210 Trade | EpiCentre

[rancenc]

22 minutes ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article259855875.html#storylink=mainstage_lead
 

Epicentre update. Sounds like this is heading in the right direction with a rebrand, renovation, and new tenants. Looking forward to the new renderings and tenant announcements. 

First and foremost is the announcement on capital improvements to the center...can't attract tenants and ultimately customers with a crappy looking property!

[CLT2014]

1 hour ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article259855875.html#storylink=mainstage_lead
 

Epicentre update. Sounds like this is heading in the right direction with a rebrand, renovation, and new tenants. Looking forward to the new renderings and tenant announcements. 

Are the renovations being carried out by the lender and servicer right now... with the new buyer in the auction to assume responsibility of seeing it through to completion? 

[deleted account]

2 hours ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article259855875.html#storylink=mainstage_lead
 

Epicentre update. Sounds like this is potentially* heading in the right direction with a rebrand, renovation, and new tenants. Looking forward to the new renderings and tenant announcements. 

I fully expect this to be successful (note this is not blue). 

[RANYC]

"She said security remains a concern at Epicentre and uptown Charlotte. Epicentre employs 12 to 20 armed and unarmed security guards daily, she said."

Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article259855875.html#storylink=cpy

Is Security still so bad even now in its mostly vacant state that it is necessary to cite a poor security situation requiring 12-20 armed and unarmed guards so close to the auction?

[KJHburg]

your chance to buy the Epicenter comes May 12.   This is the first step to renovating and redeveloping this site. 

[Madison Parkitect]

$100, final offer.

[CLT2014]

Anybody have inside scoop on real estate investors interested in participating in the auction? Hope we land a good one that wants to do something awesome.

[KJHburg]

I am putting all my money on Epicenter at the Kentucky Derby today.  How about you?   Epicenter for the win!  The good luck might rub off on our own Epicenter. 

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/258641/epicenter-favored-in-early-kentucky-derby-wagering

Update Epicenter came in 2nd after this dark horse RichStrike came from behind  80-1 favorite 

Edited May 7, 2022 by KJHburg

[PuppiesandKittens]

The complex will be renamed “Eastland Uptown”.

Kidding!

[CLT2014]

The auction today was canceled and moved to July. No reason given.

Anybody have inside scoop on what is going on?

[kayman]

9 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

The auction today was canceled and moved to July. No reason given.

Anybody have inside scoop on what is going on?

I heard the CIM Group (foreclosed upon owners) might have something to do with this. I've dealt with them in other states in major cities and their capricious behavior as an org is a trip...

[videtur quam contuor]

Joe Bruno on twitter says source suggests it could be attempt to make resolution with borrower or a third party willing to take assignment of debt in return for $$$. Other options of course.

[Blue_Devil]

11 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Joe Bruno on twitter says source suggests it could be attempt to make resolution with borrower or a third party willing to take assignment of debt in return for $$$. Other options of course.

God, so CIM is trying to keep it? Who thinks that is a good idea?

[KJHburg]

Joe Bruno's story about the cancelled auction for today.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/auction-uptown-charlottes-epicentre-suddenly-posptoned/DE4NFSNGONBQNNQET4XGRKYMMU/

[Madison Parkitect]

I asked them to delay it because I'm still working on getting my financing group together for that $100 bid I said I'd offer.

[kayman]

1 hour ago, tarhoosier said:

Joe Bruno on twitter says source suggests it could be attempt to make resolution with borrower or a third party willing to take assignment of debt in return for $$$. Other options of course.

 

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Joe Bruno's story about the cancelled auction for today.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/auction-uptown-charlottes-epicentre-suddenly-posptoned/DE4NFSNGONBQNNQET4XGRKYMMU/

1 hour ago, Blue_Devil said:

God, so CIM is trying to keep it? Who thinks that is a good idea?

The CIM Group are a trip. I knew them allowing it to foreclose was a stunt to refinance the loan any methods possible.  They want the EpiCentre in their portfolio because it'll be very hard for them to get back into Uptown without footing a huge sum.

Edited May 12, 2022 by kayman

[KJHburg]

walked by today as I had a traffic parking enforcement issue to deal with.  The reason this place will not be torn down completely is the 2 hotel towers.  I think it can reborn but it will take some money, some demo,  rebranding  etc. 

[CLT Development]

10 hours ago, kayman said:

 

The CIM Group are a trip. I knew them allowing it to foreclose was a stunt to refinance the loan any methods possible.  They want the EpiCentre in their portfolio because it'll be very hard for them to get back into Uptown without footing a huge sum.

