First Ward Urban Village / North Tryon Vision Plan

[graydog]

It would be great if they could incorporate a supermarket into the retail, such as the HT in 5th & Poplar. With all the new residents in First Ward, it really will be necessary to have another grocery store.

I love Reid's so I'd vote for them to move from 7th St. Station into an expanded location here. That would keep competition up and provide choices, especially with Whole Foods going to Elizabeth. An ethnic grocrery wouldn't be bad either. Another grocery will probably be needed though.

[graydog]

I wonder if the back of Courtside will become an issue for the buyers in this project. It will take up a large portion of the skyline view from this angle.

The more I look at the design for the Quarterside, the more I like it. Although the courtyard building at 6th/Myers is much like the Village at South End, the large building at 7th/McDowell is very unique. I like that he is evolving his design style. He is building so high a percentage of uptown neighborhoods, that he is continuing to define Charlotte's style, but is avoiding making everything look exactly the same.

If you think about it, and Courtside's backside aside, we are damn fortunate Furman is the major influence in First Ward. Imagine if some hack architect had the influence Furman has had.

[Southernyank]

So basically, Quarterside and the Renwick will be almost adjacent to each other, and the "half a street" that is currently storing the wood for court6 will be expanded from 6th to 7th street? i love the project but my barber shops in that strip mall. it took me a long time to find a barber within walking distance that can give me a nice shape up

[dubone]

So basically, Quarterside and the Renwick will be almost adjacent to each other, and the "half a street" that is currently storing the wood for court6 will be expanded from 6th to 7th street? i love the project but my barber shops in that strip mall. it took me a long time to find a barber within walking distance that can give me a nice shape up

You are correct about your first sentence. Myers will be extended to 7th, and Quarterside will be east of Myers and Renwick will go west of Myers (although only on ~1/4 of the block), where the basketball courts are.

I'm sure the barber themselves will continue to operate somewhere, so I would ask him where he will be moving. Perhaps he will take some of the new retail space in Quarterside. I hope so, as I want the small local businesses to grow with the neighborhood.

If you think about it, and Courtside's backside aside, we are damn fortunate Furman is the major influence in First Ward. Imagine if some hack architect had the influence Furman has had.

No arguments there! I even think the razzing about the back of Courtside is more to do with how much a departure it is from Furman's typical standards. Really, it isn't that bad in comparison to many other projects downtown and even more so in the burbs.

[dubone]

The heavy equipment is confusing me a bit. They are digging closer to 6th Street, but I thought the Renwick was only being built closer to 7th Street. Does the Renwick cover the whole stretch from 6th to 7th?

There is also a bunch of lumber on the basketball courts, which is almost certain evidence that Renwick is full speed ahead.

[graydog]

The heavy equipment is confusing me a bit. They are digging closer to 6th Street, but I thought the Renwick was only being built closer to 7th Street. Does the Renwick cover the whole stretch from 6th to 7th?

Yessir, 6th to 7th unless that changed since we backed out more than a year ago. Wish I kept the plans they gave us. I remember all the 2BR taken on the 6th street side.

Remember too that the developer will add an apartment building between Myers and The Renwick. That was still the plan as of October according to the Charlotte Business Journal.

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizspace/charlo...tory_id=1183310

[Southernyank]

Has anyone seen the model of levine's master plan located in the secure parking office?

[Rickydavisfan21]

woah where, where is that!!!!

[Norm2]

OMFG WHERE IS THAT I WANNA SEE!

[Southernyank]

Id love to get a picture, but unfortunately im not allowed according to this guy named allan. The secure parking office is in a little brick building on the corner of 9th and Brevard uptown. there is a little sign on the front door (bareley visible while in a car) that says secure parking. as soon as you enter, go into the first door on your right which is the office. there was a huge model of the levine master plan layed out on the side of the room.

[Southernyank]

O yea, also the office hours really suck, but they are from 12 noon to 1:30 I believe. (at least on Fridays, when I went)

Edited December 18, 2005 by southernyank

[ElricSeven]

Id love to get a picture, but unfortunately im not allowed according to this guy named allan. The secure parking office is in a little brick building on the corner of 9th and Brevard uptown. there is a little sign on the front door (bareley visible while in a car) that says secure parking. as soon as you enter, go into the first door on your right which is the office. there was a huge model of the levine master plan layed out on the side of the room.

Is the model the previous plan or the latest plan? We've got a link around here to the previous plan.

[Southernyank]

its possible it could be the previous plan. ill check around the forum to find the photo and determine it.

[dubone]

its possible it could be the previous plan. ill check around the forum to find the photo and determine it.

Original plan:

http://www.coopercarry.com/portfolio/loadD...er=31&imageID=1

Current plan:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/bus...th/13057562.htm

The main differences being the loss of the historic buildings along the tracks, the replacement of the Mint museum with UNCC, and a curved Brevard Street.

[Southernyank]

Definately the current plan.

[ElricSeven]

Definately the current plan.

Holy smokes, someone get over there with a camera!

[Southernyank]

Holy smokes, someone get over there with a camera!

