Polk Park

[SydneyCarton]

I hope that the waterfall is not removed. I think that the park is quite nice as it is.

 

https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/uptown/city-council-park-in-uptown-charlotte-getting-new-name-look/amp/

 

 

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[SydneyCarton]

I disagree with this assessment.

Also, I find it hard to believe that the waterfall is a problem. There are many such waterfalls in New York, several of which are a lot bigger, and they are not hard to maintain. Same with the huge waterfalls in Woodruff Park in Atlanta and in Houston.

I really hope that this beautiful pocket park is not destroyed.


Charlotte Observer
Park in middle of uptown Charlotte to get major renovation, bear Hugh McColl’s name
Evan Moore
Tue, March 14, 2023


The Charlotte City Council approved a proposal Monday to reinvigorate an uptown park and rename it after former Bank of America Chairman and CEO Hugh McColl Jr.

Thomas Polk Park, built in 1991 at the intersection of Trade Street and Tryon Street, “has become obsolete with limited gathering space, poor lighting, outdated landscaping and a hard-to-maintain fountain,” according to a press release from Charlotte Center City Partners.

With a fundraising goal of $10 million to pay for improvements, the Hugh McColl Park Coalition wants to “transform the city-owned park into a celebrated public space that welcomes all,” the release says….

[go_vertical]

If the fountain is removed hopefully they replace it with (at least) a smaller, easier to maintain water feature.  Simply having the sound of flowing water can really elevate an urban setting and if you're standing outside of "The Cut" or something the noise of cars, buses, people, etc. can drown out the BofA fountain just across the intersection. 

[NYtoCLT]

It is hard to evaluate Polk Park's current features without taking into account for the homeless people sleeping and going to the bathroom there.  It's location obviously has potential but if the City doesn't address the homeless problem there then no non-homeless people will ever feel comfortable there -- regardless of what renovations look like.

[tozmervo]

I work next to the thing, and absolutely think the design of the park is no longer adequate for the kind of space the area needs. It has precious little "relaxation" space, and nothing large enough to accommodate a crowd. The planted areas are fine, but nothing special, and the trees are not particularly healthy. Several were removed recently. I think the square footage of the park has a lot more potential than what it is today.

[videtur quam contuor]

That was the location of Brownlee Jewelers for many years. Also known as Al Russo's Brownlee Jewelers. Same family as the existing stores. Mr Russo was on city council and mayor pro-tem, iirc. His store location was taken by the city for the park which was not his preference. Store was displaced to Independence Center, I believe.

[tozmervo]

Somewhat unexpected, but Polk Park has already been fenced off and closed. I'm not entirely sure I understand why it's being closed already and they haven't even selected a designer for the project. 

Redevelopment and Revitalization Process Begins for Polk Park - City of Charlotte (charlottenc.gov)

[CLT Development]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Somewhat unexpected, but Polk Park has already been fenced off and closed. I'm not entirely sure I understand why it's being closed already and they haven't even selected a designer for the project. 

Redevelopment and Revitalization Process Begins for Polk Park - City of Charlotte (charlottenc.gov)

the are going to demo it and plant grass... I crap you not.

[michaelef]

Completion is set for Summer 2025...why does everything in this city move at a glacial pace?

[ClassicColtrane]

Absolutely brutal. I'm assuming the grass is a placeholder until plans are finalized, with completion projected for Summer 2025, per the article above.

But why so long? Is that normal for project this size? This is THE INTERSECTION in uptown, you'd think things would be accelerated a bit here.

[rumphy]

Hmm. I smell 6th & Tryon. Center City Partners at one time programmed the ‘pocket park’ where the new Carolina Theater jewel box sits. They tried with live music, yoga, performance art, etc. but it was never really comfortable. I believe the best part was when the Foundation put color-changing LEDs along the old brick surrounding the park. It looked very cool at night. The whole initiative was to promote N Tryon as a viable investment opportunity…

If we end up with a lawn dotted in aspirational renderings from community meetings, so be it, for a limited time. I don’t want it to sit for 1.5+ years waiting on a consultant to get exactly what they were hired to sell.

[Madison Parkitect]

4 hours ago, CLT Development said:

the are going to demo it and plant grass... I crap you not.

Very lame!

[Guest]

22 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Somewhat unexpected, but Polk Park has already been fenced off and closed. I'm not entirely sure I understand why it's being closed already and they haven't even selected a designer for the project. 

