Charlotte Convention Center

[ClassicColtrane]

 

[KJHburg]

Interesting sounds like they want to expand the convention center along S College and give up their land that is surface lot across from the Nascar Plaza tower on Caldwell.    Either than want control of the land for a future hotel combination convention center or just for the convention center.  

[SydneyCarton]

4 hours ago, ClassicColtrane said:

 

That sounds like a great deal for Millennium since they get a parcel that’s three times the size one block away.  In fact, if Millennium built on a huge parcel, I’d love to see a twin tower layout with retail in the middle like this.

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by SydneyCarton

[15895]

1 hour ago, ClassicColtrane said:

 

Based on those pictures and my lack of knowing the exact positioning of where this is supposed to be, It looks sort of hidden (is it supposed to be showcasing bars, restaurants and shops?) and kind of sterile. But mostly just looks so hidden. Uptown development is just so bad at creating nice ground level experiences sometimes. 

I say put a giant brewery. Guess I’m basic. Like. Create things and places local Charlotteans would want to go to and I think the energy from convention goers and stuff would follow. It just looks like it’d be hard filling those spaces. We’ll see thoughhh. 

[KJHburg]

from the Biz Journal today on this proposed land swap

""The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority is working on a land exchange that could add key development around the Charlotte Convention Center.

Tom Murray, CRVA chief executive, presented the plan to Charlotte City Council during its regular meeting last night. Murray explained that the CVRA wants to enter into a land-exchange agreement with Berlin-based Millennium Venture Capital to swap a portion of 501 S. Caldwell St., which is owned by the city, for a portion of 401 S. College St., which MVC is in the process of purchasing from Duke Energy.

The exchange would allow for the addition of a hotel next to the convention center, something Murray has for years said is necessary to keep Charlotte's ability to draw events in line with competing markets like Nashville, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas. Currently, uptown Charlotte has about 6,200 hotel rooms, compared to 13,000 in Nashville and 18,000 in Austin.

Murray said that, though the convention center is booked, a lack of hotel space within walking distance has caused some potential bookings to go elsewhere.

"We’re a highly sought-after convention center because of the quality of service and quality of the location," he said. "We have a full docket for the next few years, but it’s becoming harder to book into the future without hotel development."

If approved, the city will give 2.2 acres of its South Caldwell property to MVC for 0.7 acres of the South College property. Murray said because the city will be giving away much larger piece of land, MVC has agreed to demolish the building at South College and prep the site for development, which will cost about $6 million. The firm is also planning $3 million in improvements to the convention center plaza.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/10/25/crva-convention-center-hotel-millennium-capital.html

[RANYC]

8 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

from the Biz Journal today on this proposed land swap

""The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority is working on a land exchange that could add key development around the Charlotte Convention Center.

Tom Murray, CRVA chief executive, presented the plan to Charlotte City Council during its regular meeting last night. Murray explained that the CVRA wants to enter into a land-exchange agreement with Berlin-based Millennium Venture Capital to swap a portion of 501 S. Caldwell St., which is owned by the city, for a portion of 401 S. College St., which MVC is in the process of purchasing from Duke Energy.

The exchange would allow for the addition of a hotel next to the convention center, something Murray has for years said is necessary to keep Charlotte's ability to draw events in line with competing markets like Nashville, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas. Currently, uptown Charlotte has about 6,200 hotel rooms, compared to 13,000 in Nashville and 18,000 in Austin.

Murray said that, though the convention center is booked, a lack of hotel space within walking distance has caused some potential bookings to go elsewhere.

"We’re a highly sought-after convention center because of the quality of service and quality of the location," he said. "We have a full docket for the next few years, but it’s becoming harder to book into the future without hotel development."

If approved, the city will give 2.2 acres of its South Caldwell property to MVC for 0.7 acres of the South College property. Murray said because the city will be giving away much larger piece of land, MVC has agreed to demolish the building at South College and prep the site for development, which will cost about $6 million. The firm is also planning $3 million in improvements to the convention center plaza.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/10/25/crva-convention-center-hotel-millennium-capital.html

Article goes on to say that Millennium plans to add multifamily, office, and high end ground-floor retail to the portion of South College it doesn’t convey to the city.  
 

I am so tired of seeing that surface lot at S Caldwell and hope this goes through and that Millennium has development plans for both S Caldwell & S College that can get executed straightaway.

My sense is that Council will start asking questions and this may get bogged down in an affordable housing debate, with council expecting that element on one of the sites.

