Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[Finkle]

It has very low ceilings and the elevator and stair core are not in a good location.

[videtur quam contuor]

I have used that building with some regularity over the years but not in the past 6-8 years. For decades the building had the slowest elevator I have encountered in Charlotte. I could walk up and down far more quickly than to wait. Even to the 4th or 6th floor, my common destinations.

[Synopsis101]

3 hours ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Its basically Class C office that belongs near Park Road Shopping Center not uptown. I'd much much rather have this. 

Awesome pic! Urbanity at its finest.

Hmmm, are there plans to spruce up the other side of Stonewall?

Edited April 21, 2017 by Synopsis101

[Nick2]

I understand how much better the brooklyn village plan is than the building is itself. I guess the better way to ask my question would be, is the building simply unsalvageable or would the developers just rather start with a clean slate?

[Guest]

I understand how much better the brooklyn village plan is than the building is itself. I guess the better way to ask my question would be, is the building simply unsalvageable or would the developers just rather start with a clean slate?

You know what. The developer reads and posts on urban planet.@Conformity you have a comment?


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[tozmervo]

15 hours ago, Finkle said:

It has very low ceilings and the elevator and stair core are not in a good location.

Like Finkle says, low floor-to-floor can be very difficult to overcome in a renovation. I wouldn't tear down a building for a bad elevator core location, but floor to floor could be a nail in the coffin. It would mean that no matter how much you dress it up, it will always be sub-standard office space with limited daylight access. With rare exceptions, most buildings from that era (60s/70s) are meeting the same fate for the same reason.

Having said that, it's certainly possible to do a really nice renovation. Reskin the thing, reorient the entrance, all-new mechanical system (they do make some really nice solutions for low floors), etc. Light shelves can help bounce daylight back further into the space. But that could be a lot of money for what would still be less than ideal office space.

[deleted]

I can think of several reasons to demolish that building as quickly as possible, including this one:

County Commissioner (and Rev.) Bob Walton

The Scandal: Walton was a respected politician who did much to plug Charlotte's African-American community into local government — a trailblazer and a mover and shaker from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. He also had a thing for young men, and that got him in trouble. In 1987, he was found guilty and served time for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old high school student. Walton had picked up the young man on The Plaza and drove to his office at St. Paul Presbyterian, where Walton was pastor. In graphic testimony, the young man described how Walton took his briefcase out of the trunk of his car and opened it in his office, revealing a towel, a jar of Vaseline and a camera. Later that year, the incident inspired a local rock band to change its name — for one gig only — to Bob Walton's Briefcase. The commissioner/preacher served 30 days in jail, refused to resign as commissioner, and kept on getting re-elected. Today, one of the county's largest office buildings is named Bob Walton Plaza. He died in 1994.

http://clclt.com/charlotte/charlottes-all-time-greatest-sex-scandals/Content?oid=2934605

 

 

 

[videtur quam contuor]

A few years after the Walton building took his name I was talking to a former student about where to obtain his high school records. They were kept digitally at the school records department in that building. When I told him to go to the Walton building he asked "Bill Walton has a building?". "Yes", I said.

[Nick2]

Wow, that is more than enough reason in my opinion in and of itself to tear it down. Why on earth does the building hold his name still?

I suppose since they'd essentially be gutting the building to the bones if they renovated, it makes more sense to just start from scratch on a new tower that can be built exactly as they want.

[kermit]

I am not really into building height stuff but I thought this was an interesting visualization.

 

[nonillogical]

I'm not obsessed with height either but that is interesting. I had no idea the BOA building in Atlanta would place 3rd. I knew it was taller than ours by a little bit, but think that BOACC still looks taller from most angles. 

[Guest]

I'm not obsessed with height either but that is interesting. I had no idea the BOA building in Atlanta would place 3rd. I knew it was taller than ours by a little bit, but think that BOACC still looks taller from most angles. 

