, but nothing like what World of Coke is.  Not to mention, PepsiCo is a lot more than just soft drinks. They also own Frito-Lay, Quaker Oats, etc.

Link: Pepsi - “Ice the Kicker” featuring Ron Rivera

That I could get behind as Pepsico is based in Westchester County NY high tax high property tax county.  And I prefer Coke myself but for jobs it would be good. 

[kermit]

1 hour ago, Dale said:

Talk to Atlantans, on forums like this, and they’ll tell their transit system is third-world.

I completely agree with them. It’s because the city of Atlanta never bothered to change their zoning in a way that would encourage increased density around stations. They just plopped a heavy rail system down on top of a bunch of aggressively suburban land uses.

Didn't help that they ended up building during the peak of suburban flight (which arguably hit Atlanta harder than every city in the US other than Detroit) — no developer wanted to  build anywhere near the stations since all of the city's money was leaving for Alpharetta. 

40 years after it opened congestion is finally starting to fix some of those issues.

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by kermit

[JRNYP2C]

On 2/7/2019 at 3:56 PM, KJHburg said:

From Business Journal article about their real estate footprint in Charlotte:

""The 22-story BB&T Center serves as the primary office for BB&T in the Queen City. The bank inked a 10-year renewal there for 120,000 square feet in 2016, so it still has a significant amount of term left on its lease. Last year, BB&T also purchased two office buildings, LakePointe Corporate Center One and Two, off Tyvola Road for about $52.8 million. The regional headquarters for SunTrust is at the Sharon Square office building near Sharon and Fairview roads. Therefore, the two banks today have significant office space in uptown, the suburbs and SouthPark.

It's unknown where the bank will land its headquarters or even how many employees are expected to come to Charlotte. But it seems likely, based on other bank moves in Charlotte, that the company's preference would be to anchor an office tower in uptown, potentially with naming and signage rights, much like the existing BB&T Center. With current and recently completed construction, the Charlotte skyline will be dotted with logos of multiple banks and financial services firms, including Bank of America, Barings, Ally Financial, Regions Bank and FNB Corp.""

subscriber article https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/02/07/could-another-bank-tower-join-charlottes-skyline.html?ana=e_du_prem&s=article_du&ed=2019-02-07&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1549572493&j=86535411

You ought to look at Pittsburgh's skyline.  Talk about logos on buildings.  Looks like Las Vegas......

[KJHburg]

this is the kind of national exposure we get with something like this merger and HQ to Charlotte. 

https://www.connect.media/bbt-suntrusts-66b-merger-creates-6th-largest-u-s-bank-holding-company/?pid=ece4ef0e-7c87-4bfe-bfbb-bca494433d09&utm_source=mlNational&utm_campaign=mlNational-2019-02-08_16:30-BB_T_SunTrust_s_66B_Merger_Creates_6th_Largest_U_S_Bank_Holding_Company&utm_medium=email&utm_term=united-states top-na acquisition office retail

[King of the Queen City]

[KJHburg]

Still big news in Atlanta another story from AJC  

https://www.ajc.com/business/charlotte-notches-another-win-over-atlanta-bank-wars/koHiIx7xcngZJltdcQlvII/

It evidently really irks Atlanta that Charlotte has this new combined banks HQ! 

[Desert Power]

My guess is that they do not build a new tower in the next few years.  Maybe the Suntrust CEO will kick it off.  There is a lot of office space coming online right now and the move to Charlotte will probably come incrementally.