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First Ward Urban Village / North Tryon Vision Plan


uptownliving

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The framework in the city council agenda indicates that they will keep 8th street open, at least on a limited access basis, based on the connectivity concerns of the city. So it appears that issue was already considered and they opted to satisfy the city by leaving it open.

In my view, 8th St is not used enough to worry so much about keeping open, BUT is used so little that it won't have as much of an impact on the operation of the park. That is very different than the impact on the park than the city's proposal to keep 3rd open through the original location of the 3rd Ward Park.

Overall, I think this framework seems quite reasonable and is a very good way for the city and county to add a long planned park in a neighborhood that needs a park to replace the poorly planned First Ward Park around 6th and McDowell.

The one thing to remember, though, is how much more will the street be used once Levine's master plan is completed? I think its connectivity will be more needed in 10 years than it is now. I'd really hate to split the park into 2, but if they can go with some unique material on the road- brick, even stamped concrete, then that will slow traffic and provide a pedestrian atmosphere in the mind connecting the two sides of the park as one.

Edited by Andyc545
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There's a similar concept being used in 2nd Ward Park with MLK. Granted it won't be as "big" of a crossing, but I assume that if the City is ok with that, then something similar can be achieved at this site. There's also 1st St at the Cultural Campus, which will be similar albeit less park-like. Its something that the design of the park itself will be able to address.

I'm glad that they are going to try to keep 8th St.

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I would be concerned about having a part-time use road in the middle of a park. A kid is not going to notice if a road is open or not when they are chasing a ball in the middle of a park...

Kids? What about adults? I almost plowed right through an adult this morning...who walked right out into the street....never looked until he had already taken two sold steps into the steet. Luckily for him and I.....I was a safe distance a way still. He was staring straight the entire time! Scary!

Edited by RaleighHeelsfan
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While probably not financially viable, why wouldn't they consider creating a small cap/raised tunnel/green bridge over the center portion of this road to indicate to visitors of the park not to cross the roadway except where the bridge is. Having a small structure here couldn't blow the whole project out of proportion and would make the park much safer and more appealing.

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While probably not financially viable, why wouldn't they consider creating a small cap/raised tunnel/green bridge over the center portion of this road to indicate to visitors of the park not to cross the roadway except where the bridge is. Having a small structure here couldn't blow the whole project out of proportion and would make the park much safer and more appealing.

I don't think the site is really big enough to warrant a bridge or tunnel for it. How about speed mounds instead to slow traffic down and make those as the crosswalks.

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Kids? What about adults? I almost plowed right through an adult this morning...who walked right out into the street....never looked until he had already taken two sold steps into the steet. Luckily for him and I.....I was a safe distance a way still. He was staring straight the entire time! Scary!

If the street is redone in something like brick or cobblestone, or is at the same grade and contiguous with the sidewalks on either side, drivers will naturally avoid it, or travel extremely slow on it, kids and adults suddenly walking out into it is not going to be an issue.

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Yeah, the bollard concept is used all over the world, I dont think we need to worry about people not knowing if the street is closed or open.

I didn't like the idea of the park being split in two, but since this is a smaller park its not as big a deal as say cutting 3rd ward park up. And having bollards to close the street when there is an event sounds like a great idea for small festivals where vendors could set up or even a stage could be built.

I'm just so happy that UNCC, the city, and the county are finally getting involved in 1st ward, who knows if Levine would have ever done anything without them.

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I very much like that Market and 10th will be added by the developers. This will be helpful because the area does need another "N-S" route in the area of Market Street, and 10th will be a much more effective connector between First and Fourth Wards than 8th because 10th is such a major street in Fourth Ward.

Given that the city has signed up for the Brevard work, I sure hope they are fulfilling their longer term plan to make it bidirectional. There is no mentionof Caldwell work, either, but it seems that to support these plans around the park, the really need to deliver the bidirectional Caldwell in First Ward, too. (The Second Ward section of Caldwell will be bidirectional when the Nascar Hall opens.).

I am still quite skeptical that Levine can make anything happen on this land any time soon. I mean, he screwed up a tower handed to him on a silver platter when Novare moved TWELVE to Third Ward. Then, you consider that his timing has pushed him now twice into economic downturn that causes him to stall for a decade at a time. I like that the city would put limits on the TIF, which may be the best way to get Levine to making partners and take action.

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Mary Newsome's blog of Charlotte.com discusses 8th St. today. After reading the posts there, I've decided that if the city doesn't support my bollard idea (I suppose I have to formally notify someone first) then I would support closing 8th for this block. It would eliminate another Lynx crossing, which is good, and 9th has plenty of capacity. I don't forsee there being a large increase in traffic demand for 8th, even with the buildout of Levine's property. Also, Market St. and a 2-way Brevard will help to redirect traffic to 9th and 7th effectively.

The park is already so small, especailly the northern portion sharing the block with UNCC and future development, that isolating it with a full-traffic street would render it useless. If they leave 8th open, then I would prefer development fill out the entire northern block and contain the park to just the block bound by 7th and 8th.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's a shot of the Ledge from about a week and a half ago:

Ledge.jpg

BEAUTIFUL!!! I love it

theLedge2.jpg

UGLY, I HATE IT

Who knew these could be the same building. U'd especially expect the side facing the street to be the good looking part, not the other way around, HOW TRAGIC as dubone said.

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Only partially a joke: NO ONE should buy from Furman again without asking for a rendering of the opposite side of the building!

Seriously, how many more times will we (collectively) fall for this guy's being good on the angle of the sales rendering and hideous on the opposite side!?

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Only partially a joke: NO ONE should buy from Furman again without asking for a rendering of the opposite side of the building!

Seriously, how many more times will we (collectively) fall for this guy's being good on the angle of the sales rendering and hideous on the opposite side!?

Lol how come its always the view most often seen too. I guess maybe he thinks more people look away from tryon when they are in first ward...

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That is a great point. It is the 'back' of the building from the point of view of his renderings, but McDowell's facade will be seen by everyone on 277 and McDowell and 7th (a LOT of people). Then consider that the back of Trademark is seen on national TV via the Panthers. And the back of Courtside is seen from miles away on Independence and also from 277.

He was already eroding his goodwill, but we all assumed he'd be going back to his forte by focusing again on low/mid rise projects. But this is just a mess. I sure hope some paint helps, but that might end up just being [what Obama said].

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That is a great point. It is the 'back' of the building from the point of view of his renderings, but McDowell's facade will be seen by everyone on 277 and McDowell and 7th (a LOT of people). Then consider that the back of Trademark is seen on national TV via the Panthers. And the back of Courtside is seen from miles away on Independence and also from 277.

He was already eroding his goodwill, but we all assumed he'd be going back to his forte by focusing again on low/mid rise projects. But this is just a mess. I sure hope some paint helps, but that might end up just being [what Obama said].

LOL, I dunno if paint will help. THe corners of the mcdowell street side look awfully like the 1960s midrises in the park road shopping center area. I think that is what takes away from the mcdowell street side, not to mention the treatment at street level, good lord what a mess.

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There is a First Ward Park Community Workshop tomorrow where they will solicit input on the design of the planned park.

Sept 17 at 6pm

301 E 9th St Suite 100

This project seems to moving forward quickly.

Any updates on this meeting?!?

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