A2

What is going up directly accross from Piedmont Town Center? It is right in the middle of the "main" office hub of SouthPark off of Fairview (Two Blocks East of the Fairview Towers). I think a bank branch used to occupy the space, but it is now gone and there is serious grading and construction going on. It almost looks like it is prep work for another office tower. Any clues??? A2

I would assume none. Both The Avenue and the Wachovia project are being done right above pedestrians heads and no incidents. In an Urban environment buildings have to be built in tight spots with people all around. This project will probably open as planned (Epicenter and the Hotel) and then work will just continue on 210 trade. A2

tick-toc, tick-toc, tick-toc, tick-toc, tick-toc, tick-toc Enough already, lets get some dirt movin' people!!! A2

I am asking the same question. I went by on my way to the PitaPit (Mmm Yummy), and saw more digging on the site. It just seems moronic to continue to dig a hole that will eventually be filled with ruble from the parking garage once it is brought down. Why not just stop digging bring the thing down and start from scratch. It is a total wasted effort and a lack of forsight to see the money being used up in further escavation if all along it will have to be dug right back up. A2

It is sad really, since only one land holder (Levine) would make up nearly half of those lots left by 2012 when all would be built. A2

Well, unfortunately April 1st has come and gone and still no groundbreaking . Any takers on when we will see dirt turn??? A2

I concur with your post D. A2

I hope they were just keeping if from the public. If not, than suffice it to say, I am not to confident in the engineers of the BofA project. Kind of scary actually. A2

I concur. Most of the bankers probably live in South Charlotte, Myers Park, or perhaps up 77. Not that there are not people living in South End and further down South Blvd that are in the BofA complex, but my guess would be that it is such a piss ant amount of people that in the end there would only be a slight increase in ridership (if any), from the lack of a deck. A2

The prices are extrememly competitive, BUT is it not true that 20 untis are being reserved for the former residenets that once lived at the Piedmont Housing Project? I guess I am all for "mixed income", but my concern is that if they fill a large percentage of the units with former residents, then there might be en element of crime to contend with. (unless there is a rigorous screening pf potential residents, which there very well could be) Quote: Gallman said about 20 of Grubb's planned townhomes will be reserved as affordable units and will include levels of assistance that potentially would allow qualified former residents to seek purchase. There are only 50 units available in all. That means that 40 percent of the project will be occupied by former residents. Now maybe they are ideal residents and they have been pre-screened as I mentioned above, but that is a ton of units to offer to residents basically getting in for next to nothing. PLUS: The Housing Authority plans about 920 housing units in the immediate area, including about 100 apartments for seniors. The 23-acre site will accommodate 204 rental apartments and about 160 for-sale units. A condo project is in the planning stages. Now don't get me wrong I think the First Ward model has been a success story, but when we have nearly a THOUSAND units planned to be funded by the gov't, and only a small percentage of the entire project left open for investors or people seeking outright home ownership, one has to question if that is really an area that you want to invest in. (or for that matter live near). The way that I understand (if I am reading correctly), is that almost the whole project is planned for lower income residents. I am curious as to what percentage of the First Ward Master plan was left open to lower income versus market rate homes??Does anyone know off the top of their head??? A2

Wouldn't the engineers have been smart enough to know whether or not a Parking deck structure was sound enough to carry the weight of an office tower before initial digging began??? I guess why I ask this, is becuase it almost seems ridiculous for the development team to have "just" figured out that the parking deck could not support another structure. If they are just now getting around to figuring out the structural integrity on the parking deck, should we really feel confident in their ability to erect a 32 story High Rise and luxury Hotel. I would feel real concerned occupying a structure erected by a group of people who could not figure out if a deck needed to first be imploded, or just be used in the total project. Kind of makes me concerned with who is building these massive projects and high rises. (Was this the plan all along, and we are just now finding out???) A2

It definately is. Soil samles were being taken from the site today. Ba-ba-ba-ba-Booooooooya, Baby!!!! A2

Welcome to UP 28209. Glad you could stumble into the site. A2

Hmmmm, would that mean that there are already renderings of what this possibly would look like??? A2

Hey what wrong with being orgasmic? A2

Did anyone go the the neighborhood meeting tonight at the Marriett SouthPark? It was the meeting regarding the proposed Ghazi condo tower near Fairview Road.... According to some articles I have read and a brief blurb on the news, several neighborhoods are in oposition to it being built. I am not sure really why it would be such a big deal for these neighborhoods considering there are already towers lining Fairview that are about as tall as the proposed tower. It is not like Ghazi is building it off of the main drag. A2

^^^It might not have had those specific taxes, but the overall cost of living and property taxes are two fold that of Charlotte. In all honesty a dippy little half cent sales tax is not worth the debate. Charlotte is VERY affordable. Just ask any that have moved here from up North. This idea of Gov't waste will always be around, but the hard facts are that without a revenue stream CATS would have dire consequences. No operating budget would strangle the whole system, and not just the Light Rail. I am not going to go into a tax debate as this is not the thread for it, but just know that many would kill to have the cost of living, mild weather, and great businss climate that Charlotte offers. Trump sure seems to think so A2

Just to ask, does anyone out there know the time table of this future development, IF it were to happen??? I still have fears of a general slow down in the overall economy (not just housing) and could see that being a real head wind to pulling something like this off. I also concur with atlrvr. This is a LOT of space, and would need demand to justify it. Since the banks are doing their own thing, it seems unlikely that any local company would have interest. I have to believe something is brewing outside of CLT to conjur up such a project. I think a smaller spec tower + hotel/condos would work, even without a tenant, but Trump does not do things half ass, so my assumption is that something is cooking, since the overall development is on a MUCH larger scale. A2

True. Let's keep transit alive, so A2 can enjoy the vistas . I truly want Charlotte to blossom, but with misled bufoons running the show it is anyones guess how things will turn out. FWIW, I am getting the word out in the corporate community about the shear ignorance of the half cent tax repeal. Everyone that I have come in contact with has told me they agree with the stupidity behind it. THIS IS GOOD NEWS! People in corporate and smart politicians KNOW that to repeal the transit tax would put a death nail in a lot of Charlotte development and its success overall as a city. A2

Can you guys just imagine the view of the future skyline of Charlotte if this takes place! I can't friggin wait! The drive around 277 will be un-friggin-believable! A2

Damn NVQ, again with those riddles! I have to admit you are one of the craftiest posters I have ever seen. Keep it coming. Great info and very entertaining! A2

That is some good news. I was not wanting to excavte the site forever like the WB project. I thought they were digging to China on that one. It took almost a full year of JUST excavation work. A2

I like the fascade. It meshes well with the Midtown/Elizabeth neighborhood. It will definately be a transition tower entering into Uptown, and will have appeal on all levels for potential buyers. Thx for the Update atlrvr! A2

Beautiful!!! Just what kind of development Charlotte needs in its inner ring neighborhoods. I would love to see this type of development down South Blvd supporting the rail line. A2