Learning from Other Places

[kermit]

 

 

[U_R_]

17 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Fwiw, I believe the new Charlotte TOD parking maximums would prohibit this. Emory can bend over backwards trying to justify it, but it's just more parking right on top of heavy rail transit in Midtown. That deck's existence is not what is preventing the surface lots from getting developed 

I see what you mean. 3k spaces is a ton of parking, but a hospital also requires a lot of it. Most people are happy about this because it is opening up 3-4 lots that will be prime for development. Overall, people are reallly happy with this. Even if Emory prevents 1-2 towers being built b/c of that one parking deck, it is such a big asset that I think it’s worth it. 

[asthasr]

This is an interesting project in Singapore, the "Tree House."

[KJHburg]

Charlotte and Nashville comparison by ULI which recently met out there.  Interesting.

https://charlotte.uli.org/events/recap-lessons-from-music-city-and-the-uli-spring-meeting/

[Guest]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Charlotte and Nashville comparison by ULI which recently met out there.  Interesting.

https://charlotte.uli.org/events/recap-lessons-from-music-city-and-the-uli-spring-meeting/

broken link

[KJHburg]

17 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

broken link

well it worked before I went back to where I found it on twitter and it is broke there too.  Maybe it was for members only. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I read it shortly after K posted. Urban Land Institute one page descriptor of Nashville. 22 cranes there, deep music integration into the city and attendant cultural standing, tourism and national awareness therefrom. Charlotte is bank based (acc to ULI) and must work with what we have. That is my memory of the piece.

[Dale]

Currently, I’m smitten with Tokyo. Hope to get there soon and can’t wait for the 2020 Olympics. Population 40,000,000 and the trains always run on time!

[KJHburg]

That ULI article said uptown Charlotte due its compactness made it easier to find a drug store and grocery store.  

Update:  the link to the ULI story is working. 

https://charlotte.uli.org/recap-lessons-from-music-city-and-the-uli-spring-meeting/

Edited May 6, 2019 by KJHburg

[U_R_]

I thought that it would just be appropriate to at least somewhat finish up the Emory parking deck situation. Recently, Emory proposed a 3k space parking deck in order to consolidate their spaces for more available land.

https://atlanta.curbed.com/2019/4/26/18516721/emorys-urbanize-midtown-hospital-new-parking-deck

Today, Emory just announced plans for a 17 story tower that would connect directly with Emory University Hospital Midtown. This may have been part of the plan for the new parking deck. Btw-the article is a paywall 

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2019/05/06/emory-plans-475m-cancer-tower-at-emory-university.html

[KJHburg]

Downtown Houston has an office vacancy rate double that of uptown Charlotte.  However I just read in the Houston Business Journal 95% of the office space above 40th floor is leased versus 50% below 40th floor.  Houston has about 22 office towers downtown higher than 40 floors.  Lesson for Charlotte:  Build  more tall buildings in the 45-75 story range! 

[elrodvt]

^They need to be that high to stay out the water for the next 20 years of "1000 year storms".

[KJHburg]

On 5/7/2019 at 8:02 AM, elrodvt said:

^They need to be that high to stay out the water for the next 20 years of "1000 year storms".

actually in the great Harvey floods only one edge of downtown Houston flooded that which is along the Buffalo Bayou.  Rest of downtown was high and dry actually Houston is not as low as you think.  Most of the city is 50-100 feet above sea level problem is it is very flat which allows floods to spread.  Interesting many homeowners are suing the Corp of Engineers for flooding their homes after Harvey.  New building restrictions there now say 1 foot over the 500 year flood line.  House raising is a big business in some of the older neighborhoods of Houston now.

[KJHburg]

what not to learn from another city this time NYC and their 1.2 M sq ft 45 story Jail in lower Manhattan.  why not just keep Rikers Island open?

https://archpaper.com/2019/05/manhattan-tombs-rikers-45-story-jail-tower/

[Matthew.Brendan]

Keeping Rikers open is simply not going to happen, and for very good reasons. Please do some reading if you are interested.

The fate of this proposed tower is far from a done deal. Is it the best option? Hard to say.

