Belk Place: Carolina Theater and Hotel Intercontinental

[RANYC]

9 hours ago, KJHburg said:

By Thanksgiving....

from the Biz Journal today

""Foundation For The Carolinas CEO Cathy Bessant expects the restored Carolina Theatre to open by Thanksgiving — and promises the performance and community events hub will quickly carve a new niche in Charlotte civic life.

Bessant, during an interview Tuesday with CBJ at the foundation’s uptown headquarters, took over as CEO this month. The foundation’s board named her CEO in September as the full-time replacement for Michael Marsicano, who retired a year ago after 23 years at the helm. ""

Cathy Bessant's new role as foundation CEO begins with long-delayed Carolina Theatre renovation - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

She was on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins just last week, and I'm pretty sure she told him Q3.  Now it's already been pushed to Q4.  How did she not get the memo to just stay silent on the completion date for this cursed theater?

Edited February 1 by RANYC

[KJHburg]

at least this will open this year and it will start attracting events.  Hopefully the hotel starts to rise this year too. 

Love the Montaldos building Foundation for the Carolinas office next door. 

 

[DonkeyKong]

2 hours ago, KJHburg said:

at least this will open this year and it will start attracting events.  Hopefully the hotel starts to rise this year too. 

Love the Montaldos building Foundation for the Carolinas office next door. 

 

What was intended use of this building when constructed?

[videtur quam contuor]

Montaldo was the shop for the upper income lady in Charlotte for many years. On Tryon from 1920's to 1960's there were numerous women clothing stores, dress shops, hats and shoes  and so on. Montaldo's stood alone for their service, style and selection. They had stores in other Southern cities. I knew a man quite some time ago who told me about his wife and daughter and Montaldo. He was a working man who had moved to Charlotte in the 1930's from New London NC area. His wife was a self taught seamstress who also enjoyed the challenge of making quality clothes at home. It is difficult to recall that for many in the past this was necessary. Store bought clothing of decent style might require compromises with food and rent. His daughter wanted a very nice dress for a special occasion, maybe prom or the equal. His wife went to Montaldo and found something that would satisfy the daughter. The price of the dress was far, far out of their budget. The wife examined the dress closely, fingered the fabric and seams, made notes on the construction, details, and features and using the measurements of the daughter created a pattern and from that the finished garment. My friend told this tale with evident great pride in the spirit and achievement of his wife. I remember this story still.

Suburbanization caused the decline of the other mass market type stores on Tryon but Montaldo was unique and lasted longer than the rest. 

The draped female figures on the parapet are known as caryatids in classical architecture. Especially appropriate for this store.

https://vintagefashionguild.org/resources/item/label/montaldos/

 

edit:  Caryatids are draped female figures who support the entablature of a Greek classical structure. There is no pillar function here but I am going with the term until someone corrects me.

 

Edited March 4 by videtur quam contuor

[Guest]

2 hours ago, videtur quam contuor said:

Montaldo was the shop for the upper income lady in Charlotte for many years. On Tryon from 1920's to 1960's there were numerous women clothing stores, dress shops, hats and shoes  and so on. Montaldo's stood alone for their service, style and selection. They had stores in other Southern cities. I knew a man quite some time ago who told me about his wife and daughter and Montaldo. He was a working man who had moved to Charlotte in the 1930's from New London NC area. His wife was a self taught seamstress who also enjoyed the challenge of making quality clothes at home. It is difficult to recall that for many in the past this was necessary. Store bought clothing of decent style might require compromises with food and rent. His daughter wanted a very nice dress for a special occasion, maybe prom or the equal. His wife went to Montaldo and found something that would satisfy the daughter. The price of the dress was far, far out of their budget. The wife examined the dress closely, fingered the fabric and seams, made notes on the construction, details, and features and using the measurements of the daughter created a pattern and from that the finished garment. My friend told this tale with evident great pride in the spirit and achievement of his wife. I remember this story still.

Suburbanization caused the decline of the other mass market type stores on Tryon but Montaldo was unique and lasted longer than the rest. 

The draped female figures on the parapet are known as caryatids in classical architecture. Especially appropriate for this store.

https://vintagefashionguild.org/resources/item/label/montaldos/

 

edit:  Caryatids are draped female figures who support the entablature of a Greek classical structure. There is no pillar function here but I am going with the term until someone corrects me.

 

I think you’d call them “grotesques” though an architect could probably correct us. I really enjoy reading your stories by the way.

[videtur quam contuor]

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/fashioning-yourself-a-story-of-home-sewing-national-women’s-history-museum/AAXx0a87fbE9LA?hl=en

Home sewing history.

