First Ward Urban Village / North Tryon Vision Plan

[uptownliving]

It is possible to do all of the above: urban development, retail,pocket park, and the homeless. It's being done everyday in Asheville at Pritchard Park. You have groups coming in to feed the homeless in the park while directly across the street you have some of the most popular restaurants in town packed with locals and tourists. To think that homeless will drive away people in my opinion is a false statement when there are many examples of where retail, restaurants, homeless, locals, and tourists all co-exist.

[Guest]

Throwing the homeless out is an apparently effective option, it worked for New York but it's a bit.... inhumane.

Charlotte is trying its darndest in the next few years setting up assistant housing for homeless complete with social workers. It would supposedly save us money on the long run and in the end if they get jobs, victory!

If that doesn't help, then we can try the age old method of dumping them into the next town.

[CLTProductions]

On an unrelated note, permits were issued to demo the interior of the Dixie's building. Nice to see things moving along with that

[jtmonk]

This is an interesting topic that every City and town has to deal with.  The city i work for, Lexington, has a huge problem with homeless people downtown and the negative perception that follows them.  We have this problem in Lexington because of other cities literally dumping them here, that is not a solution!!  And as you guys have already mentioned, people don't mind seeing homeless around, it's the aggressive panhandling and loitering that is really making people uncomfortable.  There are no easy solutions to the problem and no matter what the City of Charlotte decides to do it's going to piss off some people.  

 

Thanks for the update about the Dixie's building.  I've always liked that building and it's location.  

[CarolinaCrown]

Stopped in at 7th street market and caught the end of the FRAvGER game, man oh man did they beat the hell out of one another.

 

Whats going on just north of the UNCC buliding?

[uptownliving]

 

Whats going on just north of the UNCC buliding?

 

That is the parking deck wrapped in apartments that Levine is building.

[tozmervo]

Stopped in at 7th street market and caught the end of the FRAvGER game, man oh man did they beat the hell out of one another.

 

Whats going on just north of the UNCC buliding?

 

Nice shot of the foundations for the 9th St Station platforms!

[Charlotte1961]

[Charlotte1961]

good action at the 9th st light rail station and the 10th street project

 

[CLTProductions]

TOTAL SPECULATION AND RUMOR ALERT:

 

In talking with a few folks that are in the know I got some troubling, albeit not surprising news. A few people have spoken to Levine lately and said he seemed like he was getting skiddish on the land and that the market is tapped. Which translates to, he sat too long and missed the development note.

Not saying this is the case, and we still may see a dual branded hotel and 2 residential towers. But I am willing to bet all we get this cycle is the 10th street apartments and garage and park, while he will continue to hold first ward hostage.

[cltbwimob]

^^^Such news would come as an utter shock to me.

[go_vertical]

He is only required to construct the parking decks per his agreement with the city correct? If that is true then that is all I expect from this man.

[HopHead]

TOTAL SPECULATION AND RUMOR ALERT:

 

In talking with a few folks that are in the know I got some troubling, albeit not surprising news. A few people have spoken to Levine lately and said he seemed like he was getting skiddish on the land and that the market is tapped. Which translates to, he sat too long and missed the development note.

Not saying this is the case, and we still may see a dual branded hotel and 2 residential towers. But I am willing to bet all we get this cycle is the 10th street apartments and garage and park, while he will continue to hold first ward hostage.

 

I know this would surprise no one if were to happen. I think we should all roll his house if this ends up being true. 

[dubone]

Bahahaha! 

 

That man is just plain incompetent.   Market timing a very bad investment strategy, and he has clearly missed every other boom time opportunity, why not miss this one too. 

[Guest]

If we imposed height limits (Perhaps in a parallel universe where it's possible) in downtown, would the land prices go down? Then maybe we can actually build stuff there and not have barren parking lots?

[ah59396]

If we imposed height limits (Perhaps in a parallel universe where it's possible) in downtown, would the land prices go down? Then maybe we can actually build stuff there and not have barren parking lots?

Heck no. Uptown is doing just fine. Let it be.

You should have lived here a decade ago. Then you could truly understand "barren parking lots".

