210 Trade | EpiCentre

[Charlotte_native]

All of this and Ghazi proudly tells people he bought a trained guard dog for something absurd like $20,000! I guess he needs it if this is how he deals with people.

[sleightofhand]

A friend of mine called and said last night on the 10 o'clock news there was a feature on 210 Trade. Unfortunately he didn't know which news channel.

Anyone catch it?

[palmetto75]

A friend of mine called and said last night on the 10 o'clock news there was a feature on 210 Trade. Unfortunately he didn't know which news channel.

Anyone catch it?

Not sure if I caught the majority of it, but basically talking about how many of the retailers were counting on the TTT residents for business and how they'd have to adjust to make it. Interviewed the coffee shop owner. Personally don't buy it. Maybe the coffee shop was counting on them, but doubt the fudge shop was planning only TTT residents buying FUDGE everyday.

[queensguy06]

Yeah, it was just a quick clip about how 210 Trade is pretty much dead in the water in it's current form. Nothing really new, I think we all figured that this project was a bust a long time ago. Here is a link to the video on WSOC.

[nonillogical]

Not sure if I caught the majority of it, but basically talking about how many of the retailers were counting on the TTT residents for business and how they'd have to adjust to make it. Interviewed the coffee shop owner. Personally don't buy it. Maybe the coffee shop was counting on them, but doubt the fudge shop was planning only TTT residents buying FUDGE everyday.

of the establishments in the epicentre, PJ's is one of the ones that seems to be doing just fine. i go there a ton just because they're the only coffee shop we have uptown with good hours 7 days a week (and about half the price of starbucks!)

unfortunately i do imagine the niche retail we had been excited about (sunglasses store, revolution, etc) probably not making it.

Edited July 23, 2009 by nonillogical

[Charlotte_native]

unfortunately i do imagine the niche retail we had been excited about (sunglasses store, revolution, etc) probably not making it.

Again, though, these type of places certainly weren't counting on residents buying sunglasses and clothes every day. They have much more opportunity for business like that from Aloft than the condos -- and it is open. Retail across the board is hurting right now, bad/rough year to be starting anything new.

[nonillogical]

Again, though, these type of places certainly weren't counting on residents buying sunglasses and clothes every day. They have much more opportunity for business like that from Aloft than the condos -- and it is open. Retail across the board is hurting right now, bad/rough year to be starting anything new.

yeah i know neither rely on frequency, but i just never see anybody in there.

[queensguy06]

In Revolution's case, the clientele was never there; that store was doomed with or without 210 Trade. Their price points are way too high for their location, let alone the fact that it is the sole clothing retailer Uptown. If they relocated to SouthPark instead of Epicentre, maybe, but the idea of having a store that sells $30 graphic tees and $200 jeans mixed in with a CVS and a bunch of bars in the middle of a business district screams failure from the get-go.

[dubone]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...31/story14.html

I can't believe it. One of the biggest hold ups for permanent occupancy certificates are that Ghazi still has got the central elevators working. I have been wondering about those things every time I go! Apparently, a contractor is holding those elevators hostage while they are trying to get their money from Ghazi.

[aceboogie]

I couldn't read the whole article as it is for paid subscribers. Is this just for tenants in Epicentre, or could this renew the hope for the construction of the 53 story condo?

[dubone]

It appears the state has helped Ghazi get the elevators in the plaza working. A subcontractor refused to clear the permits for them because they were holding them hostage in a contract dispute. But now that the state has cleared the permits, Ghazi can hire someone else to fix them.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...07/story14.html

Once those elevators are fixed, I don't believe they have much more to do in order to get full Certificates of Occupancy.

The article also mentions some permits for upfits of the office space so I guess there will be some more tenants going in soon enough.

Too bad the place already looks like hell from all the crappy materials, and 1 floor of TTT condos built, or this would seem like a well executed project.

[unccmyway]

The mold and mildew on the side of the building looks terrible. What in the world were they thinking?

