Most exciting project

[New Name]

Sometimes when I am bored at work, I look though some of the other cities' pages, and try to get a feeling for what is going on there. There is just too much going on to see it all, so I though I would ask for everyone's opinions on what new development they are most excited about in their own city. You get extra points for providing renderings/photos, extra-extra points for linking to a forum topic in your cities page.

I'll start:

Out of ALL the stuff going on in Charlotte, the one I am most looking forward to is The Epicenter.

I don't know why really, I might be more excited about the Light Rail, but I love the idea of getting people out of the malls and the shopping plazas in the burbs and show them that the city is not a scary, crime ridden place. The design and function of this project should pan out well consitering it's enviornment. The whole project involves a three terraced outdoor shopping block, a hotel tower and a 53 story condo tower rising above. And it is connected to the Light Rail, which is very important for people to leave their cars ar home, and ride the train in for shopping dinner and a show. I'd say that's the biggest reason I like this project, because it a real desitination for our first mass transit line.

[Minneapolitan]

Since 2000, downtown Minneapolis has gained great cultural, transportation, entertainment, educational, retail, and residential developments. Right now the new Twins stadium has me excited. I

[GRDadof3]

Here's an office and residential project proposed for Grand Rapids, and despite the fact that we have a slew of developments going up around downtown right now, I think this one takes the cake!

1) It was designed by international architects Meyer en VanSchooten out of Amsterdam. They designed the new ING Headquarters in Amsterdam and are working on the $500 Million Rotterdam Central Station. Ours will be one of their first projects in the States apparently. A very interesting modernist twist to our somewhat mundane collection of standard 80's and 90's office buidings.

2) It will be fully LEED Certified, with some exciting additional features: multiple indoor atriums featuring a Winter Garden, a green roof for residents and office users, a revolutionary double-glazed glass wall system to maintain low cost heating and cooling and allow maximum transparency, and a myriad of other sustainable features,

3) The developers consciously worked around the wishes of the tenants of the condo tower next door: they layered the building and pushed the mass to the sides as to not overly block views of the river (how often do you hear of developers doing that?), they are only doing build out of office space for the two main tenants (who are expanding in the area) and not creating a dirth of spec space to rob office tenants from neighboring buildings,

4) The main atrium of the building will be open to the public, so as to maintain public access to the public riverwalk downtown. No "gated" community feel,

5) It had to fit on a tight site that is about 70 wide and 500' deep.

It's a love it or hate it design, but I love it!

Click on images for a larger version

The current discussion and opinion poll running in the GR forum for 275 Fulton Place

[Mobuchu]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Love it or Hate it"

Wow, I love it!! Great looking project.

[BUILDIT]

I also am excited about th epi center!

the ball park is stunning, perfect blend into the city

I also am excited about the possible trump developement in charlotte 80 stories what? maybe a new 1000 tower to crown our city

[JDC]

In Durham, NC, they're finally wrapping up the streetscape project that's been going on for about two years. Hopefully its completion will help usher in more residents and business areas.

There's also a lot of construction going on at the many buildings that comprise the Liggett & Myers cigarette factory. Now in its second phase, the project (locally known as West Village) will include a few hundred loft apartments and something like a million square feet of office and retail space. Once complete the area will link the central business district with the popular Brightleaf District.

On top of all that, work at the American Tobacco Historic District (which I believe has just barely edged West Village for the title of largest historic restoration in NC history) is almost done. It should bring in several condos, restaurants and more office space. Included in the project are some relatively large new structures going up behind the nearby Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP), including a 2,800-seat theatre.

But the project I'm most jazzed about is the possibility of a minor league baseball museum going up next door to the original Durham Athletic Park (where Bull Durham was filmed), about a mile north of the DBAP (and within spitting distance from my place.) The ballpark is going to be renovated and the field will be used not only by NC Central University's baseball team, but also as a training facility for umpires and grounds crews.

[TheGerbil]

In Pittsburgh I think I am the most excited about the RiverParc development. You can read about it here: http://www.pgharts.org/cdrd/index.aspx

Basically it's a mixed use arts and residential development which will use green building methods. It's really going to be a whole new neighborhood within Downtown, right along the river and close to the cultural district.

Here is a rendering...

