The Avenue

[ElricSeven]

Hmmmm I dont know. there could be any lot or something anywhere really. Who really pay'd attention to the lot that Novare's tower is gonna be built on? That is VERY close to the square. So I am sure there is a lot or soemthing somewhere,w e jsut havnt thought of it yet hehe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point. In fact, I'm looking down at two empty lots across from the bus station over 4th street, so I guess that's one. Also, that jives with Furman's comment at one point that 2d Ward was going to be the next place to go.

[Norm2]

Isnt The Park in 2nd ward? Wonder when that thing is gonna be built.....if it ever gets built lol. I know David Furman was saying something about announcing a new project next year.....could he have maybe bumped it up to announcing it jstu a few weeks from now? Cause his next project is supposed to b bigger than Courtside if I am not mistaken.

[ElricSeven]

Isnt The Park in 2nd ward? Wonder when that thing is gonna be built.....if it ever gets built lol. I know David Furman was saying something about announcing a new project next year.....could he have maybe bumped it up to announcing it jstu a few weeks from now? Cause his next project is supposed to b bigger than Courtside if I am not mistaken.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think he did move it up because it looks like M street, Court 6 and Courtside are all pretty much at least 70% sold. That, and he wants to get on board before that monster one from Novare is up and selling.

Oh, they also mentioned during the 1st W meeting that Courtside is now 17 stories, up from 16, and that they were going to wait until after the build was finished to sell the penthouse 17th floor units there. I'm kind of bummed in that when I signed on the place was supposed to be 11 stories and I got one on the 5th floor. Now I'm less than 1/3 of the way up instead of 1/2 the way up.

[Norm2]

So your supposed to live in Courtside? Thats awesome hehe. So what exactly was the purpose of this meeting that you went to? Was it to updated you on construction and all that stuff? Hell I wish I was old enough and had enough money to buy a condo in one of these towers haha. dont be too bumemd out about being on the 5th floor man. At least you know ou can jump out the window and probably live if there is ever a fire.

[ElricSeven]

So your supposed to live in Courtside? Thats awesome hehe. So what exactly was the purpose of this meeting that you went to? Was it to updated you on construction and all that stuff? Hell I wish I was old enough and had enough money to buy a condo in one of these towers haha. dont be too bumemd out about being on the 5th floor man. At least you know ou can jump out the window and probably live if there is ever a fire.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm still grateful because I got in before the overall release and therefore have a big increase in value before even buying the thing. It is just that when you're dropping that kind of money you want everything to be PERFECT and you fret the compromises.

Don't worry, you'll get older someday and then you'll realize life ain't that much different except your bills are bigger. You'll also realize that buying new stuff gives you a jolt at first but it fades after a while and you start to think about the next level of stuff you still can't afford. Say for instance a penthouse on the 17th floor.

[ElricSeven]

So your supposed to live in Courtside? Thats awesome hehe. So what exactly was the purpose of this meeting that you went to? Was it to updated you on construction and all that stuff? Hell I wish I was old enough and had enough money to buy a condo in one of these towers haha. dont be too bumemd out about being on the 5th floor man. At least you know ou can jump out the window and probably live if there is ever a fire.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And to answer your other question, which I breezed past for some reason, yes it was a community meeting where Furman and Drakeford show their latest projects.

Also note:

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2004-143.htm

Which shows that Drakefords trying to buy out some of the old houses on 8th (?) to knock them down and build condos there too. Some of the community members were not happy about that

[SmellyCat]

I'm still grateful because I got in before the overall release and therefore have a big increase in value before even buying the thing.  It is just that when you're dropping that kind of money you want everything to be PERFECT and you fret the compromises.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand your worry, but I agree that getting in early definitely helps your value - like getting in an IPO in a bull market. Also, I think the fact that the size of the project was increased will actually also pull the value up of your place even though you are now further from the top floor than you had originally anticipated. Rule of thumb is that you are usually better off NOT being near the top of the pricing range in any subdivision/condo in terms of future appreciation %.

Check this out...on the flip side, a friend of mine reserved one of the smaller 1BR units on the 5th floor I think. When they decided to grow the building, the parking garage was expanded upwards and she got bumped "up" to the 10th floor! And they essentially kept the price the same for her. Lucky freaking dog!

Regarding the new Furman building, I read somewhere that it was supposed to be 30+ stories and located somewhere around Brevard & 8th or 9th St?

[ElricSeven]

I understand your worry, but I agree that getting in early definitely helps your value  - like getting in an IPO in a bull market.  Also, I think the fact that the size of the project was increased will actually also pull the value up of your place even though you are now further from the top floor than you had originally anticipated.  Rule of thumb is that you are usually better off NOT being near the top of the pricing range in any subdivision/condo in terms of future appreciation %.

Check this out...on the flip side, a friend of mine reserved one of the smaller 1BR units on the 5th floor I think.  When they decided to grow the building, the parking garage was expanded upwards and she got bumped "up" to the 10th floor!  And they essentially kept the price the same for her.  Lucky freaking dog!

Regarding the new Furman building, I read somewhere that it was supposed to be 30+ stories and located somewhere around Brevard & 8th or 9th St?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, my GF went from 5th to 7th for the same reason. Assuming that the retail price of that unit is the true value, she made like a 20% gain right there. I only had a 7% pop cause I bought two units (that they later combined into a 2BR/2BA w/ den unit) on the front corner and it didn't really move up any floors. It isn't over the parking garage.