In all honesty, its not worth the film. Its doesnt really look like a working model, just mainly a rough idea of what the project would be, with mock buildings mainly made of cardboard and paper. Just thought it would be interesting if someone were around the area to take a peek. Its kind of sloppy too.

Edited December 20, 2005 by southernyank

[ElricSeven]

In all honesty, its not worth the film. Its doesnt really look like a working model, just mainly a rough idea of what the project would be, with mock buildings mainly made of cardboard and paper. Just thought it would be interesting if someone were around the area to take a peek. Its kind of sloppy too.

Glad to see the years of studying and planning have led to a polished and refined strategy.

[dubone]

Exactly, I really just wish he would partner with Furman, and just get projects built parcel by parcel like the rest of First Ward. This plan to do it in one fell swoop is just ridiculous.

[Mobuchu]

With all the condo towers that have been announced and are U/C, and the Wachovia project having residential, could Levine have missed his chance? How much more can we hold? What if some of these projects dont sell very well? 6 months ago appears to have been the most opportune time to announce a large project covering that much land. Will he need to go with apartments if the condo market has been eaten up?

Im sure more and more projects will be announced, I just hope Levine doesn't wait too long and miss out. Thats alot of parking lots with nothing to replace them with.

Edited December 20, 2005 by Mobuchu

[SmellyCat]

I just don't understand it...I thought Levine was a very astute business man. Perhaps he is smarter than all of us by taking the contrarian view by waiting (and waiting...and waiting) - time will tell - but I agree that the window of opportunity to make a windfall may soon close shut.

Or maybe he is just so rich and philanthropic that he doesn't care about making money at this point. But does anyone really believe that?

[ElricSeven]

With all the condo towers that have been announced and are U/C, and the Wachovia project having residential, could Levine have missed his chance? How much more can we hold? What if some of these projects dont sell very well? 6 months ago appears to have been the most opportune time to announce a large project covering that much land. Will he need to go with apartments if the condo market has been eaten up?

Im sure more and more projects will be announced, I just hope Levine doesn't wait too long and miss out. Thats alot of parking lots with nothing to replace them with.

As other parcels are developed, the land he's got will only get more valuable. Barring something fairly disastrous, in which case we're all hosed.

[dubone]

I agree that for the most part, he is smart to wait. As long as he is covering his taxes with his parking revenue, then he can just retain the land for posterity, as he is clearly planning to do. Eventually, I'm sure he'd like to experience more revenue from the land through development, but he wants to maximize public investment by waiting until the political climate allows for funding of a park.

In some very specific cases, I'm relieved that he HASN'T done anything with his land. At least at the moment we will still have two blocks of natural land with grass and trees between Brevard, Caldwell, 7th and 9th. His plans will replace that defacto parkland/open space with development. He will replace it with a park west of Brevard that will actually be smaller than the current open space. Also, Levine now plans to tear down his historic buildings, such as Treloar, the building that Dixies is in, and old warehouse at 8th on the Trolley Tracks. Hopefully, by delaying, some alternatives can be found for saving those buildings.

As long as Furman continues to expand the First Ward neighborhood south, I am content with Levine's land sitting idle. Hopefully, something will fill in parking lots between Courtside and the trolley tracks on the non-Levine land south of 7th. That way we have contiguous connection. Eventually, Levine will build something, because the taxes on his land will be too much for the land to sit undeveloped.

I just hope he partners with someone with more experience in building quality development. His projects around Matthews are not that impressive.

[graydog]

I agree that for the most part, he is smart to wait. As long as he is covering his taxes with his parking revenue, then he can just retain the land for posterity, as he is clearly planning to do. Eventually, I'm sure he'd like to experience more revenue from the land through development, but he wants to maximize public investment by waiting until the political climate allows for funding of a park.

In some very specific cases, I'm relieved that he HASN'T done anything with his land. At least at the moment we will still have two blocks of natural land with grass and trees between Brevard, Caldwell, 7th and 9th. His plans will replace that defacto parkland/open space with development. He will replace it with a park west of Brevard that will actually be smaller than the current open space. Also, Levine now plans to tear down his historic buildings, such as Treloar, the building that Dixies is in, and old warehouse at 8th on the Trolley Tracks. Hopefully, by delaying, some alternatives can be found for saving those buildings.

As long as Furman continues to expand the First Ward neighborhood south, I am content with Levine's land sitting idle. Hopefully, something will fill in parking lots between Courtside and the trolley tracks on the non-Levine land south of 7th. That way we have contiguous connection. Eventually, Levine will build something, because the taxes on his land will be too much for the land to sit undeveloped.

I just hope he partners with someone with more experience in building quality development. His projects around Matthews are not that impressive.

Well said. I was thinking the exact same stuff, except I didn't know about the Matthews projects. Also Elric is right on. If Levine waits, his property can only go up in $. And it's not like we really need more development Uptown at this moment. It's kinda nice knowing there's a project waiting when other projects subside.

I'm wondering if we can't force an historic designation for those buildings somehow.

[graydog]

The spires at M Street (at 8th & McDowell) have been installed:

Siding has also been added to some units on 7th (bottom sections will get brick):