50 replies to this topic

[Neo]

As requested in this thread I have compiled a list of requests for Charlotte from users. This post can be edited by any staff member so items can be added and crossed off the list. Perhaps we'll keep this a rolling thread from year to year to see what can actually be accomplished in our great city! Sorry if I forgot any items on your wishlist.

Construction starts for the last leg of I-485
Major corporate relocation (outside of banking) to the city
Romare Bearden Park gets OK to start construction and dirt actually begins to move
300 South Tryon rises from the dead
Bobcats make playoffs
CATS Lynx NE extension gets full funding agreement
SEHSR approves and begins infrastructure construction along the NS Mainline
Charlotte-Douglas gets more international destinations
Donald Trump decides he really likes Charlotte after all and resurrects his project
Something gets built in place of 210 Trade
Unemployment numbers decrease dramatically
A new major hotel is announced for downtown (i.e. W)
South 277 bridges (Church, Tryon, College) are reconfigured to be more bike and pedestrian friendly
Eastland Mall development
Major retail announcement for downtown
Downtown bookstore
City level Domestic Partner benefits passing along with GLBT non-discrimination city employment protections
Cantina and Caribrueggers on East not being put to death by CMC
CATS North Commuter Train line gets green light for construction
The Park is finished in some form
Little Sugar Creek Greenway opens between Metropolitan and CMC
The Vue completes construction
Streetcar gets funding and construction starts between CTC and Presby
Whole Foods
City Planning set a new set of tougher zoning ordinaces that lead to more urban and higher quality developments in the areas identified as centers and corridors
Construction of First Ward park
Cap I-277
Groundbreaking on Carolina Theater renovations
Southend gets a grocery store
The Checkers affiliate with the AHL and we get some good hockey in this town
Baseball downtown (Knights or otherwise) moves forward
The city revisits along with Duke Power a practical way to relocate power lines along major corridors underground
ABC/liquor store downtown
Skateboard park downtown

[Brendan]

Love having this list.

We might want to consider adding a date to the right of the item when it was crossed off the list.

[dbull75]

You can cross off "Bobcats make the playoffs" now

[AlmaPinnix]

dbull75, on 07 April 2010 - 09:30 PM, said:

You can cross off "Bobcats make the playoffs" now

Alot of those things can be crossed off really..

[Neo]

Charlotte-Milan, on 08 April 2010 - 07:53 AM, said:

Alot of those things can be crossed off really..

Not sure that is true. Can you be more specific? I'm fairly certain none of the remaining items have been done, but perhaps I missed a couple?

[tozmervo]

Technically you could mark "Tryon" off the list of bridges to make more bike and pedestrian friendly. The permanent changes aren't in place, but even the temporary road revisions are really nice.

[C_C_Planner]

Charlotte-Milan, on 08 April 2010 - 07:53 AM, said:

Alot of those things can be crossed off really..

Also........

Sexual orientation non-discrimination protection for city employment effective March 29, 2010

First Ward Park Construction is coming soon

[Neo]

tozmervo, on 08 April 2010 - 09:11 AM, said:

Technically you could mark "Tryon" off the list of bridges to make more bike and pedestrian friendly. The permanent changes aren't in place, but even the temporary road revisions are really nice.

I'm reserving this one until changes are permanent. Temporary is nice, but permanent is better.

C_C_Planner, on 08 April 2010 - 09:27 AM, said:

Also........

Sexual orientation non-discrimination protection for city employment effective March 29, 2010

First Ward Park Construction is coming soon

I did miss the sexual orientation non-discrimination policy so that one has been checked off.

The park construction may be coming soon, but I'll believe it when I see the dirt move.

[AlmaPinnix]

Charlotte-Douglas gets more international destinations - Check
The Vue completes construction - Check (crane is down, vertical construction is complete)
City level Domestic Partner benefits passing along with GLBT non-discrimination city employment protections - Check
Unemployment numbers decrease dramatically - Check (Come on really? this realistically won't happen for 2 to 3 maybe 4 years down the road.. but companies are starting to hire a lot more (see Good News Report thread), which is good enough to check this one off)

Edit: That brings our tally to 6 completed tasks in 2010.. not bad!

