More progress in Uptown Charlotte: Jax should take notes

[thelakelander]

Fueled by leadership with vision, development continues in Uptown Charlotte.

UNCC breaks ground on uptown "presence"

By David Perlmutt
dperlmutt@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2009

For years, UNC Charlotte seemed connected to Charlotte by name only â€" a hilly outpost rising from pasture and scrub oaks 10 miles northeast of uptown.

Tuesday, the university began building some long-awaited connective tissue to the heart of Charlotte as officials broke ground for UNCC's planned 12-story, $50.4 million Center City Building in uptown's First Ward.

The cantilevered midrise at Ninth and Brevard streets will look something like a giant Rubik's cube that's been twisted, or as UNCC Chancellor Phil Dubois prefers: “A 12-story stack of books.” It will house the Belk College of Business MBA program â€" among other graduate and continuing education offerings â€" in clear view of Charlotte's banking skyscrapers.

“In my view it's the most important building we'll ever build,” Dubois said in an interview. “Because of that 10-mile stretch â€" that has grown larger and larger over the years â€" people have forgotten where we are and who we are.

“This building will give us the presence we need to help us introduce our resources to the rest of the city.”

Construction of the 143,000-square-foot classroom building will begin in early May, with the opening for students set for fall 2011. The building will overlook a 4-acre park and launch the development of a 22-acre urban village by Charlotte's Levine Properties.

In addition to the MBA program, the building will house UNCC's new MBA concentration in sports marketing and management and the architecture school's new urban design masters degree program. It will also offer classes in engineering, health and human services, liberal arts and sciences.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/597/story/664487.html

[thelakelander]

Here is a rendering from another angle.

The cantilevered design was done by Philadelphia-based KieranTimberlake in partnership with Charlotte's Gantt Huberman Architects. KieranTimberlake's client list includes UNC Chapel Hill, Yale, Cornell and Princeton.

Harvey Gantt of Gantt Huberman said the Center City Building, close by ImaginOn and linked to the proposed First Ward Park and private development, “promises to offer to citizens a new and memorable place in the center city.”

University officials believe the building, which will have 25 classrooms, an 18,000-square-foot plaza, 7,000 square feet of ground floor reception and event space and a 300-seat auditorium, will become part of the cultural fabric of the central business district.

The auditorium, for example, will be made available for public events, and the lobby will be a public space with amenities such as an art and architecture gallery, a bookstore and a coffee shop.

Charlotte's Rodgers Builders will be construction manager of the project, which will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/dougsmith/story/606723.html

[Jason]

Interesting architecture, but I'm glad that thing is in Charlotte and not here! 

Still, Kudos to Charlotte for keeping the ball rolling.

[Deuce]

How could you ever be glad that we don't have that! You may not like the building from an aesthetics standpoint but that is exactly the type of interesting architecture that can significantly drive growth of an urban core. Distinctive buildings always garner interest.

[Jason]

^ Agreed.  I didn't mean I wouldn't want a structure serving a simlar purpose, I just don't like the building itself. 

[tufsu1]

Charlotte's Transportation Director (and a planner) was in town today for JaxPride's annual lunch....he talked about this project and other things they have done and are doing in the Queen City....he was followed by Mayor Peyton, who almost sounded converted to the potential of rail transit. 

[ProjectMaximus]

^awesome. Maybe we should bring in leaders from other progressive cities until the shame/embarrass Peyton into action.

[thelakelander]

Good.  Considering we already have $100 million set aside for rapid transit, we'll find out in the upcoming months how serious he really is and where his true priorities lie.

[tufsu1]

he actually mentioned the money...but didn't say what should be done with it

[I-10east]

Mr Richter called, and he want his building back. Whatta monstrosity. Yet, some in Jax are still gonna 'front' acting like that looks good. Gimme a break!

[thelakelander]

I like it, for the fact that it adds to an area rich with a diverse collection of modern architecture.  Whether you personally like the city or it's buildings, with one visit to Uptown you'll have to agree that the modern architectural landscape stands out for a second tier city.  Continuous blocks of stucco boxes can only appeal for so long.

Nevertheless, better yet, its a suburban college with students and faculty investing in downtown.

[I-10east]

It's definitely 'modern' Lake; That we can agree on.

[mtraininjax]

he was followed by Mayor Peyton, who almost sounded converted to the potential of rail transit.

Anything to deflect the Trail Ridge fiasco....

Charlotte has way more money than Jax, and banks, the largest bank in the US is HQ there, and if Charlie Rice had not sold out Barnett, who knows, maybe Jax could have a building that is 3-parts Rubix cube, too!

[Deuce]

I personally love it (I failed to mention that above). While a whole city of buildings like this may be overkill, a unique standout building like this takes that city to the next level. Really at this point in our cities "development", I'd take a UNF building shaped like a turd sandwich if it was downtown.

[Tripoli1711]

^awesome. Maybe we should bring in leaders from other progressive cities until the shame/embarrass Peyton into action.

HAHAHAHAHA.  That's fantastic.  Then maybe he can be set up to go speak in those cities about what we are doing in Jacksonville.  The snickers and whispering from the room might drive the embarrassment over the top!