Metropolitan, Midtown Redevelopment

[DigitalSky]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/new...ws/12908776.htm very interesting... Time Capsule at Midtown Square Mall

[DigitalSky]

thanks for the merge

Edited October 16, 2005 by cantnot

[dubone]

I merged the Midtown Pics thread with the main Midtown thread, so the project discussion and progress could continue to be discussed here.

The graffiti comments are now their own thread in the coffee house:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17059

[dubone]

Now all the old parking decks around Midtown Square are demolished.

They also have heavy equipment at the old cinema site quite regularly.

I'm not sure when they will tear down the Midtown Square building itself, but the area already has a different feeling without the decks.

It is such a shame that the Wendy's will get a new suburban-style store. It probably will even be worse than the current building, as at least there is nice brick in the current structure, which I doubt they'll repeat.

[DigitalSky]

Yeah too bad Wendy's won't be "urban style" and "suburban style"... Although i think it'd be neet if anyone does have the chance to go see Midtown Square Mall without its decks for the time that they can. thx for the update

[dubone]

Grading is very far along on the Target/Expo site at Midtown. They just have a little more digging to get the section near Kings Rd to be at the same level as the rest of the site. Heavy machinery is there consistently.

The Midtown Square building is still standing, though. I'm not sure when they plan to tear it down, but I have read that they will do it slowly and careful, so as to avoid any run-off issues in the creek.

[nyxmike]

Have they started on the road work yet?

[dubone]

No, but work should start imminently.

[DigitalSky]

No, but work should start imminently.

thanks for the update

[atlrvr]

I found the current rendering for the Expo/Target on-line, but can't figure out how to rip the picture. Here is the website but you have to be patient as the renderings scroll through.

http://www.gmvirtual.net/gmvirtual/

[DigitalSky]

it looks really nice!

[NCMike1981]

very cool

[Norm2]

Wow that looks really nice

[peaceloveunderstanding]

awesome. That is exactly what we need over there.

[dubone]

I like the buildings, but what is up with the cars? Was this design put together in the 80s?

I hope they design the project well along Kings Dr. That is the only section of the buildings that come close to the road, and could have an urban effect. The renderings in the rezoning application weren't so bad, so hopefully they have improved upon those.

[orulz]

The rendering looks nice. Although, I am still a bit disappointed that they didn't go 100% "urban" with this project, although I wouldn't dare to deny the plan on acount of that. This is already a billion times better than a strip mall or shopping mall on account of its density and location.

I think I've said this before, but The problem I see is that the design focuses on the internal street, using public rights-of-way essentially for vehicular access and parking decks. I do love how it incorporates the greenway, but looking at the site plan, most of the pubilc streets are fronted by parking decks, vehicular entrances, and the "back sides" of stores. While all of the streets will have sidewalks, few curb cuts, and have landscaping to be reasonably attractive, The only truly "friendly" streetscape will be along the internal street.

Oh well! The midtown project is what it is, and... what a location!

[SmellyCat]

love the design. And the purple sky.

[turbocraig]

I like the buildings, but what is up with the cars? Was this design put together in the 80s?

That's funny. I knew a girl in college that drove a pale yellow Ford Fairmont wagon that looked identical to the car in the rendering. Maybe she's on the design team...

[dubone]

The rendering looks nice. Although, I am still a bit disappointed that they didn't go 100% "urban" with this project, although I wouldn't dare to deny the plan on acount of that. This is already a billion times better than a strip mall or shopping mall on account of its density and location.

I think I've said this before, but The problem I see is that the design focuses on the internal street, using public rights-of-way essentially for vehicular access and parking decks. I do love how it incorporates the greenway, but looking at the site plan, most of the pubilc streets are fronted by parking decks, vehicular entrances, and the "back sides" of stores. While all of the streets will have sidewalks, few curb cuts, and have landscaping to be reasonably attractive, The only truly "friendly" streetscape will be along the internal street.

Oh well! The midtown project is what it is, and... what a location!

I agree with you. This project doesn't do nearly enough for pedestrian frontage on Kings and Independence (to be renamed at some point).

I have also said this before, but it just drives me completely nuts that the Wendy's couldn't be located in the ground floor of the parking deck at Kings/Independence intersection. It could have been pedestrian friendly, and still had a drive-through. It would have opened a great deal more land for either a third big box, or a residential project on the Greenway. Perhaps it could have even allowed the Target and Home Depot Expo to not be stacked, and thus saving tax payer subsidies for the parking deck. All because Wendy's wanted a store just like their current one.

Luckily the new 'internal' streets that are pedestrian friendly, and the buildings orient towards, are connected like a grid. That ends up fitting in better to the urban context, where some streets are pedestrian oriented, and others are thoroughfares for cars.

[DigitalSky]

the new Midtown logo from Pappas Properties' website

[lbl627mo]

I like the buildings, but what is up with the cars? Was this design put together in the 80s?

I hope they design the project well along Kings Dr. That is the only section of the buildings that come close to the road, and could have an urban effect. The renderings in the rezoning application weren't so bad, so hopefully they have improved upon those.

Where can I find pics of those rendering from the rezoning app?

[dubone]

Where can I find pics of those rendering from the rezoning app?

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...ndpost&p=202318

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planni...ns/2005-060.htm

[dubone]

I'm not sure if this is really the correct interpretation, but they now have contruction information displays out on Kenilworth saying that S. Independence Blvd will be closed after 1/21/06. I wonder if they will begin construction for this intersection next weekend.

[DigitalSky]

It would be good if they started next weekend.

[DigitalSky]

http://wbtv.com/news/news_detail.cfm?ns_id=1749&hdr=2 story from WBTV