B Randy

I’m not sure what cap boosters are after, I’d personally like to see a more wholesale approach similar to the last few posts. Don’t miss the forest for the trees. Before a million dollar A/E study is pitched, I’d think it needs to involve serious, honest discussions w NCDOT, City of Charlotte, other stakeholders. And the foundation for those talks would be a credible series of high level scenarios, issues, outcomes generated by project champions (civic, design leaders) - to elicit feedback, build credibility and start a dialogue towards consensus (whatever is possible). Workshops to chart the range of possible outcomes before settling on a strategy or drawing something that’s not feasible for whatever reason.

All great points. land Develpment + reduced costs for state long term + economic development + City identity + neighborhood connectivity + increased tree canopy and air quality. Unlike the largely unsuccessful approach of Queens Park - I think this conversation needs to start w a group of plugged in civic/design leaders having honest conversation with NCDOT, City, Center City Partners FIRST. Rather than telling the state what to do with their land and putting it out in public.

Two things: GC is not always "low man" on design team. They are used quite often to verify/evaluate concept designs at the very front end of projects, before more detailed drawings are commissioned. They are also very often looked at as "iterative design partners" to the architect/engineer, so designers don't waste their time drawing unrealistic buildings, clients don't have to pay additional fees to go back and right size, and so design timelines stay on track. Contractor for new Main Library has been involved in entire design process and if wholesale changes happen, it's likely due to a wholesale shift in program or project budget, not bits and pieces being chipped away via VE process.

Have to disagree. Existing library footprint is too large (deep) to create the "hub of activity" they're striving for. A full gut would also be extremely expensive and still not ideal in my opinion. Layout not great to get natural light penetrating to that lower level and all facades would need complete remakes to create transparency and inside/out "interactivity". Also think going denser on this block and filling it in completely will be a long term benefit when development jumps to 8th and north of this site. Do think that their program is a bit over the top and the price tag could have been lower though...

Still need a counterpart to BoA at Trade/Tryon. Then let it drop on down from 11th to Worthington.

ADM property will be the key to stitching together this part of town. Whenever that becomes feasible.

CTC will be decentralized - and buses will use both a redeveloped CTC site and a new Gateway Station bus facility. What routes go where is TBD I believe.

Should be.

6th/Tryon corner detail is going to be really nice and clean!

Correct. Related Group out of Fla. Mostly multifamily. Do great work, big get for our market. They are on the ground here.

See also Millennium Park in Chicago for that story. $250M public for basics/infra, $200M private to "make it a true park for the next Millennium" w/ sculptures, world class designers and amped up materials.

Agree on spending on greenway connectivity now. I'd personally like to wait on capping strategies until we see how near South End site developments and Stadium conversations advance over the next several years. Also sustaining migration/ED trends post COVID. I think a bigger/more comprehensive strategy than "let's cap between Church and College" will be in order after that all shakes out a bit...

If Atlanta can support 4 - we should strive to do the same. Charlotte 2030 should be the place to be and critical mass to support it all…

Gonna be a good one.

Count me all in re: this developer on that site. They’ve been kicking tires here for a while. Curious if they’ll have a partner in for the multi. They are primarily Class A developers and entering a new market/region - might want some backup. Goettsch will make this an interesting project - they typically like to insert some design gymnastics (to each their own). Should be a game changer w/ Riverside’s track record in Chicago.

My hot take - I think the larger issue is threefold. If any one entity has the power to develop a completely new district within a city the following is critical: 1- experience with large scale mixed use development in urban setting. 2- a consultant team on board that can execute the above in a playful yet authentic way, and has the gravitas to push the client to that end. 3- the interests of the evolution of overall City AT LEAST even with their own interests re: enhancing or being in service to their adjacent assets. If any of the above is not accounted for, the risk of an “entertainment district” being one note, largely inactive, inauthentic, short lived is magnified tenfold…

Yep. Offsets required + SL not funded yet so no infra being built...

That is great - and agree on all points. I think of it as 1/3 open space, 1/3 development catalyst, 1/3 city identity and economic development tool. Oh, and it re-stitches our city together by it's very nature...

If Uptown were all two way streets, it would be a far more enjoyable place...

It's a fantastic story, but a bit was "lost in translation" in the previous post. This was a river bed that flooded often thru the heart of Valencia. To alleviate, they rerouted the river around the city to the port. The original idea was to insert a highway, but greater ambitions prevailed and it was instead turned into possibly the most spectacular linear park in the world. Amazing place in person. This should be Scenario 1A for any Belk transformation IMO. Here's more: https://www.metropolismag.com/architecture/landscape/how-valencia-turned-crisis-river-into-park/

Colony Redevelopment + Trianon + new AC Hotel makes that an interesting little cluster.

Needs to be re-imagined in concert w/ CTC redevelopment and potential Spectrum Center improvements. LRT access included. Create a synergistic cluster there at Trade/Brevard/College.

Sounds like you’re in tight w/ Brightline. Any insight you can provide re: their plans in Southeast?

Don't undersell Smith Street/ ADM and the beautiful things that could happen w/ Music Factory connectivity when those parcels are unlocked...

Absolutely. Check this out. https://www.chicagotribune.com/real-estate/ct-affordable-housing-libraries-0728-20190719-5kwcmtfycjbypjrabtvytulpia-story.html