Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[Blue_Devil]

36 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

What does everyone make of this? It seems odd to me. Didn't they rezone large swaths of land along blue line because of location (next to transit) instead of specific site plans?  This seems like awkward political posturing to out Tepper as potential buyer or something.  Also, someone alluded to there being a public/private partnership in the works with Tepper that might result in a few high rises?  I assumed that was here, but if so, and there is a public/private partnership being negotiated, a UMUD rezoning in Uptown seems like a weird thing to protest. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2021/11/05/cbj-morning-buzz-charlotte-pipe-rezoning.html

I think it is political posturing because Tepper has them by the huevos. The amount of development associated with what Tepper is considering is huge, and will bring a 1000s of more people living in the uptown/Southend market. This is local government trying to get a little say in what will be a transformational project likely the size of LU/Gateway/Library combined. 

[TheRealClayton]

3 hours ago, J-Rob said:

What does everyone make of this? It seems odd to me. Didn't they rezone large swaths of land along blue line because of location (next to transit) instead of specific site plans?  This seems like awkward political posturing to out Tepper as potential buyer or something.  Also, someone alluded to there being a public/private partnership in the works with Tepper that might result in a few high rises?  I assumed that was here, but if so, and there is a public/private partnership being negotiated, a UMUD rezoning in Uptown seems like a weird thing to protest. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2021/11/05/cbj-morning-buzz-charlotte-pipe-rezoning.html

a blanket UMUD rezoning in 1994 is how we got South End, one of the nations current leading submarkets for growth.

[Blue_Devil]

2 hours ago, TheRealClayton said:

a blanket UMUD rezoning in 1994 is how we got South End, one of the nations current leading submarkets for growth.

Braxton disagrees.... 

[RANYC]

1 hour ago, Blue_Devil said:

Braxton disagrees.... 

Is this an affordable housing play?

[KJHburg]

Told y'all I was everywhere today.  Here is the 101 Independence tower at the Square and this new retail storefronts look great.   It looks like Ally Bank Center storefronts no surpise since it is Crescent who is doing this reno. 

[TheOneRJ]

7 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Told y'all I was everywhere today.  Here is the 101 Independence tower at the Square and this new retail storefronts look great.   It looks like Ally Bank Center storefronts no surpise since it is Crescent who is doing this reno. 

Isn’t a Shake Shack going here? It still hasn’t officially been announced. 

[kermit]

Demo happening at the old Queen City Q this morning…

[HopHead]

22 hours ago, kermit said:

Demo happening at the old Queen City Q this morning…

Anyone know what's going in here? I miss QCQ  Was our go-to spot before Hornets games and concerts at the arena. 

[jjwilli]

Looks like a steakhouse.

[atlrvr]

Interesting.  Look's like this was a LaVecchia restaurant that was in downtown Gastonia that closed several years ago.  I guess it's being "brought back to life" here.

[kermit]

10 minutes ago, atlrvr said:

Interesting.  Look's like this was a LaVecchia restaurant that was in downtown Gastonia that closed several years ago.  I guess it's being "brought back to life" here.

Huh.

Wasn’t the tenant before QCQ a LeVecchia seafood place?

[atlrvr]

Hmmm ....doing some research here.  It looks like Nick's Taphouse was a LaVecchia concept that existed briefly between the seafood joint and Queen City Q.  Guessing that's an old building permit.

[jjwilli]

Whoops... you are definitely right, old permit. I misread 2011 as 2021... Time to get my eyes checked.

Orman's Cheese Shop has a building permit but I would think the Queen City Q place would be too large for them and is just for their location in the Market.

[DMann]

Ormanns is moving back to where Zia Pia used to be

[turbocraig]

Looks like Interstate Tower (is it even called that anymore?) is getting into the color-changing LED game.  They’ve got it doing all kinds of flashing color gymnastics at the very top.  Was purple for this pic, now red.   It’s a subtle effect to say the least.  My phone camera is exaggerating the brightness/effect.   Last night when they were red, I thought they were the FAA lights someone had turned on  

Edited November 10, 2021 by turbocraig

[JRCLT]

Looks like Interstate Tower (is it even called that anymore?) is getting into the color-changing LED game.  They’ve got it doing all kinds of flashing color gymnastics at the very top.  Was purple for this pic, now red.   It’s a subtle effect to say the least.  My phone camera is exaggerating the brightness/effect.   Last night when they were red, I thought they were the FAA lights someone had turned on  
http://content.invisioncic.com/x329420/monthly_2021_11/3D663D6A-E13A-4929-B3E6-A05D137D9B6B.thumb.jpeg.23b1293e18ffb2d14485e709d627909f.jpeg

Are you sure that’s not just Truist’s glow stick reflecting of that building lol

[turbocraig]

Just now, JeanClt said:

Are you are that’s not just Truist’s glow stick reflecting of that building lol

That green part actually is.  It’s just the top that’s changed.  

