abttown

Not quite sure if this is sarcasm or the real deal. If real, I'm sorry you're this way.

Rode past this site last week and it finally looks complete. The hotel is basically what I expected, nothing fancy but at least another option for hotel guests. On a side note, the number of what I assume to be homeless people between N College and Tryon Street (where the old Mecklenburg county services building sits) was pretty astounding. There must have been 40-50 people walking/sitting around that area, and most seemed to be in pretty rough shape. I know this gets into the much larger topic of mental healthcare in this country, but I have to think the physical presence and perception of this area is really holding back the north end of Uptown.

Greek Isles was delicious. Hot Taco was a slap in the face as a replacement.

Quick and dirty pic last night of the art piece installed along Brooklyn Village Ave

^The Brooklyn Tower reminds me of something you'd see from Lord of the Rings. It's quite dark and ominous, but it certainly commands some respect. Apparently, the Dime Savings Bank from the early 1900's is preserved at the tower's base.

Lyndon Johnson's words ring just as true today as they did back in the 60's, maybe even more so. If lower and middle class white people accepted the fact they're getting screwed by our system and actually joined ranks with black and brown folks, well game over. As for the lesser of two evils, I'll just say there's a certain political party that is all in for totalitarian rule, and there's a party that's not.

Maybe Duke can't afford to light it up after raising their utility rates

It's somewhat surprising to see West Virginia as a low contributor to the in-migration number. We still see quite a few W. Virginia license plates in the area, however, those sightings are typically on interstate 77, which makes sense if they're just passing through. Could also be attributed to WV's already low population which just can't compete with the likes of Florida or New York. There used to be an old saying that went along the lines of "you see so many folks from West Virginia because this is how far a tank of gas will get them." I mean no offense to any WV natives, it's a beautiful state.

Honestly, I was sort of thinking the same thing. This development belongs near the old coliseum off Tyvola. I know the retail isn't filled yet, but jeez if the aesthetic isn't screaming for the 90s. Lincoln Harris does a good job recruiting business and filling offices, but for the love of God give someone else the reins when it comes to streetscape design.

You tell us this, but no pictures from your new perch? Come on man!

Apropos of nothing, if you'd like to ignore a user, you can hover over their name or avatar and select the "ignore" option. I've done this many times and it helps make life a little more enjoyable. *This is the process from a desktop, I'm not sure how the ignore feature is accessed from a mobile device.

Yes to the mural question above. "Affixed to the Brooklyn Village Avenue-facing façade of Duke Energy Plaza will be a three-dimensional mural by Nigerian native and Brooklyn, NY-based artist Olalekan Jeyifous. The piece symbolizes the rich history and cultural heritage of the former Brooklyn neighborhood, a predominantly Black community in Charlotte’s Second Ward that was razed in the city’s “urban renewal” movement in the 1960s and ’70s. While designing the mural, Jeyifous consulted with the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture and met with civic leaders and former members of the historic Brooklyn community." https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-unveils-community-inspired-public-art-at-new-corporate-headquarters

The local media plays in huge part in this narrative. My family lives in Caldwell county and many of them believe Charlotte is one of the most dangerous city's in the country. The local media's constant coverage of shootings, police chases, robberies, etc, feeds into this belief. I've pointed out that the per capita crime rate is actually higher in their rural community, but it doesn't receive much coverage and is therefore out of sight and mind.

Feckless and craven. That is Tricia's legacy forever and always. I get the feeling this state is about to take another spin down the drain.

^Thanks for the update. I imagine Chipotle will do well in this location. On a somewhat related note, I wonder when the remaining open parcels will be developed across Idlewild? There are several plots of open land beside the M Station apartments (owned by Goode Properties) that make that area feel a little disjointed.

Going to take a moment to kvetch a bit. Has anyone else driven on the 277 Brookshire Blvd overpasses lately? I think NCDOT? did some bridge work/resurfacing and wow, the transitions from the road to bridge surfaces are awful. It almost seems as if they installed speed bumps on the road, which in retrospect may encourage folks to slow down, but holy moly is it a bumpy ride! Are they finished with the road work or is this just a temporary fix?

Hard not to be ambivalent towards these server farms/data centers. Speaking strictly of the Google facility in Lenoir, it hasn't done much to lift up that region. I remember my parents, who live in Caldwell county, complaining about their tax rate increasing by double digits after Google was given the go-ahead. Most of the people who work there are brought in from outside the region, so they're not providing much employment. That particular facility is fairly self-contained as well, providing an employee cafeteria so workers don't even need to venture out and support local businesses. The argument could be made that Google is siphoning off of the community (paying little to no tax, using water resources, etc) and contributing very little.

I also tend to agree. Charlotte does have a fairly dense core, but we're pretty spread out as well and just one main transit hub in Uptown may not be the best option. I absolutely believe putting this thing underground is a horrible idea that will lead to some sort of "no go" zone for everyone except the poor folks who are forced down there. I can picture that place being run down in very short order.

^Well that is interesting! This whole time I've been thinking the corners of the building were the only regions that would be lit. I never considered Gumby's entire crown would have lighting. Exciting!

Good size and good placement of the Duke signage IMO. Big enough to be seen from street level but not so big as to be seen from the surface of the Moon (yes that's a dig at another tower in town). Agree with JeanClt, the real thing almost perfectly resembles the rendering.

Exactly. This is why that rendering piqued my interest because I only expected the Enterprise development to be around 30 stories, and the rendering APPEARS to show a much taller building.

Saw this image on cltdevelopment's Instagram. The building on the right is Crescent's? Odd that Riverside would add this to their rendering, no?

Still looks amazing and I'm happy there's still a demand for office space. WRT the water table issue, this may be even more reason to just go ahead and flood 277 right? The water source appears to already be in place!

Wow, well that's discouraging, but not at all surprising. Levine continues to hold First Ward hostage. Maybe he does have grand visions for his properties, but those visions will never materialize until he sells to someone else. If Levine doesn't think the time has come to develop, then he never will.

I couldn't help but notice that as well. Either Mecklenburg didn't apply for any grant money or the state just assumed we had it under control since we're such a big city