Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[dubone]

The for-profit school thing had me thinking also about for-profit prisons, and how the economic incentive of those is to fill prisons with as many prisoners as possible and keep them there for as long as possible.   The US incarceration rate is very very high, which is unexpected in a democracy.   Our society needs lawyers to know the law and argue cases to get justice for its citizens.   Mediocre lawyers seem much worse of a blight than skilled lawyers.  We all want to "call Saul" when something happens, such as divorce, confusing legal paperwork, unfair tickets, or something worse. 

[Niner National]

Why does Charlotte need a law school at all? Does Charlotte really have a shortage of doc-review slaves?

 

There are already too many lawyers. Let's have mercy on the layabouts that attend CSOL because it's a convenient distance from their parents' basement, they have incurred enough non-dischargeable debt already.

 

Let the school die.

From a prestige POV, I'd love to see UNC Charlotte get a new professional school, but for practicality purposes, it doesn't need a law school. Like you said, there are too many lawyers now and I agree that it should probably just be left to die.

[Prodev]

Another uptown hotel is planned - 150 key, 9-story Homewood Suites at the corner of Church & Trade where the park-like green space is across from Kings Kitchen. 

[Guest]

Another uptown hotel is planned - 150 key, 9-story Homewood Suites at the corner of Church & Trade where the park-like green space is across from Kings Kitchen. 

9 story on top of parking I assume?

[MilZ]

Another uptown hotel is planned - 150 key, 9-story Homewood Suites at the corner of Church & Trade where the park-like green space is across from Kings Kitchen. 

Ground retail?

 

... I always thought that spot would work well converted as an urban skate plaza... like Dyrdek's "Skate Spots". Not a bad place for a hotel either.

[CLTProductions]

Another uptown hotel is planned - 150 key, 9-story Homewood Suites at the corner of Church & Trade where the park-like green space is across from Kings Kitchen. 

Source?

[HopHead]

These mid-rise uptown hotel projects are popping up like sushi and steak restaurants in Charlotte... Though far more needed. 

[15895]

awesome! Time frame?

Loving the infill. And hopefully some retail and an interesting building.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Renderings?

[birky]

^There's been some talks of UNCC absorbing Charlotte School of Law,   How thought out they are I do not know.  I will say though it is probably an easier sell to the UNCGA and the State than if UNCC wanted to start one from scratch.  I also understand that there are plans for at least one more UNCC building in center city so who knows?

 

UNCC and the Charlotte School of Law have several joint programs. http://belkcollege.uncc.edu/about-college/news-events/news/unc-charlotte-charlotte-school-law-expand-dual-degree-programs

[DMann]

Just speculation but I saw two news trucks by the Trade Street sidewalk of Epicentre near the ill fated 210 project today, and on a second note, a friend with some knowledge indicated that 300 S Tryon is in play.  Other than just rumors, I have no facts.

[Prodev]

9 story on top of parking I assume?

Not sure of any other details, as it was taken directly from of the city's planning website, as the description for a pre-submittal meeting. I believe the developer might be McKibbon Hotel Group, but that's just speculative. 

[carolinagarnet]

InfiniLaw has been in the process of buying Charleston School of Law and there has been a lot of discussion about College of Charleston buying CSOL. SC is in a worse financial state than NC, but I think the response will probably be the same: no. The number of pending lawsuits alone is a huge concern. Taking on a law school would also likely mean pressure from the legislature to improve admission standards and bar passage rates by reducing class sizes, which would undercut the profitability of the school.

 

The big concern is the amount of debt students at these private law schools are incurring. The average debt for Charlotte students is $115,747 (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/grad-debt-rankings), which isn't the worst, but I have a feeling the debt load will go up when the school pares back on the scholarships it has been using to draw better students. Since the top law firms do not usually recruit at for-profit law schools, the payoff is much longer and becomes a much larger percentage of a lower salary. I haven't looked much into the statistics, but I have a feeling most students stay in North Carolina. Depending on the outlook for law-related jobs in the future, CSOL could actually become more of a drain on the Charlotte economy.

[HopHead]

Just speculation but I saw two news trucks by the Trade Street sidewalk of Epicentre near the ill fated 210 project today, and on a second note, a friend with some knowledge indicated that 300 S Tryon is in play.  Other than just rumors, I have no facts.

 

Seems like rumors of the 300 S Tryon resurrection have been ongoing for quite some time. Aside from 210 Trade, this is the one project I'd love to see get reset after the great recession. Would be a sizeable project that takes up a good size parking lot. Can't recall if this link has been shared before, but here are a few renderings that are a little different than the ones we've seen in the past: http://www.ls3p.com/projects/mixed-use/300-south-tryon/

[Guest]

Renderings?

