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Rufus
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Posts posted by Rufus
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While I don't live in Charlotte anymore, I know these stores have locations in the city, and I frequent them online and here in NYC: Bonobos and Marine Layer
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51 minutes ago, Temeteron said:
Actually the old Brahmin has been gobbled up by Louis Vuitton.
Good catch -- so maybe they move to the old Lacoste space. Similarly sized to their current space, and next to a complimentary retailer in Tommy John
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It actually turned out great. I had no idea how it would resemble the Bal Harbour center, but it pulls it off. I think the tenant mix is an interesting mix of big names and some really unique brands. I think this is a great test for the region on how much "luxury" can be sustained here. Saks and Nordstrom offer some, but not at this level. I'd be interested to see how this impacts the stock at those stores, and if anything comes from this.
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This just makes me want to go back in time to 2010 and tell the city to build Scaleybark and New Bern Stations larger and better and more connected. If this comes to fruition, these stations are going to be leveraged heavily.
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16 minutes ago, Temeteron said:
I have a feeling they may be making way for a big store (Zara) perhaps
Ok, so let's assume that is the case, and someone in the know can feel free correct me (I have no long tried to think how ZARA will fit in here, so this is a nerdy hobby), here's how this plays out:
1. Vince moves to its space near Belk
2. Lacoste moves towards Belk and expands.
3. Hugo Boss leaves its space for Chanel to come in.
4. Boss moves to the old Brahmin spot next to the remodeled LV
5. Zara finally comes in and takes the combined Arhaus and Vince spaces -- this assumes Arhaus leaves the mall, which is totally reasonable. This space is also much smaller than H&M, but larger than Aritzia.
** There is also the space in the Dillards wing that is currently occupied by LV during their remodel, but that could be where Arhaus goes.
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It's either BOSS or TravisMathew, both of which I haven't heard of struggling lately...but, I wonder if one of them is moving to the VINCE space just two stores down since they are apparently moving. I would say BOSS would be the one moving, but I don't have any insider knowledge to confirm.
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14 hours ago, KJHburg said:
Here is one tenant I want to leave North Hills area and anchor a tall building downtown that being First Citizens Bank. They need a better building reflecting their coast to coast operation and size as a top 20 bank.
Honestly I like this building...I still call it the BTI Building from way back when. The real egregious buildings are on the other side of Lassiter Mill -- the fugly round building and the old while building on Rowan. I know the building on Rowan has been sold for potential development, but the round one is there to stay for the future. There had been talk of an 8-story building behind it in the parking lot, but that was before 2008.
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Orvis is leaving Phillips Place for Strawberry Hill Shopping Center. This is a massive space, so I am assuming it will be split into multiple smaller units. Add in the two lingering vacant spaces, and Phillips Place could see some more new-to-market retailers as they continue their upscale transformation. Very intriguing.
Any nuggets of information from others?
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Would we consider BWI and IAD even though one is in Virginia?
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2 hours ago, Reverie39 said:
I noticed this big time in Chicago too with the outdoor elevated lines. Super ridiculously loud, almost had to cover my ears when one would go by.
This is because they are two different rail systems. Charlotte has Light Rail, which offers the ability to operate at street-grade, among other benefits. Chicago, London, Atlanta, New York all offer Rapid Transit and Heavy Rail. Someone else here has way more expertise in explaining the differences, but they are vastly different and light rail is the more popular of the two nowadays.
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37 minutes ago, Temeteron said:
Scotch and soda was brand new and didn’t have the following in the US as it did in Europe. People’s fashion (or lack of) in the U.S. especially in the south is very plain Jane. Yes it has changed over the past 20 years but it’s still not as loud and chic as other parts of the world. What I don’t understand is even “safe” brands like Ralph Lauren and Billy Reid didn’t last either. Doesn’t make sense to me.
To the Billy Reid instance -- I think it was ahead of its time here. If you look at their stores now, it's wild that Charlotte doesn't have a store anymore. Every comparable metro has a Billy Reid, basically. But, when they were here in 2006, it was so ahead of what Southpark even thought they could host, and I think the price points scared people off. Now, I think they would make a killing here, although I no longer see them fitting in at SP. Rather, Philips Place or South End could be viable.
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1 hour ago, turbocraig said:
Hadn’t seen this one. Let’s watch and see what happens…
https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article281034473.html
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia ranked no. 13 on the list, ahead of Las Vegas, Chicago and San Francisco. According to the study, the metro’s population jumped from 2,250,187 to 2,684,276 between 2010 and 2020, a 19.29% 10-year growth rate. The estimated population in 2100 could be 11.01 million people.
