NC Music Factory / Uptown Village / Deco One

[Charlotte_native]

Today the Observer announced Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will be opening an uptown bar...at Epicentre. Wasn't that one of the venues that was supposed to open at NCMF or is he going to open two different places?

[Raintree21]

Never heard of any commitment by Jr. to the Music Factory.

[cinco]

yes... i had heard many rumors that dale jr. was going to open his club @ the NCMF. i doubt that he is opening up two different clubs - he just went with the location with better traction. of course, i am only speculating...

NCMF has been very unsuccessful in delivering. a dale jr. club would have helped tremendously - in a project where isolationism is a big factor.

btw, what in the sam-pete is going on with the little late night diner... that was discussed here years ago?

[Charlotte_native]

Never heard of any commitment by Jr. to the Music Factory.

I never saw where he committed to this, but he was constantly mentioned or hinted at in press for this project that comes out every 2 or 3 months. Same with Comedy clubs or other venues that have not materialized.

[Guest]

The Club has always been slated to open at Epicenter at least to my knowledge for the past 6 or 7 months. I have had friends working on the project since this thing broke ground.

[ontap]

In the March 27, 2006 edition of the Business Journal they included at 'bar owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr' as one of the tenants. Guess that deal wasn't signed, sealed, and delivered.

[atlrvr]

I believe the club was to be called 8 Seconds (which is an allusion to bull-riding).....sounds like that idea has been nixed and his mechanical bull will be bucking at EpiCentre.

[atlrvr]

The NC music factory has completely overhauled their website. It gives a bit more details about the first phase of condos as well, with the promise of renderings to come.

http://www.ncmusicfactory.com/

The website looks good, but it doesn't convince me that its happening.

[charlotte49ersuptown]

Although I don't believe this project gets completed to its anticipated build-out, it's a great sign that they have paid for some marketing. The site looks great and so do the pictures. I hope this works out, I just can't see it happening.

[thechabra]

I'm confused about the seaboard extension - will it just break off to the left by the milling plant before the tracks and go over them or what? either way - it doesnt help pedestrians trying to access it walking from uptown.

What is the deal with the 9th street pedestrian bridge? Will that just be a bridge over the tracks that lead you straight into the cemetary? I just rented out a house in the neighborhood right off seaboard (johnson st) beside the music factory and walking to/from uptown is super sketch at night. There's no way I would walk up that dark road beside the cemetary (9th/johnson). I usually walk/ride my skateboard up seaboard and go over the million train tracks and around the sharp curve by the mill and pop out by the Circle K, but even that is a scary adventure when it's dark and i often have to wait for trains. I've actually even asked an officer at the Circle K to give me a quick ride down that way, and when he dropped me off he said he didn't blame me for asking for the ride. It's really a short short walk to everything but I often find myself taking a cab just because I don't feel safe walking under 277 and over the tracks. They need to add some lights and give that area atleast some feeling of safety before anyone considers walking down that way to the music factory. Adding lights underneath the 277 bridges, cleaning up that area, and creating a clear safe walkway from seaboard to graham/10th/9th I would think is an important step to this place's success.

Edited October 2, 2007 by thechabra

[Raintree21]

I'd recommend calling 311 for clearing the sidewalks and lighting. I've had success with them on issues like that.

[Charlotte_native]

I'd recommend calling 311 for clearing the sidewalks and lighting. I've had success with them on issues like that.

If you've ever driven this part of the access road to NCMF it needs much more than that. I'm scared of very little, but there is no way I'd ever walk this stretch.

[thechabra]

If you've ever driven this part of the access road to NCMF it needs much more than that. I'm scared of very little, but there is no way I'd ever walk this stretch.

Yea, I actually walk it alot, but I never feel safe doing it and try to make it as quick as possible. As soon as you get out to graham or into my neighborhood it's fine, but the dark stretch in between is just asking for someone to get mugged or robbed. There are often police officers sitting in their cruisers underneath 277 right by the tracks - i'm guessing because it's been a problem area in the past. I've seen some sketch people walking around under there.

[thechabra]

called up 311 today and they didnt really have much to say, the guy wasn't even really familiar wth the area. he just gave me a phone number of a lady to call at the DOT :/ ..

I also put in a light outage request to duke energy for the lights underneath 277 on Johnson/seaboard. No idea if that will actually get anything done about it though. Im just really hoping something changes around here before they try to actually have people walking down this way... people just aren't going to do it, it's too dangerous.

[Charlotte_native]

called up 311 today and they didnt really have much to say, the guy wasn't even really familiar wth the area. he just gave me a phone number of a lady to call at the DOT :/ ..

I also put in a light outage request to duke energy for the lights underneath 277 on Johnson/seaboard. No idea if that will actually get anything done about it though. Im just really hoping something changes around here before they try to actually have people walking down this way... people just aren't going to do it, it's too dangerous.

I'm not sure they really believe, or think, that people will walk to NCMF. It is just far enough and disconnected from the rest of center city that people will drive to this spot.

[thechabra]

I'm not sure they really believe, or think, that people will walk to NCMF. It is just far enough and disconnected from the rest of center city that people will drive to this spot.

It's really not that far at all though. What about when NCMF's condos are built and start getting tenants? The place isn't being created just for entertainment, but for living as well. Surely not everyone living there will want to have to drive to the city which is a mile away just because they are afraid to walk there. If that's the case, good luck to them on selling units.

[Charlotte_native]

It's really not that far at all though. What about when NCMF's condos are built and start getting tenants? The place isn't being created just for entertainment, but for living as well. Surely not everyone living there will want to have to drive to the city which is a mile away just because they are afraid to walk there. If that's the case, good luck to them on selling units.

