Duke Energy Center - 48 Story Office Tower in Charlotte

[LynchMob]

Just thinking. So, right now as we speak, Charlotte has foundations in place (on top of existing structures) for a 40+story tower (on top of Mint Museum), another 40+tower (Charlotte One) and a 50+tower (210 trade). That's alot of space that one would believe almost has to be built at some point. Anyway, I hope it all gets built.

[Spartan]

No, it is going to be a Starbucks

My money is on a dry cleaner and/or steakhouse.

[monsoon]

Just thinking. So, right now as we speak, Charlotte has foundations in place (on top of existing structures) for a 40+story tower (on top of Mint Museum), another 40+tower (Charlotte One) and a 50+tower (210 trade). That's alot of space that one would believe almost has to be built at some point. Anyway, I hope it all gets built.

It's a very good point. 210 Trade got further along than did this project in that they actually had sold the place out (at least once) and then of course there is The Park. Yet there they are. Unfinished ruins of concrete slabs.

The condo portion of this project is dead, I said it months ago, and my guess is there won't be anything built on this property for a long time. On the comment about the Hyatt, I think I saw some numbers recently that said the downtown hotel vacancy rate was approaching 60%. Obviously this is isn't sustainable and if it keeps up it's going to put a few of the ones that doe exist in danger of staying open. The hotel business is a tough one and they really can't manage these kinds of losses. Unless of course they go run for a bail out too.

So if the Wachovia exec wants to say condo, hotel or some other structure, I am not surprised. This is coming from an exec over a failed condo project that was conceived by a failed bank.

[InitialD]

[swampfox43]

Beautiful photo!

Is it me or is this top part going extremely slow? Seems like they are never gonna get to that handle!!

[AuLukey]

At this pace I don't see how they're going to be done with this building by the end of the year, and I mean just the handle. I swear this puppy hasn't grown more than maybe a couple floors in about a month.

[Eastman]

At this pace I don't see how they're going to be done with this building by the end of the year, and I mean just the handle. I swear this puppy hasn't grown more than maybe a couple floors in about a month.

I've been watching it every day from my office, the steel work they are doing now is very intricate, plus all the rain we are having. Your right though it is taking awhile.

[dubone]

The condo portion has been dead for months, so I'm not sure it was much of a prediction just because the Observer finally got around to quoting the status for casual observers (no pun intended).

The fact is, it is dead, and 'on hold indefinitely' and 'canceled' and 'dead' all equally describe the same message. When/if economic conditions exist again something to go there, it will be constrained by the infrastructure that was built into the Mint Museum, but would be designed to whatever specifications and uses make sense in that future time.

I think if they had always just announced the project as it is now being built (large office tower, 3 museums, a theater, a plaza, and a a foundation for a future small floorplate tower) everyone would have still been just as excited all along. The condo tower was always just sort of a side dish that few people focused on.

In some people's theory, nothing will be built there because economic conditions will never be right. In my theory, though it may even take a generation for conditions to be right, but I think it is great to have the option for someone to add density to already developed land verses using raw land. Frankly, for the next decade, I would far rather any future development to grow into the dead zones in each ward, mostly in the areas mired today by surface lots over multiple blocks.

In the end, this project created office space that was worthy of the global headquarters of a Fortune 200 company, added aesthetically to the skyline, and created office space that (even if it causes a glut during a severe recession) will help create space for new corporate relocations. It also created some sold arts facilities that will serve the city well as it finds itself again after this downturn.

Anyone who thought in the past 6 months that another condo tower would be started has clearly missed the theme of the world economic news.

[ssh214]

Honestly I'd rather have them finish the Park and 210 Trade then this condo tower. Those are eyesores, the condo tower on the Wachovia/Wells Fargo/Duke site was never really started to be considered an eyesore.

[Eastman]

Thank you dubone, well written. I know for a fact this project would be well respected in any community just as it is. Some day someone should write a book about Charlotte. A city run by liars and thieves, incompetence at the highest levels, developer nonsense run amuck, a paper run by morons and trains to nowhere running on stolen money. They even did a flyover trying to kill us with worm poison.

