Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[dubone]

I tend to think Tryon is safer than the larger one way streets.  I ride down it all the time.   I'm sad to see this, though, as drivers are often very callous about the possibility of non-auto vehicles crossing and needing right of way.  

[tozmervo]

True, but without knowing the details I would also not be surprised to see the fault with the cyclist. I regularly see cyclists (and pedestrians) go right in front of moving traffic without a care in the world. Just the other day watched a pedestrian saunter into Tryon at Trade Street and cars slammed on brakes in both directions.

[nonillogical]

Sad story to see

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/16/5389325/bicyclist-struck-by-car-in-uptown.html#.VJGs-P8SBA

 

Tryon isn't really the street I would be riding my bike down, however, we need to make it safer for cyclists uptown. It's an unusually beautiful downtown area and a great place to ride a bike, if it was safer.

Frankly Tryon and most of the other busiest streets uptown are the safest places in Charlotte to ride if you're operating more or less as a car would, since it is easy to keep pace. I always felt the most comfortable there, aside maybe from dead-quiet neighborhood streets. Either the driver or the cyclist was likely doing something extremely careless for a life-threatening injury to happen there. 

[navigator319]

So no more fireworks for NYE?  Also not at Bearden!  I'm pretty bummed about this.  Last year was great at the park.

 

http://www.wbt.com/holidayonice/cltnewyearseve.aspx

 

Edited December 19, 2014 by navigator319

[Norm2]

So no more fireworks for NYE?  Also not at Bearden!  I'm pretty bummed about this.  Last year was great at the park.

 

http://www.wbt.com/holidayonice/cltnewyearseve.aspx

 

Screen Shot 2014-12-18 at 8.37.07 PM.png

The city itself isn't too big on NYE celebrations for some reason.

[CLTProductions]

Yeah it's rather bizarre how weak the nye parties are here.

[HopHead]

That's a shame that the NYE isn't in Bearden park this year... My wife and I went out to dinner in uptown with some friends and then walked over there for the festivities last year. It was well done I thought and the place was packed. The big thing always seems to be a show at TWCA though. 

[CLTProductions]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2014/12/19/forecast-2015-charlotte-is-ready-to-roll.html

 

Can anyone view the full article?? Anything of value in it?

[HopHead]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2014/12/19/forecast-2015-charlotte-is-ready-to-roll.html

 

Can anyone view the full article?? Anything of value in it?

 

Nothing really new in the article... Just several economic professors and execs calling for 2015 to be a big expansion year in Charlotte. Likely at an even bigger clip than we've seen in a while. 

[15895]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2014/12/19/forecast-2015-charlotte-is-ready-to-roll.html

Can anyone view the full article?? Anything of value in it?

That's odd. 15 or so minutes ago it was free and showed the full article.

Nothing of interest. Mecklenburg will double by 2050. Mercedes-Benz is eyeing Atlanta or several NC cities according to WSJ and Diameler, a division of Mercedes has a presence in Fort Mill, Gastonia & Mnt Holly.

Unemployment is expected to drop to around 4.6% by the end of 2015.

All economic sectors of Charlotte are expected to grow. Metro CLT is expected to add 30,000 jobs with 125,000 expected statewide.

The only thing that could slightly tamper growth is recession from countries in Asia & Europe and the Feds raising interest rates.

Several office towers are proposed to be built.

That was about it.

[CLTProductions]

So no. Nothing new lol

[Miesian Corners]

The Blake is now officially a Le Meridien.  

[CLTProductions]

The Blake is now officially a Le Meridien.  

Hasn't it been for a while??? Or is it officially open now?

 

 

Nevermind, officially open now. It's still not on their official site, so odd, it's like they disowned this one cause it's in such a crappy building.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Jayvee

[Miesian Corners]

The logo has been on the top of the building for a month, but it officially changed brands yesterday.

[Niner National]

I really wish they'd paint the rest of that building. They did a good job at street level.

 

I know new paint can only do so much, but it looks really stupid like it is right now with black and grey at the bottom and that horrible faded out blue the rest of the way up.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Mercedes-Benz...Raleigh Durham in hunt

 

 

Hope this is in the right place...but why does this article not mention Charlotte. ?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2014/12/22/triangle-region-in-running-for-new-mercedes-benz.html?page=2

Edited December 22, 2014 by RaleighHeelsfan

[Guest]

Mercedes-Benz...Raleigh Durham in hunt

 

 

Hope this is in the right place...but why does this article not mention Charlotte. ?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2014/12/22/triangle-region-in-running-for-new-mercedes-benz.html?page=2

Because Charlotte articles are mentioning Charlotte, Triangle articles are mentioning the Triangle, LOL. Our two municipalities are not friendly for whatever reason.

