Polk Park

[J-Rob]

They really didn't waste any time.  So who owns this little parcel of land? The city?

Edited May 25, 2023 by J-Rob

[Madison Parkitect]

1 hour ago, J-Rob said:

They really didn't waste any time.  So who owns this little parcel of land? The city?

Yeah, GIS says the city owns it.

[J-Rob]

Comparing Polk Park to Penn Station seems a little crazy to me.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/30/polk-park-cultural-landscape-foundation-center-cit.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_23&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

[Matthew.Brendan]

naw totally similar

 

[RANYC]

8 hours ago, J-Rob said:

Comparing Polk Park to Penn Station seems a little crazy to me.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/30/polk-park-cultural-landscape-foundation-center-cit.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_23&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

I thought the same.  I wish this Foundation had gotten exercised all the years this corner of uptown sat idled and moribund.

[KJHburg]

the controversy continues about this redux of Polk Park

https://www.tclf.org/charlottes-shame-was-polk-park-legally-razed

[J-Rob]

I honestly think the only people upset about this are people that don't live in Charlotte.

[JorgiPorgi]

42 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

I honestly think the only people upset about this are people that don't live in Charlotte.

I will say this. As someone who grew up an hour outside of Charlotte(Shelby) we always felt big city when visiting Charlotte. We would like to come to Uptown and eat at Rock Bottom. It was a pretty cool experience to walk to this little park, with the waterfalls and be surrounded by skyscrapers. It was something so uniquely Charlotte. The waterfalls reminded me of the waterfalls near my hometown and kind of pulled everything together in a North Carolina pride kind of way. It should have been maintained better, because a lot of people definitely enjoyed it. 

[TCLT]

2 hours ago, JorgiPorgi said:

I will say this. As someone who grew up an hour outside of Charlotte(Shelby) we always felt big city when visiting Charlotte. We would like to come to Uptown and eat at Rock Bottom. It was a pretty cool experience to walk to this little park, with the waterfalls and be surrounded by skyscrapers. It was something so uniquely Charlotte. The waterfalls reminded me of the waterfalls near my hometown and kind of pulled everything together in a North Carolina pride kind of way. It should have been maintained better, because a lot of people definitely enjoyed it. 

An urban plaza with a water feature is uniquely Charlotte? What a weird take. Every city has them. There's at least half a dozen other water features in uptown. It wasn't even the only (or nicest) waterfall in uptown.

[Professor]

On 5/30/2023 at 11:05 AM, Matthew.Brendan said:

naw totally similar

 

 

[Professor]

A small small fish shop would fit into the cozy little area. 

[JorgiPorgi]

7 hours ago, TCLT said:

An urban plaza with a water feature is uniquely Charlotte? What a weird take. Every city has them. There's at least half a dozen other water features in uptown. It wasn't even the only (or nicest) waterfall in uptown.

I described why it was a unique experience to other people. There is nothing weird about that. It’s a point of view. 

[KJHburg]

if I remember correctly when this park was built the tall fountain feature was to represent the waterfalls in our nearby mountains.  

[RANYC]

We failed to maintain Polk.  We failed to do timely maintenance on the blue line vehicles.  Is there a systemic issue?  No total cost of ownership assessments?  No Gantt charts?

[SydneyCarton]

Polk Park’s waterfall and the BoA fountain was/ is the most dramatic water features in Uptown, though the one in Romare Bearden Park is great too.   

Tearing it down was a shame.  That was a beautiful little park.  I went there frequently when I lived in  Myers Park.

Edited June 8, 2023 by SydneyCarton

[MarcoPolo]

I, for one, am very pleased that Polk Park is being re-imagined.  It was a disaster at every level as regards urban, open space.  Functionally, socially, contextually......  A prime example of the 1970's and 1980's landscape planning profession's manic obsession to recreate "the shopping mall experience" on every city block in our country's downtowns.   The curse of the imported modernist European aesthetic, inaugurated by Victor Gruen (father of the modern mall) back in the 1950's.  To subject this amazingly situated parcel of land, at the very center of the City, to a buffet of landscape theatrics and high school level abstractions, was so Charlotte at the time (sill kinda is unfortunately).   Frustrating that, by its completion in the early 90's the school of thought behind such follies had already fallen into disrepute internationally and nationally, except here in Charlotte of course!  The reactions to its removal are also very Charlotte.  I'm not surprised given that the City is starved for high caliber, quality civic realm.   A perceived taking, even of marginal spaces is met with fear and loathing.  