No renderings but I imagine it would look like this... Omaha Downtown Homewood Suites. But a smaller footprint, slightly taller and possibly with a podium parking deck. Just a hunch. Megabrands tend to follow a "style guide" for urban vs. suburban properties. This one in particular because of this cities obsession with Brick/Stucco mixture.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Guest

[peaceloveunderstanding]

InfiniLaw has been in the process of buying Charleston School of Law and there has been a lot of discussion about College of Charleston buying CSOL. SC is in a worse financial state than NC, but I think the response will probably be the same: no. The number of pending lawsuits alone is a huge concern. Taking on a law school would also likely mean pressure from the legislature to improve admission standards and bar passage rates by reducing class sizes, which would undercut the profitability of the school.

 

The big concern is the amount of debt students at these private law schools are incurring. The average debt for Charlotte students is $115,747 (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/grad-debt-rankings), which isn't the worst, but I have a feeling the debt load will go up when the school pares back on the scholarships it has been using to draw better students. Since the top law firms do not usually recruit at for-profit law schools, the payoff is much longer and becomes a much larger percentage of a lower salary. I haven't looked much into the statistics, but I have a feeling most students stay in North Carolina. Depending on the outlook for law-related jobs in the future, CSOL could actually become more of a drain on the Charlotte economy.

 

That is an incredible scam. The proprietors should go to prison and every person that encouraged a student to go there ought to stop and think about how they screwed up the young person's life.

[Urbanity]

 

Another uptown hotel is planned - 150 key, 9-story Homewood Suites at the corner of Church & Trade where the park-like green space is across from Kings Kitchen. 

 

 

Was hoping for something larger than 9 stories at that site but glad for infill if it has ground retail as well (prime spot)

 

Depending on the outlook for law-related jobs in the future, CSOL could actually become more of a drain on the Charlotte economy.

I don't understand how the school could be a drain on the economy in any scenario.  Can you explain that?

[rjp212]

This is a 17-story Homewood Suites going in Downtown Hamilton in Ontario.    Would love something like this.

 

[Guest]

This is a 17-story Homewood Suites going in Downtown Hamilton in Ontario.    Would love something like this.

 

,

woah... I would take that too... But you know it'll end up looking somewhat suburban, its our MO

[ScottCLT]

I'm surprised that we haven't heard a large-scale, full-service hotel announcement. These small ones are great to have, but hotel space in uptown is really limited during the weekdays. I've had problems time and time again finding places for clients to stay when booking last-minute, or even sometimes when booking in advance.Last week, there was literally nothing uptown except for the Sheraton. And though I am happy that the Sheraton took over one of the Blake towers, it really isn't in the best spot downtown for walkability. 

 

On that subject, the old "Blake" signs are down at the upcoming Le Meridien. I just wish that this area of town had more to offer for the people staying at the (probably) 5-star Le Meridian and 4-star Sheraton. Nice hotels, but nothing to do around there.

[TotalLamer]

I assume La Meridian is the taller, tackier of the two Blake towers?  The one that looks like it was built with the cheapest possible fake stucco in existence lathered atop a boring, featureless rectangle of a building?  I -really- hope they do something to make that building look less, well... cheap.  Really, really, REALLY cheap.

[ScottCLT]

I assume La Meridian is the taller, tackier of the two Blake towers?  The one that looks like it was built with the cheapest possible fake stucco in existence lathered atop a boring, featureless rectangle of a building?  I -really- hope they do something to make that building look less, well... cheap.  Really, really, REALLY cheap.

Yep, that is correct. The other tower has already opened as the Sheraton. It is ugly, but I doubt with their minimal budget for both hotels ($30 million total if I recall correctly), I doubt we'll see much happen to the outside except for a new paint job and a sign. For The Blake to be turned into a Le Meridien, it's going to be a significant cost upgrading the guest rooms and lobby to that standard of hotel. I don't think there'd will be any left for any major exterior work.

[Miesian Corners]

I assume La Meridian is the taller, tackier of the two Blake towers?  The one that looks like it was built with the cheapest possible fake stucco in existence lathered atop a boring, featureless rectangle of a building?  I -really- hope they do something to make that building look less, well... cheap.  Really, really, REALLY cheap.

Most all 1970s and 80s hotel buildings are architecturally insignificant.  The Le Meridian will have an awesome rooftop bar and I'm looking forward to having it open.

[atlrvr]

The proposed Homewood Suites there at Trade and Church will likely use the planned floorplates of the Swissotel that was originally planned there back in the early 1990's when Carillon was built.  I believe it would span the driveway off of Church that access the below-grade loading dock area, and wipe out some of the small trees, but the plaza/park right at the corner was planned to be permanent.  The buildings were to connect at the ground level, with access to the hotel essentially next to where the security desk is.

 

The Swissotel I think was planned to be ~ 20 stories, but still it would be nice to see the site developed to its potential.  I'm guessing this is brick/glass in an unoffensive contemporary design. 

 

This still leaves the large surface lot at the corner of Church/4th undeveloped.  Oddly, its still owned by First Citizens Bank since 1987.  That's about the time that First Citizens Plaza was built at Tryon/4th.  Not sure what the plan was/is/will be for that parcel, but it's pretty prime.

[Urbanity]

Well they are apparently doing some work to the exterior of the Blake/Le Meridian.  I was just came across this on tripadvisor.  It's taken from the Blake/Sheraton next door and is dated 10/19/13