Optimist Park / Belmont Projects

[tarik]

Analogies do seem to help define areas so that people can easily relate and reflect on them. With Optimist Park, the name speaks for itself. There are extensive plans to improve the greenway, adding "lakes" and educational facilities along the meandering path of Sugar Creek. People that call Optimist Park home see opportunity in life in a place that is full of diversity. Granted we may be more optimistic about making money, yet anyone willing to live here has a certain faith in the future. This is a neighborhood with an extensive history that has spanned generations fo color, class, drugs and density. We must not lose sight of this-- the idea of living. If we want this to succeed we must get involved ourselves, and make it a more livable community. If we only let developers change our neighborhoods, then we are losing control of our ability to define our sense of place. This is Optimist Park and always will be.

[Miesian Corners]

Ray "Rip" Farris is obsessed with the SoDa thing. I had him for a development class last year at UNCC and several of us in class told him then that we thought his moniker was a "less than stellar" name for the area. I guess he doesn't get the fact that South Davidson is SOUTH of Trade St.

[tarik]

Whatever works; the name is catchy, but so is Optimist Park to people that do not think bad of the neighborhood. This place is not a typical yuppyville, and it will be some time before that happens. So much for mixed use, although more eyes on the street would help.

[dubone]

Thanks Tarik for your serious reply to our banter .

Yes, Optimist Park is a good name for the area, and should remain, because of the positive things it says about a community that has struggled to come back from the depths.

[tarik]

It's odd that the same company/person that sensetively named Duncan Gardens and Opt12 is considering SoDa; sounds catchy, it might help define the North Davidson Street from 277-NoDa as the linear place it is.

[dubone]

I'd even have an easier time with him trying to coin that it is part of NoDa, than a new moniker SoDa.

I know other people hate these, but if he needs to force some new trendy name, I'd rather North End. It is the northern end of the city when South End was the southern end.

I've advocated in other threads that the area on both sides of the tracks could be North End and branded and built up. It has grid, grit, mills, trains, and is just outside downtown. But of course, I'm sure he'll just stick to SoDa, despite us.

[Charlotte_native]

But of course, I'm sure he'll just stick to SoDa, despite us.

Just because he chooses to stick with it doesn't mean it will work. Doubtful it will. I've heard nothing but snickers about it since they tried tossing this out there. Oh well, we'll see -- can't say I'll be terribly hurt about it, it just won't be something to be proud of when taking friends around town...

More likely residents will rename or rebrand it themselves if they decide that Optimist Park and Belmont are for some reason not good enough!

I like the Northend idea if this area must get rebranded, at least it has a "reason" for having that name and helps one locate that district.

[28202]

The name of Opt12 prior to building was "the funk at 17th". That changed.... and the Opt12 and NoDa18 names were picked up prior to marketing.

The funk at 17th LLC was the seller of these properties.

[cinco]

Just because he chooses to stick with it doesn't mean it will work. Doubtful it will. I've heard nothing but snickers about it since they tried tossing this out there. Oh well, we'll see -- can't say I'll be terribly hurt about it, it just won't be something to be proud of when taking friends around town...

More likely residents will rename or rebrand it themselves if they decide that Optimist Park and Belmont are for some reason not good enough!

Soda is quite possibly the worst name i've heard... not too mention, it is IGNORANT to it's location. but i must admit i wasn't crazy over the whole Noda moniker when it came out... now, i'm indifferent to it (hardly ever say Noda).

what's wrong with optimist park (the OP)? i hope the public just sticks with that... if they do decide to rebrand - hands off MIDWOOD CANYON. that names taken.

[cinco]

The name of Opt12 prior to building was "the funk at 17th". That changed.... and the Opt12 and NoDa18 names were picked up prior to marketing.

The funk at 17th LLC was the seller of these properties.

are people letting their 13 yr olds come up with these names.... "the funk".... isn't that slang for an STD?

[Charlotte_native]

are people letting their 13 yr olds come up with these names.... "the funk".... isn't that slang for an STD?

The Funk brings up thoughts of a smell, Soda thoughts of a drink. Goes to show just because you have money doesn't mean you have common sense!

[monsoon]

are people letting their 13 yr olds come up with these names.... "the funk".... isn't that slang for an STD?

It was once a disparaging word used by Whites in more racist days to describe the foul oders they believed they smelt coming off Black people, mostly Black men. Later Blacks turned it around in the 70s and it became the name of a style of R&B music now commonly referred to as Old Skool.

I think its best they leave this one alone.

