Also does it seem like we are the point where they are all pre-cast? I think we’re lucky to be getting them wrapped in anything at all (apartments or hotel rooms) or even the little bits of art attached to them. Underground seems like an impossible dream nowadays.
Literally EVERYTHING is financially motivated these days, and as long as the bottom line says it’s better to park above ground, that’s what we’ll get.
just these days? when aren’t multi-million dollar projects financially motivated?
My preferred option is to reduce the parking minimums, rather than forcing anybody spend $Texas to put it underground. I like the Charlotte UDO thing somebody mentioned where any parking decks must be built to be convertable, that is, with flat floors, higher ceiling heights, and stronger floors, in order to be convertable to occupied space in the future. But that should be accompanied with reduction or elimination of parking minimums as well.
4 Likes
It’s gotten worse over time. Civic pride, and creating a special sense of place used to be a larger part of the municipal narrative at a local level. Now it’s all about money.
3 Likes
Merry Christmas everyone!
I’m not necessarily trying to stir the pot but isn’t an above-ground parking deck also planned for SW corner of Hillsborough and Boylan?
The Webcam is neat. Clicking the arrow button on the left bumps the time back. Around dusk the tower lighting is on and different color schemes can be seen (all red, or a rainbow pattern, or blues, etc). The Origin can be seen coming along, although it seems to be going slow compared to how quick the garage and the tower went up.
12 Likes
Thank you for the screen shot and update!
At least DTR’s square boxes have just a hint of flare…
So, if we don’t have interesting architecture, at least we have some Vegas style! 
4 Likes
I like that lighting effect on an otherwise pretty bland building. Especially if they play around with the colors. The second tower showed a little bit more flashy lighting effect so I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully it gets started soon.
5 Likes
All interior fitups are getting permits for One Glenwood !
3 Likes
Some aerial shots of this project for a different perspective and historical reference.
Looks like there’s a rooftop patio on One Glenwood. More great views of DTR!
Google Album of all of these shots:
16 Likes
Do we have any idea when they will start demo for the second office building? That SHIP building needs to go.
I wonder if they’ll wait until 1G is open (and maybe Dram is moved in) and then start of the demo. I’ll be interested to see if Bloc83 goes up as fast. It’s amazing how fast they put up 1G.
4 Likes
No doubt, the start of the second 10 story office tower will tell us the demand for new office space. So far it’s been strong. It’s really quite an achievement if they start the second one, as that’s 20 stories of office space in addition to the new parking towers and hotel space with this site.
For comparison, the new Amazon east logistics ops center (5,000 employees) about to start in Nashville will be a 20 to 22 story tower (with later a twin for expansion).
Of course here I’d prefer a single 20 story tower over a pair of tens. But… we’ll get some great street activation out of this multi building project. This one actually kicks off the Glenwood corridor. but also bridges activity from the warehouse area. I think it will be quite a catalyst!
10 Likes
These two buildings, along with the Origin Hotel and the future parking deck on the west side of Boylan, are really going to extend the perception of downtown to the west. While this area is already considered downtown, I don’t think that a lot of people perceive it that way.
5 Likes
The S Saunders delveopment along with Dix Park will help to do the same to the south I think. Especially as things fill in with the Fairweather and Kane development. The Northern edge of downtown is pretty much Seaboard and to the East TransferCo ?
1 Like
If one looks at development that’s occurring downtown, it’s easy to see a “loosening of the belt” with investments on the edges of downtown that will activate those areas, and set the stage for more infill between them and the very core of the city. IMO, downtown doesn’t necessarily need to get bigger, it just needs to get more engaging throughout its current footprint. Eradicate the quiet and dead zones, and you’ll have one spectacular downtown that we can all be proud to call our own.
13 Likes
You got that right John !
2 Likes
The one thing I miss about McCrory was project Phoenix and his attempts to do just that with State Government. Other than finally selling all but one of the one houses, there seems to be no more movement on things like selling the training center, moving the records center (note, this is the building behind archives), adding ground floor retail, etc. If it was thriving between Fayetteville St and Seaboard, downtown would have a totally different feel to it. I’m about where I’d be ok moving most of State Government elsewhere (note I am one and want to stay downtown personally), because most of these people just stand outside and smoke, or never leave their office except to hit up a cafeteria…they want or care to be downtown, so make it private land and develop it, starting with the parking lots.
4 Likes