[New Name]

In Pittsburgh I think I am the most excited about the RiverParc development. You can read about it here: http://www.pgharts.org/cdrd/index.aspx

Basically it's a mixed use arts and residential development which will use green building methods. It's really going to be a whole new neighborhood within Downtown, right along the river and close to the cultural district.

Here is a rendering...

[TheGerbil]

It's replacing, I think, a parking lot and a Goodyear Tire store. That tire store has always looked very out of place, so I'll be glad to see it gone. This is going to be a really nice addition to the riverfront.

Actually, here's a picture one of our resident photographers over in the Pittsburgh forum took. It shows part of the site as it appears now....

[New Name]

It's replacing, I think, a parking lot and a Goodyear Tire store.

[dan326]

I'm most excited bout two things Perkins Rowe and RiverPlace Condominiums. But since I can only pick one I'll pick Perkins Rowe since it as alread started.

A model of the development. (Some things have changed)

Perkins Rowe is a lifestyle center that includes a mix fo retail, residential, medical, and office space.

There is 500,000sq ft of retail space whichwill include shops, restaurants, fitness centers,grocery marcket, a large bookstore,furniture store, and department store as well as a movie theater. There are hundreds of residential units on tops of the store or in stand alone buldings. There are also plans for two hotels, a park and "town square", and several parking garages.

Phase Two will begin by early next year on a tract of land adjacent to the current site. The next phase could include two hotels, at least two office buildings and between 60,000 and 80,000 sq ft of more retail space.There are no renderings or site plans fo this phase.

An updated sitemap.

A link to the thread : Perkins Rowe, BR's First Urban Village

A link to the project site : Perkins Rowe Project Site

[FromCityToRural]

Well, there's the Stretford, a pretty good size condo building here, although I can't imagine Texans buying into a Condo High-rise. There's a couple of other condo buildings going up as well, though they're 3-4story mid-rises which seems much more in keeping with the city. Our University of Texas campus keeps expanding, right now they're building more housing and vastly expanding the student center with an absolutely gorgeous, huge new addition. Other than that, there's not much going on besides some median-building (which IMHO is unnecessary and a waste of tax $$ to boot), and certainly nothing much exciting.

[ohioaninSC]

I agree about Epicenter in Charlotte. That is going to be a great looking building.

In Cleveland, OH, I'm most excited about the entire Lakefront Plan. I don't know how to get the images off the city planning website onto my hardrive to post, but the link is : http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/lakefront/. The entire lakefront in Cleveland has been a dump except he areas around the Rock and Roll HOF, The Great Lakes Science Center, and Cleveland Browns Stadium. A big problem is the Shoreway. It is a large freeway that runs right along the lakeshore and cuts it off from pedestrian traffic. Part of the plan is to turn the Shoreway into an actual grand blvd, and give it actual intersections then. Then the lakefront lightrail line will be able to run right by it, but the whole lakefront will be pedestion accessible. Plus, it will bring a lot of nice little parks along it, along w/ great mixed use development. It is a truly great plan.

Unfortunately, Columbus, OH hasn't had a greatly expected project in awhile, but they are still developing the master plan for the Arena District. They are currently building the Northbank Condo Tower and The Buggyworks (loft condos), along w/ Huntington Field for their Triple A baseball club. Link to the thread is here: http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=31704.

[urbanvb]

The most exciting project in my town is the Virginia Beach Town Center. Located exactly between Norfolk and the Oceanfront in the CBD, things are really looking up. Town Center is a mixed use project with ground floor retail, tons of restaurants, hotels and housing options.

This area used to be a small forest but in 2000 or so construction began on the first building (middle ground bldg). The smaller brown building had been there all alone since the 80s so this has been amazing to see go up. And now the state's tallest building at 38 storeys is almost finished (right upper) which will house the Westin and Residences. All of this is the first in a series of urban construction in the large suburban city of about 435k people.

The small brick building on the right edge of the photo (above) is going away by mid 2008 and a 20 storey tower will rise in it's place.

Beside the brown building a small building Two Columbus will begin construction later this year.

And yet another tower is slated for large parking lot just southeast of the brown building on this lot.

(courtesy Vdogg)

Also, in Town Center is the Performing Arts Center which will open this fall. It will seat 1200 and feature Mccormick and Schmicks on the ground floor.

(courtesy of RJWGMU)

Beside the center is Studio 56 which will be the only loft residences in the city.

