The EpiCentre / TwoTenTrade / aloft

[uptownliving]

That was all the detial she gave me...that it would be ready in mid 2006.

[larry]

In addition to retail, it would be so wonderful if the Mint Museum would move downtown. I would love to see something unique like a real quality wax museum or something. There is a big need for unique things downtown. I don't live in Charlotte (Florida as a matter of fact) but I would like to see more advertisement done for Charlotte, ie; Weekend getaways. I see adds for all other cities Charlotte's size but none for Charlotte. It is exciting seeing Charlotte mold. We (I include myself) are off to a wonderful start but we must look for tourism as well. By the way, what is up with the proposed water park on the river?

[appatone]

it would be so wonderful if the Mint Museum would move downtown. 

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It is along with many other cultural projects if the ASC gets their money from the city. These would be new new Betchler Museum of Modern Art, Expanded Discovery Place, a couple of new theatres, and more abitious projects you can read about here ASC Charlotte just scroll to the bottom and click on Cultural Facilities Master Plan.

The white water park is starting construction soon and is anticipated to be open by spring 2006. More information on that project can be found here Charlotte White Water Park

[hueion39]

http://www.theghazicompany.com/future.htm

[PghUSA]

Very cool, looks like Charlotte is stepping up big!

[ElricSeven]

Very cool, looks like Charlotte is stepping up big!

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Those will be some gawdawful expensive condos if my guess is right. Shall we speculate?

$400/square foot?

[atlrvr]

Wow.........amazing.....I hope this looks as good as I anticipate it will.....certainly it will be more impressive than I imagined it to be.

The price of condos in the center city is skyrocketing in a few projects......Chapelwatch, 400 N. Church, The Arlington all have many units over $400/sq. ft.......The Radclife has one unit listed now at almost $600/sq. ft.!!!!! I can't imagine they would get it, but I'm pulling for them......high dollar per square foot is what allows highrises :-)

[monsoon]

So this means a 50+ story tower in Charlotte. Wonder if it will actually be built?

[Neo]

So this means a 50+ story tower in Charlotte.  Wonder if it will actually be built?

Not throwing a party for the new tower yet...I'll be sold once they start tearing down the current eyesore. Didn't Ghazi say the goal was to have it open early 2006? If so then they better get to work on this project.

[ElricSeven]

Not throwing a party for the new tower yet...I'll be sold once they start tearing down the current eyesore.  Didn't Ghazi say the goal was to have it open early 2006?  If so then they better get to work on this project.

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Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it too. So far, Boulevard Centro's been the only one breaking ground on a high rise.

That's it, I'm calling Doug Smith tomorrow and letting him know that I plan to build a 95 story residential tower that mixed use, urban redevelopment with a bowling alley, several movie theatre's, FAO Schwartz, an ice skating rink and doormen dressed as British Templars.

[SmellyCat]

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it too.  So far, Boulevard Centro's been the only one breaking ground on a high rise. 

That's it, I'm calling Doug Smith tomorrow and letting him know that I plan to build a 95 story residential tower that mixed use, urban redevelopment with a bowling alley, several movie theatre's, FAO Schwartz, an ice skating rink and doormen dressed as British Templars.

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[atlrvr]

I for one will remain positive....for one, he just spent $14m on the site....you don't spend that kind of money unless you're seriously planning to come out of the ground.....secondly, Spectrum had a pretty large financing gap, and the scope was going to have to be expanded to fill it......this certainly does that. It appears that the retail/entertainment portion has been reduced in size, so I can't imagine them not going forward with the condo tower at least in a year or two, because otherwise they are going to lose serious amounts of money. Again, you don't spend $14m unless you are going all the way......

[atlrvr]

Additionally, I see no reason to suspect they bought the land as an investment either, seeing as how hard it has been to unload this property over the last 6 years, not to mention they paid a premium over previous other deals that fell upart during the due diligence phase.......at the risk of sounding redundant, you don't spend that much money unless you are sure that you are going to make a profit off of it.

[ElricSeven]

Additionally, I see no reason to suspect they bought the land as an investment either, seeing as how hard it has been to unload this property over the last 6 years, not to mention they paid a premium over previous other deals that fell upart during the due diligence phase.......at the risk of sounding redundant, you don't spend that much money unless you are sure that you are going to make a profit off of it.

