B Randy

Very underrated project. When you consider 500 W Trade, FNB, Courthouse Annex and what's possible at Gateway - and if Truist Field parcel ever gets traction... Graham/Trade is going to give Uptown a completely new dimension and vibrancy over the next several years...

Great concept re: operable wall and indoor/outdoor but the county was presented that option and voted it down due to added cost. Approved funding for reno of guts but nothing interactive w plaza...

From that drawing - the biggest issue I see is not the lobby - it’s the “Black Box” theatre as a prominent element on the plaza. If that is just a couple of blank walls sitting on the plaza - what do you do with that? Seems like a huge activity suck and missed opportunity considering the funding the County is putting into the reno anyway...

7th will be a retail street. Both sides. Nearly continuous. Hoping for a narrower version of Larimer Street in Denver. Look it up. Awesome place. If block between College and Blue Line follows suit as it turns over (remember Levine is going to redevelop to some capacity), it'll be a very nice stretch from First Ward Park to Tryon.

Both comments above true. No offense meant. I agree, don’t think Inlivian would go to different (taller) construction type w/o another bucket of public money being dropped on their doorstep. Totally get the current $ realities. However, if Inlivian was so concerned about getting a quality affordable housing project done quickly w economic realities of their site...they wouldn’t have pulled their land from the original two block project. If they were really concerned about honoring the Hall House - they would have swallowed their pride and stayed in for the good of our city. They did not. Agree to disagree - but I’d counter that a 25 yr, 6 story Bldg on our signature street, instead of an enduring 12 story bldg w character (for Charlotte) isn’t worth the likely nominally accelerated timeline.

Somewhat thinking this is a troll... If not...historic qualities in a vacuum are not the issue here...It’s about the scale (12 vs 6 floors), the materiality (solid masonry vs wood/who knows what combo of cheaper facade materials), the fact that Charlotte, as a maturing downtown, should have more than two boutique hotels...that Uptown needs to add the nightlife, vibrancy and restaurants that another one off hotel will incorporate...and the fact that this building as it sits has the ability to be a signature piece of Uptown if developed correctly, instead of what will always be a missed opportunity and an obvious sacrifice of enduring and quality urbanism for near term pro forma thinking... I’m all for affordable housing - we need it badly...but this approach to creating it is really immature when taken in context.

Well...I said "medium" burn intentionally! Tai is great for Charlotte. No argument there. I just hope that while we're proposing multiple huge shifts in urbanization for Charlotte - we're doing the dirty work on the front end to engage the development community and creating the processes, staff and design infrastructure on the back end - to make sure these big moves are set up to succeed and have lasting impact.

It feels like we're starting to throw the kitchen sink at planning and development in Charlotte. I'd prefer a medium burn to address all of the new initiatives being discussed. Don't want some of these valid new (to us) ideas to get compromised b/c we're trying to do too much all at once...

Agree. Terrible approach. Unsophisticated at best. No consideration for the urban fabric and scale of the city.

Larken, in his commentary endorsing the 1.5 block developer led project last night, reiterated that he had huge concerns re: Hall House and would fight it's demolition until the end. There was no additional talk re: the Inlivian project in last night's meeting. With the vote last night, the two projects are now officially separate as far as I can tell.

I think we can all agree that the retail and ground level activation this project contributes on Trade/ Graham is the best aspect. And that it will allow 500+ people to live in the vicinity while Gateway gets ramped up. But yes, tower could have gone higher and losing the building was terrible...

Should absolutely happen. It's not straightforward w/ active rail clear height, security, etc. Expensive extra and who would pay for it? But to directly connect Sunnyside w/ Commonwealth thru this project is a big picture move that needs to happen to expand the connectivity of this neighborhood...

Not unexpected. I'd be curious to know where the majority of their survey was taken, i.e. what was the mix of respondents living in cities with traditional subways (underground) vs. those traveling on lightrail and streetcar (above). My sense is that the underground systems will have to fight hard to overcome the negative connotation that they are "dirty" places - with limited air circulation, scant opportunities to social distance, no virus killing natural light, etc. Whereas cities that depend on above ground rail (Charlotte) have the opportunity to highlight clean, new transit cars, the ability to wait in your own space, and plenty of open air throughout the journey. Side note: this is why I'm not a huge fan of the $2.5B Austin below ground connector. Would rather that money be spent on improving above ground public realm or to extend the lines.

Portman has shifted from using Portman Architects (JPA) for most projects to interviewing prominent arch firms for new projects of significant scale. I wouldn’t sleep on their aspirations for design moving forward.

To my knowledge there are a few things to consider: Inlivian Board is elected by City Council - and must approve all business decisions (have they done this yet for Hall plans?) City Council holds purse strings for future Housing Trust Fund dollars Inlivian must present again for approval of Meck's $6mil before moving forward. City/County leadership should come together on this decision.

Good move to guide the next 20+ years of their growth. Not sure I like the $2.5B underground connector. Great for connectivity (people w/ bags), but a risk re: retail, placemaking, activity of the streets above - and at a significant cost to tax payers. Definitely solidifies the need to make Silver happen here.

I think CJS just posted info that was already out there. Ashley Fahey tweeted the entire team a few days ago. Render was in her article. Team sounds awesome.

With historic Main Street as an anchor - and being that close in to one of the country's most rapidly growing cities...they'll have a nice little renaissance. Will take a while - but they'll get there. Authenticity factor of that little downtown strip is invaluable.

SOM has had someone in Charlotte for a couple of years...likely pursuing this project.

They did not present an intention to pursue 9% in their County update. Straight up typical 4% deal. Unless there's new thinking...I think it's ego and lack of creativity...

FYI. Larken came out STRONGLY against tearing down Hall House in tonight's 7/Tryon update to Council. Said he'd fight until the day the wrecking ball started swinging...

Looks like a shared street concept on 7th lined w/ retail. Would be awesome to build on the energy at the Blue Line/ Park!

I wonder what Harvey Gantt’s opinion is. Wasn’t his architecture office was across the street from Hall House?

Inlivian will have to come back to the Commission to finalize the $6mil. So the time to protect Hall House is in the lead up to that meeting.

Option 3 approved. Best use of $ and maintains affordable on the original "project" site. That's a win. MOU also approved w/ developer - so this should finally progress in coming months...