The Vue

[Norm2]

hell the closet would be my bedroom LOL!

[dubone]

hell the closet would be my bedroom LOL!

are you saying you like to hide in millionaire's closets?

[atlrvr]

Just to throw this out there since I had nothing better to do at work today then play.

In regards to The Vue being priced similar to NYC condos.....I did a little shopping comparison. I think the Mandarin Oriental offers similar ammenities, fit and finish, in a new tall glass tower with.....a 1,595 sq. ft. 2 BR there starts at $4.2M as opposed to I think about $900k as was quoted by someone who shopped The Vue....and a 3,800 sq. ft. Penthouse starts at $14M at the M.O. as compared to $3M-$4M here......

It still seems like we are about 4 times cheaper here than Manhattan for comparable product across the entire spectrum of quality......not too shabby considering our wages are about 40-50% of theirs.

Edited September 26, 2005 by atlrvr

[UrbanCharlotte]

Anyone think the Vue will sell out before it starts construction. Think this might make sales at the Epicentre a little slower?

[Norm2]

I honestly dont think that it will sell out before construction, but I do think that at least half of it will be sold.

[acog2005]

I honestly dont think that it will sell out before construction, but I do think that at least half of it will be sold.

i agree. i except half ~150-200 units will be sold prior to breaking ground. i think the entire 400 units (at these prices) will take a little more time (i.e. seeing this building going up will help finish the sales).

[turbocraig]

Some nice folks from The Vue gave a presentation at the FOFW meeting last night. Basically an informal rap session giving info on the project and taking in feedback from the neighborhood. Nothing really new that hasn't already been posted here. The main concern of the residents was the limited visitor parking. The Vue people seemed to get the message as probably 50% of the dialogue focused on that. I think they'll likely increase whatever visitor parking they had initially planned for.

But... the most interesting stuff came not from the Vue people, but from a guy that was sitting at my table. He's the 4W representative that sits on the Historic District Council (basically our neighborhood's voice) and has had lots of interaction/input with the developers. He brought a Vue binder that they had given him previously that had 12-15 color pictures that showed the building from all angles in both day and night. It was unbelievable. I, like most people here, was uber-excited about this project before, but after seeing so many more renderings that I hadn't seen, I can tell you this is going to be freaking phenominal. I sooo wanted to steal that damn binder. I've not been to the sales center, so maybe they have those additonal renderings there too, I don't know. Sorry there's not more 'news' to report, but for me anyway, it was something to get even more excited about.

[dubone]

that is pretty cool. i wonder if they'll increase the size of the parking deck as a result.

there are some additional renderings at the sales center, which lets you see the building's base close up and a few other angles and times of day. it really does make this project seem more 'real' and helps you imagine just how it will look in that neighborhood.

[atlrvr]

Was there any talk about the exterior lobby entrance? I had heard that Lynn and others had wanted it clad in brick instead of marble.....I hope someone slapped some sense into them.

[dubone]

the sales rep told us that decision with the neighborhood was to put brick on the deck and the other sides, and the marble would remain at the entrance.

[atlrvr]

sweet......that marble entrance is the classiest looking one in the city

[turbocraig]

Yes, they said they got a lot of feedback about what the bottom 3 floors would look like from the man-on-the-street perspective from the Historic District Council. There will be brick on two sides, I think... probably the ones that would abutt the firehouse museum. They were clear that even now, things are still conceptual and subject to revision. The parking deck, oddly, seemed open and unadorned. I think that's the side that faces HT, but it was hard to tell from the rendering, I could be wrong. The main entrance and part of the corner that wraps around to the parking deck side was brown marble and lots of glass. It looked to be about 3 stories high. I think that's what they're going to use. The Vue's construction guy was pretty clear about that specific design element and how important it was for the lobby/entrance's impact. Lynn stood by smiling silently, and usually he'll throw in an objection if he has one. I guess that's a good sign.

They've also purchased NC pottery art (maybe $100K worth... I can't remember the figure, but that sticks out) for the initial lobby art display. It'll rotate and feature works by local artists.

[dubone]

the lobby entrance faces Pine and the teeter. The deck faces cityview and 5th. in the closeup/streetlevel rendering at the sales office, you are right, the deck looked really plainjane.... (MC says it is almost as bad as the holidayinn/trade center deck... but no way imo.) It is basically just open with a 4' tall brick wall on every floor to hide the cars.

