Ritz-Carlton Hotel & 1 Bank of America Center

[brokenraven]

It looks as though the glass (if the floors are going to be that) may just run through the middle section of the floor, thereby allowing people to walk on the sides if they want to.

[Andyc545]

Seems renderings are leaking out all over the place... Here's another one I found well actually looking for stuff on Wachovia's tower. Interior baby!!!!! Love that glass above, love it. Beautiful architecture, beautiful panaramic vertical view identifying their signature tower.

[Spartan]

Its a very in-human scale. Looks like an airport. ^

[rockhilljames]

Honkytube? That doesn't offend anyone?

Imagine if it used any other racial term than Honkey. There'd be some upset people in this forum.

I know it's said as a joke, but I think it's a bit much.

Back on topic...I'd hate to be the guys that have to clean all that glass.

[AuLukey]

Back on topic...I'd hate to be the guys that have to clean all that glass.

If you think that's bad, imagine the job of the glass cleaners at Burj Dubai! Not only is it massive, but it's in the middle of a dustbowl. I mean, cleaning the windows there would be in vain five minutes after you did it.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Its a very in-human scale. Looks like an airport. ^

Yes, the ceilings should be 10 feet high.

[Andyc545]

Yes, the ceilings should be 10 feet high.

Theoretically, 10 ft at the entrance. That is the slanted roof that can be seen in the other sketches. It also appears that the end goes to steps or elevators, indicating this is a 2nd/upper floor. The idea architecturally behind that slanted glass is to mainly give a vertical panaramic view of BofA HQ- representing, this is where it's at, look at our strength. The glass will compliment the new glass look across the street.

EDIT:

There, you can see the plans for the slanted glass and it does appear that view is taken from a 5th floor or so, and at the peak, that glass goes very high, a few stories. Does remind me of an airport or mall, but looks awesome.

[NCN8ive]

Honkytube? That doesn't offend anyone?

Imagine if it used any other racial term than Honkey. There'd be some upset people in this forum.

I know it's said as a joke, but I think it's a bit much.

Back on topic...I'd hate to be the guys that have to clean all that glass.

Yeah, I wanted to ask before I said anything...but it doesn't seem like the greatest name for them. I mean, I'm not offended, but it does seem like it's in bad taste. I'm from the south and I've never heard the term in my life. It sounds like something George Jefferson would call them.

[Guest]

who likes renderings. This will give us a better idea of what this thing will look like.

[DigitalSky]

who likes renderings. This will give us a better idea of what this thing will look like.

oof blurry haha. Where do you find these things!

[Larryfla]

Honkytube, I am offended. I think that you should take your race agenda someplace else. I enjoy reading about the progress of the city and keeping things in a positive tone. Racial issues should be someplace else.

[cinco]

well, speaking of the "tubes"... i can confirm with positivity that it will indeed be 2 smaller tubes and not one big one. and of course, they will not have clear floors. this is going to be an incredible project... that said i do think some here are going to have problems with the street level. i don't have major issues considering the site they are working with. street level isn't perfect but, not bad either.

[schmopperX]

Honkytube, I am offended. I think that you should take your race agenda someplace else. I enjoy reading about the progress of the city and keeping things in a positive tone. Racial issues should be someplace else.

Oh come on, I'm a honky and I'm not offended. I don't think us honkies have any room to be sensitive.

Overall I understand the practical side of the over street connection, however I wish this practice in Charlotte would come to an end.

I can't think of many cities where this design is still used, even up North where it would be practical. I mean Atlantic City sure they wanna keep people off the streets and in the Casinos but I don't know of anywhere else.

[rockhilljames]

It takes a lot to offend me, I'm not sensitive at all, so no, I'm not really offended by it.

The point I'm trying to make is that if other terms were used people would find it offensive. Honkie just get's a pass though, doesn't it? Seems that the sensitivity only runs one way...and that does offend me.

Still, this isn't the place for that and I don't want to be the one to move this very good thread off topic, so let's just forget about it.

[krazeeboi]

Well, for one, the word "honkey" doesn't even come close to having the type of history (which is largely oppressive in nature) that other race-related terms do. Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, the word used here (honkeytube) wasn't first used by someone of another race. That indeed makes a difference, whether or not one thinks it makes sense or is rational or not.

But in terms of the walkways, they seem to have been built to connect all of the Wachovia/BOA buildings and parking decks. How many other cities have a significant number of towers in its downtown (or other _{urban node) that were built and are occupied by one or two corporations?}

[schmopperX]

Well, for one, the word "honky" doesn't even come close to having the type of history (which is largely oppressive in nature) that other race-related terms do. Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, the word used here (honkeytube) wasn't first used by someone of another race. That indeed makes a difference, whether or not one thinks it makes sense or is rational or not.

But in terms of the walkways, they seem to have been built to connect all of the Wachovia/BOA buildings and parking decks. How many other cities have a significant number of towers in its downtown (or other _{urban node) that were built and are occupied by one or two corporations?}

_{Excellent point I really didn't think of it that way. So as good as the banks are for Charlotte, their design practices are holding our development at street level back. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all the towers, I just wish someone could convince them that the Honky Tubes, aren't good for developing small businesses at street level.}

[dubone]

I think enough has been said on that topic. Let's get back to the topic of the thread.

