Andyc545

I believe I posted and discussed this in the initial thread.

Since I included Northlake and N. Meck in this topic, I'll post this here... http://www.charlotte.com/274/story/629448.html Is this Northlake's first steps to making a pedestrian friendly, urbanized area? What do you all think of these ideas and proposals. I know what some will say- that Northlake is already doomed from the mall and lack of connectivity by foot, but thinking beyond, how do you all feel about the concept and is 200 acres too much land to do this in the efficient manner that it wants to (building upwards)?

This is great news. 1) It shows the demand for light rail is increasing and being used on off commute days and during non-event times at the arena. 2) Those 20 to 30 minute peaks seemed forever for a wait if you missed a train due to delays getting tickets. The 5 to 10 minutes is a huge difference when standing around waiting for a train. 3) This is an effect of our great ridership numbers as well as change in mentality of Charlotteans, switching from wasting gas in their car to jumping onto mass transit as a more efficient, cost effective, and enviornmentally friendly means of getting to uptown and surrounding areas.

I don't fly much either, but finally I can contribute to this thread with my observations from my leave Mon/arrival Tonight (Thurs). First, that whole first floor arrival, bathrooms, and tubed-tv's is so needed in a rehaul, which I know is coming- thank God. 4th runway, I caught a similar glimpse as Neo, but I can contend with runway construction when I got to follow my father, who worked on the engineering of a runway years ago. Not so sure that it takes a full year for the first layer or asphault to settle, but yes- there is a multi-layer approach that requires some extreme settling times. We are dealing with some heavy airplanes and high traffic with runways/taxiways that need to last years. If I'm not mistaken, the asphault pouring wasn't suppose to begin until next Spring 2009, however I hear that they are ahead of schedule. Last, mass transportation to the airplane is going to be critical for its connectivity to the rest of the 2030 plan. A streetcar system would be nice, but I get this instinct that light rail would have been an enourmous means of going about to connecting it, due to its speed, recognition for a magnitude of airport users, and capacity. I was amazed hearing the number of people getting of the planes trying to get to center city for so many number of reasons. although I believe the race may have something to do with it. Either way, I love where this city is going, transportation wise. Also- the Char-Meck website for the airport has receieved it's much needed update, if it hasn't yet been mentioned.

The problem with Hydrogen technology is that it is still too new in testing and perfecting to be effectively used, all proportionally to what is already available. Also, it's cost ratio is still not feasible to its performance. I think it will be a few good years and a few more research dollars to have more effective hydrogen systems that are solely dependent on hydrogen and oxygen, opposed to more multi-tech systems such as the Hybrids we are seeing in cars. Still today, the most effective and logical system is direct electrical line connection, like the light rail and streetcar system both effectively use. Honestly, for the type of inner-city transportation that is being proposed in the 2030 plan, I don't see much use that hydrogen technology would ever need to be needed or used over electrical lines, except in the bus system where overhead lines are just not an option. I'm very excited to see the support for the streetcar system, though. It would be a wonderful thing if we could have the NE LRT, N Commuter, and streetcar lines all simultaneously go into development for our city. Even at the expense of another 1/2 cent tax increase or other funding methods, I think this will be the key to the future success of our city. Being in a total-auto oriented city for the past few days, I have an even greater appreciation for what the light rail and expansive bus system that CATs has made available . Now let's cross our fingers on the what the feds will have to offer coming up in November in regards to federal funding to make these 2030 dreams come with more ease and possibly become even more expansive.

Are you referring to the lack of activity since the Wachovia Championship? This is a major project whether all goes well or not with it. We aren't going to hear everything immediately. This is going to be dragged for the next few years like every other project, if not longer given it's magnitude. Trump has something to do with this, there are way too many legalities for some other company to take the project from there. The only exception is the mentionable projects where Trump sold his name. This was already confirmed that Trump Jr. would be involved with this project.

