Brevard Street Makeover

[nyxmike]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../10/story1.html

I don't know what Noah Lazes is talking about. He is currently building a large venue that is completely detached from downtown. If the music factory is even successful, isn't that going to help take away/kill pedestrian traffic downtown (not that I hope it fails - I am just pointing out how hypocritical his statements are)? Atleast Brevard Street is within the loop and walking distance from the square. It would be nice to have a stroll district, even if it is artificial.

[dubone]

This has been discussed a lot in other threads, but I think now that it is a budget item in the city's approved budget, and part of the strategy for CCP, it is worth its own thread. I'm excited about what will come along this corridor. I just hope they make plans for north Brevard as much as they for south Brevard.

[ElricSeven]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../10/story1.html

I don't know what Noah Lazes is talking about. He is currently building a large venue that is completely detached from downtown. If the music factory is even successful, isn't that going to help take away/kill pedestrian traffic downtown (not that I hope it fails - I am just pointing out how hypocritical his statements are)? Atleast Brevard Street is within the loop and walking distance from the square. It would be nice to have a stroll district, even if it is artificial.

I think what Noah sees is competition and he wants to throw some major cold water on any ideas of an entertainment district in a much more accessible part of the city. Frankly, I hope Brevard does turn into a stroll district. We could really use one.

[RugbyPike#11]

I think what Noah sees is competition and he wants to throw some major cold water on any ideas of an entertainment district in a much more accessible part of the city. Frankly, I hope Brevard does turn into a stroll district. We could really use one.

I agree 100%. Laze doesn't want competition to his entertainment district. If Brevard turned into anything close to Beale Street, I would be absolutely thrilled!

[voyager12]

Anything that adds walkability and a feeling of real livable downtown similar to Camden but hopefully on a much larger scale would be a huge plus!

[dubone]

I'm not sure he was offering anything different than his honest opinion. It seems perfectly plausable to me that an entertainment district would have trouble brewing along a street with very high land values. Remember, his district is tucked away on land with significant lower values, and thus, rents for venues.

However, it is possible that development that has mixed uses could have cross-use subsidization. For example, clearly the costs of the retail spot in Courtside was subsidized by the residents, as no rent is being paid.

[49er]

with almost no historic buildings lining the corridor, save the church and adjacent storefront, this will have to be something akin to birkdale villages main street plopped down over these few blocks. It really wont develop organically because there isnt any urban fabric to start with. Its going to be difficult, with bellsouth's boring building and the the transit center lining one side of the block. When i think of stroll districts I dont think of highrise development so much. Yet, the land along this corridor is so pricey that I cant see it developing into rows of 3 and 4 story buildings with scale and charm.

[Charlotte_native]

I think what Noah sees is competition and he wants to throw some major cold water on any ideas of an entertainment district in a much more accessible part of the city. Frankly, I hope Brevard does turn into a stroll district. We could really use one.

Bingo. This is direct competition for NCMF.

I agree that land prices will make this difficult, but proximity to residents, neighborhoods, interstates and 277 make getting in and out of this area easy and it makes sense since it will be surrounded by like uses and part of the overall center city entertainment instead of being distantly separated.

Rental rates for many spaces in center city are subsidized by the big corporations downtown so this could be done here as well if storefronts and/or restaurant/bar space were part of larger projects. Hearst Tower was practically giving away ground level space when it opened -- the owner of Urban Evolution was offered two years free space if he would have opened there. Modern Salon had a hush-hush but hellova deal to get in there. There are ways to overcome high land prices if you integrate into large projects and the big boys can justify supporting the smaller businesses that give life to their projects.

They didn't mention, either, tentative plans for a pedestrian bridge over 277 that will either be at Brevard or somewhere else between SouthEnd/Dilworth and center city. There were originally plans that got nixed for this bridge along side (as part of) the Trolley or light rail bridge, but it got pushed to be a free standing bridge of its own. Stakeholders in SouthEnd met with CATS and the city about this last week...this would certainly be a great connection to this "stroll district" from the neighborhoods on the other side of 277.

[Southernyank]

Doesnt Levine own most of that land near imaginon and the arena? wheres that man with his master plan?

[appatone]

with almost no historic buildings lining the corridor, save the church and adjacent storefront, this will have to be something akin to birkdale villages main street plopped down over these few blocks. It really wont develop organically because there isnt any urban fabric to start with. Its going to be difficult, with bellsouth's boring building and the the transit center lining one side of the block. When i think of stroll districts I dont think of highrise development so much. Yet, the land along this corridor is so pricey that I cant see it developing into rows of 3 and 4 story buildings with scale and charm.

While you could be right I will say that we at least have the ability to do better than Birkdale. I liked Grubb's idea for Elizabeth where buildings will have slightly staggered setbacks and each building is being designed individually by a different architecture firm. This can add a more organic feel and unique look. I also think the city should consider trying to purchase or salvage architectural detailing from older buildings to incorporate into new buildings. Like the carved entrance on the soon to be demolished Duke Building. Not necessarily to try and fool people into believing the new buildings are old but to add some character and at least a connection to a past. Obviously anything old, like the church and store front should be saved. As far as the buildings going to high... I think height will certainly be incorporated to make numbers work in some cases but they won't all have to go 12 floors and the ones that do could do something nice with setbacks and the like to make the Brevard side more scaled down while the backsides of the buildings may go pretty high. Just some thoughts. I think this whole thing, if done properly will be terrific and I'm really excited about it.

[Dennis_Schwartz]

I think what Noah sees is competition and he wants to throw some major cold water on any ideas of an entertainment district in a much more accessible part of the city. Frankly, I hope Brevard does turn into a stroll district. We could really use one.

[appatone]

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Creative Loafing are the only two tenants stupid enough to be conned by Noah.

[Charlotte_native]

For some reason I was under the impression that Creative Loafing was staying at the music factory rent free as an attempt to lure other businesses.

[Dennis_Schwartz]

It is hard enough to bring people to your club or music hall, but somewhat easier if they are already used to going out in the immediate area ... but uptown around the Square and around 5th Street are already *that* for most people that come to town to go out.