Urbanity

Fine! I just wrote Rick Thames and asked him for ideas and donation of presses....

So.... Got a friend with a business relocating from Statesville to the Triad. My discussion with him was really interesting. He is going to "the Dash" (he called it that) because: "bottom line - it is a city that young businesses have a chance" (he is in bioinformatics btw). He is extremely excited about the Wake Forest QuInnovation Quarter btw, That said - he has 2/3 of his staff (around 50) who decided to look for places to live in Greensboro vs. WS as they said they felt it was more lively, Obviously there is no winner in this anecdote outside of the triad in general. That said I think that both sides of the coin are something to consider. My friend tells me that Greensboro is the place for living while Winston Salem is the place for work and culture. Obviously I think the equation is going to change with the downtown performing arts center coming to GBO. That said I think WS can be (using CLT hood terms) the NoDA/ Plaza-Midwood to GBO's Uptown if it chooses to go that rouyte. What that requires is a significant investment in off-broadway type theatre that I think GBO would find beneath them.

Regardless of what happens - I still hold a hope that somehow the printing presses machinery in the Observer building which are amazing are somehow incorporated into a museum/cultural zone of the Levine Center for the Arts. Could one imagine a NEWSEUM of the South in CLT? Far Fetched I agree - but damn if I moved to the QC to be a realist and not a dreamer!

I'm still hoping the BLE will get an IKEA Branded station - NOT because I need advertisements but for the idea that business can and do affect transit. Think of a Bissell station for Ballentyne BLE2

The State of the NC City is Strong: Charlotte and Raleigh Top 10 America's fastest growing cities in 2015: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/01/27/americas-fastest-growing-cities-2015/ Triad: (Hoping>) http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/01/22/4495385/report-nc-volvo-in-talks-on-auto.html Asheville: http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2015/02/06/n-c-brewery-listed-among-worlds-best.html Wilmington: http://www.wwaytv3.com/2015/01/27/public-sounds-off-improving-downtown

The most frustrating is the lack of vision. Mayhaps it is the fear of being held accountable for a vision. Transit plans MUST be by nature inspiring and forward thinking because we know our government will gut, cut, and disembody all that comes before it - thus dream big and hope that at the very least reality of the people's need is met.

And I thought no one would carry my sensibility all this time... That said - HOT DAMN! God -Charlotte - you are becoming the city (every day, every month, every year) that we saw you as from prior to to urban renewal (aka the U.S. city metaphor for the Chinese Cultural revolution ) through what I will always call the urban renaissance.

^Thanks. Charlotte and Urban Planet are two places one just always loves once you have experienced.

Hey all Y'all - Know I haven't been on here in a while though I check in on occasion to see who is throwing around the word sketchy while claiming they love urbanity Anywho just want to share that I had some out of town guests in for a visit recently and they were raving about the QC. Interestingly I haven't been downtown (yes it will always be downton to me) in over a year and was so happy with all the in-fill. And on that note - they (the out of towners) actually found something on youtube I've never seen/heard before. It's from 2010 so hopefully someone can reach out to the artist and offer to update the video - but I gotta admit I love the song... and not just because I am "Queen" in Queen City Anyway thought I would share as it has a kind of Left my Heart in San Francisco vibe that I think really is special - almost as special as our city! I know the media follows this site - maybe someone from the Observer can give this song a push with publicity.

Let me add my own apology if I came across too strongly. And now back to the news...