[turbocraig]

^That's funny about MC's Holiday Inn deck comparison. When I first saw that rendering, that HI deck immediately sprung to mind.

[hueion39]

the lobby entrance faces Pine and the teeter. The deck faces cityview and 5th. in the closeup/streetlevel rendering at the sales office, you are right, the deck looked really plainjane.... (MC says it is almost as bad as the holidayinn/trade center deck... but no way imo.) It is basically just open with a 4' tall brick wall on every floor to hide the cars.

Will there be first level retail in the deck... ala, Stool Pigeons?

[dubone]

i don't remember seeing retail like that, although there is supposedly retail on the ground floor facing pine. i might be wrong, though, as i wasn't paying close attention to that aspect when i saw the rendering.

turbo... did you happen to see in the renderings whether that older streetfront building just next to the old firehouse is remaining? i have heard reports both that it would stay and that it would go.

[turbocraig]

They didn't indicate exactly where on the first level the retail would be, but they wanted to reassure everyone that the retail would fit the total building concept and are being very selective about what they allow in those spaces. They also want to ensure that whatever goes in there serves primarily the residents and does not generate a lot of automobile traffic.

[dubone]

the first floor street retail at 715 N church, Cityview Lofts in First Ward, and a few others must be examples of trying to avoid automobile traffic, as they have sat empty for a long long time .

[turbocraig]

i don't remember seeing retail like that, although there is supposedly retail on the ground floor facing pine. i might be wrong, though, as i wasn't paying close attention to that aspect when i saw the rendering.

turbo... did you happen to see in the renderings whether that older streetfront building just next to the old firehouse is remaining? i have heard reports both that it would stay and that it would go.

The guy from that was on the Historic board said that they had given them 'tentative approval' to demolish that structure. I think he said it was an old auto dealership years ago. He said that 4W got burned when the HDC gave approval for the demolition of the Polk building when they thought that J&W was going to put it's business school there. Now that fell through and the demolition order still stands. Who knows what'll happen to that site now.

He said that the old dealership, under the contract with the Vue, cannot be demolished until the Vue actually breaks ground. The last thing they want is to tear that building down and then the Vue falls through for whatever reason. So, to answer your question the long way around, yes... if the Vue goes forward, that building will come down.

the first floor street retail at 715 N church, Cityview Lofts in First Ward, and a few others must be examples of trying to avoid automobile traffic, as they have sat empty for a long long time .

Yeah, but they don't have 750-900 customvers living directly above them, so hopefully that won't be the case here.

[dubone]

good point on the retail (plus, being across from teeter will likely mean that the retail will be filled because of some trip-consolidation or whatever that is called in the retail industry.).

maybe not the right thread... but is that the same guy who gave the permission to tear down the 2 old W Trade buildings that eventually became the parking lot for cityview towers? two thumbs down on that decision.

[turbocraig]

good point on the retail (plus, being across from teeter will likely mean that the retail will be filled because of some trip-consolidation or whatever that is called in the retail industry.).

maybe not the right thread... but is that the same guy who gave the permission to tear down the 2 old W Trade buildings that eventually became the parking lot for cityview towers? two thumbs down on that decision.

Not sure about whomever Ok'd the West Trade teardowns, but yeah.. that did suck. I loved that old bus terminal with the 40's curved glass-brick architecture.

[sleightofhand]

The retail space will be on 5th street not Pine.

[A2]

Just so everyone knows, the 8 story addition to the Vue's height was confirmed by the CBJ today. An 8 story add-on is definately a real possibility due to strong sales, pushing this beautiful building close to 60 floors. Yeah baby ! B)

A2

Edited September 30, 2005 by A219724

[monsoon]

That is a bit amazing considering their prices. I wonder how that will change the look of the building considering the current proportioning.

[A2]

Great question MB. I doubt there will be any material change to the structure itself. If I had my guess they will add the additional floors to the bottom of the structure and leave the set-back where it is currently for the top floors. I am still perplexed about how they are pulling this off. Their must be a ton of rich folk in CLT.

A2

Edited September 30, 2005 by A219724