[Mobuchu]

well, speaking of the "tubes"... i can confirm with positivity that it will indeed be 2 smaller tubes and not one big one. and of course, they will not have clear floors. this is going to be an incredible project... that said i do think some here are going to have problems with the street level. i don't have major issues considering the site they are working with. street level isn't perfect but, not bad either.

Hmmm, I'm already disappointed that they are putting in more overhead walkways, but now two?? We should be taking these away, not adding them. This will give patrons of the ritz, and workers at BofA one more reason not to venture outside to support our street level retail. Would it kill people to cross a street?? Where we could be taking a step forward, we are taking one step back to getting more retail along college. Founders hall and the Omni blocks will be stuck in the 80's for a long time to come. Very disappointing BofA, very disappointing....

[JerseyBoy]

I'm sure the visitors/tourists at BOA and the Ritz will see that Charlotte is a great city from their window that they'll venture outside on their own. I know when I used to stay in Atlanta at either the Hyatt or Marriott off-season I wouldn't use any of the skywalks in Peachtree Center to get through downtown.

[rockhilljames]

You know, that's a good point Achiever, when I'm traveling to other cities I always walk along the streets, not along the skywalks. It's not just because I don't link them, I think they are harder to navigate when you don't know the city.

[Spartan]

My apologies for all the controversy over my terminology of these things. Thats just what I've always called them. Unless you're a rich elitist person (as opposed to regular people) who will be using the tubes instead of the sidewalk, you really have no reason to be offended. So I apologize to you if you are a rich elitist person that doesn't like sidewalks.

I used the ones around Peachtree center in Atlanta one time, and it was only out of sheer curiosity to see if I could figure out how to get up there, if I could actually use them, and to see what I could see from that vantage point. It was fun for that reason, but it was very inconvenient to use them.

By contrast, the ones around Overstreet and in the Wachovia complex are relatively easy to use and navigate. I can actually justify them if they are really high up and connect two buildings that are full of employees from the same company. That could actually be a time saver, so it would be worth the money in time savings. Having them on the 3rd or 4th floor, though, is just pointless.

Would it kill people to cross a street??

Apparently, yes.

[mshook]

As someone who works downtown and must go from building to building throughout the day...these Overstreet walkways are a God-Send. Especially wearing a suit...it may not be -10 degrees but even 40 is really uncomfortable when you have to go from building to building for meetings throughout the day....or during the day when it's 95 degrees and your tie is stiffling as you rush to your next meeting. When it does rain..it sucks being soaked while waiting for the cross walk...in a suit.

These two banks built and practically own your downtown...it makes proper Business sense to have them. I live and work Downtown so I have a day to day use of them...i'm not commuting in from Rock Hill or Concord...so I have a vested interest in our street scape.

[AuLukey]

As someone who works downtown and must go from building to building throughout the day...these Overstreet walkways are a God-Send. Especially wearing a suit...it may not be -10 degrees but even 40 is really uncomfortable when you have to go from building to building for meetings throughout the day....or during the day when it's 95 degrees and your tie is stiffling as you rush to your next meeting. When it does rain..it sucks being soaked while waiting for the cross walk...in a suit.

These two banks built and practically own your downtown...it makes proper Business sense to have them. I live and work Downtown so I have a day to day use of them...i'm not commuting in from Rock Hill or Concord...so I have a vested interest in our street scape.

How do the millions of the people that wear suits in NYC do it when it gets hot?

[geekUSA1981]

I don't think skywalks--true skywalks that are just walkways; no retail--between office buildings are as anti-street-level-activity as everyone makes them out to be. Here's why: they're being used by people AT WORK during OFFICE HOURS. People who are walking to a 10am meeting at 9:50am, are not going to stop and shop at stores along the street. So, if they use a skywalk vs. a sidewalk, it's not going to really affect retail numbers since they would not be taking part in the retail. And those people uptown that are not working and are servicing retail establishments, are most likely not cutting through all the office buildings and using the skywalks. After office hours (6pm or whenever) and on the weekends, the skywalks are not even used by people--because everyone is walking on the sidewalks, servicing the street level retail. So, while an absence of skywalks would put more people on the sidewalks from 8am - 6pm and make the city streets look super-busy, it wouldn't have much of an affect on retail, because all those added people would still be working or going to a meeting, and not have time to stop and shop.

Now, Overstreet Mall and the other indoors/enclosed retail things in the bank buildings? They're a whole other matter.....

[Mobuchu]

But isn't that what this will be? There will be retail on the second floor of the new BofA/Ritz buildings and there is retail in BofA corp. (and not at street level) This IS an extension of the overstreet mall. These building are across the street from each other. Go to the ground floor, walk across the street at the crosswalks, and walk into the other building. I understand the problem with heat, but walking one block, or accross the street is not unreasonable. Again, they do it in every other city in the world, why not here.