cityboi

Topgolf Greensboro photo update

Finally!! Demolition begin on News and Record building. The Ryan companies backed out of their project but could something larger be in the works for the site by other developers? DGI president Zack Matheny said he is in serious discussions with developers and the project would likely require incentives for a project of its size. Clearly the news of the demolition has made the site even more attractive for developers. https://greensboro.com/news/local/business/development/greensboro-news-record-downtown/article_012d4a08-00ed-11ef-a8c3-d3e09bddf71b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Yes its unfortunate. Greensboro tends to put cost before creativity unlike a number of its peer cities. One example is the Tanger Center. I have mixed feelings about the design. The front facade looks great but the sides and back of the building looks unfinished to me. The city turned down a stunning design for the current one. I guess it would have added to the cost of the nearly $100 million performing arts center. One of the finalists for the design of the Tanger Center. Looks stunning This is what we got instead. The surface parking annoys me but I do understand the VIP parking is part of the funding mechanism for the Tanger Center. The city could have at least built a screened deck with ground level retail and restaurants and possibly set aside some of that land for a developer to build a hotel. My guess is that the city may one day expand the Tanger Center by attaching a multi-use venue with a smaller theater around 300 to 500 seats for smaller shows. The seats could be removed for different performing set ups such as standing concerts or be utilized for convention space. City leaders have been talking about the need for a small convention center downtown. Might be a great location for one especially being within walking distance to the parks and the retail and restaurants on Elm Street. Plus the Tanger parking lot is in close proximity to downtown's biggest hotels. The Marriott across the street on North Elm, the future Westin Hotel two blocks to the south and the Hyatt Place and future AC Hotels a few blocks to the west. The parking lot could easily fit a 75,000 to 100,000 square foot convention center. By comparison, the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem has. 100,000 square feet and the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro off of I-40 has nearly 300,000 square feet. Because Greensboro already has a large convention center, I could see a more modest size venue downtown around 75,000 to 85,000 square feet. This location make more sense than the News and Record property which more than likely has contamination issues. The area around the Tanger Center is cleaner, nicer and already set up for surrounding pedestrian activity.

They are really making progress with the Top Golf construction. They are putting those tall net poles up. Part of the entertainment element in the development which is anchored by Top Golf, will likely be a Main Event which has a bowling alley, arcade and other attractions. The developer who is building it also built a Top Golf in Greenville, SC which includes a Main Event. There are several other Top Golf's around the country that has a Main Event on the properties.

Greensboro

Whataburger will rapidly be expanding into North Carolina. The first location will be Charlotte followed by Greensboro, then Fayetteville. The company just announced plans for a location on North Main Street in High Point. Charlotte and Greensboro will have two locations. The Greensboro locations will be: 4409 West Wendover Ave and 2700 Koury Blvd. The Koury Blvd location appears to be under construction now because there is a lot of prep digging going on at that site which is rumored to have a Starbucks as well. https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article285198987.html

Greensboro

The old Guilford County jail in Greensboro coming down. Architecturally this is blahhh but I still hate a midrise structure is coming down for a 2 story sheriff's office. Would have been nice if they had renovated the way Roy Carroll turned the Wachovia Building into Center Pointe.

The Home Furnishings Market is in town this week. There has been much discussion about more hotels in downtown High Point to accommodate the market. The problem is the market is only held downtown one week twice a year. There is a new trend starting and they are called pop up hotels which are temporary accommodations for short term events in need of hotel rooms. This could be something High Point could look into because into. It keeps market goers in High Point so they are not spending their money in other cities. The city could provide entertainment after hours for those coming out of town. Pop up shops during the market is another idea. https://skift.com/2018/05/15/hotels-experiment-with-pop-ups-to-attract-new-audiences/

Yes for that very reason the Prime Minister's visit to the Triad and North Carolina in general is a really big deal on so many different levels. Certainly beneficial for the Triad because it is lesser known than the Triangle.

