Belk Place: Carolina Theater and Hotel Intercontinental

[Guest]

1 hour ago, j-man said:

 

That was my exact thought. They should just do that and just extend the theater on what’s left of the parcel because if we’re being honest. This hotel is only exiting because of the height, not the design or any unique features. 

I can understand all that but what is the point of even trying to fit a hotel on something that small and complicated. I get it, if you want something done do it, but at this point if this doesn’t get built it would be  of no complaints because this site has just been an eyesore for years now. They can just extend a new part of the theater on this land and keep it moving. Just saying.

Because just only finishing the theatre isn't economically feasible without the sale of the development rights to develop the hotel.

The point?  How many hotels can you count with a Tryon Street Address Uptown. Let me give you a hint, it starts with a O and ends with an E. They are going to be building the best, most visible hotel in all of Charlotte at this location.

Couple Thoughts. Architecture and design is about a whole hell of a lot more than making something look tall and flashy.

• Have you thought about the fact that creating a 420' foot tower, perched atop what would be a tiny lot in every intown neighborhood, is in itself is an exciting design feature. This hotel would easily fit in most yards in Dilworth. 

• The fact that it cantilevers partially over the theatre, to increase the floor area for hotel rooms. 

• The massive 60' glass street front creates a jewel effect for the theatre entrance & is going to be absolutely breathtaking. At night the glass will almost seem to disappear, highlighting the original facade, reconstructed within, with the hotel seemingly floating above. 

Last thought: Try to use some imagination. This is a very solid design. The original deliverables aren't possible in today's construction feasibility climate.

 

EDIT: 

Take a walk to the site, and imagine something taller than Ally Center in that little space, and tell me that's not some damn cool design/engineering.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Guest

[j-man]

3 hours ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Because just only finishing the theatre isn't economically feasible without the sale of the development rights to develop the hotel.

The point?  How many hotels can you count with a Tryon Street Address Uptown. Let me give you a hint, it starts with a O and ends with an E. They are going to be building the best, most visible hotel in all of Charlotte at this location.

Couple Thoughts. Architecture and design is about a whole hell of a lot more than making something look tall and flashy.

• Have you thought about the fact that creating a 420' foot tower, perched atop what would be a tiny lot in every intown neighborhood, is in itself is an exciting design feature. This hotel would easily fit in most yards in Dilworth. 

• The fact that it cantilevers partially over the theatre, to increase the floor area for hotel rooms. 

• The massive 60' glass street front creates a jewel effect for the theatre entrance & is going to be absolutely breathtaking. At night the glass will almost seem to disappear, highlighting the original facade, reconstructed within, with the hotel seemingly floating above. 

Last thought: Try to use some imagination. This is a very solid design. The original deliverables aren't possible in today's construction feasibility climate.

 

EDIT: 

Take a walk to the site, and imagine something taller than Ally Center in that little space, and tell me that's not some damn cool design/engineering.

This is nice and all but me personally don’t see the hype of it. And especially if there’s no parking (That I’m aware of). Sure it will be a nice addition to the area but I’m saying for all the time it’s taking, when it’s complete it will be more of reaction like “finally” instead of “I’m so excited” because by then I’m sure many things in this area will have been built and/or planned and will a lot more buzz and excitement over. And people wouldn’t be so impatient with this if they haven’t started noticeable construction and renovations 3-4 years ago. Once again that is just me.

Edited February 13, 2020 by j-man

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, j-man said:

This is nice and all but me personally don’t see the hype of it. And especially if there’s no parking (That I’m aware of). Sure it will be a nice addition to the area but I’m saying for all the time it’s taking, when it’s complete it will be more of reaction like “finally” instead of “I’m so excited” because by then I’m sure many things in this area will have been built and/or planned and will a lot more buzz and excitement over. Once again that is just me.

If the lack of parking is the deal breaker for you, maybe you need to start suburban planet. 

If you can't get excited about the restoration of Charlotte's only historic large theatre, with a massive hotel above, then I don't know what to say. Its going to take years for anything around this to be developed, with the exception of 10 Tryon. The rest is public land, and tied up in big plans with lots of red tape.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Guest

[Guest]

@j-man. By the way, I enjoy your enthusiasm immensely. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm just trying to make sure you have the rest of the information. I would say this still top 5 coolest project in Charlotte, and I really think you are not considering the full picture here. All because you have 0 patience.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Guest

[j-man]

24 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

@j-man. By the way, I enjoy your enthusiasm immensely. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm just trying to make sure you have the rest of the information. I would say this still top 5 coolest project in Charlotte, and I really think you are not considering the full picture here. All because you have 0 patience.

No hostility here. I get your passion. As I have some as well. I may be somewhat blunt but I’m just stating my honest opinions. I don’t hate this project at all but I lose interest really quickly on certain things if they are planned to open up literally before it has really even started to go vertical. And no the lack of parking is not a dealbreaker but it is a negative to me. And I was just simply saying that the hotel brings nothing for me. Sure I am happy about the renovations as I love historic preservation, but adding a huge glass skyscraper as a part of it doesn’t really excite me. I love what the courthouse is doing uptown with the huge 8 story addition. It fits it nicely, this just doesn’t have that same effect on me. 