My household historian says her mother and mothers of her peers were active clothing makers in her school days. New school year, new (larger) clothes. The older ones remade and adapted for the younger sibling. This in Sedgefield neighborhood so solid middle class. Online sources generally agree that the fashion, political and cultural changes of the 1960's and 1970's were doom for home sewing. Blue jeans, basically, and other simpler style clothes. Then the 1970's and women entering the workforce in large numbers, and sewing was not part of this modernism. Shopping for clothes became the fashion, a cultural difference and likely part of the suburbanization of the time (imo). My older sister took sewing class in high school. Nothing developed from it for her except for clothing repair.

This in living memory. Ask your family members who may have had this experience.

[Windsurfer]

7 hours ago, videtur quam contuor said:

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/fashioning-yourself-a-story-of-home-sewing-national-women’s-history-museum/AAXx0a87fbE9LA?hl=en

Home sewing history.

My household historian says her mother and mothers of her peers were active clothing makers in her school days. New school year, new (larger) clothes. The older ones remade and adapted for the younger sibling. This in Sedgefield neighborhood so solid middle class. Online sources generally agree that the fashion, political and cultural changes of the 1960's and 1970's were doom for home sewing. Blue jeans, basically, and other simpler style clothes. Then the 1970's and women entering the workforce in large numbers, and sewing was not part of this modernism. Shopping for clothes became the fashion, a cultural difference and likely part of the suburbanization of the time (imo). My older sister took sewing class in high school. Nothing developed from it for her except for clothing repair.

This in living memory. Ask your family members who may have had this experience.

My grandmother had a bunch of patterns (also 'shopped' at Montaldos) from the 20s. She made some clothes but wasn't all that talented for it.  She was born in Clyde, NC in the 1890s and came to Charlotte by horse and buggy. Met my grandfather and had their family (my dad and uncles) on Princeton Ave, when it was middle class.  She died in 1994.  Fast forward to now, and I have an 11 year old who is absolutely hooked on sewing , knitting and weaving. 'They' are learning all the techniques from youtube videos now and are making all kinds of vintage clothing from table cloths, curtains and scraps. I'm so proud of them.  All is not lost.  We now have a couple of alpacas and will be getting a spinning wheel soon.  Now, if I could only find those patterns. I know an aunt has them somewhere.

[Poo Diddy]

It is so much fun to read y'all talking about the patterns and home sewing.  My wife trained as a pattern maker and seamstress and has a knack for it.  Most of my button up shirts are made by her off a custom pattern fit for me.  I tell you few things make me prouder than to get a compliment on a shirt and they ask "Where did you get that?".  Watching people's reaction when I say my wife made it is priceless.

Windsurfer - A few of our friends kids have asked for her help with sewing projects as they have got into it as a hobby like your kiddo.  She loves teaching them and spreading the knowledge.

[Windsurfer]

3 hours ago, Poo Diddy said:

It is so much fun to read y'all talking about the patterns and home sewing.  My wife trained as a pattern maker and seamstress and has a knack for it.  Most of my button up shirts are made by her off a custom pattern fit for me.  I tell you few things make me prouder than to get a compliment on a shirt and they ask "Where did you get that?".  Watching people's reaction when I say my wife made it is priceless.

Windsurfer - A few of our friends kids have asked for her help with sewing projects as they have got into it as a hobby like your kiddo.  She loves teaching them and spreading the knowledge.

If we were currently living in Charlotte I'd drop you a PM to find out if she's offering classes .   Have found some amazing weavers and stitchers up here in Oregon lately.  Quite a scene up here trying to revive the old Oregon Trail Pioneer history.

[j-man]

I’ve stayed off this thread for about a year and yall are still uploading pics that look the same as the ones from a year ago. Just hang up the entire project at this point. The hotel component renderings don’t even do it for me anymore.

Edited March 13 by j-man

[Professor]

15 hours ago, j-man said:

I’ve stayed off this thread for about a year and yall are still uploading pics that look the same as the ones from a year ago. Just hang up the entire project at this point. The hotel component renderings don’t even do it to me anymore.

We've been waiting for years. And to think, the foundation got the land for a dollar. I've given up. We should have had a showpiece there by now. 

Edited March 11 by Professor

[CLT Development]

8 minutes ago, Professor said:

I suggest that the person in charge at the "foundation" be drawn and quartered (or replaced if still there) for doing practically nothing for what? 10 years?  And the land was bought for $1.00. Wow! There were plenty of excuses for delays. That, they did well.  By now, we could have had a Waldorf Astoria Hotel constructed plus some.  It is snailing along bit by bit.  By the time the hotel bangs in their first nail, we'll all be dead or have to visit in our "rascals."

They manage and distribute a couple billion dollars worth of philanthropic giving throughout the entire Charlotte region, so saying "practically nothing for 10 years" is a wild assertion. 

The reality is this was a very challenging project, and they have restored a falling-down theatre into an immaculate work of art, that will open at the end of this year. As far as the hotel goes, There were 3 full years where the chosen financing for the hotel was pretty much locked down by the federal government. Now there is a massive backlog of EB-5 Visas, the investment of which will fund the hotel itself.