[InSouthPark]

I know this would surprise no one if were to happen. I think we should all roll his house if this ends up being true. 

 

His unfinished house on Sharon Ln? LOL

[CLTProductions]

In positive first ward news. Exterior renovation permit was issued for the dixies building. "Exterior restoration - paint removal and brick masonry tuckpointing"

[atlrvr]

Regarding Hal Marshall Center:

 

Last week, Mecklenburg County closed on its purchase of the former Charlotte School of Law building off of Wilkinson.  It will be moving everyone from the Hal Marshall center to this site over the coming months, and expanding the code enforcement department.

 

This will then allow the county to start marketing the Hal Marshall site.  Going out on a limb here, but thinking Levine is going to be very interested in taking down a couple more acres.  In seriousness, though, this is the crucial step for really getting the N Tryon corridor going.  I would hope the the County takes a look at the next set of cultural facilities, and decides to participate in a public-private venture to jump-start development on the block fronting Tryon.

[Niner National]

Regarding Hal Marshall Center:

 

Last week, Mecklenburg County closed on its purchase of the former Charlotte School of Law building off of Wilkinson.  It will be moving everyone from the Hal Marshall center to this site over the coming months, and expanding the code enforcement department.

 

This will then allow the county to start marketing the Hal Marshall site.  Going out on a limb here, but thinking Levine is going to be very interested in taking down a couple more acres.  In seriousness, though, this is the crucial step for really getting the N Tryon corridor going.  I would hope the the County takes a look at the next set of cultural facilities, and decides to participate in a public-private venture to jump-start development on the block fronting Tryon.

If he plans to bid on it, I hope the city blocks his bid honestly. He has been a detriment to First Ward development for years. Time to let someone else have a stab at revitalizing that part of uptown.

[dubone]

First, about Levine, it should be clear to everyone on this board that the rumor of him shying away from development is actually NOT a change.  He has always seemed to be willing to wait rather than competently executing on a development strategy.   If this new rumor/news means that he is going to cancel the projects that had been started (10th St Apartments and Canopy hotel), then it is a change, but he will have penalties related to paying taxes to offset the subsidies for the street and park build out.

 

 

 

About the Hal Marshall site, it is awesome news that the long held county plans to vacate the site and sell the land are moving forward.   Initially they were going to move to Freedom Mall, but it seems that over the 15y since these plans started, they have shifted slightly.    It is very much in Levine's sights to buy this land, and I believe he tried the last time this process was considered (I almost think it was a reason they stopped trying to sell it until the market came back).  

 

I just hope that the county is shrewd about their process and make sure that qualified buyers are those that will improve the land within a certain period of time.  Just look at what Grubb has done with a single block in this area, yet Levine has done literally nothing so far that has not been paid for by the public tax dollars.  

[almostnotfamous]

With Levine hiring a Chief Operating Officer (a new position), do you think it points to quicker development? The article in the recent Business Journal seems to make that suggestion.

[CLTProductions]

Found this in the permit approval comments for the old Dixies..."This project does not have any food/beverage prep, assembly, display or sales for staff or public."

 

Typical Levine and lack of vision. I started blowing them up on Twitter, because well, why not. Anyone want to join in the fun?

[nonillogical]

Found this in the permit approval comments for the old Dixies..."This project does not have any food/beverage prep, assembly, display or sales for staff or public."

 

Typical Levine and lack of vision. I started blowing them up on Twitter, because well, why not. Anyone want to join in the fun?

Didn't we already know this? I was complaining when I found out the project had gone from a very cool looking New Orleans-esque 2 story restaurant space to a (admittedly nice but also typical and ill-placed) loft office concept. I was surprised no one else seemed upset about it. 

[CLTProductions]

Didn't we already know this? I was complaining when I found out the project had gone from a very cool looking New Orleans-esque 2 story restaurant space to a (admittedly nice but also typical and ill-placed) loft office concept. I was surprised no one else seemed upset about it. 

Yeah we did know that, but I don't think it was officially confirmed that was the direction there going. I was definitely mad then, but I think seeing it be official really grinded my gears. I am hoping there is room to drive change, but I doubt it.