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Germaine

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Posts posted by Germaine

  1. The Vue

    in Charlotte

    Posted · Edited by Germaine

    btw - sorry about adding the 210 trade/park info here, but the main point I was trying to talk about was the construction of the Vue. :)

    No problem, great to read what you were able to find out about The Vue. Unfortunately, though, I think the Biz Journal does fall prey to a bit of hyperbole.

    Dang, how much does CBJ pay their people? :)

    I'm not so sure that it is really popular belief that they are not selling well. I think there have just been a couple posts that say they have inside knowledge, and they've sold less than 1/3 of their units.

    It is good to hear news to the contrary, though.

    If there was consensus that there was significant risk that the Vue wouldn't happen, I think there would be some Urban Planet prayer vigils set up :).

    Gott im himmel! Isn't that the truth!!!!!!

  2. The Vue

    in Charlotte

    Posted · Edited by Germaine

    ....which only goes to suggest that it has little to do with demand at his point in the residential game. Eventually, I hope, all the lenders buying up homes in Myers Park, Dilworth, Elizabeth, and South Park for $250 a square foot will begin to realize that the market really is dominated by two groups: Those who want to live in traditional pre-, and near-, World War 2 "suburban" neighborhoods (not to be confused with the post 1960's "anti-urban" crap thrown up in corn fields) and those who want zero-lot line, no lot line, "downtown" buildings.

    The true measure, I think, for residential preference - and this is a GROSS simplification - won't necessarily be "can I walk to work", it will be: "can I walk to the grocery store".

  3. The Vue

    in Charlotte

    Posted · Edited by Germaine

    I think what our fervent friend is saying is that there are thousands of people in this city, and moving to this city who can afford those prices. There are many of those that are willing to trade a large lake house, or a large country club house, for a slightly smaller home downtown. Many, in fact, have been making that trade off all over the country.

    This project has an incredible view, it is in a prestigious old neighborhood with Victorian-era homes, it is blocks from the workplaces of most of the highest paid jobs in the state, and is blocks away from much of the city's best night life and cultural amenities.

    This project only needs to find a few hundred people who are willing to buy into that value proposition.

    However, I think they'd do better if they dropped prices a little bit.

    I agree, prices could come down some, but I think it may be more than that, and, I know I'm not comparing apples to apples so forgive my rant.

    For now, as a developer of single-family projects in suburban (anti-urban) locations, our company will sink millions into a project before the first house is built. I understand that building a condo tower (like The Vue) is perhaps more expensive to build up front, but even we will start construction before units are sold. Right now, we have over $7,000,000 worth of unsold "inventory" in a neighborhood that sold 156 units last year (our average price is $625K for an average of 2600 square feet).

    I guess the point is, if I'm a consumer, I want to see product before buying. If a tower in the center of Charlotte isn't selling "quickly" my guess is that it isn't because of a softening of demand, but a result of the reluctance on the part of buyers to purchase something - even with fancy sales offices - "sight unseen".

    You all know, the trend in residential development is quickly moving toward "access living" - living in a SF home or condo or apartment - with at least some of our daily trips within walking distance of the home. I have faith that buildings like "The Vue" are inevitable in rapidly evolving cities like Charlotte and even in older - slower growing - cities like my own.

    I hope that The Vue gets built. I hope they can make the numbers work to get it built with only 50% of the units pre-sold because I predict that once it's under construction, sales will continue and strengthen as it nears completion.

  5. Charlotte MLB Team Speculation

    in Charlotte Coffee House

    Posted

    Overall, I would tend to agree with you about supporting three teams. Except one thing...baseball doesn't really overlap with the scheduling of Charlotte's other majors and I would argue that baseball attracts a different fan base.

    That being said, I imagine that Las Vegas is the real contender here.

    :lol:

    Maine, of course! :blush:

  10. Bradley International Airport

    in Greater Hartford

    Posted

    RDU has the luxury of being an American hub. American mainline and now Eagle service it with feeder flights. This helps support the n/s London flights.

    Mark

    RDU stopped being an American hub (along with Nashville, TN) back in 1999. Their London flight is supported, in part, by the huge number of British pharmaeuticals doing business in the Research Triangle.

  11. Bradley International Airport

    in Greater Hartford

    Posted

    There will always be naysayers but I am optimistic about the prospects of international service out of Hartford. As you can see in the article I linked passenger traffic is currently more than 5.5 Million and that is only from Jan to Sep. Our growth rate far outpaced all other Northeastern Airports, so I guess we will just have to wait and see what growth we experience in the future at Bradley combined with what growth we experience in Greater Hartford and Connecticut to determine how viable overseas flights will be in the region's future.

    Another city with similar enplanements, RDU, has supported a non-stop to London for over 10 years.

    As a CT native, I'm glad to see the airport's doing better than it was in the 90s, but let's get real.

    Yes, let's get real. For how many people is it easier to get to BDL than BOS or JFK or EWR? That's the real story.

  13. Bradley International Airport

    in Greater Hartford

    Posted

    Problem BDL has is the proximity to Logan and JFK/EWR. However as BDL's passenger numbers continue to rise and the greater need for international travel occurs, I could see BDL getting at least one flight to a major European hub.

    See, this is exactly the reason why there should be international (European) flights from Bradley. Think of the number of people who live closer to Bradley (in terms of travel time)! It's easier to drive from Worcester, Springfield, New Haven, Fairfield County, etc. than Boston or New York. Yes?

  15. Hillsborough Street - NCSU Area developments

    in The NC Triangle

    Posted

    Does anyone remember this?

    HillsboroStreet.pdf

    HillboroStreetText.pdf

    HillboroStreetText2.pdf

    I lived in Raleigh and worked with the Hillsborough Street group that was created because of this guy's work. The consultants ended up recommending something like 11 "roundabouts" but the majority of residents at the charette really wanted Cirello's plan for just two "traffic circles", and his realignment of Pullen and Oberlin Roads adopted. He also suggested reintroducing streetcar service between Meredith College (?) and the State Capitol.

    What do you think?

    Is this being built?

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