They tacked on that gold spire to be taller. It's marginally taller without the spire. It has less occupyable floors than BofA.


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[Dale]

Our BOA is much better.

[nakers2]

On 4/22/2017 at 10:40 PM, Nick2 said:

I suppose since they'd essentially be gutting the building to the bones if they renovated, it makes more sense to just start from scratch on a new tower that can be built exactly as they want.

That's essentially what I was thinking. I'm not an engineer, but I imagine those blank white walls along the corners are not entirely load bearing and could have windows put into them to let in more natural light, unless they're stairwells (not familiar with the building inside) The position of the building on the site could also be problematic, modern development values street frontage, of which this building has none. 

[KJHburg]

2 of the Urban Land's transformative projects are in Charlotte Crescent Stonewall and Lincoln Harris uptown project http://urbanland.uli.org/development-business/crane-watch-five-transformative-mixed-use-projects-carolinas/

[Dale]

^ Only thing missing is the original "transformative project."

[11 HouseBZ]

On Mon Apr 10 2017 at 8:47 PM, tozmervo said:

This is what UP does to you. Taking pictures of parking deck murals while on vacation in San Juan. Reference for future parking deck mural discussions.

I watched a recent video about this, thought this would be good for future discussion.

https://youtu.be/qu7cen0VOAA

What are your thoughts? How do we get more murals up? Who do we go to for funds, public and private?

Edited April 25, 2017 by 11 HouseBZ

[KJHburg]

Many of you have probably seen this but this is a good roundup of uptown hotel projects just opened or opening soon. https://www.charlotteagenda.com/88209/7-properties-shaking-hotel-scene-uptown-matter-residents/

[Nick2]

2 hours ago, 11 HouseBZ said:

I watched a recent video about this, thought this would be good for future discussion.

https://youtu.be/qu7cen0VOAA

What are your thoughts? How do we get more murals up? Who do we go to for funds, public and private?

Release a statement saying that someone gets the chance to paint something iconic and highly visible. Might not even have to pay them. Allow their signature to go on it. And give them free reign to an extent with the caveat that the city or garage owner can veto the design.

[Guest]

Release a statement saying that someone gets the chance to paint something iconic and highly visible. Might not even have to pay them. Allow their signature to go on it. And give them free reign to an extent with the caveat that the city or garage owner can veto the design.

Takes a lot of money in paint.


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[Nick2]

I didn't even think of that. That volume would probably get pretty expensive.

[J-Rob]

Hornets are swapping the box office and fan store. This was posted in coffee house, but I am posting here for another reason.  How much improved does Uptown have a chance to be by the time the 2019 All-Star game rolls around?  I was extremely disappointed at the loss of the 2017 All-Star game, but with the addition/completion of so many hotels, plus the transformation of Stonewall/Levineland between now and 2019, Charlotte really has an opportunity to be showcased like never before.  As a side note, I really dislike anything Adidas, so having the Hornets arena and apparel completely covered with Jordan branding will be the cherry on top.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/04/24/hornets-merchandise-is-on-the-move-literally.html

[QClifer]

now if Jordan will just get us a winning team,   Probably will see a lot more hornets merchandise sold nationwide since its jordan apparel. to me its just another tshirt made in china

[nakers2]

5 hours ago, QClifer said:

now if Jordan will just get us a winning team,   Probably will see a lot more hornets merchandise sold nationwide since its jordan apparel. to me its just another tshirt made in china

If I'm not mistaken, even when the Bobcats were around, legacy Hornets gear was somewhere near the top (I heard #2) selling NBA merchandise. If I had to guess it probably had a lot to do with the teal and purple color scheme which is still in my opinion one of the coolest and most recognizable color schemes of any sports team anywhere. 

[KJHburg]

Does anyone know if this retail space at the Westin at the Stonewall station? I wonder if this will be converted to retail as this station will get a lot busier with the adjacent 615 Office tower and Stonewall Station Whole Foods development?