• The imploding real estate market has sunk the $60m. windfall the city of Charlotte expected for parcels it is freeing up by reworking 277 near the NASCAR HOF. Note all the happy talk about how the financing is fine and dandy. Remember it.
  • Meanwhile, a foreclosure on an apartment project in South End and a $30m. hotel and conference center in downtown Gastonia go poof.
  • The 27-story Catalyst project in Uptown might convert to apartments, Doug Smith relates. The brief 18-month condo boom in Uptown is dead, probably never to return. Next up, downward pressure on Uptown rents, which are about 10-15 percent higher than even the close-in burbs.
  • Jack Hawke is out of his damn mind. An Obama tide did not sink Pat McCrory, at least not in Meck. GOPers just did not turn out for Pat.
  • Get ready for a titanic clash of egos as MJ butts heads with Bob Johnson for control of Charlotte’s NBA outlet. Jordan letting drop that he’d love to own the Bobcats outright just as he was being honored by the Charlotte Chamber was a great bit of business politics. But Johnson is stubborn will not settle for selling out for less than the $330m. he’s put in.
  • And Ultravox is reforming to tour the UK.