This take is 100% correct. I was saying this pages and pages ago. Not the first time they've used not so nice tactics. Just google "CIM Group Lawsuit" and you'll get quite a few pages of results. Or even "CIM Group aggressive eviction." The use tactics to devalue properties and then bring them back to life. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by CLT Development

[RANYC]

I walked by the Epicenter on Wednesday on my way to a lunch meeting at Roosters.  Now that we're emerging from COVID, I actually think even the current structure is salvageable with relatively modest improvements.  Location is great, it's along a nice stretch of College street, and if they could address the "Perception" of security issues, I think it's more than viable.  There's parking, and enough people out and about in Uptown to draw them if options and programming are even halfway decent, again, assuming perception of security issues is attacked head-on.  Duke energy data center sale and redev are super close which bode well for Epicenter businesses/programming also.  Could totally see CIM Group pulling a market stunt to then drive Epicenter's revival.

Edited May 13, 2022 by RANYC

[KJHburg]

what some people think should happen to the Epicenter

https://charlotte.axios.com/301751/what-readers-want-to-see-at-the-epicentre-after-its-auctioned-off/

My thought is to tear down part of it maybe the section closest to Trade and College and build an apartment tower with ground floor retail. More eyes in the neighborhood would be a good thing and maybe incorporated the Hornets new training facility into the project.   Obviously the 3 hotels will stay as they are.   I still wish a trio of our banks would buy it hold it and turn it around then sell it in the future.  

[15895]

Would it not be better for small business or retail in general to keep it the way it is? Seems to me if there were tear downs, it’d likely be replaced with more expensive retail spaces. 

 

[Mid South NC]

Here is my post on the Axios Epicenter post as I shared  on their Facebook post enquiring what we want to see.
 

We need to really re-imagine Epicenter with the consumer in mind, and apply an ongoing high level marketing campaign with it. This should be a real destination, but to do so it must be done with high quality, interactive experiences. 
Here is exactly what I would do if I owned this spot: (I can already envision this :') 

Think consumer, consumer, consumer, and quality quality, quality, experiences) 
1. Top notch, smaller size Aquarium, with continually changing aquatic displays, 
2. Hard Rock Cafe, 
3. House of Blues, with the best in small venue acts rolling through, 
4. a reputable wine shine, dine style tasting experience, 
5. 4dx/Imax only Theater, 
6. A Broadway at the Beach (I'm on vacation right here at home) experience, 
7. I would pull inspiration from Vegas, Orlando, Miami, NY, and of course Charlotte, with just a little OBX, MB, Daytona, Gatlinburg, Asheville, Boone, mixed in to keep more those dollars at home. 
with (the price of fuel) staycations in mind.
8. Apple & Amazon Stores, high end stores, think quality over quantity. 
9. Many in Charlotte can take the light rail uptown to experience this and more. And only have to spend very little to get there. 
10. Make it a very safe place. Think of all the security already working around BofA corporate across the street, and the Epicenter needs to be exceptionally clean, and exceptionally safe. 

Yes, there is only so much square footage to work with right now, but I would not hesitate to build up 5 or more stories, think smaller version of the Mall of America type of space. Build up, not just out. 

I could really go on, and on all day here,  because I can already envision what would work and bring the Metro masses and beyond, but I have my regular job to do, so there's that.  
 

And my follow up comment to Bri Riley, 

Bri Riley right , absolutely, the time has come, and Charlotte can support these. 

With BofA Corporate right next door you have one of the largest banks in the world to work collaborate/partner with finance opportunities, and make this a can't fail entertainment complex that Charlotte will be proud of. 

Include established brands like Hard Rock & HofB would provide corporate anchors with major skin in our game as well. 

Obviously the previous owners thought too small, and failed to think of or appreciate what the consumer would support with their hard earned entertainment dollars. This will work, and work well, it just takes including the best, established partners that will provide the synergy to bring and keep all the pieces together. Make this the place they want to be a part of, and that our citizens want to support. It will be the place to be year round in the Carolinas.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Mid South NC

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

If this damn state would legalize sports betting, Draft Kings could have the naming rights to the complex and tie it in with the CTC/Hornets revision. Agree it needs to be retail and food/bev options heavy.  There’s a long list of why the current epicentre failed but it didn’t help that more than 50% were night clubs and weren’t open for half the day neglecting the lunch and working crowds. A hard rock could be a good idea but anchor it to a state of the art sports book. Place would boom. 

