Charlotte Off Topic

[Nick2]

Idk if this is the proper place to ask this but why doesn't it seem like there is any affordable housing (specifically apartments) going up in Uptown/Southend? Maybe I'm just oblivious to it if it does exist or is being built.

Any project that I've seen the pricing on is much higher than other areas of the city. Why don't they build something a little less nice to attract some more middle class people to uptown? I mean places with a studio going for 500-700 rather than 1000+. I think uptown could really benefit from building some more affordable housing because the target market is much larger. It could speed up increasing the livability of Uptown and make it have a more vibrant feel.

Would the profit margins just not be high enough in Uptown to do that?

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Nick2 said:

Idk if this is the proper place to ask this but why doesn't it seem like there is any affordable housing (specifically apartments) going up in Uptown/Southend? Maybe I'm just oblivious to it if it does exist or is being built.

Any project that I've seen the pricing on is much higher than other areas of the city. Why don't they build something a little less nice to attract some more middle class people to uptown? I mean places with a studio going for 500-700 rather than 1000+. I think uptown could really benefit from building some more affordable housing because the target market is much larger. It could speed up increasing the livability of Uptown and make it have a more vibrant feel.

Would the profit margins just not be high enough in Uptown to do that?

You answered your question on the last line. You could probably make a profit, but, it wouldn't be enough, without government subsidies, and acquiring those is a pain in the ass. I'm sure we will see more projects with market rate apartments included, but it wil tarry be anymore than 10-15% of units. We will likely never see a 100% market rate project in uptown.

[southslider]

After a decade of tax depreciation and America's largest generation aging out, all of these stick-built, "luxury" units are going to be much more market-rate then.

[Nick2]

I suppose I kind of did. I was just speculating since I don't have any concrete knowledge about Charlotte's rates. 

I could see these stick built becoming much cheaper in the future as more new stuff is built but I think it won't be for a while.

[SgtCampsalot]

10 hours ago, Nick2 said:

Any project that I've seen the pricing on is much higher than other areas of the city.

The disparity in financing opportunities for small developers vs. large development firms. Also large entities artificially inflating market property values by sitting on large tracts of vacant land. Also the rezoning process is too taxing for many small developers/builders.

Anyone who wants to add to this please feel free.

Edited December 30, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[Nick2]

So perhaps the city should be encouraging some of that lighter development for smaller, more affordable projects just outside center city where it's less cost prohibitive to develop. Maybe a little further out on the light rail or kind of close to uptown in future light rail corridors. They could attract a lot more people closer to downtown to better urbanize the area as a whole by drawing in those who would rather live in other areas just outside of Charlotte for lower cost of living.

[Deleted.]

Completely off topic...

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

[cltbwimob]

Here is one win for the history of Charlotte...Charlotte History Museum and Historic Charlotte will merge.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article53325950.html

 

I may be reading too much into the article, but it sounds like the merger is going to allow the two to double down on their efforts to save what little bit of history we have left. 

 

On a separate, but related note, the Queen Park sign will be going to a new home very close to the old home-4125 Yancey Rd..

[hambone931]

11 hours ago, cltbwimob said:

On a separate, but related note, the Queen Park sign will be going to a new home very close to the old home-4125 Yancey Rd..

I wonder how they will display it since the tower part was scrapped. I would like to see a new tower built maybe on the corner at southside as a landmark for the area. This could help reinforce the proposed "Queen Park" name for this area.

 

Edited January 7, 2016 by hambone931

[ScottCLT]

Interesting find on Charlotte Five today. In an article about Seversville, they mentioned these old trolleys sitting in the parking lot out in front of Savona Mill.

I tried to look for this on Google Maps and I think I have the right location, but the trolleys aren't there, so that would make me think that they were recently moved there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2414383,-80.8669692,3a,75y,82.45h,78.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sA_ih3i2CGJ3T56HhAL2T_A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Does anyone have any details about these trolleys? From Charlotte's old trolley system or elsewhere? Since they just appeared in this parking lot recently, I would think there are plans or them, but I have no idea what those plans may be.

Original Article:

http://www.charlottefive.com/seversville-is-a-hidden-treasure-in-charlotte/

 

[kermit]

^ Your location is correct. I saw the Trollys when I was last there about a month ago -- I don't think they have been moved since. I can't recall where I read details on the trollys but they are not from Charlotte (Charleston maybe?) and the developer of the Savonia mill was planning to restore them and used them for service on the P&N line from the mill to Cedar st via the Lakewood / Charlotte Trolly non-profit. They have been stored in the mill for several years but they were recently moved out to facilitate mill reconstruction.

I am a little confused about why they feel the need to restore these trollys when a fully restored and working Charlotte trolly is floating around town somewhere. 

[SgtCampsalot]

The only other publicity I've seen about it lately: Hey, whose streetcars are those in west Charlotte?

[vassago]

Copied from a post on Lakewood Trolley's Facebook:

"The cars are important, because they provide physical proof of early 20th Century American ingenuity and the development of Charlotte and Charleston as New South cities. While the two cars never ran in Charlotte, they were built in Charleston and ran there until 1938, the same year Charlotte dismantled its original streetcar system. Pappanastos found the cars in 2011 and worked with their owner to have them shipped to Charlotte in 2013. They have been behind closed doors ever since.

