Jump to content

210 Trade | EpiCentre


monsoon

Recommended Posts

Re: CTC. 
 

The solution was to move the bus-riders away. So the current situation is just a hold-out until it could  be bulldozed and built elsewhere. 

It seems the wiser thing to do would have been to invest money into CTC. Upgrade the station to appeal to wider swaths. Pump money into it. 
 

I am sure there are a few key routes that could work with the right frequency, reliability and a decent station terminus. 

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
Link to comment
Share on other sites


1 hour ago, Cityplanner said:

Unfortunately buses at non-rush hours likely attract a clientele that cannot afford a car, so being right next to the bus station helps that demographic access the Epicentre. 

Hmm, if Charlotte is to be a next-level city with a multi-dimensional view of mobility, then it can't have this mindset - jumping to a conclusion that "clientele" not in their own cars are a problem, or that public transportation (in this case, bus) riders as a class are deplorable.  I think this is the wrong approach and probably has a dangerous slippery slope.

Edited by RANYC
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, RANYC said:

Hmm, if Charlotte is to be a next-level city with a multi-dimensional view of mobility, then it can't have this mindset - jumping to a conclusion that "clientele" not in their own cars are a problem, or that public transportation (in this case, bus) riders as a class are deplorable.  I think this is the wrong approach and probably has a dangerous slippery slope.

Well, I’m very pro-transit and have worked in CATS advocacy within government.

Facts are facts.  Bus riders at off hours are not high-income.  Should transit be improved so that it appeals to more people?  Yes.  But denying facts serves no purpose.  Shall we pretend that bus riders who use the transit center late at night are upper-income?  If so, what good would that do?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, Cityplanner said:

Well, I’m very pro-transit and have worked in CATS advocacy within government.

Facts are facts.  Bus riders at off hours are not high-income.  Should transit be improved so that it appeals to more people?  Yes.  But denying facts serves no purpose.  Shall we pretend that bus riders who use the transit center late at night are upper-income?  If so, what good would that do?

"Bus riders at off hours are not high-income." - Who said they were, and who said they had to be?

But denying facts serves no purpose. - What facts have been denied?

Shall we pretend that bus riders who use the transit center late at night are upper-income?   Clearly, no one in this thread is generalizing bus riders as high-income.  But, by the same measure, it's just as gross a generalization to say that a transit center full of bus riders who happen to be low-income must therefore be a source of crime hindering the Epicenter?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, RANYC said:

"Bus riders at off hours are not high-income." - Who said they were, and who said they had to be?

But denying facts serves no purpose. - What facts have been denied?

Shall we pretend that bus riders who use the transit center late at night are upper-income?   Clearly, no one in this thread is generalizing bus riders as high-income.  But, by the same measure, it's just as gross a generalization to say that a transit center full of bus riders who happen to be low-income must therefore be a source of crime hindering the Epicenter?

All I stated was the exact text in each of my posts, and then you attacked my “mindset” and claimed that I view certain groups of people as “deplorable” and a “problem”.  I found your response extremely offensive and judgmental.  Don’t read things into what people say.  I say what I mean and mean what I say.  If I wanted to make disparaging statements, I would, but I did not.  I simply stated facts.  As someone who is and has been heavily involved in pro-transit and pro-social justice work, I am very offended by your posts.   You’re the one who is making offensive statements.

  • Like 1
  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm convinced a big part of the CTC crime is the design of the place. It's dark, it feels like it's underground due to the light rail bridge above it and the shops on either side of the bus bays, and there obviously wasn't any real money put into the materials of it. It just feels like a bad place to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Cityplanner said:

All I stated was the exact text in each of my posts, and then you attacked my “mindset” and claimed that I view certain groups of people as “deplorable” and a “problem”.  I found your response extremely offensive and judgmental.  Don’t read things into what people say.  I say what I mean and mean what I say.  If I wanted to make disparaging statements, I would, but I did not.  I simply stated facts.  As someone who is and has been heavily involved in pro-transit and pro-social justice work, I am very offended by your posts.   You’re the one who is making offensive statements.

I used to go there from time to time - just to clumsy and not coherent, I don't know, just didn't get it.  Let's be real about the situation, it's just a poorly structured building and the lack of usage has nothing to do with the transit location or crime - it would still be a bust.  I do think your post infers a hint of (poor black people are the problem and they scare the white people away). which isn't true, it was a failed plan and a failed design......stop trying to blame poor or "low-income" black people for everything damn thing.    It's in the middle of the city and like any city, you're gonna see a lot of crazy stuff and if anyone is too afraid to venture to the Epicentre during off hours due to crime should just stay in the burbs. It is basically the same in all urban cities, especially near vibrant areas.

Rethink, re-purpose and re-design the thing...it could probably work.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Durhamite said:

I used to go there from time to time - just to clumsy and not coherent, I don't know, just didn't get it.  Let's be real about the situation, it's just a poorly structured building and the lack of usage has nothing to do with the transit location or crime - it would still be a bust.  I do think your post infers a hint of (poor black people are the problem and they scare the white people away). which isn't true, it was a failed plan and a failed design......stop trying to blame poor or "low-income" black people for everything damn thing.    It's in the middle of the city and like any city, you're gonna see a lot of crazy stuff and if anyone is too afraid to venture to the Epicentre during off hours due to crime should just stay in the burbs. It is basically the same in all urban cities, especially near vibrant areas.

Rethink, re-purpose and re-design the thing...it could probably work.