I spent last week at the Congress for the New Urbanism's yearly gathering held at the Westin.   Great to see CLT Development there!  Many of my colleagues from around the world attended and I was proud to show some of the successes (past and present) in development and planning around the metro.  Hopefully, in the years to come, if the Congress returns, we will have continued to improve our "urban quality of life" to a level that precludes comments like, "what is that?", or "oh, what a shame", or "big missed opportunity", or "is that a placeholder for something?", from being made.   Walking by Polk Park elicited three of these four remarks! 

A proper urban civic space, with a combination of hardscape and tasteful tree plantings to highlight the adjoining built fabric and frame the corner would transform Trade & Tryon into more of the "Square" its moniker promotes.  Done correctly such a design would encourage the eventual opening up of the ground floors of 112 N Tryon and 121 W Trade to front and fully open onto the space, activating the public realm, and providing a liveliness it has not had since before the buildings that once stood there were demolished.  A true gathering place at the heart of the City.  

[SydneyCarton]

I hate to bring up the “N Word” (ie., New York), but pocket parks in New York with waterfalls are very popular, such as Greenacres Park, Paley Park, WTC Plaza, among scores of others.  Further, more are being built such as the 1 acre waterfall plaza behind 550 Madison and at 270 Park.  If Greenacres Park were demolished, people would react strongly.

Polk Park was extraordinary.  I hope that something great is built on this site soon.   Charlotte deserves it.

Edited June 9, 2023 by SydneyCarton

[CLT Development]

7 hours ago, MarcoPolo said:

I, for one, am very pleased that Polk Park is being re-imagined.  It was a disaster at every level as regards urban, open space.  Functionally, socially, contextually......  A prime example of the 1970's and 1980's landscape planning profession's manic obsession to recreate "the shopping mall experience" on every city block in our country's downtowns.   The curse of the imported modernist European aesthetic, inaugurated by Victor Gruen (father of the modern mall) back in the 1950's.  To subject this amazingly situated parcel of land, at the very center of the City, to a buffet of landscape theatrics and high school level abstractions, was so Charlotte at the time (sill kinda is unfortunately).   Frustrating that, by its completion in the early 90's the school of thought behind such follies had already fallen into disrepute internationally and nationally, except here in Charlotte of course!  The reactions to its removal are also very Charlotte.  I'm not surprised given that the City is starved for high caliber, quality civic realm.   A perceived taking, even of marginal spaces is met with fear and loathing.  

I spent last week at the Congress for the New Urbanism's yearly gathering held at the Westin.   Great to see CLT Development there!  Many of my colleagues from around the world attended and I was proud to show some of the successes (past and present) in development and planning around the metro.  Hopefully, in the years to come, if the Congress returns, we will have continued to improve our "urban quality of life" to a level that precludes comments like, "what is that?", or "oh, what a shame", or "big missed opportunity", or "is that a placeholder for something?", from being made.   Walking by Polk Park elicited three of these four remarks! 

A proper urban civic space, with a combination of hardscape and tasteful tree plantings to highlight the adjoining built fabric and frame the corner would transform Trade & Tryon into more of the "Square" its moniker promotes.  Done correctly such a design would encourage the eventual opening up of the ground floors of 112 N Tryon and 121 W Trade to front and fully open onto the space, activating the public realm, and providing a liveliness it has not had since before the buildings that once stood there were demolished.  A true gathering place at the heart of the City.  

Not to mention, that giant fountain hid an entrance and a great place for an expanded Patio. I would love that back corner of the new park to just be about seating and activation, and the corner of trade and tryon to have a retail/food kiosk.  

Edited June 9, 2023 by CLT Development

[MarcoPolo]

All good points SydneyCarton, but the examples you raise are not comparable.   Very different settings.  Polk is at Trade and Tryon....the actual center of uptown.   Socially, functionally and contextually it requires a different design, one that prioritizes its location at the bustling nexus of the City's two main uptown cross streets.   It should also serve to anchor the somewhat ill defined corner spaces on the adjoining three blocks of Trade and Tryon to establish the City's central plaza or piazza....celebrating the heart of Charlotte.   The Park's previous design failed to do so, leaving the 4 corner statues erected to fill the void, too heavy a lift for public art at their scale.  All in all, a "throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks" assembly of incoherent efforts.  