Edited October 25, 2022 by RANYC

[uptownliving]

City gets a postage stamp lot at the corner of  College and MLK...thinking this will be a little park or something. And then Millienium will face the retail of their development to face the Convention Center. This would replace the existing fountain you can see from College St when standing at the main entrance to the  convention center. Also Millieium gets 2.2 acres at Brooklyn Village Dr and Caldwell.

City retains an acre of land adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn for a future hotel.

 

Pro is this will liven up that plaza with retail and more humans, plus it adds a nice addition to the existing rail trail. I think its a good deal. Hopefullly it works out.

Edited October 25, 2022 by uptownliving
add

[videtur quam contuor]

That parking area on S Caldwell was Arnold Palmer Cadillac for some years during the time auto dealers clustered n the downtown area. Young Ford was across Caldwell. Big dealers with large real estate. It was another dealer of another American make before Cadillac but I cannot recall whom or which. All moved to the outer areas of the city as downtown became uptown and other uses prevailed. I bought a used 1977 Honda Civic CVCC from the Cadillac dealership and it was a bold strategy, Cotton, which marginally paid off for me.

I was biking around town on a Sunday morning and this red Honda incongruously sat in the midst of the land yachts of the time, about 1981-82. Monday morning I called and discovered it was a trade on a new car Saturday afternoon and they would let it go for a reasonable price with no further effort on their part. I ran it for several years, had transmission repaired, A/C stopped working, eventually sold it to a church looking to provide transportation to their most improvident members. Which says something about my financial condition at the time.

[KJHburg]

Looks like this land swap of existing city owned land on Caldwell St and the old Duke Energy data center site on College will happen. 

From the CLT Biz Journal

""After a lengthy discussion during its regular business meeting yesterday, Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 to approve a property exchange that could add key development around the newly renovated convention center.

The land-swap agreement council approved is between the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and Berlin-based Millennium Venture Capital. The city will give 1.9 acres of its property at 501 S. Caldwell St. to MVC in exchange for 0.7 acres at 401 S. College St., which is part of a larger 2.3-acre site the developer is in the process of purchasing from Duke Energy Corp.  Tom Murray, CRVA chief executive, said because the city is giving away much larger piece of land, MVC has agreed to demolish the building at South College and prep the site for development, which will cost about $2.5 million. The firm is also planning $4 million or more in improvements to the convention center plaza.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/11/29/crva-millennium-venture-capital-convention-hotel.html

[SydneyCarton]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Looks like this land swap of existing city owned land on Caldwell St and the old Duke Energy data center site on College will happen. 

From the CLT Biz Journal

""After a lengthy discussion during its regular business meeting yesterday, Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 to approve a property exchange that could add key development around the newly renovated convention center.

The land-swap agreement council approved is between the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and Berlin-based Millennium Venture Capital. The city will give 1.9 acres of its property at 501 S. Caldwell St. to MVC in exchange for 0.7 acres at 401 S. College St., which is part of a larger 2.3-acre site the developer is in the process of purchasing from Duke Energy Corp.  Tom Murray, CRVA chief executive, said because the city is giving away much larger piece of land, MVC has agreed to demolish the building at South College and prep the site for development, which will cost about $2.5 million. The firm is also planning $4 million or more in improvements to the convention center plaza.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/11/29/crva-millennium-venture-capital-convention-hotel.html

This is great news.  It appears that several high rise apartment towers will go up in the next few years:

1.  this one.

2. The one of Levine’s old Museum of the South site;  and

3. The one on the old Duke bunker near BoA Stadium.

Having more residents downtown will add to a demand for stores and restaurants,  and more people on the street will add to the city’s vitality.

I hope that the last LU site will be a residential tower.

[Guest]

Maybe I am missing something but how is .7 acres big enough for a 1000 foot hotel? And how is 1.6 acres big enough for a multi family and office development? Are we talking three towers on this one block?

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, MothBeast said:

Maybe I am missing something but how is .7 acres big enough for a 1000 foot hotel? And how is 1.6 acres big enough for a multi family and office development? Are we talking three towers on this one block?

It will be a tall convention hotel look at the Westin it is 25 stories and 700 rooms and it is very thin.  So imagine 30-40 stories straight up and yes you have a 1000 room hotel.  The other vacant land on S Caldwell which is a parking lot now has room for at least 2 towers again multistory.  

[RANYC]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

It will be a tall convention hotel look at the Westin it is 25 stories and 700 rooms and it is very thin.  So imagine 30-40 stories straight up and yes you have a 1000 room hotel.  The other vacant land on S Caldwell which is a parking lot now has room for at least 2 towers again multistory.  

Is CRVA making long-range planning moves, or do we think it has an imminent hotel development prospect?

