Garrison Lofts

[krazeeboi]

I'm really anxious to see the facade go up on this. I'm actually optimistic that the brick work will be quite nice, and the detailing will be subtle yet attractive.

I hope so. I hope they can pull off the industrial effect in an authentic way.

[InitialD]

Taken today:

[Guest]

Not the tallest building on the planet, but I still have a place in my heart for it, GREAT SHOTS initalD.

[krazeeboi]

I hope they can successfully pull off a historic, industrial feel with this new development.

[dubone]

Windows are finally going in on the Garrison. It is being built slowly and steadily, but hopefully that is saving them some money, and helping delay opening until further along in the recession.

I did get on a Brookshire freeway for the first time since probably June, and saw the back of this building. It isn't as bad as something Furman would do, but it isn't not really anything I expected, considering the design of the rest of the building was intended to appear like something they might have built in the 1920s. But they needed to consider the massive billboard and the highway noise, so I guess it is perfectly understandable that they minimized windows.

I guess billboards are one of those things like fast food chains, where it is a reliable stream of income on the land, so there is virtually no way they'd be willing to sell out. But it sure is a shame that this building needed to work around that and the Circle K, when it would have been far nicer to be able to have this project replace both of them.

The people living in this building will need to put up with a whole lot more crap than most any other project uptown that I can think of. On the freeway, there is constant truck air brakes, jackasses with no mufflers, and just general engine noise. On the railroad, there are 3 or 4 crossings within a block of this location. Then the gas station adds simulated sunlight at night, lots of homeless people, and just general business activity until late at night.

[nonillogical]

^and nothing great to walk to for quite a few blocks. I guess it is closest to the NC Music Factory so I really hope they both take off and we see more development on this scale filling in the gaps around uptown.

[QC-NC]

The people living in this building will need to put up with a whole lot more crap than most any other project uptown that I can think of. On the freeway, there is constant truck air brakes, jackasses with no mufflers, and just general engine noise. On the railroad, there are 3 or 4 crossings within a block of this location. Then the gas station adds simulated sunlight at night, lots of homeless people, and just general business activity until late at night.

I think that just killed all marketing potential on this forum

ha!

So true, I feel like even with windows closed that has going to be a loud a** place.

[dubone]

I do hope they were practical about these issues and chose to make use some sort of noise reduction windows.

On the positive side, I think that having these residences here will help reduce some shenanigans at the Circle K, as there would be more people to call police. Also, eventually, 2 of the rail crossings will close and the ADM plant will likely be removed within the next decade whenever Gateway station is fully funded.

I love this project, though, because it really does add some more civilization to the 10th and Graham intersection on top of 626 Graham and The Silos condos.

[Guest]

Yesterday was my first time home in 6 months. I arrived at Charlotte Douglas dropped by my parents house and drove straight to our family house in Blowing Rock, NC. On my way up 277 I finally got to see Garrison from the highway, and I must say I actually like it. Its very VERY different from the side facing the other direction. I say this in the best way possible. I really like how different it was, I had something completely different pictured when people described it. I can't wait to see the building clad in brick!

[Charlotteman]

Looks like almost everyone likes the Garrison. I think it rocks too. Can't wait to see it completed.

[InitialD]

12-21-08

[Charlotteman]

Totally diggin' the Garrison's windows. From the inside of the lofts, the light coming in, and the views will be quite inspiring. So far the architect gets an A from me.

[atlrvr]

It looks like the brick exterior has finally begun being installed. So far so good....they are using multi-hued brick.

[UrbanFuture]

It looks like the brick exterior has finally begun being installed. So far so good....they are using multi-hued brick.

I was under the impression they were doing all brick for the exterior. It appears they are only laying brick on the vertical sections between the windows. Also, the only brick ledges as of now (they can put a steel brick ledge into the brick over each window as they go) are between the windows. I really hope this is not the case. I would be horrified to see yet another EIFS tragedy appear.

[dubone]

It appears that bricks are going up as in the rendering:

Here is their description of the exterior to explan what is going between the windows, and it will not be EIFS.

"Brick veneer building exterior, accented with hard-coat stucco and cast stone"

This building will definitely not be the standard-issue EIFS box we are seeing all over the city.

[Spartan]

Its not a bad looking building at all.

Does anyone know if there is street retail/restaurant space? I realize this is not exactly an optimal location for it...

[Andyc545]

Its not a bad looking building at all.

Does anyone know if there is street retail/restaurant space? I realize this is not exactly an optimal location for it...

I don't believe there is any ground floor activity.

As for the project, I don't think it is remarkable architecture but it fits with the area well and likely will age well for the are (it almost has this look like it's a 50 year old - old warehouse converted to condos that you would see up in say Baltimore or Pittsburgh for example.

[SmellyCat]

I just hope they're planning on installing bullet proof windows in the building.

[Charlotte_native]

I just hope they're planning on installing bullet proof windows in the building.

Why is that? I've had an office around the corner and have friends who live on the block with no problems other than panhandlers...

[dubone]

Yeah, I was surprised by that, too. I haven't heard of any shootings there.

There will most definitely be homeless around, but that may actually decrease with the loss of the vacant lot.

I had guests in town who made a negative comment about the Garrison from Brookshire. I still hold that the back of it is not that attractive, but I did explain that they didn't want many windows on the freeway side and they agreed that made sense.

[SmellyCat]

Why is that? I've had an office around the corner and have friends who live on the block with no problems other than panhandlers...

It's definitely on the fringe. I avoid that Circle K like the plague due to sketchy characters always hanging around there.

[krazeeboi]

^I've patronized that Circle K a few times at night and have never had any problems.

[SmellyCat]

^I've patronized that Circle K a few times at night and have never had any problems.

Well maybe I should just give it another try then. It's been years since I've been over there. Perhaps the area's been cleaned up since I last garnered the courage to head over there.

Does the freight train still frequently rumble by and blow its horn at high decibel levels? Being surrounded by a rail line, highway and gas station would not be my preference for a place to live.

[New Name]

^I use that Circle K all the time. It's really the closest gas station between the city and the highways (there is a WAY scarier station on N. Tryon). The Circle K is an urban gas station, but it's not scarey at all. You might get someone asking for money, but that happens everywhere.

[dubone]

It has been discussed before in this thread. It has a significant number of homeless going by there, many of which buy alcohol at the gas station. It is between multiple homeless shelters, The Wall, and many homeless sleep in the vacant lots on the north side of 277 and in Elmwood/Pinewood cemetery. All those things put together mean that this area is far from sterile, and for many that is scary and crime infested. But other than giving the appearance of blight and poverty, it really doesn't make it dangerous, and that is the counterpoint I think a number of people are expressing here.

The facts are that the more this intersection gets built up, the fewer vacant lots there will be and the more 'eyes on the street' there will be which reduce some of the congregation of homeless in a single spot.

No doubt the residents at the Garrison will need to be vigilant, as most residents of uptown and other center city neighborhoods need to be now.

I do hope eventually there will be less of a concentration of homeless people, as it really does scare many people and give them a bad impression. But in this economy, I'm going to guess that homeless people will be a much more common sight in a lot of places.