Mixed Use Spirit Square and Main Library Redevelopment

[tozmervo]

Get excited, and pour one out for the library!

[RANYC]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Get excited, and pour one out for the library!

Good grief, 48 months...4 years...for a 5-story bldg?  Not getting any younger people.  Does anyone share my view that maybe the county could have used this financial capacity for a vastly modernized and enhanced Uptown Discovery Place instead?

[SydneyCarton]

Is just the new library rising now (after demo obviously), or is the whole project proceeding?  This is going to be an amazing addition to the spectacular Queen of the South.

[CLT2014]

13 hours ago, RANYC said:

Good grief, 48 months...4 years...for a 5-story bldg?  Not getting any younger people.  Does anyone share my view that maybe the county could have used this financial capacity for a vastly modernized and enhanced Uptown Discovery Place instead?

The library system is part of the county, thus county funds for it. Discovery Place's Uptown building is owned by the city. The proposed renovation funding for Discovery Place Uptown (~$400 mil) will thus come from city funding rather than county.

The county is involved with Discovery Nature at Freedom Park and has contributed funding towards that facility.

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, SydneyCarton said:

Is just the new library rising now (after demo obviously), or is the whole project proceeding?  This is going to be an amazing addition to the spectacular Queen of the South.

Afaik, the whole project is proceeding. The library's fundraising was near completion last I knew. 

[SydneyCarton]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Afaik, the whole project is proceeding. The library's fundraising was near completion last I knew. 

That’s great news.  Apart from the library, are the towers residential, hotel, and one office building?  Also, will the office building be constructed on spec?

Someone had posted this a while ago.  I don’t know if it has been confirmed.

Corp Office – 25 floors, 385 feet (would have underground parking)
Creative Office – 15 floors – 280 feet (would have underground parking)
High Rise Residential – 22 floors – 270 feet 
High Rise Residential – 19 floors – 240 feet
Library with Affordable Housing on top – 15 floors 220 feet
Midrise Residential – 7 floors – 85 feet
Midrise Residential – 7 floors – 85 feet
 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[videtur quam contuor]

While thinking of the dramatic architecture proposed for the new library building I recall the city of Columbus, Indiana. I grew up in Indianapolis, about 50 miles from Columbus. As a family day trip we visited quite some time ago (ahem). The Cummins Diesel company is the major industry in town and was founded there. The family is a benefactor of the city by paying the architect fee and subsidizing construction of remarkable buildings for a city of any size, especially for one of 35,000-45,000 people, If you are anywhere in the area of Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Louisville it is worth a visit. Consider this built environment for a city similar in population to Hickory or Mooresville.

https://columbus.in.us/guide-to-the-architecture/

[Madison Parkitect]

7 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

While thinking of the dramatic architecture proposed for the new library building I recall the city of Columbus, Indiana. I grew up in Indianapolis, about 50 miles from Columbus. As a family day trip we visited quite some time ago (ahem). The Cummins Diesel company is the major industry in town and was founded there. The family is a benefactor of the city by paying the architect fee and subsidizing construction of remarkable buildings for a city of any size, especially for one of 35,000-45,000 people, If you are anywhere in the area of Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Louisville it is worth a visit. Consider this built environment for a city similar in population to Hickory or Mooresville.

https://columbus.in.us/guide-to-the-architecture/

Man, that's a comprehensive list of basically EVERY major architect from the 70s/80s.

[videtur quam contuor]

I know nothing about architecture but what general reading offers yet I recognize Saarinen and Saarinen, Pei, Stern, Meier, Pelli, Venturi. The others are of equal stature I am sure.

[SydneyCarton]

I hope that this is an accurate rendering.  If so, it looks great.
 

 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/development/article255115437.html#storylink=mainstage_card2

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[DMann]

Perhaps The Real Clayton can interpret this?

[Madison Parkitect]

I believe that's an old, very speculative rendering that we've seen before, but I could be wrong.

[SydneyCarton]

14 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

I believe that's an old, very speculative rendering that we've seen before, but I could be wrong.

We’ve definitely seen it before.  I was just curious if that’s what will actually be built.  I guess that we still don’t know.

