The EpiCentre / TwoTenTrade / aloft

[atlrvr]

The theatre rendering matches pretty well to the project sketch.....I'm digging the blue tinted glass.....EpiCinema????hmmmm....

The architect for the rendering is DMR which has done Ghazi's other projects here.....their portfolio doesn't impress me all that much. It's nice but nothing out of the ordinary.....this certainly looks to be the most modern thing yet for them......I'm crossing my fingers on this one......

[Mobuchu]

Very cool, I hope he does get to do the "Times Square" lighting and signage.

[dubone]

Very cool, I hope he does get to do the "Times Square" lighting and signage.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think no matter what, they will DEFINITELY do times square lighting and signage, even if they put in a strip mall with a dollar general...... it was a rare exemption that the city gave to its signing ordinance, so i'm sure ghazi will milk it for its worth.

[UptownJ]

This project really looks great... but all the different renderings, the way over the top exagerations in the .pdf, It may not be build for another few years while they work out all the kinks... I hope not though because I am really interested in those condo's.

Does anyone have a time frame on this plan other than this year like it says in the .pdf? Also that transit station above the street... When is that going to be done and will that also link to Elizabeth?

The times square feel will do wonders to all traffic to both cars and foot in the center city lots of color lots of light... sounds good to me... I just hope they can do it right... but if they follow in the success of his last project in Univ. City then this will be great.

[dubone]

...Also that transit station above the street... When is that going to be done and will that also link to Elizabeth?

The times square feel will do wonders to all traffic to both cars and foot in the center city lots of color lots of light... sounds good to me... I just hope they can do it right...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The transit station above the street is the existing trolley tracks. The Light Rail on those tracks are to pineville, and eventually to NoDa and UNCC.

The streetcar to Elizabeth, and eventually to Beatties Ford and Eastland Mall, will be on Trade Street. They are still (from what i understand), looking to turn Trade into a transit/pedestrian street, but we'll see about that.

I think that the project will be significant for uptown, especially if they get the 440 units/households onto that project, which will give a customer baseline for the retail.

[rockhilljames]

Well, since the larger image is what is now currently on Ghazi's site, I would guess it's closer to the final rendering. I don't want to get my hopes up, but this development would be outstanding for Charlotte.

The theatre rendering disturbs me a little due to the "mall food court" look it's sporting. I hope the tenant mix will turn out to be more exciting than Panda Express and S'barro.

[monsoon]

These changes remind me of the original Arlington to what we finally ended up with. LOL Remember it was going to 40+ stories too.

Original Arlington Rendering

[dubone]

These changes remind me of the original Arlington to what we finally ended up with.    LOL  Remember it was going to 40+ stories too. 

Original Arlington Rendering

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hahaha.

That's right. I think that every developer in the carolina's is familiar with the disaster that is the Arlington. Even if this project turns out to be 22 stories instead of 40+, i think they will make sure the design is attractive enough to have people want to live there. (I think the only selling point for living inside the arlington is that you don't have to see it.)

[UptownGrrl]

hahaha.

(I think the only selling point for living inside the arlington is that you don't have to see it.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speaking of the Arlington - anyone have the latest info on how many unsold units there still are there? I was under the impression that several of the floors had not even been built out yet. Seems they really missed their window of opportunity, now that there are so many other high-rise options.

[atlrvr]

I heard today that there are roughly 40 units unsold......the thing is he keeps raising the price......what a disaster.

[dubone]

I heard today that there are roughly 40 units unsold......the thing is he keeps raising the price......what a disaster.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i wonder if there could be a financial arrangement where they could "renovate" it to sell the remaining units. They could replace the glass with something more respectable (they could even keep some pink glass as long it were less monolithic), and build 2 penthouse units on the roof, with some more interesting cap/roof. Could that ever happen?

[atlrvr]

As I was discussing with people here at the office, Jim Gross has already been paid his development fee. There is no motivation for him to do anything further......his financial return on the remaining units is relatively insignificant and to be honest....he probably doesn't give a crap if it sells or not.

