210 Trade | EpiCentre

[HopHead]

19 hours ago, Desert Power said:

I do think it would be a shame if we lost things like the movie theater/bowling alley.  There is no other theater near town.  The safety aspect is hard to solve too much with the transit center nearby.  They have to have more security.  

Letting go of rooftop bars and clubs will help on the margin.  The Epicenter is surrounded by 4 hotels now.  I've stayed in the Omni on a couple of Thursdays and it is very loud,

Having stayed at the Omni for a work function recently, I can confirm. It's loud. To the point where several of my co-workers made comments about it... Including witness to some "for hire" X-rated entertainment. Pretty sure we won't be there again based on what some people witnessed. 

Edited November 18, 2019 by HopHead

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

1 hour ago, Jasons0013 said:

Did @Dandy Chiggens change his name to @ASam?

I was going to make this same comment yesterday. LOL

[videtur quam contuor]

Gentlemen, I may have a guesS as to who ASam is: (Can you guess)

 

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Posted yesterday at 09:52 AM

Just for fun I looked for Afshin Ghazi online. He was the developer (?) of Epicentre and lost control of it in a blizzard of non-payment/bankrupcy/liens/lawsuits. The latest entry I find is for his company Connecticut Avenue, LLC, and property at 940 West Tyvola, vacant at Tyvola and South Tryon. The rezoning request I found was from 2016.  The Ghazi Company website is fractured and without updates since Epicentre was an active project (years).

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[Missmylab4]

I thought the same thing, either him or it is his wife. I think she owns Pure Pizza. 

[nakers2]

After thinking on it, here's where I feel the issue lies. It's not clubs, nor alcohol, or the bus station, etc, it's how these things interact together. 

Here's what I mean: While there are other entertainment options in the city, both uptown and in surrounding neighborhoods, where is the highest concentration of "true" nightclubs in the city? The Epicenter. The name fits. In most cities people are like "lets go to [club x]" in Charlotte the Epicenter offers the opportunity for people to club hop, which on the surface isn't a bad thing, but, unlike bar hopping where most people get friendly drunk and have a good time, clubs tend to attract people who get wayy too wasted, and sometimes take additional drugs to create a festival mentality on the dance floor. On top of that, people who might be involved in organized crime, (or just gang violence) might have their "preferred" venues. When you have they city's most popular dance clubs clustered in one block, you're going to create conflicts. I know it seems like something from a movie, but I don't doubt many of us have eaten and drank alongside some high profile criminals and not even known it. 

Spread the clubs out, introduce more bars and retail for the daytime, add "family" restaurants and maybe some fine dining. Have a few quick serve places too. 
 

[QClifer]

I hope Blackfinn stays or some type of sports bar restaurant with a lot of TV's.  I used to go there a lot with my dad for a burger before the hornets/checkers games and walk over. The food isnt the best but I did enjoy going in there for a quick bite and drink. Seems nicer than Fitzgeralds.

Other than that I dont care if they clean house in the epicentre. The place is awful and scary at night with people just hanging around loitering. Some of it has to do with the transit center I think. Its not my scene anymore

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

Vault smells like a dispensary every time I've walked by it in the past.  Smoking right out in the open.  Cops choose their battles I suppose.  I think there is a shift in what ppl do now-a-days as well.  Clubs were pretty popular in the early 2000s, however, with so many more options and things to do now (outdoorsy stuff like breweries)...I think they are less visited.  Clubs like Roxbury will always do well bc of nostalgic purposes (80s & 90s music), but places like Suite have probably seen a steady decline in attendance over the years.  I used to call it Club Row (Alley Cats, Forum, Bar Charlotte), but we've seen them come and go and now see more active stuff take it's place.  Top Golf Suites, an arcade bar, etc.  I don't think it's just the violence aspect (which is probably one of the main reasons), but I think they (owners) are catering to the shift in tastes of what ppl enjoy doing.

Edited November 18, 2019 by CharlotteWkndBuzz

[videtur quam contuor]

How many other night places in central Charlotte have two (off duty) police officers working?

[nakers2]

1 hour ago, QClifer said:

I hope Blackfinn stays or some type of sports bar restaurant with a lot of TV's.  I used to go there a lot with my dad for a burger before the hornets/checkers games and walk over. The food isnt the best but I did enjoy going in there for a quick bite and drink. Seems nicer than Fitzgeralds.

Other than that I dont care if they clean house in the epicentre. The place is awful and scary at night with people just hanging around loitering. Some of it has to do with the transit center I think. Its not my scene anymore

Am I the only one that thinks the Epicenter has awful street frontage? I often forget Blackfinn even exists due to it being hidden under the escalator. 

[Eightane]

 

53 minutes ago, nakers2 said:

Am I the only one that thinks the Epicenter has awful street frontage? I often forget Blackfinn even exists due to it being hidden under the escalator. 

Absolutely agreed, Epicenter has more than its share of access issues. It almost took a map for me to locate the entrance to Lucky Strikes when I took a friend from Greensboro out bowling.

I'll echo/paraphrase what was said earlier, Epicentre provides some things that are just too valuable to let go right now, I.E. the theater and bowling and a pretty decent 24/7 diner in the Red Eye. I don't wanna see Uptown lose any of that, but I also don't want that used an excuse to keep things as-is with a complex that's very visibly aging and creating its own problems for the surroundings.

I think it'll be a multi-step process to get the weeds pulled (so to speak) with this block, and make it more purely a net win for the city and the locale. But one way or another something's got to give.