Take this with the tiniest grain of salt imaginable. This is essentially assuming equal growth rates for the next 70 years and I think we all know that isn't possible. Not saying Charlotte or others won't grow, but the rates given are not likely any time soon.
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5 hours ago, atlrvr said:
Also, looking like South Park is getting a Chanel boutique, though it's going into the current Hugo Boss space. Not sure if that means Hugo Boss is closing, or maybe moving down into the soon the soon to be vacant (slightly larger) Vince space.
I'd be surprised to see BOSS leave. They have been in major expansion mode the last couple of years and have returned to some relevance. Leaving a market like Charlotte doesn't make sense with their other actions. Then again, Scotch & Soda came and went very quickly, so crazy things do happen.
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16 hours ago, KJHburg said:
This is a great idea a pop up small slice of high end stores in containers coming to North Hills!
Bal Harbor Shops are super nice outdoor mall north of Miami Beach. It is so nice they charge to park at the mall! (unless validated)
Bal Harbour Shops Goes On Tour With Exclusive Traveling Luxury Pop-Up (forbes.com)
Tiffany & Co., luxury retail shops coming to Raleigh for pop-up event (wral.com)
Listen, this is a huge deal. Bal Harbor Shops are among the most exclusive shopping centers in the world. Their clientele is uber-wealthy. Whatever brands they bring will be amazing and exclusive. This is exciting to see since Raleigh doesn't really have a luxury market. The untapped potential is off the charts.
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28 minutes ago, CLT Development said:
if it were 35' x 35' I think we could make it work lol
I'm referring to the section above the parking deck entrance of the Gantt...just in case that clarifying point helps haha. And if not...damn
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1 hour ago, CLT Development said:
Unfortunatetly its larger than any single flat surface on the Mint Museum, so sadly we have to Pass.
That is WILD. I never noticed how large of an art piece it is. I wonder if it is larger than the blank wall on the new Duke building?
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On 10/6/2023 at 5:30 PM, Temeteron said:
Palmetto Moon and Pure have both closed at SouthPark (thank God). Also, Louis Vuitton is expanding again in its same spot. Seems like they are doing very well.
That opens two massive spaces in front of the "luxury" wing of Belk. This is a critical corridor IMO, and I would push to either move Chicos from the Nordstrom wing to one of the spaces, or go for a mid-luxury/upscale retailer not seen in Charlotte yet, like Club Monaco or Ted Baker. I would then take the old Chico's space, break it into two, put in Ferragamo and maybe something like Reformation. There are two smaller spots in the mall also open, and I would look at another jeweler like Breitling or IWC or Hublot.
As for LV...I'd see them push for what Nashville has with the addition of fragrance, timepieces/jewelry, and maybe some apparel.
Again, wild to think ZARA may be coming here and what the gymnastics will be to combine spaces.
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I would assume, rather unfortunately, that if Dundon is awarded a franchise, the stadium will go where PNC Arena is for just this reason. PNC is accessible to more than just Raleigh, which means it reaches into the communities that would benefit either side with their attendance. I would be surprised to see DTR with the stadium.
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1 hour ago, tozmervo said:Public universities should NOT be treated as, or act like, businesses, and it's a gross statement that we've let it get to this point. The betterment and education of society was never intended to be "but only if it lines someone's pockets."
Listen, I agree, but here in the age of research universities, it's about the haves and the have nots. UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Duke all spend billions to bring in billions. They build fancy lab buildings, plaster the names of billionaire philanthropists over them, take in millions of research funding, pay their revenue-generating sports millions, build fancy conference centers and hotels and dormitories, and all in the name of getting more in return. And it's not just those guys. It's all of higher education, from the liberal colleges of Williams, Amherst, Pomona, etc. to the major publics like Michigan, Texas, Cal, to the private of Harvard and Yale.
It's about brand. It's about getting people to fund them. And it's a nasty feedback loop. And you wonder why a place like Harvard, with an endowment of $50+ billion keeps begging as if they are destitute, doesn't offer admissions to a more diverse student body, or pay tax.
I am a big believer that state university systems do way more than the Ivy League. I love the fact that places like UNC Pembroke, Elizabeth City State, UC Merced, UT-Rio Grande, and SUNY Oneonta offer a large majority of the population their first chance at a college education. I think we should be throwing money at these institutions instead of funding the same ones over and over. I think that's why I love UNC Charlotte so much because I attended, and I know it's giving an opportunity to so many for the first time.
But the system sucks. It's broken -- big time. And it's not just North Carolina. It's the US and the world.
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19 minutes ago, Windsurfer said:
I gather tuition and housing will drop ... and , all the profs will receive raises as a result.