[ElricSeven]

As I was discussing with people here at the office, Jim Gross has already been paid his development fee.  There is no motivation for him to do anything further......his financial return on the remaining units is relatively insignificant and to be honest....he probably doesn't give a crap if it sells or not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well someone's got capital in it that is not seeing a return on interest. But, the thought might be that values are appreciating quickly enough that there is no need to sell. Hence the fact that he keeps raising prices.

[UptownJ]

Well someone's got capital in it that is not seeing a return on interest.  But, the thought might be that values are appreciating quickly enough that there is no need to sell.  Hence the fact that he keeps raising prices.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I went to the web site of the big pink building... Nice floor plans but those things are so not worth the price tag they have. I mean If they were 1/2 the price then maybe...

I mean you can't even walk to Uptown from there... not unless you really want to fuff it. I saw that there are atleast 2 to 5 of each type of floor plan still available and that there is only one plan actually sold out... prolly means they only had one or two to start with.

I don't know how its going to compete with the growing high rises in clt

[atlrvr]

The problem is whoever is invested in it is probably not a developer. Jim Gross can shurg his shoulders and say....sorry it didn't work out like I hoped. Anyway....enough of the Arlington.....it's just depressing.

[NC0775]

update on the epicenter. the ghazi company website has a marketing pdf file that explains more in depth the project. here's the urlEpicenter . i read like on the eighth page that it is supposed to be completed in late fall 2005. i wonder if that's retail, residential, or both components? plus there's new renderings. this project is going to be awesome. check out the website!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This link isn't working anymore. Does anyone have a copy of the .pdf?

[BryanH]

EpiCentre Theatre

...here's the new link. they just changed the address around.

[atlrvr]

That cinema rendering is dated Feb. 11.....and since it seems consistent with the rendering on their website, I'd assume that it is the most up to date rendering for the project.

[Mobuchu]

Actually the Arlington is not doing as bad as you think. Alot more have moved in in the last 8 months. The tenenants actually range from old wealthy couples to former and current Panthers players. I've worked on Biacabatuca's place a couple months back.(no idea if I spelled that right) He's the Panthers former running back. And alot of current Panthers that have short term contracts live there because of its proximity to the stadium. Im sure the same will happen with the Bobcats players.

The 2 Penthouses are awsome. Very wide open, very NY style and modern. I snuck up there when they were being finished up and didn't lock the doors so the workers could get in and out. Actually, one of the tenants a couple floors down gave me the idea, said she and her husband go up all the time, lol???

Anyway, sorry for bringing this back off topic.

[dubone]

In the enlarged sketch of the epicentre, i notice that they show the park as still being the parking deck. it doesn't mean anything real.... but i found it mildly amusing.

[skysdalimit]

Wow, that old rendering of the Arlington looks amazing, too bad the neighbors were anal.

[Southend]

This is a pretty detailed sketch, and Risden McElroy (who did this rendering) isn't cheap so I would guess this to be closer to a final version, but that's just a guess........get some wild multi-colored glass on this and build that sucker.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i didnt even have to find the name. the cross-hatching gave it away.

risden whips ass.

[utcltjay]

Here's the rendering:

and the article in the charlotte observer:

Here

[monsoon]

Haha, you beat me to it. Seems this will be the 2nd tallest building in the city if you believe the observer in that the Hearst Tower is only 46 stories.

I notice that my looking closely at the rendering in the printed version of the paper (same as above but larger) it 53 stories is a bit of a stretch. Even being very very liberal, I only count 50 floors at most. Wonder if that is the final version?

[atlrvr]

I doubt this is final......it's simply the product of a sketch artist here who is unafiliated with the arthitect trying to flesh out some initial renderings.......this is probably the last publically released sketch though, and I would say it's very representative of the final product....even more so than the black and white copy on thier website.....it you look at the plaza area, you can see that this now corresponds with the released theatre sketch...