[pgsinger]

On 11/17/2019 at 9:52 AM, tarhoosier said:

Just for fun I looked for Afshin Ghazi online. He was the developer (?) of Epicentre and lost control of it in a blizzard of non-payment/bankrupcy/liens/lawsuits. The latest entry I find is for his company Connecticut Avenue, LLC, and property at 940 West Tyvola, vacant at Tyvola and South Tryon. The rezoning request I found was from 2016.  The Ghazi Company website is fractured and without updates since Epicentre was an active project (years).

"...lost control of it in a blizzard of non-payment/bankruptcy/liens/lawsuits..."  = FRAUD

Tarhoosier - You put it very politely.  It was his and his business partner's violation of the fraud provisions in the bankruptcy code that allowed the court to consolidate cases and ownership of companies to result in a near total loss for them and a $1 million fine a piece. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2012/03/investors-acquire-epicentre-under-plan.html

There are some additional links in that story which go into the fraud aspect. 

[nakers2]

2 hours ago, Eightane said:

 

Absolutely agreed, Epicenter has more than its share of access issues. It almost took a map for me to locate the entrance to Lucky Strikes when I took a friend from Greensboro out bowling.

I'll echo/paraphrase what was said earlier, Epicentre provides some things that are just too valuable to let go right now, I.E. the theater and bowling and a pretty decent 24/7 diner in the Red Eye. I don't wanna see Uptown lose any of that, but I also don't want that used an excuse to keep things as-is with a complex that's very visibly aging and creating its own problems for the surroundings.

I think it'll be a multi-step process to get the weeds pulled (so to speak) with this block, and make it more purely a net win for the city and the locale. But one way or another something's got to give.

It really is kind of a maze, it took me a lot longer than it should have to realize the movie posters weren't just there for novelty. 

[KJHburg]

Hate to report this but another stabbing at the Epicenter last night.   after the RNC I would expect to see major changes here I just hope they can get some soft goods retailers or even more food options.

https://www.fox46charlotte.com/news/latest-epicentre-incident-involves-stabbing

[CLT2014]

20 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Hate to report this but another stabbing at the Epicenter last night.   after the RNC I would expect to see major changes here I just hope they can get some soft goods retailers or even more food options.

https://www.fox46charlotte.com/news/latest-epicentre-incident-involves-stabbing

Particularly disturbing if true (though the CEO killed by a stray bullet didn't know his assailant either): "The victim stated he was assaulted by two suspects who are unknown to him." 10PM isn't that late either. Times people could be finishing dinner or getting out of a movie. 

There are too many other options for dining and entertainment in Charlotte for the EpiCentre to stay relevant if the perception of crime continues to mount. People will just stay in their neighborhoods at night and EpiCentre can't survive off the Uptown residential population alone. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by CLT2014

[Madison Parkitect]

Unless changes are made soon it's gonna go downhill there fast.

[HopHead]

At this rate, there won't be any customers left for the EpiCentre. Sad. 

[thenewkage95]

Couldn’t a lot of these problems be solved by metal detectors or security pat-downs? Most clubs I’ve been to do this stuff anyway.


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[navigator319]

I moved my prescriptions from the CVS their two months ago to the Walgreens in BofA plaza.

I now have no reason to ever frequent [emoji2325]

[michaelef]

I've been to Pacific City a couple of times in Huntington Beach, CA and I've always thought if the Epicentre could be anything remotely like this place it will be good. Of course Huntington Beach, CA is a very affluent area so take that with a grain of salt.

https://www.gopacificcity.com/

[15895]

Ok. I moved away from Charlotte June 2018. So not long at all. And I’ve came down quite a few times since. 
 

Things have to be unimaginably different than about a year ago. Like. Day and night different. All this hoopla is just so crazy. Not necessarily this board (but imagine people’s reactions here.... then try to imagine the comments on local news and citydata). Social media, message boards, people are calling it “Charcago” like. I just can’t believe things are just so much worse as being portrayed in WBTV, etc. 

I don’t see retail here other than I guess an Apple Store. Drug stores. And food. And the bowling and movie theater. Hopefully no office... (SouthEnd seems like too prime of a retail corridor for epicenter to catch a few wins) 

wonder if 7th Street market could expand at epicenter 

Edited November 20, 2019 by AirNostrumMAD

[King of the Queen City]

Any idea if Insomnia Cookies will be sticking around in the Epicentre after the combined location with Krispy Kreme opens in South End? @KJHburg, I think this is your area of expertise.

[KJHburg]

Just now, King of the Queen City said:

Any idea if Insomnia Cookies will be sticking around in the Epicentre after the combined location with Krispy Kreme opens in South End? @KJHburg, I think this is your area of expertise.

2 different markets so I would guess yes.   I will have to look into the lease terms. 

[Urban Cowboy]

Delete

Edited November 21, 2019 by Urban Cowboy

[TheOneRJ]

The only way an Apple Store opens here is if the entire development is renovated and cleans house for other mid market tenants. 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, michaelef said:

I've been to Pacific City a couple of times in Huntington Beach, CA and I've always thought if the Epicentre could be anything remotely like this place it will be good. Of course Huntington Beach, CA is a very affluent area so take that with a grain of salt.

https://www.gopacificcity.com/

That place was purpose built for those types of tenants though. Likely had H&M in mind when they built the thing. Not to mention its on an incredibly popular beach. For any destination retail Epicenter would need a complete and total gut. 

Edited November 21, 2019 by Guest