[monsoon]

[ElricSeven]

Sometimes not.  The original buyers at Gateway found themselves with units that were priced higher than the resale on those places.    Likewise the condo (don't remember the name) at East Blvd Kennelworth also went down in price.  People who bought pre-sale lost money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't remind me. On the other hand, I think that the price per square foot in Courtside, considering the location, is pretty good. In fact, it appears that the price per square foot is about the same as Gateway which is far from the square. Consider the fact that other stuff like The Park is selling at 50% and the Ratcliffe at 100% more per square foot, and I think there's a good chance we'll experience appreciation.

Of course there is no certainty in life, but worst comes to worst, I'll just live there for ten years. The biggest risk that I see is if the market's flooded with new construction from Furman, Novare and others. We'll see.

)

[SmellyCat]

  People who bought pre-sale lost money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even if they sold now?

[Norm2]

Hmmmmm.....interseting. What gets me is that Furman is basically devloping all of First Ward for the city. iot is a good thing its being developed.....but I think its kinda funny how its basically just one main developer doing it, ya know?

[appatone]

but I think its kinda funny how its basically just one main developer doing it, ya know?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is there a conspiracy afoot? Kidding. If I were to have my pick of local developers to fill out first ward Furman would be at the top of my list. I really like what his companies do. Of course I don't know the ins and outs of every developer who has had their hand somewhere in first ward but I do know Suassy Burbank built those single-family homes there.

Elric, you asked something earlier about the prices in the Novare tower, one bedrooms start at 170,000 and two bedrooms start at 250,000.

As far as speculation on the upcoming Blvd. Tower you can always go and play around with the interactive tax map at Char/Mecks website to find out who owns what and who

[monsoon]

[monsoon]

[Norm2]

That aprking lot across from Rock Bottom is the perfect place for a tower. Put some retail in their like at the Hearst Tower. That is something we need more of. Yea all these expensive restraunts are nice. But we just need some normal palces, like pizza chains or fast food palces that cater to the club crowd.

[SmellyCat]

My thought is that any place that is located near a transit line is going to do well even in the long run.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that's the case, then Courtside should fare OK in the long run, since it's only a 2 block walk to the current trolley/future light rail line.

[uptownliving]

I do not support the new Drakeford project on 8th....it is very bad design...the project does not face the street...plus it goes against the neighborhood masterplan.

[ElricSeven]

I do not support the new Drakeford project on 8th....it is very bad design...the project does not face the street...plus it goes against the neighborhood masterplan.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, but I think they are doing the best they can with limited options. If you look, it is a pretty terrible space with heavy traffic on all four sides and being pretty much isolated from the rest of the Garden District. Given that, making it inwardly directed is about the best way to take the focus off of the busy highway and its isolation. Also, it sounds like they're doing retail along McDowell street on its bottom. Combine it with what the Renwick is going to have, and hopefully some other retail improvements in the area, and it shouldn't be too bad. At least it is doing something with that space. Not sure what else would go there and am frankly surprised anyone bought any of the M Street.

[uptownliving]

I am fine with M Street....what I don't agree with is the old house he wants to buy and tear down to build the inwardly facing condos. Its a terrible project...8th St there is not busy at all...this is very close to the intersection with Alexander. It is terrible urban design and will not fit in with the rest of the neighborhood.

Drakefords other projects: M Street and the Grandin were good designs in my opinion. I think the guy is nice but I can't support the rezoning for this project.

[appatone]

I'm not at all familiar with the home on 8th we are talking about but if it is a great home and worth saving would it not be possible to move it? There are still a few lots left in the historic section of fourth ward if I'm not mistaken. Which brings me to another idea: with so many historic homes being leveled everyday in Charlotte and NC would it not be a cool idea to expand fourth ward around the historic district to provide a place to move all of these historic homes to creating a larger historic district even if the houses aren't original to the fourth ward neighborhood? There is a website (forgot it's address) that lists historic homes (some of them tremendous) that are at risk of being leveled by developers in NC. The vast majority of these homes are offered up for free to anyone willing to move them. There is still a lot of blank space around the back end of the historic district facing the cemetary and a lot of unatractive 1970's development in the area that could be well replaced by these wonderful old homes. Just an idea.

[uptownliving]

The "Blank Space" you talk about is owned by the State of NC and they plan to make it a Greenway park to tie in with the new train station they will be building.

[ElricSeven]

I'm not at all familiar with the home on 8th we are talking about but if it is a great home and worth saving would it not be possible to move it?  There are still a few lots left in the historic section of fourth ward if I'm not mistaken.  Which brings me to another idea: with so many historic homes being leveled everyday in Charlotte and NC would it not be a cool idea to expand fourth ward around the historic district to provide a place to move all of these historic homes to creating a larger historic district even if the houses aren't original to the fourth ward neighborhood?  There is a website (forgot it's address) that lists historic homes (some of them tremendous) that are at risk of being leveled by developers in NC.  The vast majority of these homes are offered up for free to anyone willing to move them.  There is still a lot of blank space around the back end of the historic district facing the cemetary and a lot of unatractive 1970's development in the area that could be well replaced by these wonderful old homes.  Just an idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would hesistate to call the buildings attractive, but then again I'm not sure what it would look like in its original condition. Now if I owned the lot, I would just build myself a mac daddy house on the thing that had the look of an Arts and Crafts style house.

[monsoon]

[dubone]

For those of you who are not familiar with the specific lot and old house on 8th street, here is a picture and subsequent links to more information:

http://maps2.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/website/...DValue=08010204

I got the rezoning petition in the mail, and thought it was good infill replace an unimpressive old house. The lot next door is a group of townhouses, so it didn't seem out of character with the neighborhood.

I don't think the house has much historic value, although i was surprised to see that it is 90 years old, but i think it was originally a shotgun house from the olden days.... but it has been modified so much, it is hard to see it as historically important.

I'm not happy to hear about the lack of street-facing design. I don't see the design on the drakeford website... do you have any links or more information?