Is the price right?
Skeptics be warned - Harry Falk plans to show critics just how valuable his Triad Tower project could be to this area.
Falk, the mind behind the 22-story tower planned near Piedmont Triad International Airport, has hired academic and economist Don Jud to crunch the numbers on the project, which could include a series of restaurants, office and residential space, an aquarium and other amenities.
Jud, professor emeritus at UNCG, plans to perform a financial analysis to show the community what the economic impact of the mammoth building could be.
"We are engaging Dr. Jud's services to show, in real numbers, the benefits of this project to our community from an impartial third party," Falk stated in a news release.
Falk's vision for the Tower, originally announced in summer 2004, has provoked skepticism from a number of industry experts. Local commercial real estate players have told the News & Record in the past that the interest in office space like what Falk could be renting or selling just isn't there.
Still, Falk remains confident that the Tower will boost the Triad's economy, bringing business and bustle to the intersection of N.C. 68 and Interstate 40. The building is slated to open Dec. 31, 2007.