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Residences at Spirit Square


eastsider

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Article in today's paper about David Furmans plan to save Spirit Square and build a condo tower on College St. he would save 720-seat McGlohon Theatre but tear down the Duke Treatre and replace it with a couple of smaller ones. There would be a 25-30 story residential tower that fronts College St. the would have 100-150 condos. There would be a plaza on Tryon St. between the McGlohon Theatre and Fox and Hound restaurant, similar to Hearst Plaza, that would be home to a bookstore and another restaurant. There would also be a 8-9 story building on 7th St. with a two story gallery for the Light Factory.

The expected cost for the project is approx. $100M. It would depend on the county obtaining Spirit Square in the Knights Stadium land swap and in turn selling it to Furman.

spiritsquarebi2.jpg

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Article in today's paper about David Furmans plan to save Spirit Square and build a condo tower on College St. he would save 720-seat McGlohon Theatre but tear down the Duke Treatre and replace it with a couple of smaller ones. There would be a 25-30 story residential tower that fronts College St. the would have 100-150 condos. There would be a plaza on Tryon St. between the McGlohon Theatre and Fox and Hound restaurant, similar to Hearst Plaza, that would be home to a bookstore and another restaurant. There would also be a 8-9 story building on 7th St. with a two story gallery for the Light Factory.

The expected cost for the project is approx. $100M. It would depend on the county obtaining Spirit Square in the Knights Stadium land swap and in turn selling it to Furman.

spiritsquarebi2.jpg

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Yes yes yes yes! This is EXACTLY the way towers should be built....creating store fronts and midrise buildings along the streets and a tower set back.

This is the first project that I've seen proposed, that I couldn't imagine improving the "urban feel"

AND....it looks like this tower might not have a back side.

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I concur on all counts. The rendering at least seems more pedestrian integrated than any other projects I have seen so far. A bookstore with evening hours and maybe so music or poetry readings would do wonders in making Uptown feel more lived in. I will try not to get too carried away as I have learned my lesson from being burned before....

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According to the article in the Observer the following comments might present a serious problem for this project to see the light of day.

It reads as follows:

State law requires the county to sell property to the highest bidder. County commissioners could ask the legislature to make an exception and allow them to request development proposals, which would allow them to set conditions on the sale. The county could also ask the city to take charge of selling the property.

Furman said if the facility were sold to the highest bidder, his plan likely would not fly. But he hopes the county will take Spirit Square out of the land swap and structure its sale to keep arts groups there.

http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/46420.html

Do do you guys think that the State and the County commissioners could make this happen?

FWIW, Furman was sold the arena parcel with a bid that was less than the rival bidder, and now we are still unsure about that project (Concourse) being erected. Any thoughts????

A2

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A2, I think it will be really interesting to see how all of this plays out; it seems that a lot of things have to go right for this project to make it to construction. The first things we should watch are what happens in the land swap deal, how Spirit Square will fare from this, and what happens with Concourse. Any one of those things could put the nail in the coffin on this project.

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The County is definitely emptying out Spirit Square and will take action of some type. We are in the process of preparing space in one of our office properties for Opera Carolina who find themselves displaced by what's going on.

Whatever the solution, I hope the "historic resource" remains standing.

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According to the article in the Observer the following comments might present a serious problem for this project to see the light of day.

It reads as follows:

State law requires the county to sell property to the highest bidder. County commissioners could ask the legislature to make an exception and allow them to request development proposals, which would allow them to set conditions on the sale. The county could also ask the city to take charge of selling the property.

Furman said if the facility were sold to the highest bidder, his plan likely would not fly. But he hopes the county will take Spirit Square out of the land swap and structure its sale to keep arts groups there.

http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/46420.html

Do do you guys think that the State and the County commissioners could make this happen?

FWIW, Furman was sold the arena parcel with a bid that was less than the rival bidder, and now we are still unsure about that project (Concourse) being erected. Any thoughts????

A2

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one of the best proposals Ive seen for downtown. The newer addition between fox and hound and the old first baptist sanctuary (spirit square) isnt all that attractive. It really does the old building justice to separate it. this improves pedestrian scale activity on Tryon and i cant see how it couldnt help college too as that is just a surface lot.

btw, has anyone noticed that the old "The Hut" bar across college was demo'd for an outdoor patio for whatever is occupying the old have a nice day space?

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Look out....Ghazi announced in next week's CBJ that he will look to bid on the Spirit Square site as well, and wants to build condos and retail, as well as a possible hotel.

Also......Levine announced he would be interesting in bidding to redevelop it...................................... :mellow:

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Well, with the county now talking about reconsidering, maybe some of these developers can turn to Hall House land for a fancy mixed building mixed use project.

It is good that developers are interested in doing this. Maybe the county should swap the city for other land so that the city can accept these non-highest-bidder bids that incorporate the arts.

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Look out....Ghazi announced in next week's CBJ that he will look to bid on the Spirit Square site as well, and wants to build condos and retail, as well as a possible hotel.

Also......Levine announced he would be interesting in bidding to redevelop it...................................... :mellow:

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http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...4276800^1432417

Charlotte Bizjournal story on the project. I'm curious as to how he would be willing to fit all of that development onto that one small plot of land. I personally think the county should hold on to as much of Spirit square as they deem 'needed' (at least the old church) and sell off the rest with the understanding that whatever they demolish to make way for taller buildings (or buildings that can contain different uses in that area) are rebuilt to give the arts people their space. There is still that massive parking lot behind all of Spirit Square that has sat vacant for years.

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