Edited by Charlotte-Milan, 08 April 2010 - 12:07 PM.

[Urbanity]

C_C_Planner, on 08 April 2010 - 09:27 AM, said:

Sexual orientation non-discrimination protection for city employment effective March 29, 2010

Charlotte-Milan, on 08 April 2010 - 12:06 PM, said:

City level Domestic Partner benefits passing along with GLBT non-discrimination city employment protections - Check

uhm - No.  Unless I am missing something, Domestic Partner benefits have not even been discussed let alone passed by the council and Mayor.  As far as the non-discrimination change, please note that they specifically excluded gender identity which means no protections for transgender.

So the only part of that which may be checked off is Gay and Lesbian non-discrimination city employment protections.

Edited by Urbanity, 08 April 2010 - 01:50 PM.

[Neo]

Charlotte-Milan, on 08 April 2010 - 12:06 PM, said:

Charlotte-Douglas gets more international destinations - Check
The Vue completes construction - Check (crane is down, vertical construction is complete)
City level Domestic Partner benefits passing along with GLBT non-discrimination city employment protections - Check
Unemployment numbers decrease dramatically - Check (Come on really? this realistically won't happen for 2 to 3 maybe 4 years down the road.. but companies are starting to hire a lot more (see Good News Report thread), which is good enough to check this one off)

Edit: That brings our tally to 6 completed tasks in 2010.. not bad!

I suppose it comes down to how strictly we want to follow the items folks said they would like to see. The Vue *appears* to be completed, but the first residents have no moved in yet which means it isn't truly complete. More international destinations could mean anything really, but I always took it to mean something akin to direct flights to Asian cities and the like.

Urbanity, on 08 April 2010 - 01:49 PM, said:

uhm - No. Unless I am missing something, Domestic Partner benefits have not even been discussed let alone passed by the council and Mayor. As far as the non-discrimination change, please note that they specifically excluded gender identity which means no protections for transgender.

So the only part of that which may be checked off is Gay and Lesbian non-discrimination city employment protections.

Perhaps that entry was too loosely worded?

[Urbanity]

Neo, on 12 April 2010 - 01:49 PM, said:

Perhaps that entry was too loosely worded?

If I provided the original wording for the LGBT line then my apologies.  Yeah, though, it is too loosely worded.

[AirNostrumMAD]

Neo, on 12 April 2010 - 01:49 PM, said:

More international destinations could mean anything really, but I always took it to mean something akin to direct flights to Asian cities and the like.

Charlotte will never have an Asian flight for a long time.  May 13th Charlotte is getting a non-stop to Rome, Italy. That by itself warrants getting that crossed off the list. But Charlotte has gotten like 3 other new international destinations. 2 being in Mexico the other being Ottawa, Canada.

Edited by AirNostrumMAD, 12 April 2010 - 07:53 PM.

[caterpillar2]

I would absolutely love to see some obscure part of uptown turned into a dining/pub area sort of like a mini Soho. One block could have two to three story structures built on both sides with cafes/restaurants downstairs and flats upstairs. The street or possibly alleyways would be pedestrian only with outdoor dining and licensed street entertainers permitted (if not a nuisence). No McDonalds or Pizza Huts would be allowed, only momma/popa restaurants. It would need to be within walking distance to the theaters and other entertainment. I sincerely believe in "build them and they will come". As we know the more restraunts concentrated in one area, the more people that will be drawn to the area benefiting all restauranteurs. A gift shop, a pub or two, and a boutique or so would be allowed but on a very limited basis.  I know that I am dreaming, but this could become a reality. There is room in parts of uptown. Anyway, this is on my wishlist anyway.

Edited by caterpillar2, 08 June 2010 - 08:17 AM.

