Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[cltcane]

I agree.  And the only spots I can think of would be the space currently occupied by The Garage or the back portion of the under-construction restaurant and patio space that is/was to be reserved for Packard Place tenants.  780 SF seems about right for the former, but I'm not sure how the owners would make that fairly basic retail space "sexy" and "boundary-pushing".

[CarolinaCrown]

Not sure what they are doing but they started to cover the roof of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in green carpet today.

Found out yesterday that Duke Energy's Solar Division will be going in on the 6th floor here which is where the access point is for the "rooftop" patio will be.

[dubone]

The lot next to Connolly's is discussed here:

[Ryan20]

The thing uptown really needs: one of the new urban-model Waffle Houses. Judging by the amount of activity at Midnight Diner after the bars close I would say there is certainly demand.(although maybe I am just hungry)

I know of a few of these truly urban places, four in downtown Atlanta and I have seen them in Athens and Chapel Hill. None has any parking and they can fit into old-school "bowling alley" shaped storefronts easily. Venting all that grease might be a challenge...

which part of uptown would gain the most from the 24 hr activity it would bring?

There was a diner where Roxbury is now but it had the world's worst service and the food wasn't very good. It's hard to screw up breakfast but they somehow managed. I agree though that there should be more late night places open in uptown. 

[Spartan]

I still think a diner concept would do well in uptown. The one on 5th St was just horribly executed.

[caterpillar2]

Years ago "White Castle" was on West Trade Street. Back then it was kind of scary after dark, but the food was always good late at night. A Waffle House would be great.  When I lived in London, there was always a trailer around vending churros, crapes, baguette sandwiches,   stuffed potatoes, or  fish n chips.  I believe we are ready for that.

[dubone]

Midnight diner is just outside of uptown.   Even though it's fun to pretend that 277 is some magic city wall, Carson and S Tryon is very convenient to most residents of uptown.   Matties Diner is technically uptown at NC Music Factory.

 

Then I suspect there are some diner-like places in Overstreet mall, especially so if you count Showmars.  

I'm not much one for diners overall, and I have been around some really awful human beings late night at Midnight diner (including a threat of murder for casually touching some one's car last year, which became my last visit to the place).  

 

[tozmervo]

I never think about showmars until a calabash shrimp craving comes about. There are no fewer than 3 in Uptown, but I don't think any of them have late/weekend hours. 3rd & Church, Independence Center (behind Newks inside) & the C-M Government Center

[CLTProductions]

Don't forget about the one in Hearst. But yes none of them really have hours outside banking hours. 

[tozmervo]

I had no idea there was one in the Hearst. I just make it down that far for SoHo 

[ES Charlotte]

Midnight dinner is a nightmare late night. How late is Matties open?

That 24/7 diner was expensive, had terrible service and the food was awful. I knew the owner - barely -  and mentioned to him at one point that my wife's chili on her hot dog (hahaha - drunk food) was nothing but ground beef and wasn't good. He responded with.. That's how we do it. I wish I would've replied "And that's why you'll go out of business" 

I don't know of a place within walking distance of Fourth Ward that I can sit down, get bacon, eggs, grits, and hash browns without having to go into the overstreet mall (not even sure it's in there) or leave Uptown. That essentially eliminates weekends unless a place has brunch.

We desperately NEED some places for both late night and breakfast. 

Amelies will help.. If 4th Ward Bread Co was back, that'd be rad... 

[Spartan]

Matties is a good diner, but let's be honest - the North Carolina Music Factory area is not uptown. It's a drive to destination. The Midnight Diner has great food, but IMO is not walkable for uptown and it's a mad house late at night. I go there for lunch and breakfast occasionally. The key is a place that is near the heart of uptown, close enough to the bars for drunks to stumble in, and without a high-end feel. 

I agree that Amelie's will help. 4th Ward Bread Co was a great breakfast spot before it burned. Now I want a kronut 

[cltcane]

Matties is a good diner, but let's be honest - the North Carolina Music Factory area is not uptown. It's a drive to destination. The Midnight Diner has great food, but IMO is not walkable for uptown and it's a mad house late at night. I go there for lunch and breakfast occasionally. The key is a place that is near the heart of uptown, close enough to the bars for drunks to stumble in, and without a high-end feel. 

I agree that Amelie's will help. 4th Ward Bread Co was a great breakfast spot before it burned. Now I want a kronut 

4th Ward Bread Company was awesome.  I'd walk over for coffee and a pastry pretty much every weekend.  I would love for someone else to reopen a similar concept there.  Didn't the owners end up leaving town after initially trying to find temporary kitchen space until the building was restored?

[Spartan]

Not to throw this off this topic because this is an awesome discussion and big news, but here is the story on 204 North. Sounds like it's going to be exactly what Uptown needs. And whAt me and ah, among others, have been clamoring for. (Spartan don't get mad At the glass. It'll be awesome)

 

http://www.charlotteagenda.com/5811/breaking-boarded-up-spot-in-between-rira-and-sipprohibition-will-become-204-north/

You were right. This looks pretty good - architecturally and otherwise.

http://www.charlotteagenda.com/13484/204-north-bar-restaurant-charlotte-5th-street/

[Spartan]

4th Ward Bread Company was awesome.  I'd walk over for coffee and a pastry pretty much every weekend.  I would love for someone else to reopen a similar concept there.  Didn't the owners end up leaving town after initially trying to find temporary kitchen space until the building was restored?