Was Skybridge connectivity to 700-room Westin not enough, and now we believe a 1000-room hotel immediately adjacent will make all the difference?

I know we’re a banking city, but all the finance conferences I’ve been to since lockdowns were lifted have been in Miami Beach, Vegas, Park City, and San Diego.  As much as I love Charlotte, I can’t see how we are competitive with those cities in the eyes of those organizers. Would love to see CRVA’s target list!

[KJHburg]

I think Charlotte goes after lots of different organizations like manufacturing trade shows,  religious and church conventions etc.  

Look at the calendar of upcoming conventions for the next year.

https://www.charlottemeetings.com/charlotte-convention-center/convention-event-calendar

I dont think a 1000 room hotel is imminent though.  I think they are just thinking of the future as that corner makes the most sense for a convention center expansion along with a big hotel on top.   Check out this new hotel coming to Atlanta next to the GA World Congress Center a 975 room 40 story Signia by Hilton hotel   https://signiabyhiltonatlanta.com/welcome/  easy fit on that lot where the data center stands.   And remember downtown Atlanta has 4 other hotels downtown with 1000 plus rooms.  As I have said in the past Hilton is a little light on hotel brands in uptown Marriott really dominates uptown Charlotte.  Marriott has 15 brands uptown with the upcoming Moxy.   Hilton (my brand of choice) has 6 brands.  NOTE This hotel is coming to Atlanta! 

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by KJHburg

[RANYC]

Wish the city would have at least required some things be done to the 1.9 acre S. Caldwell property and within a set amount of time, in exchange for giving it away to Millennium.

I hate looking at that S. Caldwell surface parking lot as much as anyone, but it's prime property that the city owned right in the heart of Uptown, and it has now conveyed that property with absolutely no conditions? 

I know the city often bungles real estate development, but it was still a significant taxpayer asset and shouldn't there have been more stakeholder engagement and expert consideration given to what goes there and the timing of it?

And all the city is getting is a 0.7 acre side-pocket of an area that was already going to be drastically transformed by Millennium anyway.  Head-scratcher.

Edited November 30, 2022 by RANYC

[Reverie39]

The city also wants a Super Bowl one day right, so a giant hotel would really help with that.

[Matthew.Brendan]

23 hours ago, MothBeast said:

Maybe I am missing something but how is .7 acres big enough for a 1000 foot hotel? And how is 1.6 acres big enough for a multi family and office development? Are we talking three towers on this one block?

Well if they can build a 1428’ tower on 0.145 acres they can probably manage a hotel on 0.7

[go_vertical]

[Guest]

It is of course possible, I am just surprised by the conservative land-use uptown, seems like a solid bet for an underground garage. Maybe it’s a new trend.

[Bikeguy]

On 10/25/2022 at 11:24 AM, tarhoosier said:

It was another dealer of another American make before Cadillac but I cannot recall whom or which. All moved to the outer areas of the city as downtown became uptown and other uses prevailed. I bought a used 1977 Honda Civic CVCC from the Cadillac dealership and it was a bold strategy, Cotton, which marginally paid off for me.

 

Folger Buick.

[QCxpat]

Today 3:00 p.m.  -  Demolition's underway of Duke's 401 South College St. bldg. next to the Charlotte Convention Center

Duke Energy "said in a release that Berlin-based Millennium Venture Capital is buying its 401 South College Street building next to the Charlotte Convention Center." ...  "According to Duke, the College Street site will become a mixed-use development with office, retail and hotel space along with luxury apartments."  

Link:  https://www.wfae.org/business/2022-05-02/buyers-found-for-two-duke-energy-properties-in-uptown-charlotte

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

^great news! Hopefully they can spend a little extra money and figure out how to continue the rail trail through the Convention center. That’s the only section in uptown that’s cutoff and with duke getting demolished, they can align the rail tail again. 

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

A tweet from CLT Dev below.  I’ve heard someone mention they would be possibly looking into two 500 room hotels vs one big 1k one. Utilizing the old data center and the lot next to nhof. Not concrete but a potential option  

[go_vertical]

Speaking of the Westin, I had a friend that stayed there not too long ago and she was quite underwhelmed with the place.  She said the lobby was nice but the actual floor and room left a lot to be desired.  Said the hallway smelled musty, the ice maker on her floor was broken, a/c sounded like it was struggling and loud, and the room looked a little beat up and tired.

[Professor]

On 10/24/2022 at 7:19 PM, SydneyCarton said:

That sounds like a great deal for Millennium since they get a parcel that’s three times the size one block away.  In fact, if Millennium built on a huge parcel, I’d love to see a twin tower layout with retail in the middle like this.

 

I just want a place uptown to belly dance.