Edited March 11 by CLT Development

[Guest]

22 hours ago, Professor said:

We've been waiting for years. And to think, the foundation got the land for a dollar. I've given up. We should have had a showpiece there by now. 

Interesting for you to edit your comment suggesting violence against a leader of our community, I thought it was very on brand for you. I really appreciate the members of this community that have nothing to offer except negativity and blow hard opinions about things they don’t understand. I guess you would have had us give John Lewis the guillotine?

[j-man]

On 3/11/2024 at 10:14 AM, Professor said:

We've been waiting for years. And to think, the foundation got the land for a dollar. I've given up. We should have had a showpiece there by now. 

At this point, I’d rather they just finish this glass box and scrap the hotel so that we can have the roads back to normal. I’ve never been so sick of a construction site more in my life. 

[Professor]

On 3/12/2024 at 9:04 AM, MothBeast said:

Interesting for you to edit your comment suggesting violence against a leader of our community, I thought it was very on brand for you. I really appreciate the members of this community that have nothing to offer except negativity and blow hard opinions about things they don’t understand. I guess you would have had us give John Lewis the guillotine?

So you have low standards and expectations but are very sensitive.  Are you stalking me? 

[CLT Development]

18 hours ago, j-man said:

At this point, I’d rather they just finish this glass box and scrap the hotel so that we can have the roads back to normal. I’ve never been so sick of a construction site more in my life. 

Won't happen lol, the hotel is pretty important to the financial viability of the entire project.

[tozmervo]

6 minutes ago, CLT Development said:

Won't happen lol, the hotel is pretty important to the financial viability of the entire project.

Through the grapevine I understand that IHG largely financed the foundation that was built underneath the theater so they could build the tower. That would be money down the drain if they don't put that foundation to work. (That foundation also being one of the reasons the project has taken so long)

[videtur quam contuor]

As I recall there was a spring discovered there and the micropile foundation preparation was a much longer process than identified in the plan.

Out take from this: Is there a way for land prep/engineering/soil testing to determine the likelihood of water intrusion below ground? Spring, water table, any such object? Is it all terra incognita?

[KJHburg]

if this Salter Brothers developers from the Land down Under does not come through I am sure the foundation will market the site to another developer.  It is a great hotel location.  

[go_vertical]

18 hours ago, j-man said:

I’ve never been so sick of a construction site more in my life. 

This one is pretty annoying, but in my opinion McDowell between Brooklyn Village and Morehead is an absolute joke.

[nicholas]

25 minutes ago, go_vertical said:

This one is pretty annoying, but in my opinion McDowell between Brooklyn Village and Morehead is an absolute joke.

Is there a reason that road projects (or at least, projects impacting roads) take foreverrrrrrrr in Charlotte, or are the people involved just incompetent/wildly inefficient?  They've been working on that for like three years.  Same for Sugar Creek Rd between N Tryon and the Blue Line.  In my neighborhood they had one of the entrances closed for around a month to replace a water/sewer pipe, which they finally completed, but they have not yet came back to repave the street that had been completely ripped up (they did, however, pour new curbs).

[ArchiCLT]

3 minutes ago, nicholas said:

Is there a reason that road projects (or at least, projects impacting roads) take foreverrrrrrrr in Charlotte, or are the people involved just incompetent/wildly inefficient?  They've been working on that for like three years.  Same for Sugar Creek Rd between N Tryon and the Blue Line.  In my neighborhood they had one of the entrances closed for around a month to replace a water/sewer pipe, which they finally completed, but they have not yet came back to repave the street that had been completely ripped up (they did, however, pour new curbs).

*The intersection of Graham St at Sugar Creek Rd, plus the realignments of Mallard Creek Rd & University City Blvd, has entered the chat*    #foreverrrrrrrr

[Miesian Corners]

39 minutes ago, go_vertical said:

This one is pretty annoying, but in my opinion McDowell between Brooklyn Village and Morehead is an absolute joke.

You can blame Charlotte Water (formerly CMUD) for that cluster. 

[CLT Development]

18 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Through the grapevine I understand that IHG largely financed the foundation that was built underneath the theater so they could build the tower. That would be money down the drain if they don't put that foundation to work. (That foundation also being one of the reasons the project has taken so long)

Foundation was insane, from what I understand, the water table is like right there, 

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

23 hours ago, go_vertical said:

This one is pretty annoying, but in my opinion McDowell between Brooklyn Village and Morehead is an absolute joke.

100%. Lane closure near the theater isnt bad at all. The Brooklyn village one you mentioned is not only inconvenient but it’s really dangerous for ambulances. That’s their main route coming off of 277 to the hospital and cars can’t get out of the way bc of how it’s barricaded over there.