The last thing I heard was around January or February and it was that the owners were working with the insurance company and intended to reopen. But that was 6 months ago, so who knows. The mystery to me is that if you look in the window, there is new equipment in bubble wrap that's been sitting there a while. Maybe they did skip town?

[DMann]

My understanding is that the property owner after seeing the tremendous business it was doing is trying to raise the rent and the FWBC says they have an iron clad lease.  Equipment is being held hostage.  This is 3rd party information and I have not verified, but is sounds feasible.

 

[NYCLT]

You were right. This looks pretty good - architecturally and otherwise.

http://www.charlotteagenda.com/13484/204-north-bar-restaurant-charlotte-5th-street/

Late 2015 opening - or they can just bring in John Taffer and have it up and running in 48 hours.

[rjp212]

Noticed a lot more kitchen equipment in Fourth Ward Bread Company yesterday.  Never see anybody working in there though.

[dubone]

I'm unclear why it takes so long if they are actually still trying to do this.  Does insurance not just give you a check and have you back operating a while later?  It has been almost a year since they posted that they were working to get back to business.   

https://www.facebook.com/fourthwardbreadco/posts/560100357425140

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Hey everyone. Just a quick update.

We are working very hard to bring back the bakery as soon as possible.

It will take some time, but we have the best team in place to move things forward.

In the meantime, we are coming up with some awesome ways to continue to serve the greatest customers in the world!

In order to do so, we need your help. We need a commissary kitchen to operate out of. Preferably located in Uptown Charlotte, but not a deal breaker if it is outside of Uptown.

We need access to a kitchen with ovens and some burners. A deep fryer would be great too. And maybe most importantly, we need a commercial mixer- 60qt is ideal but smaller would still do.

All of our production is done between the hours of 12am and 7am. If you have any options please email us at [email protected] with the subject line "kitchen".

Once we line up a kitchen to work out of, I can get my people back to doing what they do best. And we have some really cool ways we want to serve you.

Thank you for your support during this trying time. We appreciate your kind words. Now we need your help.

Jonathan Schneider 
Fourth Ward Bread Co

Edited August 18, 2015 by dubone

[CLTProductions]

I'm unclear why it takes so long if they are actually still trying to do this.  Does insurance not just give you a check and have you back operating a while later?  It has been almost a year since they posted that they were working to get back to business.   

https://www.facebook.com/fourthwardbreadco/posts/560100357425140

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This is one of the stranger stories I have seen. Everyone I know is missing this place, uptown needs this back. I still think there might have been some shady things involved with the fire.

[cltcane]

This is one of the stranger stories I have seen. Everyone I know is missing this place, uptown needs this back. I still think there might have been some shady things involved with the fire.

There is definitely something going on that we're not aware of.  My family's company is in the disaster restoration business (and has been for over 50 years), and we handle large and complicated fire losses on a regular basis.  The insurance claims process is fairly straightforward (although documentation intensive) even when there are multiple parties involved, so there is little chance that the extended delay is a direct result of repair scope / insurance payment disagreements (unless there were coverage issues since we all use standardized software with standardized price lists to prepare estimates), contractor or permitting delays, or subrogation claims.  Insurance companies and adjusters want claim files closed as quickly as possible, especially when any delays are costing them more money in regular loss of rent and/or loss of business income payments.

[CLTProductions]

There is definitely something going on that we're not aware of.  My family's company is in the disaster restoration business (and has been for over 50 years), and we handle large and complicated fire losses on a regular basis.  The insurance claims process is fairly straightforward (although documentation intensive) even when there are multiple parties involved, so there is little chance that the extended delay is a direct result of repair scope / insurance payment disagreements (unless there were coverage issues since we all use standardized software with standardized price lists to prepare estimates), contractor or permitting delays, or subrogation claims.  Insurance companies and adjusters want claim files closed as quickly as possible, especially when any delays are costing them more money in regular loss of rent and/or loss of business income payments.

Coincidentally. This project IS back from the dead! It is in very active permit review. YAY! Does anyone know of a contact I can reach out to for a status?

Edited August 18, 2015 by Jayvee

[Spartan]

Coincidentally. This project IS back from the dead! It is in very active permit review. YAY! Does anyone know of a contact I can reach out to for a status?

WOW, you are my hero. Thanks for digging that up!

[dubone]

That is great news.   I always had the feeling that they were meeting a very deep need in the neighborhood but did not execute on it as well as they could.   But seeing permitting progress is a very good sign.   I hope they have put some thought into ways to improve the business when they return.  

Such a relief though.  I had really written them off and lamented that that building was worse off than it was when vacant. 

Coincidentally. This project IS back from the dead! It is in very active permit review. YAY! Does anyone know of a contact I can reach out to for a status?

[CLTProductions]

That is great news.   I always had the feeling that they were meeting a very deep need in the neighborhood but did not execute on it as well as they could.   But seeing permitting progress is a very good sign.   I hope they have put some thought into ways to improve the business when they return.  

Such a relief though.  I had really written them off and lamented that that building was worse off than it was when vacant. 

 

Really? What didn't you like in their execution (genuinely curious)? I always loved that place.