RENOVATION REPORT: Charlotte Plaza

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CHARLOTTE – The company that bought the Charlotte Plaza building last year has announced a $14 million renovation that it hopes will create an atmosphere of connectivity, both within the office space and to its neighborhood.

Rabina Properties’ goal is to modernize the building and its exterior to reflect today’s trends in workplace design and function.

One of the ways the company hopes to accomplish this is by “lightening up.”

“In our renovation of Charlotte Plaza, we are going to light the building from within,” said John Gaulden, co-managing director at the Charlotte office of Gensler, the architectural firm leading the renovation. “In stark contrast to its darker, reflective exterior, our interior renovation is designed to project a new sense of light, with open spaces and gathering places that spark creativity and focused collaboration.”

In the build’s entrance, a dark glass wall will be replaced by a light and clear entry with new escalators and technology-enhanced, modern features.

On the outside, the building will be “rebranded” with new signage and logos, as well as pavers and planters.

“This leading-edge renovation will strengthen Charlotte Plaza’s position as the most connected building in Center City Charlotte,” said Mark Holoman, managing director of Foundry Commercial, the property’s leasing agent and project manager. “Our tenants enjoy the best access to Uptown’s financial campuses, the Overstreet Mall, entertainment centers, a newly branded parking garage, two public plazas, the transportation center, and our growing light-rail system. Current and future tenants will benefit from experience-driven interior and exterior enhancements for years to come.”

The 27-floor building, which opened in 1982, is currently 92 percent leased. The Charlotte School of Law secured 10 floors totaling 243,000 square feet in 2012. Other significant tenants include Grant Thornton, CITCO, Capgemini, CBRE, Robert Half International, and Hamilton, Stephens, Steele & Martin. Retail tenants include Bentley’s on 27, Starbucks, Showmars, Panera Bread and the Carolina Ale House.

Project description: Rabina Properties, which bought Charlotte Plaza in 2015, is renovating the building to reflect current trends in design and workplace environment.

Owner: Rabina Properties, based in New York

Address: 201 S. College St., Charlotte

Cost: $14 million

Contractor: Gensler

Available space: 612,728 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space in a 27-story, 388-foot tall building.

Leasing company: Foundry Commercial

Completion: 2018