Urban Cowboy

August 4, 2023

Don't trash Jacksonville.

Downtown has always been sleepy and the burbs are truly uninspiring. But spend time in Avondale, Riverside, or Ortega. Five Points, Murray Hill or San Marco. See the potential in Springfield. The community in Neptune, Atlantic, and Jax Beach. Golf of Ponte Vedra. The beauty of Hugenot, Little Talbot, or the St. Johns. The marshes of the Timucuan. The shrimp in Mayport. I could go on... but Jacksonville has culture, food, and frankly way more to do than Charlotte - simply because of its rivers, marshes, and beaches. The downtown sucks but I can assure its not the defining feature of Jacksonville - and if you spent any time there you would quickly enjoy what it does have to offer. The shipyards and brooklyn areas are both hopefully going to be catalysts for downtown. And if they ever get their act together Jacksonville's downtown has the opportunity to be incredible, and the area is a unique blend of deep south and Florida - with french, english, and spanish influence. Does it compare to Charlotte? No. But jokes about pulp mills and mildew smells are about as out-of-date and lazy as they come.

Also - It's home to YOUR next super bowl champions, THE Jacksonville Jaguars. DUUUUUUUVAAAALLLLL!

August 11, 2022

4 hours ago, B Randy said:

Social media definitely not the place for thoughtful or informed insight into development

Agreed...

jasonthomasclt "wishes they'd just be honest. Just say in an effort to generate more revenue." If we're being honest, how can someone self-described as an informed urbanist be against this move? Seems like it could encourage blue line ridership and is clearly aimed at preventing people from ordering a coffee and hogging a table for 3 hours. I see no problems with it.

Limiting comments limits knee jerk reactions from uninformed users who don't own businesses and don't have to think about revenue/access to their businesses. Parking is an issue there and this should help stimulate turnover and open up spots. FREE 90 minute parking to visit a food hall? Count me in. You mean I can't leave my car there for 7 hours for free?? I'm sure some savvy people were using the OH lots as park and rides for commuting into uptown. Did jasonthomasclt consider that? It's not all about greed...Why choose the path of bashing a local business and destination if you're in a position of "influence?"

June 20, 2022

On 6/17/2022 at 7:44 PM, AirNostrumMAD said:

Jason Thomas is an urban development/planning columnist/journalist.

Is he really though? He posts personal opinions on his instagram. I seem to recall a couple of stories he wrote for the Agenda YEARS ago. Not sure either qualification makes someone a planning columnist or journalist. I think he works for a bank if I recall correctly and blogs about development announcements. Does he have a social following? Yes. Does he post about what developers are doing? Yes. Does he want you to know that he's "in the know" with his teaser stories? Yes. Does he draft or influence policy or development decisions? No. He seems to be a development nerd who likes the attention, frankly. I appreciate a lot of his takes, but he comes off as bratty a lot of times too - as if any of these developers care what he thinks. I think he's done a good job at making more regular citizens pay attention to development in Charlotte. Which is very important and I'll give him credit there. But I've seen him troll people on instagram and then delete entire comment threads before. A journalist wouldn't do that. My understanding is that underwriting drives a lot of the decisions when it comes to inclusion of retail. Do I think being vocal about the lack of retail helps? Sure. But we're not the ones writing the checks. I personally look to CLTDevelopment for announcements and opinions because I appreciate his professionalism, credibility, and consideration.

June 4, 2022

2 hours ago, krazeeboi said:

I'm pretty sure all the NC'ers that flood coastal SC every summer and the countless NC-based companies dependent on the port of Charleston would beg to differ.

Seriously though, you think such an attitude is good for the region?

No. But just so EVERYONE is clear, “Carolina” is in Chapel Hill.

June 3, 2022

Lotta armchair quarterbacks in here! I will reiterate my opinion. I have gained immeasurable respect for David Tepper for sticking it to South Carolina. He has the money. He has the attitude. And he proved he has the balls. The bankruptcy move for a shell company is just smart business. If people view him negatively then I can't imagine they understand the full picture here and what transpired. It's not like Tepper entered into a $800 million project with the intent of bowing out. He's losing money here, too. But he's so rich that he'd rather lose some, and stick it to SC for A. Not holding up their end & B. Stupid politicians running their mouths. He hasn't said much, but you know he's fuming. His actions are speaking LOUDER than words.

