210 Trade | EpiCentre

[gentlemans c]

Forgive me for being new, but can someone explain the holdup on the condo tower portion of the development.

[Neo]

Forgive me for being new, but can someone explain the holdup on the condo tower portion of the development.

This was answered previously in this thread. Here is the link to the original question and subsequent posts answer this:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/210-Trad...205#entry872205

[sleightofhand]

I've believe 210 has hit some bumps in the road. I call them bumps because they've had issues before and worked through them just fine. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

[HopHead]

Has anyone heard any news about these contracts getting signed (or resigned) so they can proceed with construction? I believe it was Atlrvr that said it was the reason for construction stopping. I have to admit I'm a little worried about this project right now.

[Charlotteman]

Things are looking good to me, but one thing I just noticed in the latest pics-----it looks like Epicentre's external color scheme is basically a repeat of the dull dull dull color scheme of Hampton Inn/the Tower/Hilton Garden Inn. It also seems to be in a similar color pallet as Founders Hall's cladding.

Another case of matchy-matchy design that can bring on yawns very quickly.

[tiblerbrit]

^This is probably so the signs stand out.

[Andyc545]

^This is probably so the signs stand out.

Hopefully the glass from 210 Trade will compliment that well and yes, with the neon reflecting off the white, it will be quite a scene at night for uptown Charlotte.

EDIT:

Update from the site as of 11/16/07: I'll try to post a few more unique update photos, the rest can be viewed here.

The sign facing Bobcats Arena:

Steps, Windows, bottom of 210 Trade:

aLoft:

Edited November 16, 2007 by Andyc545

[brokenraven]

Is the sign in that first picture seriously going to stay like that?

[Guest]

Is the sign in that first picture seriously going to stay like that?

I hope not it sure looks awful. I am starting to love the Trade St. view of this building, it is soo huge, but still at a decently pedestrian scale.

[revitalize]

Yeah, that sign was lit up with adds the other night as we were going into the Police concert!!! it looked awesome. Also, the Trade St. canopy was lit up - i think we'll have to wait and see what it permanently looks like, but i think they were just testing it the other night. My FIRST impression was that they looked like a bunch of christmas light strings all over the canopy. But as i looked at it more, and saw the lights blend from color to color (fiberoptics) it really looked cool. When you take in the whole area - Bobcats arena entry with screen, the fiberoptic canopy lights, and the screen over at EpiCentre, its all really exciting. Felt a little like Times Square actually.

[AuLukey]

That's awesome, hopefully BoA will get together and add some creative lighting to the entrance to the Ritz that will add to the "flare." I'd imagine the lower floors of TTT facing Trade will be lit up just as much as the rest of the complex. I'm also hoping that if the Sierra Hotel is built, it will continue the theme this street is beginning to form. It's too bad the bus terminal has to be there, although it gives that area a very "big city feel" when a tourist is walking through there (viewing it from the arena side, of course.) Maybe there is a way to dress it up to, or even add some street front vendors there. Hopefully Trade will become more of a hot spot for this type of development. We need something like "The Strip" or Bourbon St to help give our city some color and our uptown some character. Not everything has to be drab, leave that for Tryon.

[dubone]

This stretch of roadway is going to be crazy with all the jumbotrons and colorfully lit structures. I am very disappointed that the Epicentre went the tacky route for fitting it in. It looks like an afterthought, but it shouldn't have been, because they had gotten special zoning approval for this when they were still planning to use the old Civic Center. There is just no excuse for not planning it better than that. My guess is they planned to have a curved jumbotron there, and it was cut in exchange for a flat one.

[Andyc545]

This stretch of roadway is going to be crazy with all the jumbotrons and colorfully lit structures. I am very disappointed that the Epicentre went the tacky route for fitting it in. It looks like an afterthought, but it shouldn't have been, because they had gotten special zoning approval for this when they were still planning to use the old Civic Center. There is just no excuse for not planning it better than that. My guess is they planned to have a curved jumbotron there, and it was cut in exchange for a flat one.

There is still a curved one on the front facing College St.

Here's the frame work:

The rest of the update (nothing else too exciting or different aside from the steps being finished and the siding and windows going on) can be viewed here.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Andyc545

[dubone]

Yes, I'm glad that one is curved, but the one facing the Trade Street Station is not only ridiculous looking, but it is also seemingly not the best place for it considering not nearly as many people will see it from that angle. Why not one that is the same size as the arena one, but pay more to have it actuall match your building.

Either than, or just push the thing back a few feet so it doesn't look like it is teetering off the edge. If you had a big screen tv on a rounded stand, would you push it over the edge like that? No, because it would look stupid.

