That two-story seating area at Tryon and MLK is getting an upgrade, coffee or quick bites included

If you haven’t sat in that open, two-tier seating area on the Wells Fargo Plaza Uptown to eat lunch for all to see, you’ve missed your chance. At least in its current form.

Construction fencing has gone up around the tree-house-like structure, which sits at the corner of Tryon Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

But it’s not being torn down. Rather, it will be enclosed with glass walls, windows and doors on the lower level to become a new Visitor Info Center, presented by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA).

For us locals, that means a new snack spot — a space for quick bites or coffee is part of the plan. It also means a new free WiFi location, meant to encourage guests to find more ways to explore Charlotte.

There will be enough space for another small operation, like flower vendors, and large, colorful awnings with LED lighting.

And if you haven’t had a chance to climb to the top of the metal structure, fear not. The current upper level will still be open-air and open to the public during Visitor Info Center business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday from noon-5 p.m.).

For actual visitors of the city, this high-visibility location will offer tourism materials like maps and directories, local experts to confer with about possible experiences, as well as Charlotte-themed retail offerings and souvenirs.

It’s set to be complete this fall. Existing Visitor Info Center locations will still be open, like the one in the Charlotte Convention Center and the one at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

I just have my fingers crossed for an independent coffee counter at the new center. Uptown could always use more coffee stops.

Photos: Katie Toussaint, CRVA

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 12:00 AM.