I don't think it is far at all and shouldn't have implied that no one would walk, but Charlotteans, in general, don't walk much. Friends and neighbors I had in Dilworth would drive to Harris Teeter even though they lived just a couple blocks away.

This particular walk, with the long stroll under the bridges and with nothing really on either side of the road is something that only a few would do, IMO. I'm sure some of the condo dwellers in this project would walk to work. I was more thinking about people coming to the restaurants and bars -- I don't think many would want to walk to this area, but late at night really not want to walk away from it. This will be more of a destination entertainment area than one that feels part of center city and the nightlife and activity there.

Me personally, I'll walk as much as possible.

[Andyc545]

I don't think the site is overly far, but I certainly agree that it is disconnected and that is going to be the largest disattraction for foot traffic there. I think once some sites get built up between center city (where the action is) and NCMF, such as Citaden and the Vue, and hopefully some more in between, then there will be a more smooth flow, and I could see, at least myself making the walk. If it's popular enough, maybe CATs would consider extending gold rush to the area, at least during events or certain times, just as a free alternative to help pick up the foot traffic and encourage the movement. The number one thing preventing the foot traffic of course is what was mentioned as the safety around the railroad tracks. Honestly, they need to fix up this area in some ways. I took my car to check out the site a few weeks ago and was afraid of blowing my tire. There really needs to be some redevelopment of that area, and including paths or bridges and lights, or a change with the tracks.

Without looking at a map, I wonder if there is any feasability of connecting the North Commuter lines to include a station around here. I know it's commute and not LRT, but it might still encourage add'l riders to it as well as the ppl living in the condos away from it, at the only expense of an add'l station and site work. Just a little thought.

Edited October 5, 2007 by Andyc545

[KickinChicken23]

I agree it isn't the safest neighborhood at the moment...but that is changing, slowly but surely. Greenville and the neighborhood directly surrouding the NCMF is starting to improve, if you consider investors scooping up a lot of properties in the area improvement. Numerous rentals in the area are being rented by local musicians who are spending a lot of their time at the NCMF.

One other note, going around the ADM plant isn't the only way to get there from uptown. Not sure the exact road names(I think its 9th St.) but there is a road before the plant near the tire place that connects from Seaboard directly to the area that will be the Citadin. Its not the safest route either at the moment, and I agree the area is still disconnected from uptown, but it is an option to keep away from the ADM plant and the riff raff that lives under that bridge. If this access is identified cared for and lit properly, eventually it could allow a semi-safe way to get there and back. Who knows

***Edited to add I drove over there this morning and it is 9th St which connecte to Smith St that runs parallel to Graham...but it is closed right now with some construction or something going on, so I guess you do have to go around the ADM lant for now.

Edited October 6, 2007 by lefty23

[Justadude]

The best thing that could happen is that NCMF gets connected to the center city via reliable public transit. I think people who live there would use a Gold Rush trolley or possibly a city bus to get uptown (I'm not as sure about the bus, because that bus would probably be coming from some not-so-safe neighborhoods). I really don't think that many would walk from NCMF, even if connections were improved somewhat. It's a long walk any way you cut it, and mostly unsheltered. On a rainy or snowy day your clothes would be soaked by the time you got to the other side of the cemetery. On a hot day you'd be soaked with sweat. But it's a pretty short ride, so short that it doesn't justify buying a car. Public transit makes a lot of sense there.

[rockhilljames]

I don't know much about who owns the land between downtown or what borders this. What's the chance that residential will work it's way down towards this?

*********Just answered my own question, Elmwood Cemetery pretty much seals this thing off. Not much chance for a stroll district, although it's really not THAT far from a fair degree of housing.*********

Edited October 7, 2007 by rockhilljames

[28202]

There is a one block wide swath of land between Smith St. and the rail lines that will eventually be developed as residential. Expect density and possibly height... It is supposed to be put out for bid I believe after determining what amount of land is needed or how it will be used for the North line(?) Hopefully the corridor will be preserved for such use even if it is unwanted at this juncture. There have to be some forward thinkers out there.

[udut]

There is a one block wide swath of land between Smith St. and the rail lines that will eventually be developed as residential. Expect density and possibly height... It is supposed to be put out for bid I believe after determining what amount of land is needed or how it will be used for the North line(?) Hopefully the corridor will be preserved for such use even if it is unwanted at this juncture. There have to be some forward thinkers out there.

Smith Street is slated to become a median striped boulevard from 6th and possibly Trade, to 10th Street. The rail crossings at 9th, and Seaboard Streets will be permanently closed. Access to the Music Factory area will be via a new road being build in conjunction with Noah Lazus and the city connecting it to Graham Street around where 12th Street meets Graham. The other access to the Music Factory site will be through the Greenville neighborhood. There are no plans to bridge over the rail line. Speaking of the rail line, the east - west line that runs between the cemetery and the Music Factory will be dropped below grade creating a "valley" between the two. This will also eliminate the crossing of the east-west line and the north-south line by the ADM plant.

UDUT

[rockhilljames]

Great info! Thanks!

[mattiesdiner]

yes... i had heard many rumors that dale jr. was going to open his club @ the NCMF. i doubt that he is opening up two different clubs - he just went with the location with better traction. of course, i am only speculating...

NCMF has been very unsuccessful in delivering. a dale jr. club would have helped tremendously - in a project where isolationism is a big factor.

btw, what in the sam-pete is going on with the little late night diner... that was discussed here years ago?

Edited November 30, 2007 by mattiesdiner