The spin off effect of Town Center has been tremendous. Midtown at Cityview promises to be a very nice urban project on the southern fringes of Town Center.

Another exciting just 2 blocks over is CityWalk. It has been some time in the making but am hoping things are moving along. Town Center is the top while CityWalk is on the bottom half.

There are a few other things being planned or built around Town Center but the aforementioned are the largest.

[cityboi]

I like the Virginia Beach Town Center. Its like they are building a downtown from scratch.

[danielmdifranco]

In my area we have quite a few projects:

In Branson there is the new convention center and Hilton Hotel:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r41/dan...co/PICT0683.jpg

Branson Landing which was a 420 million dollar waterfront development that was finished last year:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/phi.../Picture008.jpg

A 100 million dollar high rise mixed use building:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/sli...hotos/Point.jpg

Another high rise condo/hotel:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/sli...-view-tower.jpg

In Springfield we have the following:

JQ Hammons arena, a 12,600 seat arena for Missouri State basketball:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/sli...tos/JQHaren.jpg

A 25-30 story downtown office building:

http://usera.imagecave.com/MSUBear42/downtown4.bmp.jpg

The new Springfield/Branson National Airport:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f273/Pyaxi/midfield2.jpg

And finally College Station, a 20 million dollar entertainment complex:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/sli...oto_450_289.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f273/Pya...estation6-1.jpg

Quite a few projects going on. Most already have the ground broken on them or are almost finished. Pretty exciting!

[New Name]

In my area we have quite a few projects:

In Branson there is the new convention center and Hilton Hotel:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r41/dan...co/PICT0683.jpg

[danielmdifranco]

What's the deal with that train in the first photo? Where does it go to/from? I love public transit....

[Dennis_Schwartz]

Sometimes when I am bored at work, I look though some of the other cities' pages, and try to get a feeling for what is going on there. There is just too much going on to see it all, so I though I would ask for everyone's opinions on what new development they are most excited about in their own city. You get extra points for providing renderings/photos, extra-extra points for linking to a forum topic in your cities page.

I'll start:

Out of ALL the stuff going on in Charlotte, the one I am most looking forward to is The Epicenter.

I don't know why really, I might be more excited about the Light Rail, but I love the idea of getting people out of the malls and the shopping plazas in the burbs and show them that the city is not a scary, crime ridden place. The design and function of this project should pan out well consitering it's enviornment. The whole project involves a three terraced outdoor shopping block, a hotel tower and a 53 story condo tower rising above. And it is connected to the Light Rail, which is very important for people to leave their cars ar home, and ride the train in for shopping dinner and a show. I'd say that's the biggest reason I like this project, because it a real desitination for our first mass transit line.

[MSUBear42]

Its actually not a line in use anymore, just there for nostalgia.

[danielmdifranco]

What have you been smokin?

That's the Branson Scenic Railway, used for 3 scenic train rides a day.

http://www.bransontrain.com/

[cityboi]

Greensboro Skyline

well In downtown Greensboro, North Carolina there is potentially an EXTREMELY exciting project in the works! The project is currently in the very early stages and it is not a done deal for the city because the developers are scouting other southern states for this $200 million mega urban project. However Greensboro is the FRONT RUNNER for the project because of the city's central location among several southern metros. There are no renderings or blueprints because everything is conceptual but the potential project consists of a cluster of mid-rises and high-rises. Here are some of the elements for this potential downtown Greensboro project

- high-rise luxury hotel with 300 to 600 rooms

- 50 room luxury boutique hotel

- convention center

- significant and major entertainment venues that attract big time national acts and hold between 500 and 2,500 people (entertainment complex which sounds like having venues such as The House of Blues)

- entertainment for families, children and singles (possibally an IMAX theater in this project as well)

- multiple restaurants

- residential with as many as 250 units (rentals and luxury condos, also a potential high-rise)

- commercial/retail/shopping space (there are rumors that a supermarket could be in this. There is a chance major shopping chains could be involved given the nature of this project)

- office space (Gibbs envisions more office space than origionally planned. could this mean an office tower could be in the works?)

Those are just some elements of the project that have been release to the media. There could be even more to this project! The developers wanted to include space for the ACC Hall of Fame and Museum but apparently thats not a possibilty because of a current effort to build the hall of fame next to the Greensboro Coliseum.