Redevelopment and Revitalization Process Begins for Polk Park - City of Charlotte (charlottenc.gov)

The park has been closed, for multiple years. The other option is to keep it fenced off and unused for the next two years, I’m not sure what people here want sometimes, they don’t design parks in days. This opens the space back up until something worthy of permanence is designed. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Guest

[J-Rob]

14 minutes ago, MothBeast said:

The park has been closed, for multiple years. The other option is to keep it fenced off and unused for the next two years, I’m not sure what people here want sometimes, they don’t design parks in days. This opens the space back up until something worthy of permanence is designed. 

This is kind of what I was thinking. At least the fountain won't be a magnet for public urination after it is torn down.

[tozmervo]

I guess it depends on if the fence is staying up through 2025, or will come back down after demolition is done. I'm fine with them going ahead and demolishing what's there, I was mostly alarmed that they would be fencing it off for over two years when it didn't need to be. 

[RANYC]

6 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I guess it depends on if the fence is staying up through 2025, or will come back down after demolition is done. I'm fine with them going ahead and demolishing what's there, I was mostly alarmed that they would be fencing it off for over two years when it didn't need to be. 

The Polk park article I read said that the park is being demolished right away and turf is being put down as an interim solution for using the park and gathering. Eventually, once the community has been engaged and a new design selected, the park will be redone.

Edited May 19, 2023 by RANYC

[davidclt]

On 5/18/2023 at 12:05 PM, J-Rob said:

This is kind of what I was thinking. At least the fountain won't be a magnet for public urination after it is torn down.

Maybe . . . and just hear me out . . . It's time for Charlotte to start investing in "big city" things for all of our residents:

Urben Blu - North American manufacturer of smart public restrooms.

I tried one of San Francisco's new Parisian public toilets (sfgate.com)

[tozmervo]

They weren't kidding about demolition. As of this morning they are jack-hammering out the fountain. 

[KJHburg]

Polk Park controversy..... from the Biz Journal today

"""A national nonprofit group dedicated to recognizing landscape excellence wants city government in Charlotte to rethink the demolition of Thomas Polk Park in uptown — demolition work that started in recent days.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., told CBJ that the city of Charlotte unjustifiably abandoned an earlier attempt to repair and renovate the park. Demolishing the park, the foundation’s top executive said, will wipe away a design by master landscape artist Angela Danadjieva.   

Charles Birnbaum, foundation president and CEO, noted that Danadjieva mostly designed projects in other parts of the country, making her waterfall-focused pocket park at Trade and Tryon streets opened in 1991 even more important and distinctive.

In March, Charlotte City Council approved shifting the project from upgrading and reinvigorating the existing Polk Park. Instead, they backed a Charlotte Center City Partners-supported coalition of local leaders who have pledged to raise $10 million to build a new and different park and replace Polk’s name with that of retired Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) CEO Hugh McColl Jr.""
https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/22/the-cultural-landscape-foundation.html?

 

 

""Instead of tearing down Polk Park, Birnbaum said Charlotte should follow the example of Peavey Plaza in Minneapolis, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Peavey Plaza faced a similar fate, he added, but was restored instead for $10 million in 2019, and it has since become an internationally recognized and locally beloved attraction.""

sorry posted in the wrong thread 

[dylansukkert]

View from up top. 

[tozmervo]

I've worked next to and used Polk Park for 11 years now, and I just can't get worked up about saving the fountain. I think the design was very unique and interesting, but that's about it. Apart from providing a photo op background, it did very little to add value to the urban fabric. It just kinda sat back in the hole, mostly not working right. It was not a fountain that served as a meeting point or a gathering place, nor do I think it could have been renovated into a gathering place without compromising the design.  Bearden Promenade along 3rd is a much more effective gathering space and it's effectively just a wide sidewalk. 

[KJHburg]

and now there is this about the Polk Park

""Retired Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) CEO Hugh McColl Jr. told CBJ on Tuesday he has no role in the planned McColl Park at Trade and Tryon streets other than approving the use of his name by the coalition of civic leaders behind the effort.

“I’m not involved at all,” McColl said in response to whether he has any stipulations or requirements on how the site is managed.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/23/charlotte-center-city-partners-uptown-park.html?

[Madison Parkitect]

Can anyone tell me what Center City Partners actually does to improve our city? 

[davidclt]

12 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Can anyone tell me what Center City Partners actually does to improve our city? 

Well, their Major Initiative is the all-important City Center Vision Awards. I can feel the improvement.

[tozmervo]