Armchair Developer/Planner

[kermit]

Thinking about Dubone's plan for Plaza Midwood shopping center and also my recent experience going to Modern Fabrics (old American Apparel) on Camden, and failure to find spaces at Starbucks on East, I honestly think its time for the city to start investing in "neighborhood center" parking decks.

 

It sounds like the city is thinking about neighborhood parking much like atlrvr suggested (in fact their proposal sounds _very_ to what atlrvr wrote)

 

The Charlotte City Council is considering ways to add parking in NoDa, Plaza Midwood and SouthEnd neighborhoods....

 

A recently completed parking-demand analysis revealed a need for parking in NoDa, and that was before the Woodfield project eliminated spaces, Burch said in the memo. It was neighbor concerns about how the Woodfield project would impact the area’s parking that prompted the study..

 

A possible solution noted in Burch’s memo is a public-private partnership to add to Woodfield Partners’ planned parking deck that will serve the apartment complex. The council’s Economic Development Committee will review that solution.

 

[atlrvr]

I'll take the credit whether I deserve it or not

 

It is an exciting prospect and would add tremendously to these neighborhoods while allowing the rest of the core urban areas to develop in a more urban manner without the need for excessive on-site parking. 

[New Name]

Did you know that the Eastland Mall site (and out-parcel retail sites) are slightly bigger than Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo (not including the actual river)? 

 

Has anyone ever floated the idea of a Eastland Zoo?

-Especially if there were parking decks (or underground parking) there could be enough room

-Maybe the streetcar could actually finish it's run inside the zoo property

-Would have been funny if there were animals houses in the actual mall like Jumanji or something like that, but maybe a recreated habitat for kicks?

[CLTProductions]

Did you know that the Eastland Mall site (and out-parcel retail sites) are slightly bigger than Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo (not including the actual river)? 

 

Has anyone ever floated the idea of a Eastland Zoo?

-Especially if there were parking decks (or underground parking) there could be enough room

-Maybe the streetcar could actually finish it's run inside the zoo property

-Would have been funny if there were animals houses in the actual mall like Jumanji or something like that, but maybe a recreated habitat for kicks?

Wow, that is a fantastic idea....we are the largest metropolitan area in the country without a zoo

[ah59396]

Yeah, that's actually a great idea and something I would heavily support.

[15895]

I think several members floated that idea. At least I have/do.

[Guest]

Wow, that is a fantastic idea....we are the largest metropolitan area in the country without a zoo

ONLY one problem. There is no longer a mall to have the animal enclosures within, lol.

[tozmervo]

Sounds like the Danes could give up a few of their animals.

[ChessieCat]

^How about a Sea World after California shutters theirs?  Then Charlotte can really become the movie capital of the East once Blackfish 2 is filmed here...

[tozmervo]

At the end of 2014, the surface parking industry continues retreat under relentless attack by urbanist foes. The line must be drawn before further devastating losses of territory make surface parking only a distant memory in Uptown! If that foothold is lost, where will it end? 

[CLTProductions]

At the end of 2014, the surface parking industry continues retreat under relentless attack by urbanist foes. The line must be drawn before further devastating losses of territory make surface parking only a distant memory in Uptown! If that foothold is lost, where will it end? 

Awesome post, it's rather depressing how many are still left though. I guess on the bright side we still have a TON of land available to develop on that other cities just dont have.

[Guest]

At the end of 2014, the surface parking industry continues retreat under relentless attack by urbanist foes. The line must be drawn before further devastating losses of territory make surface parking only a distant memory in Uptown! If that foothold is lost, where will it end? 

RIP Surface Empire... Winter is coming....

[tozmervo]

It's interesting, after my first pass on the map I realized how many "pocket" lots I'd missed, like Tryon & 7th (across from Rock Bottom). Because it's smaller and partially tree-lined, it doesn't have nearly the impact that some of the other expansive lots have. I'm sure there are a few that I still didn't catch. 

[tozmervo]

So would you build with a Powerball jackpot today?

[CLTProductions]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

So would you build with a Powerball jackpot today?

30+ story convention sized JW Marriott hotel with 30k+ SF of retail on the Gantt Center site on Tryon

[SgtCampsalot]

5 hours ago, tozmervo said:

So would you build with a Powerball jackpot today?

I thought about this yesterday! 

I would buy a huge tract of undervalued land near a future transit line, slice it up into a decent grid system, and start myself by building a few 2 to 5 story buildings in the "square", and work with small business owners who will operate from them, and eventually buy the building from me for a fair deal so that they build equity. And then id sell off SMALL parcels to other small developers for apts, and small SFH sections. Also, create many little pocket parking lots with nice sidewalk frontage (like Plaza Midwood) and plenty of street parking so that NO ONE needs to build a parking deck for some time. Not all built all at once, and very few giant interconnected buildings.

I'd work with the city/county to build a new small public school, integrated into the neighborhood,  so any child in a certain radius can attend.

The key to the success would be in connecting the streets and school to the existing neighborhoods around the tract, integrating everything. Rather than going full on greenfield which is all the rage, nestled within an existing area in Charlotte's metro.

Basically create a model of how to do things right, more of an economy of means, rather than on an economy of scale.

[Third Strike]

That amount of money would solve so many problems in Charlotte. You could fund the remainder of the Gold Line with that money. You could complete the rest of the Cross Charlotte Trail. Streetscape improvements in neighborhoods that need them. You could fund a new building on CPCC or UNCC with that cash.

[tozmervo]

You could fund a campus with that kind of cash

[ah59396]

I think we all know what should be done with the money...

 

 

its done WONDERS for Ogdenville, Brockway and North Haverbrook.

 

say it with me "monorail, monorail, monorail!!!"

[SgtCampsalot]

It sure did put them on the map...

[Spartan]

I would create a fund/trust to help owners of dilapidated historic structures rehabilitate their buildings and hire some bankers to set up a financing system that encourages mixed-use projects to remove that as an excuse for developers to use. I'd fund all the rail trail "placemaking" concepts that have been talked about, find some developers and architects who want to "build it right" and finance a crap load of townhomes along with other infill residential/retail. Oh, and build some epic statues and monuments with no modern art components whatsoever. All of this would apply to Charlotte and my hometown (Spartanburg).

 

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I would offer Levine more money than his land his worth (with a clause stating he can never return to or buy in Charlotte or NC again. (lol)...and actually build something.

[SgtCampsalot]

If anyone with the necessary credentials wants to get off their armchair and change fields, UNCC is hiring an assistant or associate professor in Urban Design.

[Guest]

This Thread has inspired me to do an "Armchair Developer" series for Charlotte Five. I wanted to share my first project, which is reimagining the First Presby Lot uptown. This is the rendering I did to accompany the article. I know, I know, some of you would rather me do a rendering of future uptown... lol

[J-Rob]

That is pretty awesome.  Maybe someone can take the art on the parking deck and apply it to that big Walgreens/Omni wall as discussed in some of the other threads today.