15895

I assumed it was BS given their previous stint at uptown. Maybe in another 10 years they’ll propose a Plaza Midwood Beach resort.

Rumors of Lufthansa starting Raleigh - Frankfurt. NC must have quite the German ties.

The Legislature of Maryland had this project ready to go as soon as a Democrat became governor. Hogan I believe turned down federal dollars but the Democratic legislature kept passing bills to be able to hit the ground running for when a Dem (Wes Moore) was elected and one of his top priorities is the Red Line and has an aggressive timeline to have shovels in the ground by the end of his first term. A Twitter account I’ve enjoyed for a while, Jerome Alexander Horne @jahorne actually just announced he moved to Baltimore to take a position with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) as communications director for the red line. https://redlinemaryland.com That is the website from MDOT for the red line. Compare that state support compared to what Tim Moore has said about mass transit in NC… I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a sense that there’s no end in sight to the GOP rule of NC that leaders feel adequate transit is pie-in-the-sky & it is what it is. If NC had a pro-urban legislature (or at very least a legislature that wasn’t anti-urban), who knows what Charlotte leadership would look like regarding transit.

For me, & all of this is just my opinion, the best metric for success is, the amount of stops to where people want to go. The problem with Charlotte is its very low density. Same with Dallas. Even their small area of peak density is sort of sparse (see uptown Charlotte). The below (San Francisco, DC, Philadelphia, Boston) are all around dense. Stick a subway line anywhere, it’ll be very successful. The cities also just blow away the Dallas’s and Charlotte’s of the US because most any part of the cities, it’s likely each stop is going to have a ton of people who want/need to go there. So TOD in those (and others) aren’t the best focus. The focus should be better and better connectivity and frequency, completely separated from traffic and high speed. In Charlotte and Dallas. There’s really no significant areas of density outside their downtowns (which even then aren’t anywhere near full, & geographically small areas of the city etc.) Additionally, there’s not that many residents. Uptown has maybe 25,000 in 2 sq. Miles. But even so, outside of the central portion of uptown and let’s say SouthEnd. The city is very low density. There’s no obvious areas to connect to rail transit that could support it outside of park & ride. Even the below is the more dense part of Charlotte (outside the tiny footprint of central uptown and the narrow strip of SouthEnd.) the density of these neighborhoods doesn’t make sense for underground rail transit there’s no area with seemingly more than a few hundred that anywhere a stop would be convenient due to the roads. Even light rail running in Woodlawn (which would be slower and less direct towards uptown) it still won’t have many people to conveniently reach a station. Pretty much every thing Charlotte has, I can reach by DC metro at a pleasant stop. From basics like Walmart, multiple malls, TJ Maxx, ikea, wegmans, Taco Bell, every store and amenity, it’s accessible to me by transit. So I could use metro many times a day even just to go to Chipotle and back. Even if you could magically make rail transit appear in Charlotte or Dallas drawing lines on a map, it would be crazy difficult and take a ton of lines to connect easily to all the stores and things people use in their day to day to where they live (because their scattered strip malls with giant parking lots etc) When I see a transit map. I want to know what as a pedestrian can I access comfortably. Whether that’s new TOD or historical density. Anywhere I’d want to spontaneously go, for example to the movies. I know I have like 8 easy & fast options by rail transit. Maybe Michaels for new fall decor. Thus, I think for cities like Charlotte & Dallas, TOD is the *only* way to be successful [in addition to frequent frequencies and optimal routings]. Because they have hardly any natural destinations due to the low density. Dallas has a ton of stations that look like this. The best purpose this serves is to drive and park there and use the train for work, a special event or sports game in downtown and that’s it. With Charlotte, you dont just have uptown as a destination. Some people might take light rail from NoDa to SouthEnd. Then to somewhere else in SouthEnd. And maybe back to their place at Parkwood or drive back home. Charlottes stations are increasingly becoming places people want and need to go. I think that’s what separates Charlotte light rail from Dallas; there’s more places to visit than just a few downtown stations in Charlotte. Rail transit requires certain density imo. Not just skyscrapers, but all around. People, commerce, walkability, access to amenities. The only way for that to occur in Charlotte and Dallas is to create corridors of TOD. To densify around those areas of TOD by integrating all the amenities the NIMBY’s want (a Birkdale village like town center with movies, fancy grocery store, outdoor restaurants, parking decks all while being able to throw thousands of units along these stations (which is beneficial to the area in the long term) Lake Norman is actually set up really great where rail transit could effectively serve most of the amenities that low dense single family homes enjoy that there are natural destinations for various everyday things. (My crude drawing below.) Charlotte doesn’t have those logical clusters. Long story short. Charlotte & Dallas aren’t dense enough. So TOD is the only natural way for rail to be successful. And from there you get into, funding affordable housing, low income housing, libraries, etc. Toronto is probably king of North America in TOD and you can see stretches of linear intense density all around the region. I just don’t foresee anywhere in North America wiping out whole sale these single family home areas so. TOD it is. Dallas DART Sucksssss. Charlottes Blue Line is bueno and getting better.