And yet, we grew into one of the better cities in the country in spite of ourselves, people still move here, other cities come to study us, the market is still better than the majority and the plans on the table that I have first hand knowledge of will make this place even better.

Oh well.

[JayGee]

Thank you dubone, well written. I know for a fact this project would be well respected in any community just as it is. Some day someone should write a book about Charlotte. A city run by liars and thieves, incompetence at the highest levels, developer nonsense run amuck, a paper run by morons and trains to nowhere running on stolen money. They even did a flyover trying to kill us with worm poison.

And yet, we grew into one of the better cities in the country in spite of ourselves, people still move here, other cities come to study us, the market is still better than the majority and the plans on the table that I have first hand knowledge of will make this place even better.

Oh well.

If you want to employ these broad generalizations, you could no doubt say that about any city.

[monsoon]

If you want to employ these broad generalizations, you could no doubt say that about any city.

Indeed. This is the typical way to address the real issues that face a city. Spout out meaningless platitudes that only have one purpose and that purpose would be to discredit the people bringing forth the issue in the first place. i.e address the issue by character assassination. It's all too common in the USA these days.

[rockhilljames]

What's the issue here? That they are not building the Condo tower portion? After the demise of Wachovia and the existing housing market I don't know any sane person that would be surprised by this.

I also have no idea why someone would consider this project a failure based on the Condo cancellation. It's a small piece of the project. Also, so what if Bank Execs used spin-speak to announce the cancellation? What do you expect them to say, "Oh the economy sucks and our bank is a shell, so no condo tower for you skyscraper nuts."

I honestly don't know why this is even a bone of contention among any of us.

[HopHead]

What's the issue here? That they are not building the Condo tower portion? After the demise of Wachovia and the existing housing market I don't know any sane person that would be surprised by this.

I also have no idea why someone would consider this project a failure based on the Condo cancellation. It's a small piece of the project. Also, so what if Bank Execs used spin-speak to announce the cancellation? What do you expect them to say, "Oh the economy sucks and our bank is a shell, so no condo tower for you skyscraper nuts."

I honestly don't know why this is even a bone of contention among any of us.

Amen... The condo tower was a dead issue a long time ago. Altough, I love the new office tower for our skyline, I think the biggest and most important aspect of this is the arts and cultural facilities that this project will bring to uptown. If those were cancelled, then I'd deem the project a failure. However they are not, so come later this year we'll have some new attractions to uptown.

[JerseyBoy]

While I was in Charlotte yesterday, I took a set of photos of the new Wachovia/Wells Fargo/Duke Energy Tower from a variety of angles. Unfortunately, they were taken from my car and aren't as clear as I'd like them to be. A gorgeous tower though!!

Statesville Avenue:

Graham Street:

Graham & Third:

Graham/Stonewall & Mint:

Stonewall & Church:

Stonewall & Tryon:

Fifth Street & Fraziew Avenue:

Frazier Avenue & Trade Street:

I-77:

Independence Freeway:

[krazeeboi]

You got this from just about every possible angle. Thanks for the shots!

I also like the way the Vue looks from several of these angles.

[SentioVenia]

I guess it's appropriate that the Duke Energy Center would be obscured by so many utility poles and power lines.

[krazeeboi]

From earlier today:

[AuLukey]

Taken today:

[Spartan]

Thanks for these pictures everyone. JerseyBoy, the view from Statesville Road is one of my favorite, and its one that we rarely see around here. Thanks for sharing!

[queensguy06]

While leaving downtown today I noticed from the Brookshire Frwy. while merging onto 77 South you can really see how the top of this building is going to look. It looks great from that angle.

[AuLukey]

Taken today from on top the Discovery Place parking deck. The newest additions for the handle make it visible all the way down N Church:

Another peak:

[JayGee]

This was from yesterday, Saturday.

Posted one on 'Photo of the Day' also.

[InitialD]

Few photos from 4-25, from a few different angles.

[JayGee]

Come on you construction geeks. Are we topped out?

This raises an interesting question (for me anyway). How are they going to do the handle? It doesn't seem like you can just build it across that span. Maybe its some kind of pre-fabbed piece that is set in place by the cranes or helicopter? Or is it too big for that?

If it is pre-fabbed and set in, man, I want to be there for that!