Why is he a bad owner? Why do people think this? Because they are lazy and repeat what they read and hear from uninformed palmetto staters? Last I checked he's not Jerry Richardson'ing female execs. Is that a better alternative? Do we want a good ole boy who's willing to make it work, even if others aren't holding up their end? This is Charlotte and this IS the NEW SOUTH. And as Billy Joel never sang, despite what you may have heard, there's no funny money here. Tepper is clearly not happy with mediocrity on the field - so he's making moves while also trying to trust the process. He'll figure out - just give him time. I'd rather have a passionate and invested owner than the alternative. Years from now, after the border war is done. Historians will look back and wonder who fired first? Tepper or SC?

Tepper is becoming a true North Carolinian. Hating South Carolina comes with the territory. Welcome David!!! Welcome!! You're embodying our spirit. Esse quam videri. TO BE, RATHER THAN TO SEEM!

April 20, 2022

If I was as rich and salty as David Tepper, I would 100% abandon the entire SC project. I'd throw a ridiculous amount of money at the bickering Brookhill parties, and then build the new facilities there. Throw in some truly affordable housing + a community center at the new site - and watch for the hero's welcome. I would love for Tepper to then rename the team Charlotte Panthers, and then yank those 2 SC flags off the top of our stadium. I'm so tired of the two states one team thing... And SC flags flying over NC. And yes I am petty - and I hope Tepper is too!

I choose to live in Charlotte, invest in Charlotte, and be a part of the community in Charlotte. I want Charlotte and its citizens to be successful. York County and frankly any of the communities/residents over the line are siphoning away tax revenue while continuing to use our city's infrastructure and benefit from our economy. I don't think we should be actively rewarding SC at all for taking away jobs or residents. I'm glad this is blowing up in SC's face. I don't understand how Tepper looks bad in any of this - despite reading a lot of mixed opinions about his handling. Alienate all of South Carolina! In fact, I like the guy more for playing hardball. SI SE PUEDE NORTH CAROLINA!!!

April 7, 2022

Looks like LU4, but viewed from behind.

April 6, 2022

This office would have THE best views in all of Charlotte. Since Novant is too scared to do it, I hope Atrium makes this their HQ.

March 18, 2022

7 hours ago, JBS said:

^{Generally, I don't think it's a great idea to take pictures in a public restroom. I wouldn't be thrilled to see it happening and wouldn't necessarily believe an explanation from someone doing it.}

"No, I swear officer - I was just taking photos of the floor" :tw_joy:

March 17, 2022

On 3/15/2022 at 8:36 PM, KJHburg said:

Nashville has some live music and of course the country music capital but it is generally just a fun city with lots of bars and clubs and live music. Like a New Orleans but safer and cleaner.

New Orleans is a truly incredible and authentically American city. I've never felt unsafe or thought it was dirty. There's a lot of poverty, sure - but there's a ton of civic pride there. Truly one of the best and unique city experiences this country can offer. The only reason I would compare the two is because they're both tourism destinations. However - outside of Mardi Gras, I would argue that New Orleans' tourism is NOT centered around getting hammered.

Nashville on the other hand, is the Texas Roadhouse of cities. Probably some of the best people watching west of Gatlinburg; And that's only because they attract the same clientele.

March 12, 2022

1 hour ago, Owenorange said:

Just came back from SFO, and holy crap their B (Harvey Milk) terminal is absolutely beautiful. It’s like the whole terminal is a boutique hotel, water bottle filling stations as soon as you get through security, great local food options throughout, comfy chairs, amazing art, and three (THREE!) children’s play areas.