[asthasr]

On 5/6/2019 at 4:17 PM, Dale said:

Currently, I’m smitten with Tokyo. Hope to get there soon and can’t wait for the 2020 Olympics. Population 40,000,000 and the trains always run on time!

I'd love to be able to spend some significant time there. I think there's a lot that can be learned from their patterns that hasn't really been studied yet; for example, their urban farms in the "suburbs," their extremely narrow streets in residential areas, their "good enough" infrastructure that saves on maintenance costs, and their ad hoc urban green space.

[videtur quam contuor]

From my experience in Japan, two three week visits and staying with Japanese friends, one is nearly always within the sound of trains of some kind and within the smell of fish. 

[elrodvt]

2 hours ago, asthasr said:

I'd love to be able to spend some significant time there. I think there's a lot that can be learned from their patterns that hasn't really been studied yet; for example, their urban farms in the "suburbs," their extremely narrow streets in residential areas, their "good enough" infrastructure that saves on maintenance costs, and their ad hoc urban green space.

I love Tokyo. I used to work in Nagasaki which is in the far south and for fun would take the Shinkansen all the way there getting off at random tourist spots. That was a blast.

There is also a lot to learn from the "smaller" cities like Nagasaki, Hiroshima as well as other large cities especially Osaka. 

BTW, The baseball games in Hiroshima are especially fun. I am quite smitten with walking around with squid on a stick and a pint of  Yebisu black.

[Dale]

4 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

From my experience in Japan, two three week visits and staying with Japanese friends, one is nearly always within the sound of trains of some kind and within the smell of fish. 

Our Japanese exchange student gave us dry squid to sample. I swear it took me a week to get the taste out of my mouth.

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, Dale said:

Our Japanese exchange student gave us dry squid to sample. I swear it took me a week to get the taste out of my mouth.

I went to Sanrio Puroland one evening, 11 years ago. I'm still recovering.

[elrodvt]

1 hour ago, Dale said:

Our Japanese exchange student gave us dry squid to sample. I swear it took me a week to get the taste out of my mouth.

Yeah I'm not crazy about dried either. Like it hot off the coals.

[KJHburg]

Closer to home Asheville shows how it is done for historical preservation and thriving retail.  While of course downtown Asheville was dead for years until the last 20 years most of their small buildings were left in tact.  Still one of the best downtowns in the south I think.   Something Charlotte could do and learn is these covered outside tables for vendors like these in front of Grove Arcade.  1. 2. Grove Arcade like our Latta Arcade but much much bigger.  3. Street vendors Charlotte could try this.  4. Grove Arcade  5. Flat Iron Building currently offices proposed for hotel but shot down by city council is heated debate.  Some people think so many tourists cause housing prices to rise in Ashvegas.  (that is not true)  6. skyline from one of many rooftop patios.  7. renovation of the old BB&T office building now a Kimpton hotel and condos  8. Kress building is a great gem too. 

[Windsurfer]

I have to take issue with this: " Some people think so many tourists cause housing prices to rise in Ashvegas.  (that is not true)  

I used to live part time in Asheville 20 years ago and watched the steady trickle of artists moving to West Asheville for the prices and rent due to shops opening up expressly for tourists.  Combined with Floridians and others who wanted  vacation homes,  prices soared.  Even today, my artist friends are looking elsewhere in order to leave West Asheville. The influx of second homers and investors has reached Asheville's outskirts.

[KJHburg]

^^^ Asheville housing prices were always higher than the rest of the state because of land availability and difficulty finding flat lots.  There is organized opposition to hotels opening up there and I would say most tourists are not buying a home.  Asheville is more popular than in the past as is Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington and other growing cities in the state and thus housing prices are rising but to blame hotels on the rising prices is not right.  The secret if there ever was one at Asheville has been out for decades now.  Some of these same locals also rent out rooms via Airbnb and so forth and Asheville is really strict on that now.  Asheville is a popular destination for tourists no doubt  and a few might make it their home.  I have heard people up there complain about Austin TX and San Fran people moving there too and both are more expensive than Asheville.   Buncombe County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state right now. 

[Desert Power]

I wish I was creative enough to come up with ideas to renovate or use Latta Arcade more.  Brevard Court is always pretty busy