[Ally Charlotte Center (f/k/a Tryon Place) - 26 floors - 427']

I'd say a corporate relocation or a big corporate lease of the office space is a must for this to work. If the rumors were true about the corp. relo some of us heard about last year, then there will be no problem getting this project running, including the condo's with all those high paying jobs moving down here. I hope it happens, it would be huge to broaden our economy.

Whats the deal with the land? Trumps never actually bought it did they? And would this info have to be public, or could it have happened with screens in front to keep it quiet?

It would have been extremely difficult for it to be kept quiet if a transaction would have takent place but they never purchased the land. The site is currently owned by Crescent Resources and Trump no longer has an option on it. Crescent could possibly end up developing it themselves or it might end up in the hands of another developer. If or when Trump does do doing something in Charlotte, I doubt it will be at this site.

[North End Projects - Camp NorthEnd, Lockwood, Greenville, Double Oaks]

^Given they have already cooked up another nonsensical trendy name "North End" I don't know. It sounds more like a developer that found some relatively cheap land, wants to throw up a cheaply built condo project just so he can make his bucks as fast as possible. I don't see anything about this project to like and if it was located, say in the University area, it would be derided by most here as another cookie cutter mess. It's bland, boring and typical Charlotte.

Aside from that, the powers to be have decided this area will only be served by buses and cars for the forseeable future and it is too far away from downtown to benefit from it's proximity. It could go either way.

Although I do also question the name of this project and potential name of this corridor, I do believe that this product is the perfect opportunity for the "suburbanite" who has never experienced living in or near the center city, but has heard all the great things and wants to experience living in an urban setting, the opportunity to experience an urban lifestyle; while at the same time purchasing a product (1400+ sf condos or 1800+ sf townhomes) at the same price per square foot they are use to paying in "suburbia". Charlotte's center city is evolving and has only began to offer a "real" urban lifestyle over the past 5 years. This project gives people options in housing types at the urban core of the city.

Saussy Burbank is the builder for the residentail portion of this project. They have a great track record and from what I have seen from them they build good residential single family homes and townhomes(e.i. Garden District Row on 8th Street). Any project that aims to bring life back to a abandoned and run-down corridor can't be viewed as a cookie cutter project.

[North End Projects - Camp NorthEnd, Lockwood, Greenville, Double Oaks]

Historically this area nose-dived when they built I-77 and the Brookshire freeway in the late 60s early 70s, which effectively cut it off from downtown. During this period there was also some pockets of urban renewal of the scorched earth type that didn't help. It should be noted however that when this was going on this section of town was more lively than South End which in the late 70s was littered with porno shops, massage parlors and boarded up buildings.

There is a definite bias in Charlotte against any areas that are not in the direction of SE Charlotte and the areas North of the city still suffer from this stigma which has a lot to do with why it has been ignored so long. It's similar to why gentrification has been going on in Noda for 2+ decades now without a lot of progress and why Plaza-Midwood is often referred to as the poor man's Dilworth.

That being said, do you think this area can make a comeback? Do you believe a project like North End Square (www.northendsquarecondos.com) can serve as a catalyst or will this area still go unoticed?

[North End Projects - Camp NorthEnd, Lockwood, Greenville, Double Oaks]

Some movement on the NorthEnd Square site...They have staked out areas all over the ground. I hope this means good things to come.

Construction is scheduled to begin 3rd quarter 08'.

[North End Projects - Camp NorthEnd, Lockwood, Greenville, Double Oaks]

My feelings are I agree, I think it will be a solid project, I hope it moves forward sooner than later. To boot, I hope it somehow leads to the removal, improvement or demolition of the apartment complex right behind it.

The apartment complex is owned by a group out of Tennessee. The developer of the North End Square project has been in conversation with this group but they have not come to any terms at this point.

On the other side of the site, across Stateville Avenue is the Rite-Aid and Hercules business park sites. The 22 acre Hercules parcel has been acquired by a local group and should be unveiling plans in the near future. The same group is aggressively pursuing the 35 acre Rite-Aid parcel. This deal was delayed due to the acquisition of Eckerd by Rite-Aid. Plans for both sites are expected to be mixed-use with the majority being retail.

[North End Projects - Camp NorthEnd, Lockwood, Greenville, Double Oaks]

Admin's note: preceding quoted post removed

I attended an event last night for North End Square Condominiums on Statesville Avenue (www.northendsqareconds.com). Does anyone have any feelings about this development? From what I hear is taking place on this corridor and to be only a mile and a half from uptown this seems like it will be solid project.