The project is currently HIGHLY classified and the city leaders that do know about it had to sign non disclosure agreements. The development company behind this project is based in Orlando, Florida and International investors as well as a local Greensboro developer are involved in the project as well. The developer is looking at downtown sites ranging between 4 and 12 acres (maybe more depending on how many joining parcels of land are combined) and a preferred site has already emerged. Ray Gibbs, former president of downtown Greensboro, Inc is directly communicating with the developers and he has said this project is like a "theme park" without roller coasters and water slides. Gibbs said the entertainment venues are very signifcant and would attract big time national acts. According to Ray Gibbs the developers intend for this project to be a destination for the "Southeast region" of the United States and when plans are finally revealed, "peoples jaws will drop". He also said this would change the dynamics of Greensboro and show that Greensboro can compete on a "national scale" Some sources in the know said this project can be larger than Epicenter and Peabody Place combined. The project would be a new concept and if successful, the developers want to eventually do this in other cities around the country. The project was first announced May 1st and then it was said that developers would decide what to do within 2 to 3 months. Its now been a month and a half so we should hear the details of this mega project very soon! I know city council has been having alot of closed sessions lately! The city has a booming downtown nightlife with several nightclubs and a number of bars, restaurants and theater. Within 7 years Greensboro went from a completely dead downtown nightlife to one that rivals uptown Charlotte. Thanks to the man who started the nightclubs in downtown Greensboro "Joey Medaloni", he saw potential in Greensboro with the 20,000 plus college students that are on the outskirts of downtown within 4 colleges and universities. There are a number of different kinds of nightclubs from a comedy club to music clubs with rock, alternative, R&B, contemporary jazz, hip hop and there is even a disco nightclub called club inferno (http://www.infernogreensboro.com). If nightclubs are not your thing, you can see great plays at Triad Stage, watch an old classic movie at the Carolina Theater or relax at in Irish Pub or a Microbrewery restaurant called Natty Greenes. There is a great selection of restaurants and bar with over 40 restaurants in downtown Greensboro. Greensboro's nightlife has been so much of a success that many national known celebrities have droped in to places like "Much Restaurant". Bon Jovi would have private parties there and spent $30,000 there the first month it opened. Other celebrities that have dropped in there were Ashlee Simpson, the band members of Motley Crue and Nick Lachey and many more celebrities. The N Club is now a House of Blues network venues, the only one in the state and that MTV and the TV show Extra had done segments on Greensboro's nightlife. Girls Gone Wild even stopped at Greene Street Club last year. It could be that the buzz has reached the developers of this potential project which is why they see Great potential in Greensboro becoming a major destination. Greensboro is already seeing the light of day attracting upscale chain restaurants such as P.F. Chang's China Bistro and clothing stores such as Brooks Brothers. GOOD LUCK GREENSBORO!!

"Their goal is to create a destination for the region - The Southeast Region,"

"The concept of such all-in-one tourist/convention destinations - A KIND OF THEMEPARK WITHOUT ROLLER COASTERS OR WATERSLIDES - is an idea whose times is arriving Gibbs insists"

"if it can be accomplished, a project like this could truely change the dynamics of Greensboro. it will show that we can compete on a national scale."

"As soon as they get a letter of intent on some land, the plans will be announced," he says "Thats when PEOPLES'S JAWS WILL DROP"

"Gibbs insists to the astonishment and bewilderment of many, that a group of mostly INTERNATIONAL investors is absolutely serious about its desire to invest $150 million or $200 million into a COLOSSAL mixed-use project downtown"

If this is built, Greensboro will have 3 major convention facilities (The Koury Convention Center, The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, and the potential downtown convention center)

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...C0101/305030004

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EC0101/70513001

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EC0101/70603003

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2...ml?surround=lfn

http://www.myfoxwghp.com/myfox/MyFox/pages...mp;locale=EN-US

[MSUBear42]

My mistake. I usually do not assume but I guess I just did. Everytime I am by there the train is in the same spot.

[Plasticman]

I agree - this is going to be the biggest step in the direction of making downtown something like a New York City. Not like Atlanta where everybody flees to the suburbs.

[NcSc74]

As for my adopted city for now Vegas has project city center rising right now. There is more info on the project in the LV forum but it includes a 60+ sotrey tower with another resort tower and condos all connected around a casino and retail.

Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-07-23