[Temeteron]

It appears the state has helped Ghazi get the elevators in the plaza working. A subcontractor refused to clear the permits for them because they were holding them hostage in a contract dispute. But now that the state has cleared the permits, Ghazi can hire someone else to fix them.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...07/story14.html

Once those elevators are fixed, I don't believe they have much more to do in order to get full Certificates of Occupancy.

The article also mentions some permits for upfits of the office space so I guess there will be some more tenants going in soon enough.

Too bad the place already looks like hell from all the crappy materials, and 1 floor of TTT condos built, or this would seem like a well executed project.

It's about damn time! Those elevators have been out of order for almost 2 years lol

[ontap]

Otis elevator will be completing the elevator banks at epicentre. If they are working as agreed to with the city, then nobody's TCO will be terminated and new tenants will be allowed to open. In the wings are a 32,000 sq ft fitness center, 4,500 sq ft mexican restaurant, Clear 2 Pay (office space 3,020 sq ft) and Knight Libertas (office space 1,039 sq ft). There are many hurdles yet for permanent certificates of occupancy. Working elevators are being required by city for pubic accessibility.

[New Name]

The elevators are working now.

[AlmaPinnix]

Wikipedia has 210 Trade as under construction.. it is still being built right now, right?

[Spartan]

No. That project is "on hold" indefinitely. Wikipedia is not the best source for that kind of information.

[yorkconstruct]

Anyone every catch this article in the business journal back in early August? Charlotte Business Journal.

"General contractor Fulcrum Construction has a $199,000 surety bond on file with the city securing completion of the remaining infrastructure work, says David Weekly, division manager of land-development services for Charlotte

[atlrvr]

As far as infrastructure, what is outstanding?

As far as the tower goes, I assume we will see someone resume this at somepoint, at a much shorter height. (10-15 stories maybe?) The lawsuits between Ghazi and Flaherty will have to be resolved, and the market will have to turn around. At this point, there wouldn't be clear title to even transfer to a new developer.

One legal issue that would be interesting to see is if Epicentre ever gets foreclosed on (not saying that it will), if that effects the air-rights above it? I have no idea, but I do think it is safe to say that there is so many question mark about the whole development at the moment, that no one would build under any terms or market conditions.

[uptownliving]

Not surprisingly Charlotte FC LLC (aka Flarehty & Collins) has declared bankruptcy. The bad thing is that this means it will not be likely all the people that put deposits down on this project will see their money again.

The good thing is that it means the air rights and concreate structire on top of EpiCentre will be sold hopefully to someone who can build something nice.

[dubone]

So does this clear out and undo the air rights and legal issues that they had and give Ghazi a blank slate?

I guess this clears up the Vue vs TTT debates from back when the city was flush with projects. Vue got an injection of hope to sprint to the finish and TTT got its death knell.

[uptownliving]

I think the Air Rights issues were really resolved when the NC Building Commision made their ruling in favor of Ghazi. So whoever ends up with the air rights when Charlotte FC LLC sells them will be able to proceed with a clear understanding. However if they decide to building something different than the condo tower that has already been approved by Mecklenburg County Building Permit...then of course they will have to start all over again in the approvals process.

[palmetto75]

Not surprisingly Charlotte FC LLC (aka Flarehty & Collins) has declared bankruptcy.

Good now Charlotte FC can be our new MLS team.

[dubone]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstorie...ory/989420.html

Here is the O article. It looks like RJ Griffin is owed money. Good thing they didn't get screwed on both this and the Vue.

[Charlotteman]

I still think of Donald Trump's hint that he is still interested in Charlotte.....how cool would it be if Trump took over 210, after the recession ends. Reportedly he enjoys real estate challenges. This location certainly has it's fair share of legal knots going.

I actually agree with Epicenter proprietors that the absence of the tower hurts their businesses. True the hotels will help, but that tower would have produced a greater potential for all sorts of businesses. (hopefully besides dry cleaners or bars)

Think about how many residents that tower would have contained. Not only that, those residents would have visitors and out of town guests and those guests could have also added to the customer base. "I'll stop in that cool new shoppe at Epicenter before I go up to Grandma's condo in 210 Trade."

Edited October 7, 2009 by Charlotteman