[tarik]

Thinking that we are only one person in an overpowering world is not a path to becoming part of a larger cause. Community (collective minds & bodies) establish and influence our sense of place, and each person can potentially make a series of impacts alone. We must stay less focused on our selves, take a step back, and want to be part of things. There will be a time when Optimist Park becomes vibrant again; this is the first place in Charlotte to have a block party when the radio is invented (actually, it was the 8-unit building on 16th). These days we are consumed within I pods, and some of us without even enought time to listen. There are many changes happening to this community; it is right infront of our eyes. Any maybe by reaching out, we may show a neighbor that the world is much larger than Optimist Park, Belmont, or Charlotte.

[NcSc74]

It was once a disparaging word used by Whites in more racist days to describe the foul oders they believed they smelt coming off Black people, mostly Black men. Later Blacks turned it around in the 70s and it became the name of a style of R&B music now commonly referred to as Old Skool.

I think its best they leave this one alone.

I never heard of that but I guess there is a lot of mean spirited things I haven't heard before. I actually think it is quite funny. I visioned a black dude with "the funk" and some white lady waving her hand in front of her face like whew...I didn't know we were the only people that had "the funk" I tell people I am form NC and they think I have heard all of those racist remarks and to be honest I think my cousins from NJ/NY have heard more than me. Trying to convince people otherwise is a different story but anyway sorry to get off topic.

[MZT]

"The Funk at 17th?" Man, whoever thought that up, never made a long beach trip. Leave a bag of take-out chinese in your car, come back after several hours, and -eeew- you've got THE FUNK in there! Stuff each of your sweaty shirts in a suitcase, bring it home and open it, and -aiiee- check out THAT FUNK!

I guess in comparison, living in soda isn't that bad...

Edited September 16, 2006 by MZT

[atlrvr]

Is the plan for the Piedmont Courts redevelopment publically available? I couldn't find it.

Rolltide, thanks for the pics. It looks better now.

This is "The Crossings at Seigle Pointe" current site plan.

Not bad...it adds some grid, even if it is private streets.

LINK TO SITE PLAN

[uptownliving]

Page 2 of this link here shows the rough layout of how The Crossings at Seigle Pointe will look with the Kroc Center.

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/enrkj.../KrocUpdate.pdf

Council has not decided yet if the Kroc Center will go at the Belmont site. If it ends up going somewhere else then what atlrvr posted will be pretty much what we get.

[atlrvr]

Wow...that's really interesting. What I posted corresponded to what I saw at the local development partner's office last spring....this is completely different.

What I had seen would have had the Kroc Center on the east side of Seigle and the fields where the city yards are now....hopefully a similar design is still being considered, because the detailed renderings I was shown were amazing....far beyond anything I would have imagined.

[Charlotte_native]

This is "The Crossings at Seigle Pointe" current site plan.

have they really added another "e" at the end of Point? That is possibly the only thing that could make the name of this project worse. I guess this is what happens with the suburban developers come back to town.

[atlrvr]

have they really added another "e" at the end of Point? That is possibly the only thing that could make the name of this project worse. I guess this is what happens with the suburban developers come back to town.

Haha....I just checked, and no...no "e"...I guess I just assumed that it did since the rest of the name is so wretched.

[uptownliving]

I didn't realize this but the Urban Stash Tuscan "Soda" project will be 150 units of condos, 5 stories tall, and have 20,000 sq ft of retail. That is a little larger than I was expecting. The council just reviewed this project and there was no one that spoke in opposition. Looks like it will sail through rezoning.

Edited September 18, 2006 by uptownliving

[dubone]

That is huge! Please tell me he is finding a way to buy up Hunter's land!

http://www.google.com/maphp?hl=en&q=&a....00108,0.001808

[tarik]

Wonder what it takes to speak at the rezoning. Obvioulsy, scheduling to speak does not work. Yes, it is amazing that they approved a 60-foot tall development. 150 parking spaces?!?

[uptownliving]

Wonder what it takes to speak at the rezoning. Obvioulsy, scheduling to speak does not work. Yes, it is amazing that they approved a 60-foot tall development. 150 parking spaces?!?

All you have to do is call the City Clerk and sign up to speak...I think you can even talk to the City Clerk right before the meeting and sign up there. It is a very simple process.

This rezoning has not been approved yet. Tonight was just the public hearing. It will be voted up or down on October 18th. There has not been a protest petition filed for this rezoning so that means it will be a simple majority of council. Anyone that wants to contact their City Concil rep to vote one way or another on this rezoing has 30 days to lobby.

[Vitamin_N]

I noticed a sign this morning on Parkwood/Caldwell somewhere around 13th/14th street; it said something to the effect of "Office/Warehouse Space for Lease / Coming in 2007". It was on the right side of the road as you're coming into downtown. Is this a project already mentioned in this thread?