Wachovia 48 Story Office Tower & 42 Story Condo Tower

[Seabreeze]

Lots of CBD business people shop the open market at Polk Park and the flower stand across the street. We also enjoy the jazz band in the afternoons and other entertainment. It would be nice to see more of this. If an area is just business then people don't go there. If you've ever been in Boston's financial district on a Saturday, then you know it's like you stepped into a nuclear winter. It's just not a good use of space when use is limited so tightly.

6 blocks is not that much. There are successful CBD shopping districts that are 6 blocks or more. Again, Boston's Back Bay is great example. San Francisco and Chicago too. Most major cities have 6 blocks or more of shopping. Even most malls are at least 6 blocks.

If an office building can service its tenants and interact with the outside world, why not? Why does the entire building and the street surrounding it have to have a business only atmosphere?

[schmopperX]

I'm beginning to think the bar is way too low in what counts as 'green' in this city: grass, glass, and water buckets aren't enough!

[dubone]

That is true, Schmopper, I did include in my post that all of those things were good. But it is already a controversy that you can get minimum LEED certification by doing fairly easy and inexpensive things, getting as many points with those as more broadreaching features. I was hoping Wachovia would do more than just go for the minimum. It is possible that they are doing much more, and the O didn't care to report it. They don't seem to ever report, as was rumored earlier, that they were going for LEED gold. I'm a little worried that costs have risen and they are reducing their commitment to green features, going just with the minimum to still get the publicity.

[schmopperX]

IC, I guess I'm just happy to see them trying anything at all that's enviromentally freindly. Should they spend the money to attain LEED gold or any other certification they can, YES. I hope they do, it would pay off for them in the long run, and add value to the building. In our town tho I'm just happy to see some baby steps being taken.

[atlrvr]

I'm pretty sure they have been trying to achieve silver LEED all along...with BofA going for gold with their new building here, maybe Wachovia still step up the design.

Still, even the basic LEED certified is a HUGE step forward over any office tower currently in Charlotte.....

[nowensone]

I'd like to see at least all of those features incorporated into the Wachovia building, and then some additional things like generating some of its own power with microturbines, or translucent photovoltaics (solar panels in the glass).

[mo1217]

Wachovia's new tower, I must say is a major disappoitment...architecturally many of us expected a grand statement for Charlotte, unfortunately this is a bland statement, tall [48 floors] but bland.

[krazeeboi]

I agree with you to a degree, but the retail building located next to the tower on Stonewall is a continuation of the building's design and imposing facade. All of Stonewall is going to feel cutoff and desolate, and be little more [pedestrian wise] than the place where the tower's smokers congregate. You can see this from the pic taken of the base of the model on page 3 here (also has been quoted and reposted elsewhere) in tandem with the site plan (assuming it is still current).

[AuLukey]

Wachovia's new tower, I must say is a major disappoitment...architecturally many of us expected a grand statement for Charlotte, unfortunately this is a bland statement, tall [48 floors] but bland.

[JerseyBoy]

Hearst is one such example. It's a gorgeous tower, but it feels a little overdone to me.

[krazeeboi]

Hearst's crown really gives it dimension. The tower is really pretty narrow, which is evident when viewing it straight on. However, from an angle, the crown really makes the tower pop.

[Charlotteman]

Gosh I always thought Hearst Tower was one of the most beautiful high rises in the States. Truly a grand landmark for Charlotte.

[monsoon]

Indeed. The Hearst Tower is probably the only tower downtown that actually did a good job of creating a base that interacts with the public. It's no surprise that you will find people on those blocks almost all the time.

[cinco]

Indeed. The Hearst Tower is probably the only tower downtown that actually did a good job of creating a base that interacts with the public. It's no surprise that you will find people on those blocks almost all the time.

[JTsaysToYou]

UGHHHH

ENVYYYYYYYYYY

Raleigh gets dopey little RBC and you guys get that.......

*sigh*

GREAT

no

AMAZING for charlotte though, seriously. Thats going to be one nice building.

[RiverwoodCLT]

UGHHHH

ENVYYYYYYYYYY

Raleigh gets dopey little RBC and you guys get that.......

*sigh*

GREAT

no

AMAZING for charlotte though, seriously. Thats going to be one nice building.

[Nostyle]

Any guesses on the height of the condo tower? If the office tower is nearly 800', that condo tower doesn't look much shorter...perhaps 600'...?

[A2]

Any guesses on the height of the condo tower? If the office tower is nearly 800', that condo tower doesn't look much shorter...perhaps 600'...?

[Nostyle]

I would wager to guess between 460-490 feet tall.

A2

[A2]

It seems taller than that. watch the video of it from News 14. The tower sits on the mint museum, right? That must give it extra height because it appears much taller than 500' (or less).

[A2]

I have a feeling it might just be a bit taller than Three Wachovia. That is not too bad, considering before they anounced the increase in height we were looking at something more along the 30 floor variety. (something similar to Trademark)

A2

[A2]

Going back over the News14 video, this puppy could just be around 500+ feet. Again, I am just going by the model. If it is accurate, then 500+ft is not out of the question.

A2

[dxartist]

well, I've update the future uptown skyline. The perspective is a little off on the Wach condo tower and the new Wach office tower is facing the wrong direction, but what the heck....

[MZT]

Someone mentioned "IJL doesn't have any retail" - Actually, IJL has a fair amount of ground floor space available for interior retail.

There is a small sundries shop, and a coffee room which do OK biz from the floor traffic passing from the elevators to the parking deck. I think IJL may even have a sandwich shop in the back - or did at one time. The coffee place owner once told me she had considered locating in Hearst - but decided the floor layout was too maze-like and unconducive to business.

The problem with the floor traffic at IJL is there is not much reason to go to the back of the building. There is an uninviting plaza back there (hard surfaced with a few tired benches, and facing the noisy HVAC from the building). Mostly smokers use it.

(EDIT: DxArtist, that looks like the worlds biggest vacuum cleaner sitting there on the right!)

[moving uptown]

i was under the impression that a standard condo floor was between 11-12 feet which would equal 460-500 feet. 500+ would be great as that would give charlotte 8 500 foot tall buildings (4 right now and 4 under construction).