[Alias]

caterpillar2, on 08 June 2010 - 08:07 AM, said:

I would absolutely love to see some obscure part of uptown turned into a dining/pub area sort of like a mini Soho. One block could have two to three story structures built on both sides with cafes/restaurants downstairs and flats upstairs. The street or possibly alleyways would be pedestrian only with outdoor dining and licensed street entertainers permitted (if not a nuisence). No McDonalds or Pizza Huts would be allowed, only momma/popa restaurants. It would need to be within walking distance to the theaters and other entertainment. I sincerely believe in "build them and they will come". As we know the more restraunts concentrated in one area, the more people that will be drawn to the area benefiting all restauranteurs. A gift shop, a pub or two, and a boutique or so would be allowed but on a very limited basis.  I know that I am dreaming, but this could become a reality. There is room in parts of uptown. Anyway, this is on my wishlist anyway.

sounds like downtown Asheville to me...

[RiverwoodCLT]

I would like to see East Independence a freeway way all the way to 485 and the new Monroe bypass.  It will take 65 years to finish the approx. 8 miles.  At the pace the DOT is rebuilding the road.   Most of us will no longer be here to see the completion at that rate. DOT has average just over one mile very 10 years.

[southslider]

^The unfunded (and undesigned) section of Independence Boulevard that will still need expressway conversion is really only 4 miles.  That's because the next section of "hybrid expressway" (right-in/out driveways) to be built ends just past Wallace Lane.  Turnpike construction ends at I-485.  But the section of US-74 between NC-51 and I-485 already functions as a "hybrid expressway," needing just the removal of the signal at Old 51 via grade-separation, partial interchange or right-in/out treatment.

The state has also been slow to converting Independence due to right-of-way costs totaling more than half of project costs.  But past the next funded project ending at Wallace, there is 200 feet of existing right-of-way, compared with 150 feet of existing between Sharon Amity and Conference.  So the missing segment (basically Harris to 51), albeit unfunded today, should have lower real estate costs.  Bridges will be the bulk of costs on this missing piece, including interchanges (Village Lake-Harris, Sardis, Matthews) and the crossing of McAlpine Creek.  Knowing the transit technology will be key to the bridge design across McAlpine.

As for seeing "Charlotte's missing freeway" (even more so, with 485 committed) completed in a reasonable timeframe, I think there are a number of possible scenarios: 1) US-74 becomes the next statewide Mobility Fund project after the Yadkin River bridge;  2) NC Turnpike Authority takes on an additional, interlined project that completes the gap and creates HOT lanes on the existing expressway sections into Uptown; 3) The Feds and NCDOT fund a combined transit/highway project for Southeast Corridor (more likely BRT) and Independence Expressway; 4) Charlotte-Mecklenburg voters pass a combined roads/transit local funding source (LRT more popular); 5) Combination of 1-4.

[grodney]

I'd like to see a bank of electric car charging stations at the LYNX 485 Station.  Pay-to-use or free, either one.

[caterpillar2]

Alias, on 08 June 2010 - 05:52 PM, said:

sounds like downtown Asheville to me...

Didn't quite see it in Asheville. Asheville has some cool places, but I am looking on a much larger scale, more European like. A street where traffic is not allowed only foot traffic , vendors, licenced street entertainersand sidewalk cafes, etc.  If a block could be build downtown with shops downstairs, flats upstairs on both sides of the block and made open for pedestrians, I know it would work. A great location would be between the new UNCC building and uptown. Just dreaming and hoping it will happen before I and others are too old to enjoy.

[The Escapists]

I don't know what topic this would go in, but I'm excited to hear that Northeastern University is eying Charlotte for a satellite campus - and they note specifically that they would like to be uptown. Plus the Wake Forrest interest - considering there is a LOT of land around the new UNCC Uptown building prime for this type of thing - if Levine is interested in developing First Ward into a vibrant collegiate neighborhood - it would really impact this part of the city. Here's to hoping....