As Rufus said above, universities are indeed businesses.
Not to make this into any more of a banter, but the state budget did have money for raises for all UNC employees. I don't know the full extent, nor if it meets the needs, but just clarifying.
Again, I don't disagree with you, but I can understand the pressure the university is under to "compete" in the 21st Century.
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37 minutes ago, Windsurfer said:Thank God for folks like The Levines who actually donate to academics. Can't believe The State can cough up 25 million to match a football donation. That's really messed up.
I don't think that's entirely fair to call out the Bissell's like that. Since higher education is a business, as unfortunate as that may seem, it's imperative to continue driving money to the university in any way possible. Athletics is a marketing tool for the university. The better the athletics teams are, on the field and in terms of facilities, it looks good for the university. Now, do I always agree with that? No. But, I can't blame UNC Charlotte, nor the two state legislators who worked to secure this funding. They were only doing what other, more well-endowed (UNCCH & NCSU) universities do all the time. Not to mention the Bissell's have contributed so much already to the university outside of athletics. Also, it's their money to spend.
Not highlighted in the budget breakdown is that the university also got funds to renovate multiple buildings, and NCInnovation hub. Not to mention a precipitous rise in NSF research funding. So, it sounds like academics are also benefitting.
We are on the verge of really seeing the university take off.
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2 hours ago, AirNostrumMAD said:
However they measured it, Urban Charlotte has over 2x more land area than Denver but Denver was 85% more dense than Charlotte.
Though it must be ridiculously impossible to try to make a global dataset. A curiosity to me is for example Birmingham over Denver, LA so far above Paris & London. But it’s really good data and probably as good as it gets.
I think that is Birmingham, UK which is considerably larger than Birmingham, AL. That being said, Denver should be higher than both. Also, the Greater LA CSA usually includes Riverside and San Bernardino all the way out to Palm Springs, which has been topping close to 17m in recent estimates, which, while a shame, is considerably larger than both Paris and London (says something about density and the controlled growth compared to the US).
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I'll just be very honest here: if there is one project that I want to be successful, it is this one.
This, to me, has the potential to enhance so much of the urban fabric Uptown, far more (IMO) than a skyscraper can. This is a crucial project and I hate that I am talking about it like it is make or break, but in a way, it is.
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2 hours ago, dmccall said:The immediate vicinity for RFP B, though, is Commercial and Tourism use. It makes no sense to put residential there.
I would disagree. Sure, from a pure zoning and use perspective, Fayetteville Street has been the commercial center. But, I think what we are seeing, not just in Raleigh, but nationally, is a desire to beef up commercial districts with residential, and in fact, with the rise of hybrid working (regardless of how many companies continue to push for back to the office), I think it's even more valuable to put up residential in commercial districts. It's only within the last 15 years we have seen residential make such a push, and with PNC Plaza and Charter Square both having sizable residential with office, I think that makes sense here.
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Dilworth Projects (Kenilworth, Morehead, East)
in Charlotte
Posted · Edited by Rufus
Clarifying my location
Not to stray too far off topic here, but as someone who works in City government for another US City (NYC), I find the requirement to have an RFP that is open to the public and must show a competitive nature, while ultimately going for the cheapest option (in most cases) is one of the most annoying facets of developing public land. I can understand the context behind such endeavors, and this is likely my own sour grapes, but it is ridiculous the way these RFPs are usually created and evaluated and awarded. Most of you have no idea.
First it's the back and forth just to get the content of the RFP correct and safe from any misunderstandings. Secondly it's the approvals to get the RFP posted, which usually have certain lead times and require the use of multiple public outputs. Then you have to receive the responses, hoping that all of them meet the requirements both content-wise and then financially, as well as showing healthy business acumen. And it has to be open for a set amount of time, legally. Then you have to evaluate the ones you want to potentially award, and it all has to be done openly. You have to come to an internal agreement on the standards of measurement by which you evaluate, and make sure everyone understands that standard.
Then finally you get to award someone, but if the number of responses didn't meet the minimum required for the RFP, you usually have to start over. But say you get to award someone, well then you have to legally draft that award. And then it all has to be registered with the city's legal and business teams. And then...THEN...you get to discuss the terms of a legal agreement and process for development. This is usually at least 6months-1 year from when you released the RFP. And this back and forth takes years sometime, making the economics of the project increase. And what if another vendor has a problem and believes they were "left out" of the process? Well, that just means you either have to justify why you went with one vendor and make sure there are no holes so you don't have to release again.
It's an exhaustive, over-bureaucratic process. So it's no wonder the City is trying to avoid re-doing this.