Really? It seems quite simple. Respect all citizens of a city while holding the rule of law that expects each citizen to respect their city. It is pomposity of those tongue in cheek arguments such as claiming others know the solution or that the solution resides within a 30 day temporary maneuver that gets cities in trouble. Well deserved pointed sarcasm aside and to return this thread to the topic, within the context of "urban planet" one simply does not even feign a solution to a real urban issue by proposing a intersection only remedy. I mean, really - do any of you who think this is the slightest of good ideas think that the politically correct labeled area of the city known as "uptown" is so ridiculous as to only constitute a 2 square block radius? Do you really minimize Charlotte as such a hick town as to have a center that is only that two blocks in size? Spelt out like that - does it not seem preposterous? Charlotte, and on topic - Uptown - which is really a sanitized name for downtown with the moniker and the battle for it in itself is an issue that is shadowing this very discussion - is worth cheering about only if it is a city of substance. One does not define the substance of a city by the height of its buildings (though we are the leader in the state) or the nightlife/cultural/dining/entertainment options ( another category where we are the leader in the state) nor is it the sense of business (repetitive I know, - but yes, us again) or retail (OK - we lost this one). It is defined by whether or not it acts, and as a result, feels like a city. Trust me - you can't fake this as much as one can do with the offended "urban sensibilities" of a self-entitled upper (or seeking to be upper) white class. Charlotte - You are barely majority white. Do you really think that homelessness is going to be combatted in any way by removing benches for 30 days in a two block radius? Really? Are we that Mayberry? Or are we a city? Acting like a city means dropping the phrase "sketchy" from the discussion when discussing anything but CRVA marketing worthy photo ops of citizens. It also means accepting that people of color and the poor are as entitled to the center of the city as the upper white class (or those white people who aspire to be upper) who seek it alone; it means accepting homelessness exists as a part of city life that and knowing that the acceptance includes laughing at solutions that are based on an artificial 2 block radius moratorium on the matter. To go back to the quote and the point. I never claimed the issue was easy to solve. In fact, I argued the opposite. It's why I look with disgust at those who would propose or applaud such a simplistic plan as to deal with the issue of homelessness in our city by removing benches from a two block radius while bemoaning they can't get a cup of coffee without daring to smell people who are destitute. I'm saddened to think that anyone would be that "impressed" in the end. It really is simple. Unless one wants to make it complicated for political reasons. This is not to say the issue of homelessness is not complicated so much as deciding the laughability of a two block radius policy and those who would defend it for questionable reasons.

Well if anyone really wanted to argue about the principle of it all, I'm certain that homeless people would rank higher as far as how we care for the least of our brothers than anything else. And let's be honest - this isn't by any stretch of truth about businesses losing money. It is about a quality of life and PR issue for the center city. BTW in case anyone thinks I'm just trying to be a Norma Rae or Ceaser Chavez for the sake of contrarian pov, I reiterate something I said in my first post on the subject: In addition to helping the homeless we have to enact stricter ordinances against vagrancy and begging. Frankly I am in favor of being tougher in the situation. I just think the current proposal is cosmetic and myopic with no end game but to harras the homeless in one section of uptown while making the city feel like it did something concrete.

I think it's laughable to cry about a Starbucks who are the Walmart of the coffee business when it comes to a poor business losing customers as far as I'm concerned. How does a homeless person get to sit there? Did they buy a cup of coffee. If so - they have the same right as anyone to sit there. Starbucks can go cry me a river. That said if a homeless person can afford to buy an overpriced cup of pretentious coffee ... I'm a pretty liberal person. I'm also strongly against people who only want cities to be sanitized urban centers that hide all the reality of life because it might upset you. Go to a gated community then and stop claiming you love cities.You deserves no sympathies. Yet in addition to all I previously wrote I equally feel we cannot ignore the problem of people who are not homeless being unable to enjoy city life due such as utilizing a bench, allowing their children to play in the park (without coming across feces) , not being able to sit in their coffeehouse of choice, and having a general and acceptable sense of saftey. It is apparent that a tipping point has been reached and now that is becoming an issue. But you don't take care of it by "temporarily" removing benches. That is the stupidest thing I ever heard. All it will do is exacerbate the problems in other parts of Downtown. It's a rob Peter to pay Paul in reverse. So what's to be done? Frankly the city and county ( and state) have got to pony up the money to build the shelters while at the same time they will have to consider very unpopular laws/ordinances that will take a harder stand about vagrancy. But for my part - hiding the problem doesn't come before the solution which is what this proposal boils down to in the end.