Yep. Charlotte does above average on TOD (I think. At very least, on its own merit, I think it’s good). DART is just the worst and proof building right is more important that building more. I bet a 10 mile heavy rail in Dallas mostly underground would have higher ridership than what its system currently handles. I think Charlotte was very lucky with where its rail road tracks were for the blue line and smart to go all in on TOD and capitalize on the good routing. I’m sort of glad the silver line is still where it is in its planning stage because I’m holding out hope the silver line gets it right (my ideal option being from Bojangles Coliseum, underground in uptown, directly to and terminating at the airport as a Phase 1 and Phase 2 median running independence to Matthews.)

Saw this on the Twit (talking about how low ridership is in LA despite how extensive the system is becoming.) even when you include their heavy rail lines, it’s still a small amount of rail ridership especially for the size of LA. But ignoring that, I just thought it was useful here too to see how Charlottes light rail compared to others (also note this excluded heavy rail & commuter rail. So no San Francisco BART, no Baltimore Metro, none of Boston or LA’s heavy rail lines, etc) Edit: off topic but exciting. I didn’t realize Phoenix was quietly building a nice network with already decent ridership despite its current size with some opening extensions in 2024:

I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know but So many cities are experiencing historical investments (federal and local) in transit. The federal Government is even saying they rather grant fewer rewards that will go to large and transformational projects, large rewards that moves projects forward (rather than just paying for studies and not enough to make large impacts.) So many transformational projects. Philadelphia & Baltimore will probably be next in line for new heavy rail subway lines to get enormous federal funding (Baltimore red line, Philadelphia Roosevelt Blvd. Subway) Yet we have CATS slashing gold line frequencies and operating the agency as if it’s still 2021. All I hear is “but Covid”. Covid Pandemic is over. Everywhere else seemingly had their service restored. Bus ridership all over the country is breaking even pre-pandemic records, etc. Apparently Charlotte is one of the only places with transit worker shortages still. But at the end of the day, Charlotte is growing and that’s the ultimate trump card on not having vision for local leaders it seems.

Also per the article: “This data excludes international migration.” Literally, if you can’t even read the raw data as it is. How does one even interpret the data, think of things in context etc. Historically, the largest urban areas have always generally had negative net migration but customarily off set by international migration. That’s true in the US and other wealthier countries. I like these graphs despite being 2013 & 2014 because the concept is still the same excluding Covid knocked off International migration for a couple years but has recovered and the data is catching up. I think San Francisco is still the laggard post pandemic but there’s several reasons that aren’t as much of a cultural lightening rod that people make it out to be. Particularly involving tech, cost of living, and their policies need revamped in housing (it’s too slow there to get permits, etc.). But this is exactly what I’d expect. Denver & Salt Lake are the surprises to me. Seattle I’m surprised is negative but it’s international migration must be quite large because they had a pretty significant increase in population YOY if I’m not mistaken. It did have strong domestic migration I thought in the past.