I did a little more digging around: 1/2 acre Courtyard and salt water pool; 2 story gym with rock climbing wall; large screen in court yard for movie watching with outdoor seating; 2nd pool on roof. Leasing center and retail parcels will front Trade. 600 to 1300 sq ft and rent at $900 to $2000/mon 7-story parking deck = 560 parking spaces Architect: The Housing Studio

I like the roof. It would have been nice for a restoration of Polk Building or a high rise, like said. The ground floor retail will be critical, though, to making it more inviting for people walking between gateway and the rest of uptown.

Yes- this will be an upgrade and replacement to the library branch that is on Harris Blvd across from Grubb's development next to CMC. It's not a huge move, for those not familiar with the area, but it would place this in a soon to be very walkable area that is feet from the proposed University City station. The upgrades that are coming either before or with the LYNX line construction includes an access road from the UNCC campus Research Institute to the CMC-University hospital, and also includes a connection of JW Clay Blvd where it currently runs into Tryon. This is on the University City master plan on updated zoning plans.

Will there be any need for upgrades for added storage space at the LYNX facility with the addition of the 4 trains? I'd be curious the capacity this can endure. Also, will this be the same storage facility that the NE Line will utilize? Questions just crossed my mind from Neo's question.

I'm not trying to argue this at all and I'm not even sure if this is a fair comparison, but I will for the hell of it throw it out there; Using Royal Court as an example and their Dilworth vs. Uptown view pricing, Floor 9, 2 bed 2 bath, and similar sq footage this is the price difference for what view you have: Uptown Side- $505,500, Dilworth Side- $380,500 (20 sq ft bigger). It is about a 25% premium in this care. Needless to say, I don't think that something being built that may block a view that you may or may not have had is justifiable. If this were the case, there are thousands of properties that are constantly going to be pissed by new buildings going up. A lot of Dilworth is in this boat, residential behind Metropolitian, views will be lost when the new parcels are built up. I think this has been beaten enough... http://www.royalcourtcondos.com/level9.html

"Expansive ceilings UP TO 20 feet". I'm assuming only that this may be penthouses and some of the more expensive units. Maybe some of the mid ranged units will have something like 14 foot ceilings, then 10 foot for the lower end. I guess the point I was trying to get is that I don't believe we can use a formula and say that all 50 stories are 10 foot, or 50 x 10 = 500 foot tower + any concrete flooring which was described at approx 12 inches, 50 = another 50 feet = 550 foot tower. Looks like the 600 to 650 foot tower may be more accurate.

I noticed when reading one of the University City area plan presentations that there are plans to relocate UC Library branch on WT Harris onto Tryon between the Charlotte Research Campus at UNCC and CMC-University, right off of the University City Light Rail station. This is in part to some other road improvements that connects UNCC and Hospital. I was very happy when seeing a library located on the light rail so I thought it was worth posting.

FWIW- I have the hard copy sales guide in front of me and the residences are listed as having expansive ceilings up to 20 feet high...

I respectfully would have to disagree with this. How does Charlotte lacking a "bustling hip vibe" have to do with it being ranked as a large city or medium city? Actually, I've had a lot of people visit and Charlotte is the opposite of this. The amenities it offers to make it qualify as this statement are beyond the regular perception, and developers are taking note around the US, bringing recognizable nightlife that is on a level that some of the most famous cities for nightlife are seeing. I don't want to get into it anymore, but I question the ranking of the city, myself. I've heard it recognized as a mid to large city, which I think more accurately describes it. Certainly we aren't as large as Chicago, NYC, and Miami, but when a lot of different stats are looked at, like airport size and number of passengers traveling through, headquarter operations and investments, $ capital, our ranks in the banking industry, accreditations to the housing market, growth percentages and population changes, urbanized plans for development, and overall potential, Charlotte is much more than it is often perceived by the national media. Idea taken from another thread, but Atlanta will always be king of the south and Charlotte will be the queen city... In the coming years, this will become more apparent to the media.

