NC Music Factory / Uptown Village / Deco One

[tozmervo]

8 minutes ago, Spartan said:

The Gulch is more comparable to Gateway Village. Gateway is in uptown, but physically separated by railroad tracks. It's not hard to get to by walking (aside from the terrain).

Heh, in terms of "What I would do differently" I was going to point at Gateway for a pretty quick and easy example of an otherwise mid-height, ordinary spec project that would be much more appropriate. It actually has street treatment as opposed to what appears to be a continuous suburban yard around the Avid buildings. It also creates some functionally nice urban spaces. Gateway's aesthetic - brick with punch windows - would also be more appropriate adjacent to the music factory. 

[HopHead]

12 minutes ago, Spartan said:

Acknowledging a 'good effort' to create good architecture is like giving kids participation ribbons on field day.

I don't believe in participation ribbons or trophies. The uptown UNC Charlotte building is more like 3rd place at the science fair. Thanks for entering. You had a good idea, but the execution just wasn't there like the others. 

[deleted]

10 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

Heh, in terms of "What I would do differently" I was going to point at Gateway for a pretty quick and easy example of an otherwise mid-height, ordinary spec project that would be much more appropriate. It actually has street treatment as opposed to what appears to be a continuous suburban yard around the Avid buildings. It also creates some functionally nice urban spaces. Gateway's aesthetic - brick with punch windows - would also be more appropriate adjacent to the music factory. 

Agree completely.  I work at Gateway and actually think it's underrated and a good urban development overall.  It doesn't feel like a suburban design to me (really at all) despite the open space and park in the middle (both of which I love).  I'd not have wanted Gateway at the Music Factory (I'd have preferred something that meshed with the character of the existing historic buildings) but it would be infinitely better than the suburban office park we are getting.

While I'm doing the amateur architectural thing, I'll weigh in on the highly contentious UNCC building (people generally love it or hate it).  First, I think it will be a better project overall when the impending development around it occurs.  Second, as has been previously inferred, the concept is interesting (major points for that) but the execution lacking.  I don't think it's a bad building, just one that clearly was built with cost in mind.  Like the DEC (which is a much better building obviously), my appreciation for it depends on the viewing angle.  More than anything though, it's a reasonably provocative design (rather than just a rectangle) so I'm a fan and glad that it's there.

 

[KJHburg]

6 hours ago, ah59396 said:

"Jobs always win over architecture in my book..."

Isn't that pretty much the antithesis of what we discuss on here?  Building for the sake of building is pretty much the epitome of what got us into sprawl.  But you are entitled to your opinion.

 

I agree the Music Factory is on the fringe of uptown.  I misspoke in saying it wasn't, I was implying that, despite its location, it's still close enough that it should warrant better architecture.  IMO.

 

Edit:  Hopefully ^that^ doesn't come off as contentious.  I actually find this to be an interesting conversation.

Yes we can differing opinions on this particular project and agree to disagree. AvidXchange announced this right after LPL and Lash Group announced their moves to Fort Mill and I thought those 2 companies should have moved closer to town to attract talent not move further out. This board is a discussion group about development etc so we should always respect differing opinions as you have done. If the AvidXchange buildings were proposed for Ballantyne or the airport area no one would have care really about the design. I am just saying the NC Music Factory site is not prime Charlotte real estate in my opinion. We should all be glad that we can even discuss new office buildings in the center city many cities can not. San Antonio is getting their first new office tower since 1989 in the new Frost Tower,  let that sink in a bit how many towers have been built here in that time frame!  

[deleted]

22 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

San Antonio is getting their first new office tower since 1989 in the new Frost Tower,  let that sink in a bit how many towers have been built here in that time frame!

That's amazing, considering how Texas has boomed!

[caterpillar2]

47 minutes ago, JBS said:

That's amazing, considering how Texas has boomed!

They are talking about San Antonio, not the state of Texas. Texas has gone wild with growth since 89. San Antonio is a large G.I. town, not the banking capital Charlotte is. 

[deleted]

32 minutes ago, caterpillar2 said:

They are talking about San Antonio, not the state of Texas. Texas has gone wild with growth since 89. San Antonio is a large G.I. town, not the banking capital Charlotte is. 

See link:

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-81.html

San Antonio is growing very quickly, as is most of Texas (obviously, Austin is a boom-town also).  San Diego is a large G.I. town also and not a banking capital...it's growing quickly also and has added quite a few office towers in the last 27 years (not suggesting SA is analogous to SD).  I appreciate your comment but stand by my amazement...

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by JBS

[KJHburg]

There has not been a single office tower or building built downtown in San Antonio since 1989  sorry maybe I needed to clarify it. SATX has grown greatly yes but all office development in the suburbs not downtown.  Every other Texas city has seen many new office towers rise downtown but not in SATX . Believe it or not SATX has just rediscovered their downtown for housing and now office development. Here's  the story on the new Frost Tower (I used to live in the Alamo City back in the day) http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2016/07/11/frost-tower-design-has-downtown-sa-gearing-up-for.html   Think of all the office towers built in Charlotte since 1989 and see why our city is special. 