By the way, the movie theatre is inside right? This isn't counting as it, right?

[atlrvr]

I'm sorry, but when I drove by EpiCentre last week, all I could think of was how cheap the facade still looks....I thought we were promised masonary and stone.....

The masonary looks "ok", but the rest (it looks possibly like hardcoat stucco from my quick drive-by) looks horribly cheap. Also, I agree with the above comment that the colors are just bland.

If the developer couldn't have sprung for some granite, then at least clad the rest in brushed-metal, or a darker masonary, or anything.

I understand this will have lights all over it, but I can't imagine it will help the street level that much, because it appears that it will have a uniform facade (as opposed to allowing the individual tenants to upfit their own entrances)

[uptownliving]

I agree that in its current form the building on the corner of Trade and College is about as bland as it gets. It is beige masonry, with beige stone, and beige stucco. Beige on beige on beige. My fear now is that with the jumbo trons on the top of the building the new word to describe the building will be "tacky"

I am holding out hope that maybe some accent banners or something of architectural significance will save this building.

[Charlotteman]

"Matchy-matchy" urban design is such a drag~~~but Epicentre's boring color scheme is made even worse by the fact that Founders Hall, across the street, is basically the same darn colors!

With Founders Hall, we could forgive the dullness because other structures near the Square weren't beige. But now with Epicentre's similar blandness within eye shot, it all multiplies. The exact opposite of eye candy.

At night, the lighting will be cool. But in the daytime, that lifeless hue will just sit there and underwhelm all passersby.

Reminds me of going into a new home and seeing the ubiquitous eggshell/off-white color scheme. I always wonder why people are so scared of color---maybe Ghazi should steal away Novare's design team. Being afraid of color in a situation like this is just trifling. Epicentre should be dazzling!

[fulcrumsf]

I agree, Ghazi has a tendency to have the stucco look. I think it's boring and hopefully this project will at least spur other similar projects that will top it. Having waited this long to see something finally fill that dead space I am however relieved. Hopefully they'll at least add some accent colors to brighten it up a little when it's all said and done.

[dubone]

I'm surprised that it is all so beige considering a lot of the colors that Ghazi painted his stucco retail buildings elsewhere in the city. The masonry is bland, but at least it is masonry. It does give the building some upgrade over the pure stucco I was expecting.

I just don't understand WHY they chose beige on beige on beige. The whole idea was to make this a fun entertainment complex. I know the original rendering was beige, but surely they've seen some Sherwin Williams commercials in the last two years to know that that they now sell paint with actual colors!

[83alphaunder]

"Matchy-matchy" urban design is such a drag~~~but Epicentre's boring color scheme is made even worse by the fact that Founders Hall, across the street, is basically the same darn colors!

With Founders Hall, we could forgive the dullness because other structures near the Square weren't beige. But now with Epicentre's similar blandness within eye shot, it all multiplies. The exact opposite of eye candy.

At night, the lighting will be cool. But in the daytime, that lifeless hue will just sit there and underwhelm all passersby.

Reminds me of going into a new home and seeing the ubiquitous eggshell/off-white color scheme. I always wonder why people are so scared of color---maybe Ghazi should steal away Novare's design team. Being afraid of color in a situation like this is just trifling. Epicentre should be dazzling!

There will be non-beige awnings, and non-beige business signage. As well as lights, and different accents. I am not too happy with the mega screens, the curved one looks just as awkward as the one facing the bobcats arena, imho. Hopefully this place will be improved somehow, so much for masonry and stone. Whats with the beige-craze anyway, metmidtown is getting the same treatment, I'm starting to feel like I'm in north myrtle beach.

Edited November 20, 2007 by 83alphaunder

[rockhilljames]

Color would be nice. How cool would it be to see several colors used to break up the scale of the development?

Ahh....beige.

[Charlotteman]

I just don't understand WHY they chose beige on beige on beige. The whole idea was to make this a fun entertainment complex. I know the original rendering was beige, but surely they've seen some Sherwin Williams commercials in the last two years to know that that they now sell paint with actual colors!

And interesting colors don't cost a dime more than that damn beige.

[AuLukey]

maybe they plan on allowing street artists to help brighten it up

[Andyc545]

It appears from the Crane Cam that they are working on stripping away the College St. Pedestrian Bridge to redo it and modernize it to fit in with the EpiCentre. I'm eager to see the outcome and look forward to seeing one of these bridges lead to an outdoor pedestrian enviornment. Epicentre is going to be hot!

[Appetite for Construction]

^ Good eye on the crane cam ... now if we could just do something about the "white monster" across College Street!