[kermit]

Mercedes-Benz...Raleigh Durham in hunt

 

 

Hope this is in the right place...but why does this article not mention Charlotte. ?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2014/12/22/triangle-region-in-running-for-new-mercedes-benz.html?page=2

 

The report that the article cited from the Detroit News only mentioned Atlanta and the Triangle. That article intoned that those were the only two choices for MB, and since it said a decision was due by the end of January I would not be surprised if MB were down to their three most visible choices (Atl, Triangle or NJ).

 

I did think it was interesting that MB is said to need 150,000 sq ft of office space and the only options for this amount of space in the Triangle is their standard suburban dreck. Honestly I can't imagine Raleigh successfully landing a German corp HQ of this size. Problems like direct flights, remoteness from ports and production sites, visibility of HQ, high end hotel capacity and the absence of any substantive automotive or marketing expertise in the area makes their candidacy laughable (IMO).

 

The good news here is the state can use this opportunity with Mercedes to fine tune its incentives package for BMW in Charlotte (if BMW really is considering us), and if MB goes to Atl, eliminate one of our competitors. 

[atlrvr]

^  I agree with all of this.  I do think MB goes to Atlanta, and BMW goes to Charlotte within 5 years.  Triangle is being used as the stalking horse, and possibly BMW is in play right now, so might as well use Triangle for the the long shot (MB) and Charlotte for the higher % relo.

[HopHead]

This article from a news source in New Jersey seems to indicate that a Mercedes HQ relo to Atlanta is basically already set in stone per some MB employees. Company execs are said to already have a relocation package set and an annoucement may be coming January 6th at their annual town hall. It also points to reasons why Atlanta is the choice (doesn't mention either Charlotte or Raleigh). Close proximity to Tuscaloosa, AL and other Georgia operations, $40-50M in incentives, established work force, etc. May have to wait on BMW for that uptown presence.

 

http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/grim-mood-at-mercedes-1.1163758?page=all

Edited December 23, 2014 by wend28

[kermit]

^ that makes me think that Raleigh was the only place stupid enough [optimistic enough?] to play along with MB so it could continue its incentives-negotiating charade with Atlanta.

(Perhaps that gives too much credit to our local economic developers)

Edited December 23, 2014 by kermit

[cltbwimob]

^ that makes me think that Raleigh was the only place stupid enough [optimistic enough?] to play along with MB so it could continue its incentives-negotiating cherad with Atlanta.

(Perhaps that gives too much credit to our local economic developers)

 

 

Why would MB USA ever want to choose Charlotte for its HQ? Afterall Charlotte is loosing HQs at a fast rate (Chiquita, Family Dollars, etc.). Not to mention electing mayors who become convicted felons.

 

This idiotic letter to MB's CEO is enough by itself to send MB in the opposite direction:

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/19/5396069/hey-mercedes-pick-charlotte.html#.VJlyxX9vY

You know, I really think that kermit was commenting on the naivete of Raleigh's economic developers in that, they are allowing themselves to be the stalking horse for MB.  I do not think his comment was meant as an insult to the city of Raleigh.

[birky]

ahhh

 

delete plz

Edited December 23, 2014 by birky

[RiverwoodCLT]

Raleigh has only one fight to Europe and that is London. I do not buy that the Triangle was in the running. It was to get more money out of Atlanta.

[cltbwimob]

Today has been pretty exciting on the development front, and 2015 is shaping up to be quite the year for Charlotte even before it gets started. 

 

Here is a list of towers either under construction or set to break ground in 2015:

 

Residential:

-Mint Museum Apartments- 42 stories

-The Bearden- 32 Stories

-Skyhouse 1&2- 24 stories x2

 

Office:

-300 South Tryon- 25 stories

-Tryon Place- 27+ stories

-Portman- 19 stories

 

Hotel:

-Embassy Suites- 250 rooms

 

Additionally, here are some more projects in the works whose details are less concrete or they are rumored to be in the works:

 

AC Hotels/Residence Inn Epicenter- 300 rooms

SREE Hotel- ??? Rooms

300 South Tryon Hotel- 200+ rooms

Grand Bohemian Hotel- ??? rooms

Canopy Hotel- ??? rooms

Crescent Hotel at Tryon place- 250+ rooms

Hotel at alternate Crescent site- 450 rooms (have read that it might be a Hyatt Regency)

Apartments at Alternate Crescent site- 600+ apartments

Tivoli apartment project at 6th and College- 30+ stories

Levine Hotel/Apartment project at Midtown- 25 stories

Morehead St Office project- 14 stories

 

 

I may have missed some, or be in error about some (feel free to add or correct).  However, its quite an impressive list and I did not include low-rise projects.   It looks like in the next few years uptown and the adjacent areas will look like a tower crane farm...Either that or we are running headlong toward another precipitous decline in the real estate market.  If Donald Trump shows up looking to buy some land in uptown we'll know which one it is.

Edited December 24, 2014 by cltbwimob