Edited July 5, 2022 by CharlotteWkndBuzz

[15895]

I'm not too bullish on Epicenter being replaced than anything more decent in it's glory days (I always thought it was popping at any hour of the day.) Movies, Bowling, Clothing store, Howl at the Moon at dope back then. The reason I'm not bullish is the evolving nature of urbanity and what people want out of their city. Organic human scale activation, bike lanes, tree's, small business, etc. A lot of uptown development can still lack that. And uptown in general (near the core of uptown) lacks any sense of place. There are someee pockets on North tryon and North College. But it's not a mass. Crescent did a pretty good job along with Savoy and some developments on Stonewall, er, Brooklyn. The place near Dunkin on Graham is nice. SouthEnd nearly has all the ingredients already so I'm afraid the talented restaurant folk, business owners may find other areas better for their vibe/business/brand/image. Especially with more and more critical mass.

There seems to be a lack of newer (past ~15 years seems to have picked up on this) urban forms of building in Charlotte (specifically uptown). Forgive me for not knowing the proper terms, but a very popular trend is to make the sidewalk and street seem like the same thing (Sort of like in Rome how there seems to be no Sidewalk on nearly any street.) It gives more power to the pedestrians and people and is usually done with large super block/multi-parcel developments. It gives a very pedestrian friendly, human scale atmosphere. The developments tend to feel more neighborhood and organic. It'd be dope if Legacy Union had an entire base of cobble stone streets level to the sidewalk and bases that mimicked smaller scale spaces with the towers set back to be secondary. That could've been a yuge game changer for uptown with all that acreage. Imagine the Below being where Legacy Union was and imagine having like Charlotte Beer Garden, a Brewery and just some Charlotte favorites. That would be beyond amazing. 

Tryon Street should have not only protected, but completely separated from the road Bike lanes. 

Maybe take a Lane from Tryon Street and make it a Streatery which has become permanent in many cities in the world since the pandemic. Maybe have Food truck rallies (popular back in Charlotte before Southend was much of a destination and super popular in Raleigh. I'd like to see that along Trade Street with Trade closed every XYZ day along the streetcar line)

 

College Street needs  a Road Diet. I want to see more things like the giant teeter totters in SouthEnd on Tryon Street. etc. College & Church Street should be full of Murals... There is wayyy too long of a stretch of ugly parking garages. Why not HUGE murals from local artist? Not like the corporate stuff or fancy stuff on Novel Stonewall's Wonder Wall (or whatever it is called) - murals like the below:

 

Now, the reason I mention that here in this thread right now is because I just feel, Epicenter is completely going to struggle against SouthEnd to become anything more glorious than it was in the past. The city needs to invest more into making uptown a neighborhood. Less roads, streateries, pocket parks everywhere, I don't know how Charlotte could force design standards on developers but maybe provide incentives? SouthEnd has all the right ingredients, Uptown is struggling with in that department IMO. 

There's just a different vibe bar hopping in SouthEnd, or eating along the rail trail than uptown near Epicenter.

 

 

 

KJ mentioned something interesting. I think a brand new Epicenter combined with a CTC station/Hornets thing would give scale to create a great place-making area and incorporate some of the ideas from the posters above (Aquariums, etc.), but the ground level just has to be on point. Barriers from the traffic with nice planters, paseos, ground level that makes you not feel like there are skyscrapers. Basically like the rendering above. But if anything turns out like the renderings for say the Gateway Station project. Well then, there's no hope of this being anything other than a shiny development and a missed opportunity to make uptown more dynamic. So my ultimate hope for Epicenter would be massive renovations to make combined with a new development at CTC.

I think Epicenter could be more successful - and projects in general - if the city had a broader goal to invest more in some urban fundamentals in uptown. I'm pretty sure the city though is content getting skyscrapers and that to local leaders are a win. Uptown is a huge asset so it's time for the city to get with the program and try to do things within their power to make it more of a destination (investing in certain things like more bikelanes, small business, etc. could lead to private investment following IMO. I'm a big believer in if you build it, they will come. If CLT invests more in uptown amenities, so will developers. So will business owners.). I don't think the city needs to do anything too pie-in-the-sky 

 

 

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by AirNostrumMAD

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/whats-in-store/article263702953.html#storylink=mainstage_card3
 

Anyone know why the auction of the epicentre keeps getting delayed? Faster this thing sells, the sooner we can get it back on it’s feet (hopefully).