I saw something on X hating on median running mass transit lines but they don’t have to be bad. Most are but DC’s metro shows how they can be done right. One thing the metro Silver line can teach the south is how a rapidly growing area with lots of NIMBY’s and urban, sustainable and smart growth can occur. Almost all of the silver line stations (extension and original segment) soak up almost all of the commercial space. Two silver line stops have urban Wegman’s, almost every stop is or is transforming into real walkable areas. All the NIMBY’s don’t care because 1.) the single family neighborhoods don’t change 2) it gives them their own little downtowns 3.) their neighborhoods remain green because grocery stores, etc aren’t scattered about with giant parking lots 4) people from the city or other urban areas in the inner suburbs can enjoy everything it has to offer out here and one can live a car free life with access to almost everything those with cars have. I came out to the exurbs for something and was waiting and took pictures of why an Independence Median running Charlotte Lynx Silver Line doesn’t have to be terrible. The walkway is the walkway to Metro in the middle of an interstate: I tried to not take pics with people but it’s usually pretty lively at all these stops. Tons of apartments and mixed use spaces. A lot of the stops feel like downtowns and not like just developments. This stop (Whiele Reston) isn’t the greatest but rapidly transforming. this is going back to the metro: All of these stations are just booming with some of the tallest buildings in VA/MD. You can always look and see where the next metro stop is because of the massive development at much of every station. The below shows Reston Town Center from Whiele-Reston East. It feels like a proper downtown with lots of retail, movie theater coming, Barnes & Noble, Apple, etc. all of the stops are just acting as a hub of shopping for the areas. Another stop McLean you can (for a little bit more) see Wegmans, Capitol One HQ, Theatre, roof top minigolf & Brewery, hotel and apartments (and more apartments to come) and a park with a minor league field right out of the frame I think the Charlotte Lynx Silver Line along Independence Blvd. Can have similar growth equitable to urbanites and NIMBY single family crowd. Creating spaces we can all enjoy whether you drive from your house or take Lynx. Urban vertically integrated Walmart and targets and other stores, apartments along them, let the single family neighborhoods remain the same. Independence is perfect for this if Charlotte plans right, stations are built right & it’ll really transform the corridor from draining tax dollars on dilapidated empty dead strip malls to a robust area, equitable for those without transit and adding to the tax base etc without interfering in the single family neighborhoods. Also, transforming these empty and dead strip malls into urban centers can allow more affordable housing units in a sustainable way. Not many people can afford SouthEnd or uptown. But more apartments along independence is within reach of more Charlotteans. More stores at these stations means more people have access to necessities, less carbon foot print because of less use of cars, etc. there’s so many benefits to focusing on transforming Independence the entire stretch to Matthews. And it benefits landowners of these lots who I’m sure would move mountains to support transit that would make their property values explode.

WaPo had a good article on rail Expansion in the US (including bright line) and some graphics of the Amtrak proposals. https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/08/30/us-high-speed-rail-projects/

Got it. Thanks for the background because it was helpful.

I didn’t make that assumption about black folks. I guess I’m still just a little surprised by the fact the greyhound in the University City parking deck for light rail even caught the attention of residents in Highland Creek. I just guess if I were a NIMBY. Id want it in the light rail parking deck along Tryon. But. Obviously someone cares so.

Lol. I was literally thinking that. It just seems so odd. I wouldn’t even expect this backlash from like. Wealthier parts of Charlotte (maybe I’m naive?). I’m actually quite surprised by this. Is anyone else?

That space made so much sense. Is the backlash because they think… greyhound attracts crime?