Getting back to NC Music Factory and AvidXchange any word yet on a 2nd building for AVX I know they talked about it when they did the groundbreaking of this first one. 

[Guest]

I haven't had a chance to explore the Music Factory since I don't live there anymore. Obviously I've voiced my hatred of Avid Xchange building, but I never knew if it adhered to Lazes masterplan for the "district." Mostly because if I hate it, I don't investigate it thorougly, generally. Now that i've seen these I know that it DOES NOT follow the masterplan. This greatly annoys me. Just when I was somewhat warming up to the buildling...

http://photos.clearskyimages.com/2016-08-avidxchange-music-factory-charlotte-helicopter-aerials/h7182818a#h71c1e340

[Midwoodian]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I wanted to vent to people who care. The Avid Xchange building just looks terrible from the I-77/Brookshire Freeway interchange.  It really mars a beautiful shot of uptown.

#lame

Anyways...

[kermit]

^ I completely agree, but it is better than a gravel lot. Its an incredibly crappy location that isn't really attached to uptown at all, so any building here is a win (IMO). That said, they are the stupidest company in existence for not spending an extra few $$ per square foot for a Southend office last year. Shrug.

[SgtCampsalot]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

^ I completely agree, but it is better than a gravel lot. Its an incredibly crappy location that isn't really attached to uptown at all, so any building here is a win (IMO). That said, they are the stupidest company in existence.

Corrected that for you 

[CLTProductions]

Hate the building. Love the parking deck

[AP3]

If they bricked the entire AvidXChange building, it would look much better. From the ground, and a quick glance, it could look like an old warehouse that was retrofitted if they had done that. I haven't looked at the plan in a while, but does anyone know if there are additional facade treatments being done to the parking deck? I hope that's not the finished design.

Also got some pics of the Music Factory apartments. It looks much better from Music Factory Blvd rather than I-277.

Edited October 17, 2016 by AP3

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, AP3 said:

If they bricked the entire AvidXChange building, it would look much better. From the ground, and a quick glance, it could look like an old warehouse that was retrofitted if they had done that. I haven't looked at the plan in a while, but does anyone know if there are additional facade treatments being done to the parking deck? I hope that's not the finished design.


Also got some pics of the Music Factory apartments. It looks much better from Music Factory Blvd rather than I-277.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:-( Can't see them.

[AP3]

Just now, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

:-( Can't see them.

Working on fixing them...damn app.

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, AP3 said:

Working on fixing them...damn app.

Actually AvidXChange Turned out better than expected.

[JoshuaDrown]

I drove by the AvidXChange building on Friday and thought the same thing about the north side of the parking deck... it looks like a prison.

[11 HouseBZ]

1 hour ago, AP3 said:

If they bricked the entire AvidXChange building, it would look much better. From the ground, and a quick glance, it could look like an old warehouse that was retrofitted if they had done that.

I thought the exact same thing

[Miesian Corners]

LS3P actually put this piece of excrement on its website. I'd be hiding that monstrosity from any prospective client if I were its architect.

[deleted]

OK, it is still wildly out of place and an uninspired design overall.  That said, the AvidXChange building isn't horrible (at all, really) and better than the renderings.  It's a big, partly beige rectangle too close to Uptown but the brick work and architectural accents aren't bad.  I agree with a previous comment that bricking the entire building would have made it significantly better.  The parking garage is finished on 3 sides and I'm anxious to see what they do on the freeway facing side.  It doesn't feel like a value-engineered project, I'm just surprised that a company wanting the Music Factory vibe for a youth-dominated tech company would build that particular building.  I do think it could be a LOT worse...  

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

6 minutes ago, JBS said:

OK, it is still wildly out of place and an uninspired design overall.  That said, the AvidXChange building isn't horrible (at all, really) and better than the renderings.  It's a big, partly beige rectangle too close to Uptown but the brick work and architectural accents aren't bad.  I agree with a previous comment that bricking the entire building would have made it significantly better.  The parking garage is finished on 3 sides and I'm anxious to see what they do on the freeway facing side.  It doesn't feel like a value-engineered project, I'm just surprised that a company wanting the Music Factory vibe for a youth-dominated tech company would build that particular building.  I do think it could be a LOT worse...  

The building is more updated than the pictures above too.  Signage is up and more of the final finishes too (will try to get some pics).  I did hear that the building will have special LED lighting system.  The big square windows will be able to change colors and whatnot, kind of will help with the Music factory vibe that you mentioned, at least at night time.  

[UrbanGossip]

Yeah, sure, it's not THAT bad... Remember, it's not a lie if you believe it.

[deleted]

4 hours ago, UrbanGossip said:

Yeah, sure, it's not THAT bad... Remember, it's not a lie if you believe it.

As I recall, George liked to pretend he was an architect (when not pretending to be a latex salesman or marine biologist).

[SgtCampsalot]

31 minutes ago, JBS said:

As I recall, George liked to pretend he was an architect (when not pretending to be a latex salesman or marine biologist).

He was a pretentious jerk about city planners. Steven was right to dream big!

Edited February 22, 2017 by SgtCampsalot