The pocket parks you refer to in NYC are distributed amongst sub-districts and neighborhoods in very dense settings, often as add-ons to ground level spaces attached to individual towers, or private open space interventions such as Greenacres Park which offers a wonderful spot to linger for residents of the Turtle Bay neighborhood.  I frequent it often, and yes, if it were to be removed...there would be blood.   The spaces  you list are "refuge" spaces, moments of respite within the hustle and bustle of the City.  The total opposite of what Trade and Tryon represents to Charlotte.  This is why the Polk Park failed as an urban space.  Context and hierarchy are important to the coherency of a city.   However, on one thing we do agree, I hope something great is built soon, Charlotte does deserve it.  CLT Development is on the right track with his suggestion.

[CLT2014]

I've walked by Polk Park for 8 years and didn't know there was anything note worthy in there. Just seemed like an awkward dead end to look at a fountain with homeless people on the benches. Never heard anyone talk about this park or spend time in it until demolishing it was in the news. I'd personally be supportive of something more useful. I'm sorry for those that frequented and enjoyed this park though that this space is changing. 

Edited June 9, 2023 by CLT2014

[SydneyCarton]

4 hours ago, MarcoPolo said:

All good points SydneyCarton, but the examples you raise are not comparable.   Very different settings.  Polk is at Trade and Tryon....the actual center of uptown.   Socially, functionally and contextually it requires a different design, one that prioritizes its location at the bustling nexus of the City's two main uptown cross streets.   It should also serve to anchor the somewhat ill defined corner spaces on the adjoining three blocks of Trade and Tryon to establish the City's central plaza or piazza....celebrating the heart of Charlotte.   The Park's previous design failed to do so, leaving the 4 corner statues erected to fill the void, too heavy a lift for public art at their scale.  All in all, a "throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks" assembly of incoherent efforts.  

The pocket parks you refer to in NYC are distributed amongst sub-districts and neighborhoods in very dense settings, often as add-ons to ground level spaces attached to individual towers, or private open space interventions such as Greenacres Park which offers a wonderful spot to linger for residents of the Turtle Bay neighborhood.  I frequent it often, and yes, if it were to be removed...there would be blood.   The spaces  you list are "refuge" spaces, moments of respite within the hustle and bustle of the City.  The total opposite of what Trade and Tryon represents to Charlotte.  This is why the Polk Park failed as an urban space.  Context and hierarchy are important to the coherency of a city.   However, on one thing we do agree, I hope something great is built soon, Charlotte does deserve it.  CLT Development is on the right track with his suggestion.

You raise good points.  I just always loved Polk Park.  I hope that something great is built there.

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

The park was cool during it’s prime but like many have said the lack of upkeep was also it’s downfall. I enjoyed seeing ppl playing chess at the tables and such but it declined quickly. Like CLT mentioned, many ppl prob don’t even realize  room 112 is in the back corner. A nice patio for them and Reid’s would be nice. A more grandiose plan would be to implement a more permanent space for food vendors to station at. Create a pocket park with permanent food stalls. Maybe not cargo container style but a smaller version of the little retail unit on top of Brooklyn village light rail station or like the chicken spot at Wells Fargo plaza:

[SydneyCarton]

Has the fountain at the Wachovia tower at 301 S College been eliminated?  Every time I’ve been there in the past year, the plaza was boarded up for reconstruction.  From the posted images, it appears that it will be eliminated and replaced with flower beds.

I think that the Convention Center fountain also will be demolished when the new residential tower rises on that corner parcel.

[davidclt]

17 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Has the fountain at the Wachovia tower at 301 S College been eliminated?  Every time I’ve been there in the past year, the plaza was boarded up for reconstruction.  From the posted images, it appears that it will be eliminated and replaced with flower beds.

I think that the Convention Center fountain also will be demolished when the new residential tower rises on that corner parcel.

The fountain is gone. Replaced by a anodyne plaza of sorts. Will send a photo tomorrow.

 

I'm guessing fountains are kind of a PitA maintenance-wise?

[Desert Power]

14 hours ago, davidclt said:

The fountain is gone. Replaced by a anodyne plaza of sorts. Will send a photo tomorrow.

 

I'm guessing fountains are kind of a PitA maintenance-wise?

Was sad that didn't at least leave that clock tower in that plaza. Can see why they would remove that fountain though as it did not feel safe