Center City Charlotte - General Urban Discussion

[15895]

This Thread is about Center City and broader Urban Discussion in relation to Center City. 
 

There are threads about specific projects or neighborhoods but this thread can be reserved for general ideas, general discussion, hypotheticals etc. that way other topics discussing actual news / updates doesn’t get derailed with hypotheticals, policy discussion, etc. 

Center City has several definitions. Center City Partners defines it as the 2-Mile Radius from Trade/Tryon (2nd ring below)

Other artistic versions show a similar broad geography

 

I think to the detriment of broader Center City, there is too much emphasis on a narrow strip of SouthEnd, Uptown, Dilworth, Plaza, Myers Park. 
 

I’ve held the belief to be a true urban area (specifically center city), Charlotte Leaders need to focus on the majority… 

To me, the key to Charlotte’s vibrancy, urbanity, transformation and transition into a large urban center rest in the gold mine below:

 

When we start building a center city for everybody, that’s when Charlotte is urban. There are so many middle and lower class people in these neighborhoods. Charlotte needs to funnel money into these areas, from social help, to new parks, new plazas, all of it. And that is where Charlotte needs to pump money into housing, move a new NFL/MLS stadium out there west of 77.

If you look at cities in the U.S. like NY, San Francisco, Boston, DC etc. The CBD area isn’t what people fall in love with. And that’s even true around the world. 

It’s the Castro (among others) in San Francisco 

it’s Adam’s Morgan (among others) in DC, *notttt* the federal buildings near the National Mall 

 

This has been my observation in almost anywhere I’ve been with kudos to Philly & San Fran (even on global standards to cities I’ve been) being more lively in their immediate CBD unlike DC and most places. 

As much as I think these other areas outside the usuals in center city matter, I realized in the retail in center city, I’m a bit hypocritical to preach about the rest of center city when I say things like there’s not enough xyz retail. 

Thats not true - it’s just not in the form I imagine. So how do we advocate for real policy that transforms, lifts up, invest in the rest of center city instead of ignoring their existence? Because that IMO is the key to urbanity in Charlotte. 
 

(and fyi I didn’t intend to imply West of 77 should resemble Castro District or Adam’s Morgan. It’s just the easiest examples to demonstrate CBD’s aren’t typically where the magic happens. Which in Charlotte, will look different but overall the concept of investing in other neighborhoods)

Edited December 22, 2023 by AirNostrumMAD

[davidclt]

This seems to be as good a thread as any to discuss the burgeoning South End Municipal District. Note that this map is one of the few references to Municipal Districts on the city's site. After a few really breathtakingly unproductive calls to 311 to attempt to get some attention on the overflowing trash can at the corner of Camden and West Blvd (and the locked one on Tremont at the base of Camden), the nice folks may finally have figured it out (the folks at 311 were unaware that Charlotte has Municipal Service Districts and were trying to convince me that Solid Waste is a county problem (regardless, isn't it CharMeck 311?). The CLT+ App was useless. They are incapable of making any reference to cross streets and must (like in the app) have a specific service address. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Charlotte is playing being a city rather than being a city (Videri quam esse).

What's the purpose of Municipal Districts if the city has no practical way of managing them even if they classify them and have an organization that ostensibly services them?

[Hushpuppy321]

Wow - Just drove down Freedom Drive towards Uptown and the Skyline is changing rapidly in Center City.  I-277 which wraps around Uptown is generally detested by some but does allows for the Urban Enthusiast to take in the Uptown Skyline.  I have now found that Freedom Drive beginning at the intersection with I-85, allows the same Enthusiast to fully take in the Skyline that’s developing in SouthEnd and quickly connecting with the Uptown Skyline.  By far the most impressive in the Carolinas and quickly becoming in the Top 5 most expansive Skylines (On the East Coast).

[kayman]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:30 AM, davidclt said:

This seems to be as good a thread as any to discuss the burgeoning South End Municipal District. Note that this map is one of the few references to Municipal Districts on the city's site. After a few really breathtakingly unproductive calls to 311 to attempt to get some attention on the overflowing trash can at the corner of Camden and West Blvd (and the locked one on Tremont at the base of Camden), the nice folks may finally have figured it out (the folks at 311 were unaware that Charlotte has Municipal Service Districts and were trying to convince me that Solid Waste is a county problem (regardless, isn't it CharMeck 311?). The CLT+ App was useless. They are incapable of making any reference to cross streets and must (like in the app) have a specific service address. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Charlotte is playing being a city rather than being a city (Videri quam esse).

What's the purpose of Municipal Districts if the city has no practical way of managing them even if they classify them and have an organization that ostensibly services them?

Welcome to the perks of a manager-council form of government with part-time elected officials, no accountability and bureaucratic protection for the city manager.