[Spartan]

On 11/9/2021 at 11:28 AM, kermit said:

Huh.

Wasn’t the tenant before QCQ a LeVecchia seafood place?

Yes. It was called "LaVecchia" or something to that effect.

[QCxpat]

Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade - stepping out on South Tryon St. in Uptown,  Wednesday, November 24th at 6:00 p.m.

 

Links:  http://novanthealththanksgivingparade.com/

https://www.charlotteonthecheap.com/charlottes-thanksgiving-day-parade/

Edited November 24, 2021 by QCxpat

[KJHburg]

I was uptown yesterday and today at both ends the north end today and southend of uptown yesterday.  Is our uptown thriving?  In many ways yes.  Can it be better?  Absolutely.  Lot of people on Tryon St today many tourists from what I saw with some foreign languages sprinkled in and people were taking photos and dining at restaurants.  Can we be better yes more street level life and 101 Independence Center with its new storefronts looks great.  Now lets fill them up.  But vacancies at Epicenter and 7th St Garage are very noticeable.  The latter is owned by BofA.  They have done a lot for this city no doubt.  But why not cut rate low rent for some up and coming restauranters in those spaces occupied formerly by Brixx and BBQ place.  Popup shops for the holidays.  Our big landlords need to lower the rent on their uptown ground floor retail or take a higher percentage of sales.  I thinking of you Lincoln Harris,  I talking about you Bank of America.  Plus we need these workers back uptown or it will never thrive again.  For every office tower I hope we build 2 residential towers.   But uptown is the culturally heart of Charlotte,  The sports capital of the Carolinas.  Lets get it back to preCovid traffic levels.  Charlotte City Center partners needs to do more programming.  Why not an uptown ice rink again?  On that vacant Levine land an amusement fair for a couple of weeks.  Lets get the energy of Southend back into uptown.  

Iveys one of my favorites uptown for bringing housing and a boutique hotel uptown not to mention some food and bar options.  Rest of the photos the new 101 Independence retail storefronts and covered patio. 

Edited November 28, 2021 by KJHburg

[DMann]

KJH, it is probably more a case of not being able to find staff to work the tables.

[RANYC]

12 hours ago, DMann said:

KJH, it is probably more a case of not being able to find staff to work the tables.

Love the 101 project and thanks for the photos.  Can only hope for more of such ground-level enhancements.  Had a convo recently about the role of large-scale government projects in the timing of urban improvements.  This person stated that if the silver line were to be brought into the center of uptown, underground, for delivery in 20 years, we would basically see uptown’s evolution stalled for 20 years while everyone awaits the outcome of such disruptive construction.  Sure there’d be plenty renderings, but whenever some major plan gets announced, you can count on a “stall factor” in the surrounding environment as developers and other actors wait and see.  I am wondering if this CTC burial project means nothing significant will be done with epicenter until that’s all sorted out, which I’m guessing will be a 10-year undertaking…Any thoughts on this stall factor issue?

Edited November 28, 2021 by RANYC

[KJHburg]

12 hours ago, DMann said:

KJH, it is probably more a case of not being able to find staff to work the tables.

No I think it is lack of uptown workers who would stop by for lunch and or dinner at these places.  Uptown has had a worst time since it is still not even close to its pre pandemic dynamic.  Yes workers and higher food costs may play into the factor but lack of customers is even worse. 

[KJHburg]

Miscellaneous uptown photos from this weekend.  Anyone know what is going on in the Truist Tower the old BofA trading floors?  Look at the close up photo I took.  

The bench photo?  I counted 24 benches in one block in the 100 N Tryon block.    That is ridiculous and these are leftovers from the old Tryon St Transit Mall where all the bus stops were up and down Tryon St before the CTC was built.  Most of these benches need to be removed and placed all over the city at bus stops where there is not even a shelter much less a bench.  

[j-man]

I think that it's safe to bring back up a topic that I brought up maybe a year or two ago. Uptown and Charlotte in general needs to focus a lot more on entertainment and attractions just as much as they are with building all of these residential and office towers. I'm finding that if a certain event isn't happening or coming to the city that there is little to nothing that separates this city from the others, especially the ones of this size. Im not saying that there isn't anything do but in a sense that is what I am saying. I'm still wishing for an uptown Aquarium, or a permanent outdoor fair/carnival type thing. Restaurants at the ground floor of apartments cannot be all this city is getting added for excitement. The epicenter to me is a great concept but just wasn't executed right from its buildout, and look at it now, just dead.