The Charleston cars were brought to Charlotte as part of a strategy to connect West End neighborhoods with the vibrancy of uptown and call attention to the amenity of the Stewart Creek Greenway and green spaces of the west side. The Savona Mill, once served by the Piedmont & Northern Railway and Charlotte's streetcar system as a destination between uptown and Lakewood Park, sits in Seversville just a mile from Cedar St. in Third Ward. The tracks that used to carry streetcars to the mill are fully intact."

[ajfunder]

12 hours ago, kermit said:

^ I am a little confused about why they feel the need to restore these trollys when a fully restored and working Charlotte trolly is floating around town somewhere. 

The Lakewood Trolley group is also in possession of Charlotte Trolley #85. It was moved to the mill a year or so ago. CATS tested it right before the move and it worked flawlessly.

[Crown]

Today, the WFAE show “Charlotte Talks” will focus on development standards for new apartments and construction ahead of the "Bland Charlotte" Civic By Design discussion tonight. You can listen at 90.7 FM at 9 a.m., or find the show after it airs at WFAE.org.

More info here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/development/article54118335.html

Edited January 12, 2016 by Crown

[ScottCLT]

Wow, it's like someone actually hired a reputable marketing firm in this city/state. The Thunder Road Marathon and its hideous logo have now evolved into the Charlotte Marathon (much better name). Better logo and catch phrase too - "Out Streets, Our City, Our Marathon."

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/34428/thunder-road-marathon-is-now-charlotte-marathon-and-its-about-time/

[ah59396]

35 minutes ago, ScottCLT said:

Wow, it's like someone actually hired a reputable marketing firm in this city/state. The Thunder Road Marathon and its hideous logo have now evolved into the Charlotte Marathon (much better name). Better logo and catch phrase too - "Out Streets, Our City, Our Marathon."

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/34428/thunder-road-marathon-is-now-charlotte-marathon-and-its-about-time/

I've run Thunder Road three times.  It's an exceptionally well done race, promotes the city in a way few things can and draws runners from all over the US and even internationally.  (My Aunts entire run club came down to Charlotte just to run it from Barrie, Ontario).

 

All that said, I'm delighted with this move.  The Novant branding is tasteful (it's not the "Novant Marathon...which happens to be in Charlotte), and I love that we are getting away from the NASCAR theme.  I'm not an anti-NASCAR guy, I just think it created confusion when tying it to Charlotte.  I've met very few avid runners/stock car racing fans.

[tozmervo]

How about the "Rainbow Road Marathon"?

[InSouthPark]

1 hour ago, ah59396 said:

I've run Thunder Road three times.  It's an exceptionally well done race, promotes the city in a way few things can and draws runners from all over the US and even internationally.  (My Aunts entire run club came down to Charlotte just to run it from Barrie, Ontario).

 

It's also one of the most boring marathons and has the worst crowd support of any marathon I have run (11 marathons in 11 different states). Boring + no crowd support is not a good combination. I have run big city marathons, little town marathons, small city marathons, and scenic marathons.  Every one of them had better crowd support and I would say all had better "sights to see" (other than Raleigh where the second half is terrible). It's a sad sign when the promoters have to pay "cheer groups" to go out and cheer people on at the races (Raleigh also did this). 

Two years ago we went to cheer on some friends and we stood in Bearden Park thinking it would be hopping.  HA! There was about 6 other people there.  

The people of Charlotte don't care about the race and therefor runners aren't going to care for this race, no matter what it's called....and that's a damn shame because "I run this city".

[ah59396]

2 hours ago, InSouthPark said:

It's also one of the most boring marathons and has the worst crowd support of any marathon I have run (11 marathons in 11 different states). Boring + no crowd support is not a good combination. I have run big city marathons, little town marathons, small city marathons, and scenic marathons.  Every one of them had better crowd support and I would say all had better "sights to see" (other than Raleigh where the second half is terrible). It's a sad sign when the promoters have to pay "cheer groups" to go out and cheer people on at the races (Raleigh also did this). 

Two years ago we went to cheer on some friends and we stood in Bearden Park thinking it would be hopping.  HA! There was about 6 other people there.  

The people of Charlotte don't care about the race and therefor runners aren't going to care for this race, no matter what it's called....and that's a damn shame because "I run this city".

Wow, that is definitely not how I perceive it.  Sorry it's such a bummer for you.  I've always enjoyed it!

[Silicon Dogwoods]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

How about the "Rainbow Road Marathon"?

I'm afraid we're just not that gay. 

But we're exponentially gayer than we once were, trust me on this!

[ah59396]

8 minutes ago, Silicon Dogwoods said:

I'm afraid we're just not that gay. 

But we're exponentially gayer than we once were, trust me on this!

I actually thought it was a Mario kart reference!!

[tozmervo]

As a gay man, I will tell you that it was absolutely a Mario Kart reference. Marathons with shells would be vastly more entertaining. 

 

[SgtCampsalot]

The Queen's Marathon has a ring to it.

[Silicon Dogwoods]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

As a gay man, I will tell you that it was absolutely a Mario Kart reference. Marathons with shells would be vastly more entertaining. 

 

I'm old and gay. Who is this Mario Kart of whom you speak?

22 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

The Queen's Marathon has a ring to it.

Queen City Marathon?

Heck, I'm glad they stuck Charlotte's name on it and did not add the dreaded 'N.C.'

'The Novant Health Charlotte, N.C. Marathon!!'

(ick)