The bathrooms there are gorgeous, too

March 11, 2022

I flew into C on Tuesday morning and could not believe how gross the terrazzo flooring in the men's room looked. It was grayish brown in many areas. The CITY of Charlotte needs to press the airport on this topic. It sounds trivial, but 80%-90% (can't remember exact number) of passengers switch planes in CLT. So the impression of Charlotte for many travelers is CLT. Can we at least keep the renovated areas clean? Please. White terrazzo in bathrooms was a bad idea -or- maybe it just wasn't sealed correctly. Something needs to be done. Fingers crossed that Vi Lyles is reading this.

March 9, 2022

I feel like there's a joke somewhere here about the government and LEAKS!!!! Thank you for sharing instagram screenshots. Beautiful from what I can tell. I'm excited for the official announcement with additional info and hopefully more angles.

February 24, 2022

11 hours ago, Ryancharlotte2 said:

Hi friends - I am looking to buy a apartment/condo in south end but I am very new to this all! I have really enjoyed reading about all the new exciting properties coming to south end. I currently do not live in the area so pardon my question but what is the best way to find upcoming condo/apartment developments?

Hi Ryan! I sent you a PM. I’m a realtor here, and would gladly sit down and review condo and apartment options with you. Welcome to Charlotte!

February 19, 2022

Street trees are coming down now. Just drove past and the chainsaws and bucket trucks are out. Progress.

February 16, 2022

Thank you for the drone photos @Mgelbach. Always appreciate your contributions! The drone shots show just how big this footprint is. And IMO, larger footprints usually negatively impact "strollability" because there's less visual interest and buildings on a smaller pedestrian scale. No gripes on that front here - since we're replacing a parking lot. I think people forget that.

But as South End continues to change, I do think the larger scale buildings are going to impact the character. Part of what's unique about south end is the industrial/old warehouse vibe that some of the buildings evoke. I think the choice buildings are all going to be saved. Except...

One building that I personally worry about is the Charlotte Alamo. A global icon - we must protect the Alamo at all costs. Originally a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound - this is one of Charlotte's earliest buildings. Founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now South End, North Carolina, United States. It was the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where American folk heroes James Bowie and Davy Crockett died. It was also the set and backdrop of the 2004 drama entitled "The Alamo," starring Hollywood legends Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton. Today it is home to Miller Services, an office equipment supplier. This World Heritage Site needs to be saved and converted to a brewery ASAP - for historic preservation purposes of course. If a brewery is not established soon, Charlotte residents may forget the rich history of this UNESCO site and have no reason to save it. My biggest fear is that Lincoln Harris will renew his feud with the Miller family and raze the Alamo - only to build a 14 story parking deck.

Potential brewery names include:

Alamo Brewing
Last Stand Brewing
Coonskin Cap Brewing
LoSo Brewing (jk)
Alamo'd Brew Pub - A pour yourself your own beers establishment
MILLER Coors Brewing
Garrison Brewing

February 16, 2022

I like the black, a lot! The original renderings showed a burnt orange or rust color for the facade... A little disappointed we didn't end up with a jawa sandcrawler in the middle of south end. But the black does look sharp!

February 15, 2022

Site work has begun on the new optimist hall white point tower. Photo sent by a friend.

February 11, 2022

6 minutes ago, JBS said:

100% agree and I'll take it a step further. I root for both North and South Carolina.

One step too far.

February 8, 2022

1 hour ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

Attitudes like this may be why Ballantyne and South Charlotte want to break away from the rest of Charlotte and form it's own city of "Providence". Ballantyne area is no closer to the Center of Charlotte than Huntersville, Cornelius or Davidson. Ballantyne is absolutely closer to uptown than Cornelius and Davidson. Huntersville and Ballantyne are probably equidistant - but Ballantyne feels like it's more a part of Charlotte because of connectivity. This is a personal opinion of mine and is obviously subjective. I was unaware of the Ballantyne and South Charlotte independence movement so I will need to read up on that.

Would you be happy if Ballantyne and South Meck broke off? No. But if they did, could you blame them? People move to those areas because they choose to be a part of those communities instead of more in-town neighborhoods. Ballantyne is its own thing and that's ok. People wanting that lifestyle choose to live there and enjoy better schools, more house for the money, and a suburban lifestyle with fewer headaches. If they wanted to become Ballantyne, NC so be it. But Ballantyne would not exist without Charlotte. Same with the Cobb County and Buckhead arguments ongoing in Atlanta.