Edited February 13, 2020 by j-man

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, j-man said:

No hostility here. I get your passion. As I have some as well. I may be somewhat blunt but I’m just stating my honest opinions. I don’t hate this project at all but I lose interest really quickly on certain things if they are planned to open up literally before it has really even started to go vertical. And no the lack of parking is not a dealbreaker but it is a negative to me. And I was just simply saying that the hotel brings nothing for me. Sure I am happy about the renovations as I love historic preservation, but adding a huge glass skyscraper as a part of it doesn’t really excite me. I love what the courthouse is doing uptown with the huge 8 story addition. It fits it nicely, this just doesn’t have that same effect on me. 

Fair enough. I think theres been so much fatigue with this project. Its 13 years of disappointment, and this time around, I'm actually well connected enough to know whats happening, so now, I'm actually very excited about the possibilities. 

[AuLukey]

This will obviously be the tallest hotel in the Carolina's, but more impressively...probably the tallest hotel between ATL and Philly.

 

Sort of. LU1/BOAT’s hotel doppelgänger, Westin-Town Center in Virginia Beach, is the tallest building in Virginia at 508ft to the top of the spire, 413 to the roof. So it’s all in who you ask.

 

 

Difference being that the Intercontinental will be lost in CLT’s skyline while VB’s Westin sticks out like a sore thumb.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

3 hours ago, AuLukey said:

 

Sort of. LU1/BOAT’s hotel doppelgänger Westin-Town Center in Virginia Beach is the tallest building in Virginia at 508ft to the top of the spire, 413 to the roof. So it’s all in who you ask.



Difference being that the Intercontinental will be lost in CLT’s skyline while VB’s Westin sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

That has to be about the cheapest Westin this time of year in the country. $128 tomorrow night. Occupancy has to be awful.

[AuLukey]

That has to be about the cheapest Westin this time of year in the country. $128 tomorrow night. Occupancy has to be awful.

Probably. And it’s not even near the oceanfront where most tourists stay. I think the only reason it is able to stay open is because of government subsidies.

I stayed in it once while my company was trying to convince us to move up here. Stellar views for sure.

[SpiritOf76]

[DMann]

Steel being unloaded into the hole!

Edited February 25, 2020 by DMann

[JHart]

This project should pick up very quickly over the next few months. They want to have the Foundation for the Carolinas building (5 stories) topped by early fall and keep going from there!

[QCxpat]

Today @ 2:30 p.m.

 

[go_vertical]

This is one of those spots where I want to start seeing more people in the photos. I'm not concerned about this stalling, but at this point watching paint dry would give me more to talk about. 

[captainjack]

5 minutes ago, dnlleffingwell said:

I am sure this project will be finished soon , incomplete because of the coronavirus and the economy. Maybe in twenty years it will be revived .

What’s the purpose of this post? Any of our peer cities would be ecstatic to see this project under construction. Yes it has been slow, but it’s been mentioned time and time again: this is an intricate project, it has stalled in past forms, but the current form is actually moving forward. Some of the negativity on this site is exhausting. Love your city. There are exciting things happening.

[navigator319]

4 hours ago, captainjack said:

What’s the purpose of this post? Any of our peer cities would be ecstatic to see this project under construction. Yes it has been slow, but it’s been mentioned time and time again: this is an intricate project, it has stalled in past forms, but the current form is actually moving forward. Some of the negativity on this site is exhausting. Love your city. There are exciting things happening.

This is a ridiculous complaint everytime not to mention so out of touch with reality.  Mediocrity and acceptance of BS and a mindset of this is just the way it is for progress is nonsense.

Forgetting about the previous proposals it's utterly ridiculous this timetable and the public funding, one of which was at gun point.  The whole project top to bottom is an utter disaster no matter how pretty the end result could be.

 

March 2012 - First CBJ article about foundation wants the land to do something

Dec 2012 - City council votes 6-5 to give the land to the foundation for $1

Oct 2015 - First round of renders that are substantially accurate before the VE

Dec 2015 - Legit renders + first mention of IHG involvement

March 2017 - Intercontinental confirmed 

May 2017 - Fencing went up around the site

June 2017 - foundation says it need $5 million more from the city - Because the free land was not good enough and the $40 million they raised from corporate donations for the project

July 2017 - City votes to give them the $5 million 

Dec 2017 - Road lanes closed

Jan 2018 - Present -   Lots of BS and excuses 

 

 

 

[QCxpat]

Today @ 10:50 a.m.

 

[KJHburg]

walk by photos today and sorry for getting contractors in the photo LOL.   Yes this part of Charlotte RISING and is an ACTIVE construction site. 

 

[Blue_Devil]

46 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

walk by photos today and sorry for getting contractors in the photo LOL.   Yes this part of Charlotte RISING and is an ACTIVE construction site. 

 

Nah man, I don’t believe it. I got insider info on this forum, that this project was dead in the water. I think you photoshopped this. /s

[NOLA2CLT]

if thats not vertical, then call me horizontal ???? 

[KJHburg]

1 minute ago, NOLA2CLT said:

if thats not vertical, then call me horizontal ???? 

I count this as vertical. 

[KJHburg]

On this very day in 1927 the new Carolina Theater opened on N Tryon.   

[turbocraig]

1 hour ago, Seabrooke said:

Their most recent meeting: "Can some of you guys go outside and throw up some rebar so the internet stops saying we are bankrupt from the coronavirus and going under?"

Money well spent.

[Matthew.Brendan]

22 hours ago, KJHburg said:

On this very day in 1927 the new Carolina Theater opened on N Tryon.   

Nice to see they are on track for their grand centennial reopening!

[CaptainJilliams]

New to the Charlotte forum, does anyone know if Carolina Theater will have the capability of showcasing film or will it primarily be for stage performances?