Prime Minister of Japan at HondaJet https://www.wral.com/video/japanese-prime-minister-visits-hondajet-in-burlington/21376847/

Greensboro Southern Loan & Trust Building Benbow Hotel Construction of the old First Union Building National Theater McAdoo Building Banner Building Greensboro Loan and Trust Company Greensboro Centennial Celebration in 1908. Clegg Hotel in 1899

Economic Development projects in the Greensboro area. Boom Supersonic jet manufacturing facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. It will eventually employ almost 2,000 workers. Toyota EV Battery Plant at the Greensboro-Randolph mega site which will employ over 5,000 workers Honda Aircraft Company world headquarters and jet manufacturing campus at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. The company plans a major expansion to build larger jets. Marshall Aerospace going up at Piedmont Triad International Airport. Looks like PTI has become the defacto "NC Global Transpark" The Mid-Atlantic air cargo FedEx hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport which start the chain of development around the airport.

It is indeed Fujifilm. Over the past few years the Triad and Triangle have been seeing a lot of jobs announcements.

Plus I just don't see Publix opening up a downtown Greensboro location. The demographics are not there yet for that kind of supermarket chain.

The Prime Minister of Japan is making a historic trip to North Carolina Friday putting the state in the global economic spotlight. He will be touring the Toyota battery plant outside Greensboro and HondaJet in Greensboro. He will then have a luncheon with the governor in Raleigh along with a few stops there. President Biden announced the visit to North Carolina today during a press conference. Cooper said there will be another economic announcement in the state during the visit. https://www.wral.com/story/cooper-s-visit-with-japan-s-kishida-could-coincide-with-major-jobs-announcement/21371275/ More on the jobs announcement which will coincide with the Prime Minister's visit. A special meeting will be held Thursday for incentives for the unnamed company and no word where in the state it would expand. Its most likely a Japanese company. https://www.wral.com/amp/21371275/

I would love to see Publix there. Not sure if the site fits their demographics but that would be cool. Its amazing Greensboro proper doesn't already have a Publix. The only one is technically in Jamestown even though its a Greensboro address. In other downtown news, a multifamily developer purchased a lot in the north end of downtown between the Tanger Center and ballpark. No details have been revealed but its likely the vacant building on the lot would be demolished for new construction residential. The building is next to Carroll at Bellemeade on 311 Battleground Ave. https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2024/04/10/evolve-buys-greensboro-downtown-office-building.html

Lidl backing out at South Elm and Gate City Blvd may have been a good thing. A developer wants to build a mixed use project there called South Gate which would include 6 story apartments, retail and space for a national grocery chain. The developer has been talking to Lidl as well. This is how an urban grocery store should be incorporated into downtown. Not a stand alone store with a large parking lot. https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2024/04/09/south-elm-alexander-group-andy-zimmerman-retail.html

I-777 proposed for Triad. From I-40 in Winston-Salem through Yadkinville. https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2024/04/08/future-insterstate-777-nc-carolina-core-forstyh.html

Historic photos of Greensboro between the 1920s and 1950s War Memorial Stadium (built in 1926 and still standing. home stadium for NC A&T State University and former home of Greensboro's minor league baseball team) The original O. Henry Hotel (built in 1919 and demolished in the late 70s) The Depot built in 1926 and is still used as Greensboro's train station today. Carolina Theatre built in 1926 . There was a lot of construction in downtown Greensboro that year (during the roaring 20s) which also included the King Cotton Hotel, the depot, the 15 story Greensboro National Bank, now the Guilford Building. The 17 story Jefferson Standard Building was built in 1923 and was the tallest building in the south at the time. The King Cotton Hotel built in 1926 and demolished in 1971. Carolina Theatre Old central fire station still standing today

factory hanger at Boom Supersonic and Marshall Aerospace hanger is now going up.

In years past it was all about a large seating capacity in arenas but by the late 1990s, many arenas reduced their seat and the new ones were built with about 17,000 to 18,000 seat for basketball. Before the old Charlotte Coliseum was demolished it had 500 more seats than the Greensboro Coliseum with 24,000 seats. But even today its amazing to think that a city the size of Greensboro has the largest seating capacity arena in the United States and the city doesn't even have a major league sports team.