It was successful. It was the place. Unfortunately, I have a little hard time viewing this as going to be that successful not because of the facility or even crime. I think it’s… location. Which is odd given it’s…. Location. It might be great for Potbellies, business stuff etc. But small things that seem insignificant, they add up. With Legacy Union when people get annoyed at criticisms of it (because they built tall buildings and brought good jobs). It should’ve had a more people friendly base like this (particularly like the alley leading to the panthers stadium). There’s zero reason legacy union couldn’t have done place making like the below: Improvements to Sidewalks, more bike lanes, sponsored events for like Black Entrepreneurs, etc etc. among bigger things like relocating or consolidating government buildings, more high school and affordable housing $’s into parts of uptown. Basically, everything but skyscraper & skyscraper height. We pay attention so much to skyscraper height… when that should be the product of what we do otherwise. I say that all to say. SouthEnd… it’s legit now. NoDa. It’s expanding. Optimistic Park. It’s great. And it’s not just fads. They’re place making and even if trends change, I think those areas will adapt, grow etc along with changes in trends. I mean. A lot of the things in NoDa and SouthEnd HAS been repurposed things. It’s places people want to be. To live. To spend time. So I just think success henges around the surrounding area. Epicenter is an island surrounded by crap. Trade sucks there. College sucks there. 4th sucks there. It was great when there wasn’t much alternative places to hang. But now there is competition. We can’t just have one nice development surrounded by crap and expect it to be what we envision. The location on paper and on a map looks great. But on the ground. Someone [dunno where nor care to assign blame] has not invested enough in the things for the *people* and too much is in the interest of developers. We need to invest in the community and people. Into civic things. Into slower roads. Lane reductions. Small business. Stricter design reviews (if legal). Community investment will make or break portions of uptown outside of Tryon. It’s boring. It’s slow (to do those initiatives like Raleigh has no turn on red signs on like every block in downtown. It took a lot of time and seems pointless because people may still turn on red but it truly all adds up to make a difference.) stuff like that matters.

Republicans are obsessed with certain areas. Majority of them vote based on their hate for certain areas…. They’re so concerned with NYC (one of the if not THE most desired, powerful and popular city in the world) but I don’t hear them at all concerned with Memphis, Jacksonville FL, St. Louis, Houston, etc…. For the nasty things people say about certain blue states & cities, there’s even more negative things to say about certain red states & their cities. From Violence, Property Crime, Rape, Average Life Expectancy, Education, Poverty, Obesity, Savings. But you have to the ability to think of certain areas as having “lesser” people or dehumanize them in such a way that it doesn’t bother one’s conscience to completely disparage them. Like why is the Greenville Poster going ham on NY when he’s from a state that’s more dangerous, more violent, has more poverty, less people with healthcare, more obesity, more theft, more property crime and more violent cities? Why doesn’t he focus on disparaging SC instead?

That’s not really how I think of places. I like South Carolina. There’s a lot to learn about NY & even San Francisco. A lot. It’s such a shame how tribal people get resorting to near blatant lies. There are issues everywhere. But to hyper focus on one thing and blow it out of proportion, dehumanization. I just think that is a shame for people to close themselves off like that. Whether it be about San Francisco/NY or to SC, TX, etc. People see a picture of a bad block and characterize it in a way that’s outrageous. It’s the equivalent of me going to Charlotte and taking pictures on North Tryon near the Amshack, And going along Independence, taking photos of the epicenter and characterizing Charlotte as a failed city with mall closing, miles of abandoned strips malls along Independence. A large IKEA opened up in San Francisco this week and lots of great things are happening in many of these cities. Places like NY, Chicago, DC, Seattle are reaching new heights in urbanity and decade over decade grew a lot (NY especially) and the Covid blips were just that; blips. There are issues specific to big urban cities, there are issues specific to other cities, rural areas [which is where the real decline is occurring] but most of those areas are working through their own issues. There’s so many positives, it’s great to look at areas that are weak on one thing but they excel at another. You could even think an area is doing something completely wrong but really analyzing the specific issues etc and not just dehumanizing rhetoric. It’s better. And people generally are very ignorant on what is going on in other cities which I don’t blame them; it’s hard to know but that’s why sometimes it’s best to go in with open minds and not pre-conceived notions. This applies to people on any side. It’s a shame to hyper focus on negativity when there’s so much opportunity to learn. It’s why I in general don’t like deriding other places. & some places are just different like Austin or Atlanta and I can still appreciate and admire their progress without being dismissive “oh, Austin has hideous podium parking and blah blah blah.” But instead, I stay impressed with it. I think things like that go a long way.