It would seem like pretty prime real estate, but as you note you never noticed it before is the problem with it. As far as I know it has been there since the Founder's Hall renovation (2 years ago?). The garage entrance on the one side and not much of a pedestrian experience on the other makes it

It was discussed a few times in the Misc. Uptown thread. As far as I know - nothing new. Their FB page has been dead since Oct 2013.

As someone who has been at the CTC late at night to catch a bus I have yet to feel unsafe. Am I uncomfortable at times? Yes. But I think that has more to do with my own societal views as a white man who at that time/place is in the minority rather than anything that could go under the label of "sketchy". As Dubone touches upon there will always be a design issue in any transportation center when it congregates a general economic and racial class that doesn't match the population in the areas that immediately surround it. This isn't fixed by segregating those lines out of the CTC so much as correcting the invisible fence mentality that if you avoid the area you can avoid them. I wouldn't be surprised if the city moves the whole of the CTC somewhere else eventually though. Charlotte is nothing if not consistent when it comes to disregarding/knocking down/destroying components of a real functioning city in order to make something just look pretty.

It would be too incredible if it was Stone so I'm not holding my breath. That said - Go Queen City with the awesome brewery culture that has just taken off!

If you read the linked article their hotel was proposed in April vs. just last month for us.

Just saw this and it gives me hope: A rendering of the Asheville AC Hotel (132 rooms). Source: http://www.citizen-times.com/story/carol-motsinger/2014/07/14/asheville-downtown-commission-hotel/12624217/

I really like what they did with the space to be honest.

Do you know, after all these years I never really noticed the parking garage entrance? I wonder if they could just extend the entrance out and build around it. Please see my amateur photo merge as an idea

Honestly, I would rather Google for two reasons: I've heard AT&T is not as super fast as they claim, and frankly the PR factor of being one of the few cities that have it - would be nice for tech marketing. That said - I ain't thumbing my nose at getting either in general.

Greensboro's mayor is full of it. I wouldn't be surprised if Stone goes to VA or OH but they always said East of the Mississippi. How does that Mayor not think either the Northeast or VA are on the East Coast. I think she got egg on her face when she claimed Greensboro was on a shortlist when Stone reps claimed there wasn't one, and I think she is trying to cover herself by somehow implying that Stone is so suddenly after putting Greensboro on a short list deciding "ooops we just realized we only want the Northeast, Ohio, and Virginia"

That's not a real list. Here's a real list (so far) Go on a Charlotte Brewery crawl Set up a dinner party where the sole conversation is "Uptown or Downtown" Walk up to people and buzzzzzzz in their ear for the return of the hornets Stand with a white cardboard in the middle of First Ward to lament the long absence of promised development Go to Gay Pride and have a talk with the protesters about the merit of eating shellfish Call out "Reese" whenever Jerry the Jester makes an appearance! Petition City Council to make University City Partners be forced to change their name to University Suburban Partners Celebrate the Meck Dec! Plan your Completion of the 485 party now Walk through Uptown and ask people where you can get a snickers bar after 5 p.m. Correct people on how to pronounce "Myers" Park Repost Kevin Siers toons regularly Ask repeatedly when is the theme resturant rage going to end Always have change for the bands/musicians that play Tryon Street Start saying South End was so last year Walk, jog, or bike from CPCC to Park Road Shopping Center via greenway Watch Meck County Commish meetings on TV with a drinking game: 1 shot for every incendiary statement by either Vilma Leake or Bill James Drive the 277 over and over until you complete the full version of Hey Jude Stand at the corner of Queens and Queens and ask people for directions to Kings Go to the Farmers Market and ask loudly if there is an ATM around there Haggle at the NASCAR HoF for a decent admission price Go to Uptown Cabaret and ask for the Mayor's special

JUst an FYI - the biggest complaint on our board (and through our friends) is the lack of street life in Charlotte Center City! I reiterate we love the strengths of other cities such as Nashville and wish we had your urban street feel (in our core). Cheers!