I used to work out here, and it's more unbelievable that this project is taking place considering how suburbia all of the exisiting office towers already are... I just noticed it, but I like how they appointed little "districts" in the project. It's almost like it's own little downtown, with a retail district and town square.

Not only that, but this should be where the grocery store is located (bottom of the parking deck).

Nicely rounded up. Couldn't agree with you anymore. The investments that have already been made on S. Tryon at this point is astonishing with Wachovia's massive multi-building complex and Trump would just be mind boggling. A lot has happened in a small 3 or so days, and I believe there may be some more stuff leaking or expressed since it looks like at least Trump Jr is here (who should be the one over this project) for the Wachovia Championship. It's important to recognize what buildings are true Trump investments, because that is what this project will be. The projects that bought the Trump name actually required no investment from Trump himself and actually made money (I had the exact amounts somewhere) just for having his name on the project, which was suppose to be more tempting for those looking to buy into it. Trump can get the money for this if he wants, and they have certainly at least expressed interest into the Charlotte market long-term, so I don't see why this project would be unrealistic at this point. Probably 2 years ago this would have been laughed at, especially a 70+ story tower, but Charlotte's grown up a lot these last years. I think, also, that the big contingency is whether a large amount of the office space can be sold, likely from a large relocation or corporate hq relocation, which would bring the high paying jobs that can afford the condos. It should be noted that the only ultra-lux condo project that will be available on the market in the coming years is Encore, and that is only 20 units. Also the hotel portion would likely be 5-star, which Charlotte currently does not have, although the Ritz, going up now, will be the first. This hotel would serve more for the Wachovia high paid travelers, and would have the luxury of the convention center across the street (OK- so I pushed that one with the HofF). Maybe I'm just very optimistic because I'm excited about the project in all, and these towers have become some of my favorites already, but I truly think there is more realism in this working then one would have previously imagined.

Thought I'd post this find, Carson Station view:

The small tower is 40 stories- that is the office tower. The 70 or 72 stories was counted on the larger tower.

We've got an updated website with more of everything! http://www.trumpcharlotte.com/ I just love the view of the tower on the residential page, with those angled roofs that are L shaped. What a crazy tower. And the specs: 40 story tower: Office, retail, full floor restaurant Tower two: Hotel, residential, conference floor, roof garden/terrace (hopefully this could become public observation deck), Sky Lobby

Hmm- my guess would be tall tower all office, minus the bottom floors for retail. 2nd tower, bottom more retail, bottom portion hotel, and the very top for condos. Office space is in demand, hotel space is in demand, especially with the NASCAR HofF and Wachovia attractions being so close by, presumably, and although the condo market is iffy- I think there is more possibility of him pulling it off for the following reasons- 1) Timing- it'll be a few years before this would even be completed, assuming planning started this year. 2) If there is a large company relocating to Charlotte and moving to his office tower (which keep in mind would be expensive per sq ft, and also possibly be large with 70 + stories of space), that would likely mean a lot of wealthy individuals looking to move here also, in add't to any left overs from One Charlotte. I think there will be a stronger demand for ultra-wealth living here seeing the way that Charlotte is so quickly growing to be an arguable world-class city.

OK- so I was playing around and I taped into the Catalyst website. Click the links I post to see some of the pages, because you can't access them from any of the regular pages that are on their webpage yet. http://www.catalystcharlotte.com/views.html http://www.catalystcharlotte.com/neighborhood.html Maybe this indicates that they are getting ready to get the rest of the site up and start advertising for these units. Hopefully, because they only have 3 1/2 more floors before they are topped out...

Not positive, but it looks like they have put up the pedestrian scaffolding over the sidewalk along Founders Hall. You can see it in the 210 Webcam if that is in fact what that is.

There's a lot more going behind our back then what we have seen through a Wachovia Championship flyer and a Trump sponsored website. I'm sure he has some land in mind and I'm sure the city is already working with him. Usually contracts are signed to keep your mouth quiet about projects like this, so I'm sure there is more known and more concrete facts and ideas, it just hasn't made it to public information yet.