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I guess I would have been more impressed if the announcement hadn't been quite so ambitious. It just seems really, really ambitious to build a residential sky scraper that's nearly the tallest building in the city. That's making some big assumptions about demand. Furman went from 4 stories, to 11 stories, then 17 stories and now 28 stories. Seems like a more logical, careful progression.

But, from what I understand, Ghazi likes a challenge. So, maybe you're right, they're locked in to a building of that scale to turn a profit.

I just like to see the action. I'm tired of most of the developers spinning tales.

Never been one for patience.

[Norm2]

Within the next few months I am sure that we will begin to see mroe renderings for thsi project.....and maybe Wachovia might be bumping up its project since the height of this is so high? You know the banks want the tallest towers.....

[Southend]

i'm hearing its going to be 40+ stories. retail/movie theater/gaming lower floors, condos/apts as you get higher.

[Spartan]

So this means a 50+ story tower in Charlotte.  Wonder if it will actually be built?

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i'm hearing its going to be 40+ stories.  retail/movie theater/gaming lower floors, condos/apts as you get higher.

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The site did say the largest, not the tallest. It probably means in terms of sq ft. Still, its good news. That guy is pretty ambitios to have it done by 06!

[ElGobernador]

Yeah, I remember some skepticism to Ghazi's Grande Promenade, but he certainly silenced the critics then, and he will now.

I suspect that he is only going for the 2nd tallest in the city out of respect to BofA. I mean, it is a great building to have as your big dawg.

[uptownliving]

Well this plan certainly is better than the original one...lets just get something built.

[Neo]

[monsoon]

I would be very surprised if a 50+ story residential building would be built in DT Charlotte. There aren't enough people in NC willing and able to afford to move into something like that to fill it up. (let alone Meck.) This project is starting to sound very fishy. Oh, and isn't it amazing our fine award winning local media has not said one thing about it?

We probably ought to keep track of announced towers vs towers where someone has actually stuck a shovel in the ground.

[UptownJ]

Well it may not get to up to 50+ but it will be a nice addition to the skyline if it gets built. Which I hope it does. Any major project like this is great for our local economy and we need all we can get. I for one work like to see the tower as office more the condo's. The greater the need for office space in Uptown the greater the need to build a new tower. Thats why Wachovia's is going to be only about 30+ and most of that will be theater and a school. So untill we see more of a need to have office space in Uptown, I don't think any major tower will be built. However, it would be nice to see Wachovia step it up a bit and build that 80+ tower everyone once talked about. And while I'm at it... being that we are the second largest banking hub... Why arn't some of those NYC banks building towers here. If they ever start doing that, then we'd really have something to celebrate! The little circle of uptown's 277 loop would be completely full.

Our cities has wonderful focus on a big picture which is good to see because places like raleigh are having trouble because they lost big city focus, but when we lose a company like Citi to fort Mill SC, we need to step it up some. Maybe cut some major companys a break in the sort term so we can have greater gaines in the long run.

Make uptown for everyone... not just the business professional, young single, lower class!

[Nostyle]

Someone on the 'inside' on another website said that the current proposal calls for 48 floors, making it the 2nd tallest building in charlotte based on number of floors. Ahh, semantics.

Still sounds cool. Hard to believe the demand for highrise urban living is so great in Charlotte, but these investors know more about the market than I do.

[PghUSA]

I'm relieved its not just Pittsburgh having these pipe dreams that may never materialize. Sounds like this project is still in the batting cage from the looks of it. Love Charlotte's skyline that city has tons of potential as a regional crossroads, here's hoping they go forward with the project

[NCtarheel]

Yeah, second tallest only means number of floors. Besides that...they're probably thinking long-term. I also think that once elizabeth avenue projects are complete, as well as the new arena, children's museum and maybe some of the other art projects--there wont be a problem filling up the tower. And not all 48 stories are going to be residential anyways. All in all I doubt it'll be taller than hearst, and it probably wont end up being 48 stories either, but it'll be a great addition to the skyline. My guess is that it'll end up somewhere around 30-35 stories.