North Mecklenburg has an equal say as much as the rest of Mecklenburg County. And if North Meck is brushed off as a "suburban settlement", then I think it's fair to say Charlotte is also a suburban settlement ringing a Tall office park. What I said, was: "The silver line corridor needs far more economic help than the suburban settlements that 77 serves - and it will make Charlotte better/stronger. " I am not brushing off Huntersville, Corntown, Davidson, LKN. My point is that people choose to live there and then subsequently complain about traffic and access to Charlotte. And those areas are by definition suburbs.

Charlotte is very close to the density levels of Huntersville and Davidson. And Charlotte is less dense than Cary, Raleigh & Durham. I don't have density data easily accessible, but subjectively Charlotte feels much more dense than Huntersville, Davidson, Cary, Raleigh, and Durham. If they're close, I think this is a classic case of the data being skewed to make a case -- because how could someone say Cary and Charlotte are in the same class regarding transit needs caused by density? Or Huntersville?

If downtown Davidson is just barely a one-sided block, Downtown NoDa is just 1 double-sided block... I love Davidson. So no hate in my commentary. My point is that it's quaint, charming, walkable, and SMALL. It truly is a college, and then a small strip with a handful of restaurants and stores. Do we want it to densify by plopping a commuter rail station right downtown? If I lived in Davidson, I would say no. NoDa is objectively more vibrant and larger than downtown Davidson. Not sure the connection to the conversation here - but since you brought it up. Look what the BLE did to NoDa and will continue to do. That's because these rail lines are economic generators. Do you want Davidson to become NoDa with giant apartment buildings and pricing locals out? If we're talking about ridership solutions - Rapid Bus Transit is the solution for north meck (If you can convince people to ride a bus). If the goal is to change the character of the lake towns, then by all means build a rail line separate from NS and connect the dots with transit oriented developments in all of the small downtowns.

Lake Norman exist within Mecklenburg County. Therefore, they have a say in Mecklenburg County politics. And Mecklenburg County should represent their wants and needs equal to Charlotte. Maybe exclude LKN from CATS and they can form their own transit system. & Charlotte can build the Silver Line on it's own. At no point did I say that the residents of north meck should not have their voices heard or represented. We live in a city and a county, like everyone in this country, where our tax dollars don't always directly benefit us the individual - but may impact or improve our neighbor's lives down the road. I'm ok with my tax dollars being spent on the red line - I just don't think it's a priority because people who live north of 485 bought there knowing that traffic and access issues exist. And I think the constant complaining and narrative is tiring. The NS red line plan is not going anywhere, and building a standalone line is prohibitive because of the suburban sprawl up that way. So if the goal is to alleviate traffic pressures, I'm all in favor of a reasonable plan like a rapid bus transit. And I think that the silver line will benefit Charlotte and therefore all of Meck (and the region) much more than the red line. A healthy Charlotte is a healthy region. It's not the other way around, truth be told. That's why as a COUNTY we all need to be visiting, dining, and spending money in uptown as much as possible. It is our core and vital for our growth.

@AirNostrumMAD I didn't intend to set off on a tribalistic tone with my initial comment. Please see above for clarity and replies to your remarks. We all have opinions, and we may not see eye-to-eye on this topic. Transit is interesting conversation and I think we all need to ask ourselves if the goal is ridership/alleviating congestion -or- economic development. My support for the silver line is purely for the economic benefits.

February 8, 2022

Rail lines (like the red, blue, and silver) are in my opinion, more about economic development AND perception than ridership. The silver line corridor needs far more economic help than the suburban settlements that 77 serves - and it will make Charlotte better/stronger. The region is doing great, because of Charlotte. It's not the other way around. Reading through these comments, it's interesting to see a desire for densification of Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson. If residents of those communities wanted densification or an urban feel, why would they choose to live there in the first place? In-town Davidson is cute, but it's barely a one-sided block, and it can't even support a bike shop. Mooresville is the only true town up 77 - everything else is suburban sprawl, strip malls, and white flight subdivisions. North meck residents want the perceived safety and "good schools" that being 17+ miles from Charlotte brings. Turns out, a lot of other people had the same idea and so traffic is terrible if they want to get TO Charlotte. Same thing is happening down in Weddington and Waxhaw now.