I agree with your assessment. The Epicenter was successful for a time. The social/party scene isn't the same as when the Epicenter opened. Breweries and bars with other amenities than just dancing and loud music are in now days. Uptown used to be the center of the bar/club scene, now South end is now the center of the bar/brewery scene since clubs are not as popular now days

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who owns those lots near CTC in that quadrant?  I’ve been shocked that these lots have stayed undeveloped for so long especially the one right next to the 3rdst/CC light rail station. I think development will help CTC. I was excited but at the same time surprised that Moxy hotel chose the location they did. The surrounding area around our arena is severely under utilized as well. The arena actually has a lot of retail slots along trade but only has a barber shop. I mean there’s  no where but up for the Epicentre right now lol so things should  improve. Are the epicentre owners competent? Do they have a vision or plan on what they want the epicentre to become?  Precovid there were talks about tenant shifts etc but not much from them now. If anything Covid has helped expedite tenants leaving. Owners should have a blank slate for all the vacancies. Just hope they have a concrete vision. 
 

Another thought too, I really think the failed 50+ story condominium really changed the trajectory of the epicentre. Instead of high end expensive condos, we were left with a middle of the pack Marriott hotel (Aloft) for years. Imagine a Vue caliber tower on top of the epicentre, coupled with atherton mill type retail (Sephora, lulumon, anthropology, etc). And if the epicentre was thriving with all of this, we wouldn’t be deep diving into CTC analytics lol. CTC would merely just be exactly that, our CTC. 

Edited by CharlotteWkndBuzz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Blue_Devil said:

Quite. Look at the roofing at Epicenter on Google maps. It is horrifying. 

This is an old pic, but I was really surprised when the hotel didn't utilize the rooftop part of the Epicentre.  Could have been a massive outdoor event space or seating area.  Like I said earlier though, it's at rock bottom pretty much, only direction is up from here.  

old.thumb.png.7a9e15dd91398ede0c011525c20be7f2.png

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, theronhobbs said:

At the time of the 2D (and 3D) Google imagery, the hotel tower was under construction. There was a construction elevator on 4th Street, and the roof was used as a lay-down area during the course of construction. Building inspections would not allow the roof to be used as any type of storage afterwards as well. While the building does have its issues, this image was a temporary condition.

041921.JPG

The standing water on other sections of the roof stands s a counter point. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Rufus said:

Anyone know how this is affecting Aloft, AC, and Residence Inn? I'm really more interested in Aloft since it has been there the longest. Is it fairly busy? Is it holding up well? 

The Aloft is a mixed bag as the older one from a guest perspective. There are definitely better hotels Uptown now. On Marriott's own website it has some pretty awful reviews and only a 3.3 / 5.0 from ~550+ people on Marriott's website, with the main complaints recently being cleanliness, water pressure, the parking deck / bad valet / parking cost, and noise. Several reviews point out all the closed spots in Epicentre, but typically assume the blame is fully on COVID ("shame to see businesses closed around it due to COVID"). 

In addition to Marriott's own website it has a 4.0 from Google Reviews, 3.5 from TripAdvisor, a 4.0 from Expedia, and a 3.0 from Yelp. 

Edited by CLT2014
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, CLT2014 said:

The Aloft is a mixed bag as the older one from a guest perspective. There are definitely better hotels Uptown now. On Marriott's own website it has some pretty awful reviews and only a 3.3 / 5.0 from ~550+ people on Marriott's website, with the main complaints recently being cleanliness, water pressure, the parking deck / bad valet / parking cost, and noise. Several reviews point out all the closed spots in Epicentre, but typically assume the blame is fully on COVID ("shame to see businesses closed around it due to COVID"). 

In addition to Marriott's own website it has a 4.0 from Google Reviews, 3.5 from TripAdvisor, a 4.0 from Expedia, and a 3.0 from Yelp. 

I feel like the Aloft brand is sort of the hotel version of the Epicentre: might have been on-trend 10-15 years ago but times have changed and the brand hasn't. I don't know anyone who actively looks to stay in an Aloft hotel anymore. I mean, this is the first photo you see when you go to their website. The color, shape design, and photo look like they're 10 years old. The whole website looks like it might as well be for Simon Malls.

image.thumb.png.deaa5c7113504f3b0360227cb7c0c714.png

Edited by Madison Parkitect
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
9 hours ago, rancenc said:

we have a disaster of an entertainment complex right smack dab in the heart of uptown, but apparently we've got enough hubris to want to make high-rise developers pay to invest and build in uptown.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lets be honest. The epicenter died because of the crowd that started to gather there. People who actually live in uptown rarely go there at night because it is known as a place for people who come into the city looking for trouble. There have been a number of shooting there. I welcome its closing because to me it is just a large area of uptown that I avoid.  I hate it for the businesses there but it just feels like a dangerous place. 

  • Like 2
  • Confused 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, norm21499 said:

The epicenter has failed due to multiple reasons, not just because of the crowd that goes there. The breweries sucked a lot of patrons away from the epicenter, and the night life scene has changed a lot since the epicenter originally opened. 

Why didn't breweries open in the empty Epicenter retail space? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still not entirely unconvinced there aren't serious financial shenanigans at play with the property. For all of the obvious problems, pre-covid the businesses there still had quite a bit of traffic. It wasn't like Jason's was sitting empty at lunch. It might have fallen off as an entertainment center powerhouse, but there was still a lot of money being made. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

I'm still not entirely unconvinced there aren't serious financial shenanigans at play with the property. For all of the obvious problems, pre-covid the businesses there still had quite a bit of traffic. It wasn't like Jason's was sitting empty at lunch. It might have fallen off as an entertainment center powerhouse, but there was still a lot of money being made. 

Let's let the Catawbas have it for a casino. There, two birds with one stone.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.