[B Randy]

19 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

We’ve definitely seen it before.  I was just curious if that’s what will actually be built.  I guess that we still don’t know.

Should be.

[queensguy06]

I believe I've only seen one of these renderings of the library.  I'm assuming the closure in October was to begin removing and storing the contents of the current library, which I'd imagine will take 6 months?  Possible groundbreaking/demo Q2 next year?  The architect's website has a spring 2021 start with completion mid-2024 which obviously didn't happen:

https://www.clarknexsen.com/project/charlotte-mecklenburg-new-main-library/

 

[SydneyCarton]

This looks amazing.

I wonder if this curved area is supposed to be a waterfall, kind of like a larger version  of what’s currently by the library.

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[JRCLT]

This looks amazing.
I wonder if this curved area is supposed to be a waterfall, kind of like a larger version  of what’s currently by the library.
 

Perhaps when it rains?

[videtur quam contuor]

3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

This looks amazing.

I wonder if this curved area is supposed to be a waterfall, kind of like a larger version  of what’s currently by the library.

 

The small park at the library corner with fountain is Arequipa Park for our sister city in Peru. Known as The White City. Our first such relationship.

https://www.charlottemagazine.com/world-tour-charlottes-sister-cities/

[videtur quam contuor]

To my knowledge we have no similar representation of our other sister cities. We have had group visits to and from a few of of the others. I know a story about the Kumasi visit.

[SydneyCarton]

3 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

The small park at the library corner with fountain is Arequipa Park for our sister city in Peru. Known as The White City. Our first such relationship.

https://www.charlottemagazine.com/world-tour-charlottes-sister-cities/

That’s interesting.  Thanks.  I like that waterfall and hope that there’s something similar in the new building.  That curved area looks like a waterfall to me.

[Spartan]

7 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

This looks amazing.

I wonder if this curved area is supposed to be a waterfall, kind of like a larger version  of what’s currently by the library.

 

The mere fact that you have to ask a question like that is everything that is wrong with contemporary architecture 

[SydneyCarton]

10 hours ago, Spartan said:

The mere fact that you have to ask a question like that is everything that is wrong with contemporary architecture 

That's a strange comment, but ok.

[JacksonH]

On 11/21/2021 at 11:01 AM, queensguy06 said:

I believe I've only seen one of these renderings of the library.  I'm assuming the closure in October was to begin removing and storing the contents of the current library, which I'd imagine will take 6 months?  Possible groundbreaking/demo Q2 next year?  The architect's website has a spring 2021 start with completion mid-2024 which obviously didn't happen:

https://www.clarknexsen.com/project/charlotte-mecklenburg-new-main-library/

 

I'm so old.  I remember when the current library was built and when it opened it was such a big deal -- state of the art.  I was so excited to go visit that big modern, snazzy facility.  And now it's obsolete and has to disappear.

[RANYC]

4 hours ago, JacksonH said:

I'm so old.  I remember when the current library was built and when it opened it was such a big deal -- state of the art.  I was so excited to go visit that big modern, snazzy facility.  And now it's obsolete and has to disappear.

I know not popular, but I just wish the existing library building were getting renovated and modernized.  It's actually not that bad in my opinion.  Sort of looks historic.  Wish the new structure were taking up some surface lot somewhere else in the North Tryon area of Uptown.

[B Randy]

6 hours ago, RANYC said:

I know not popular, but I just wish the existing library building were getting renovated and modernized.  It's actually not that bad in my opinion.  Sort of looks historic.  Wish the new structure were taking up some surface lot somewhere else in the North Tryon area of Uptown.

Have to disagree.  Existing library footprint is too large  (deep) to create the "hub of activity" they're striving for.  A full gut would also be extremely expensive and still not ideal in my opinion.  Layout not great to get natural light penetrating to that lower level and all facades would need complete remakes to create transparency and inside/out "interactivity".  

Also think going denser on this block and filling it in completely will be a long term benefit when development jumps to 8th and north of this site.  

Do think that their program is a bit over the top and the price tag could have been lower though...