The entire dialogue around the red line, toll lanes, traffic, and frankly the yapping of northern Mecklenburg county residents has always annoyed me. The conversation has always been, and will continue to be, about north meck residents feeling entitled to an alternative to driving on 77. Nothing more, nothing less. The state gave them an alternative...brand new toll lanes! And pre-pandemic, when commuting was worse than it is now, the toll lanes would be nearly empty while north meck residents stubbornly sat in traffic jams in the right 2 lanes. They disagreed with the toll lanes and felt entitled to free widening because of THEIR property taxes. Years later, many are still too stubborn to take advantage of the toll lanes because they don't want to pay. But, you're telling me these same people will pay and ride the red line? Or they'll pay and ride a bus for the first time ever???!

For the record - I think the red line is a great idea and would be helpful. But it's simply not a transit priority nor should it be. For those of us that work, play, and live in Charlotte - traffic is rarely bad on in-town city streets. For those who live further out and rely on 77, 485, and 74 to get TO Charlotte.. traffic is terrible and that's a valid perception. If you want access to Charlotte to be more convenient, then move closer to Charlotte. You cannot have it all, especially in a city and region bursting at the seams. The Charlotte region will be strong with or without the red line - whereas the connectivity of the silver line I think will be transformative for development and perception in-town. Which is why it's the overwhelming priority for those unfortunate enough to be the decision makers.

February 5, 2022

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

^ Great looking building and I think it is a nice change for new office buildings. When Duke Energy swooped into lease all the office space at Optimist Hall no one else got a chance to be over there and this will solve that.

My hope is that Duke vacates their space and allows for more vendors. I get why white point wanted Duke as a tenant and financing. But at this point I think the larger the food hall, the better the experience. And optimist hall could be bigger IMO.

January 23, 2022

On 1/7/2022 at 1:44 PM, JBS said:

I liked that, except for showing the empty UNCC football stadium when talking about higher education (better to have shown Davidson, Queens, UNCC, JCSU, etc., with students in classrooms or in bustling quads). Also, maybe some reference to Hornets, MLS, NASCAR, etc.?

I hope the "business alliance" did that video in-house. If they paid an agency to create that then the alliance's CMO should be fired. The amount of glaringly stock footage and old imagery was terrible. I don't think the kayaking scene was even NC. Shocked to see marketing materials for Charlotte that don't show the Whitewater Center or reinforce that we have NASCAR! At least they showed someone pouring a beer at a brewery into a water glass - a uniquely Charlotte task.

Nothing screams Charlotte business and careers like the Hickory Tavern and La Vida Massage on Johnston Road. And just look at those power lines!

Oh! And Charlotte is known for cheap pineapples in foreign grocery stores...Please note the banana pricing.

I would of opted for some greenway shots, street car, light rail, NoDa, SouthEnd, Camp North End, Manufacturing, tree canopy, Atrium campus, etc - more essence.

January 21, 2022

I've been in McDonalds with cleaner restrooms than CLT.

January 20, 2022

The photos of the E expansion are very underwhelming. Granted, it's an improvement over the open air gates it's replacing. But it amazes me that the airport will give us A North and the plaza (both beautiful and functional). And then they give us this net new expansion that is a glorified barn. They could have done a soaring ceiling here and opened this up like the end of D, but this looks dark and small already (fitting for E). It's just disappointing because I've recently flown into the new New Orleans airport, the Harvey Milk terminal at SFO, new SLC terminal, and the DCA project journey concourse that replaced 35X-- and they all blow A North and the plaza out of the water. I get that we're a busy airport and can't shut down a concourse for construction, but for the amount of money we're spending I feel like we're mainly getting B- aesthetic improvements and not addressing some of the major passenger complaints of our airport.

Here are some photos. All of these improvements have a WOW factor that give a great initial impression for their respective cities. Just hoping that our airport will continue to feel more cohesive with time.

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