Seattle DOT released their priorities for even further expansions (which is on top of their already IMO impressive expansion) https://seattletransportationplan.infocommunity.org

South Carolina is one of the most dangerous states. South Carolina is one of the poorest. South Carolina is among the least educated . South Carolina is one of the most obese. & your cities and state capital are dangerous. Greenville is more dangerous than NY. So is Columbia. Charleston is around the same. I could go on & on & on about South Carolina. Maybe you should worry about all those fat poor & dumb South Carolinians in those dangerous cities. Yes. If that sounds harsh, you talk the same way about other areas. So… it’s not very nice, is it?

Because the State has the rights to do so, no? It may not be fair, but it’s legal?

It seems like a smart idea of NC to focus on the Triangle over Charlotte though (if it comes down to prioritizing). With that CSX deal that VA is footing the bill for several Billion that even crosses into NC. Seems like low hanging fruit to go all in to the Triangle plugging them into the NEC & being a gateway to the South (doesn’t it split into two right there?) Plus VA prioritizing the Richmond-Raleigh corridor & footing a huge part of the cost (or else why purchase the CSX S line.) Anything else in NC is going to be difficult, no? I don’t know anything about the railroads except it’s a B word to work with the railroads & acquiring ROW’s etc is a epically difficult?

Photo & Stats from @TheATX1 on X: in the photo below, you can see all of the following towers are U/C: Waterline - 1,022', 73-stories Modern Austin - 658', 56-stories Travis - 594', 52-stories Paseo - 567', 48-stories 700 River - 500', 42-stories Vesper - 452', 41-stories Fairfield Inn - 17-stories Cambria Hotel - 14-stories The below shows several of the towers rendered in Austin with its tallest U/C, which will again be surpassed which is a seemingly every year occurrence for like a decade. I keep expecting Austin to fizzle slow down but I wonder how far it goes. I’m very curious for a skyline that back in 2005 looked like Greensboro & puny compared to Winston-Salem could have a better skyline & more urban & compact than Houston or Dallas. If only they’d have opted for a subway instead of surface running LRT in downtown… To me the craziest part is how residential it is & if they’ll get an office tower boom? I could imagine a prominent 1000+ office tower being built there. That’d really pull it together.

Is or isn’t that what you implied? You have certain views of black people. There’s no need to tip-toe and play word games. I don’t think anyone will be shocked so it’s not like anyone’s going to clutch their pearls.

I still don’t see the value for Charlotte putting any public $’s into these conversions. The only people that would really benefit IMO are the wealthy individuals and companies that own the properties. I see a huge benefit for landowners…. Though to me it seems like just transferring wealth to these large multinational companies when Charlotte could subsidize way more housing, far cheaper at the same price… and these conversions would likely cater to higher income people (even if they are “affordable” - affordable housing in uptown is not affordable to most people in Charlotte - especially lower income people). Though I’m all for the private sector using private dollars on these conversions in Charlotte. Otherwise, throw $$$ in other neighborhoods and if you’re going to in uptown… there’s plenty of space to build way more housing at a fraction of the cost… If the rationale is to revitalize an area & pumping investment to hope for more development to follow. Levine & Peebles says hi…I would love to see the conversions, but it should be with private dollars. I really love the Duke conversion. That looks snazzy from what I remember of the renderings.