charlotte_bon_vivant

It's because gentrification doesn't solve the problems of the poor. In this country, it only serves to displace them from their homes. My being there doesn't help them. Meanwhile, they are forced to move to another neighborhood with similar or worse conditions than what they faced before. I agree that we shouldn't polarize neighborhoods based on race, class or any -ism for that matter. I agree taht mixed income neighborhoods are the ideal. But that isn't what happens. People like me move in. We see short period of mixed income households residing there. Eventually, it becomes a middle class neighborhood. Look at Virginia-Highlands in Atlanta. That neighborhood is almost fully upper middle class now with the previous residents gone due to high property taxes. (Yes, I know Vi-Hi was once a white neighborhood. That is beside the point.) I want there to be some sort of solution to the problems facing poor neighborhoods, but I doubt that gentrification is that solution. P.S. I only made the Hope VI correction because the Clinton Administrationw as given the credit for it. I realize that is what the Hope VI program has become -- or was -- before the last round of funding cuts.

That wasn't the premise of Hope VI grants. The grants were originally designed to rebuild public housing. It was Renee Glover and Tom Cousins who came up with the idea to replace them with mixed income developments (through public/private partnerships). Other cities followed suit since their program was so successful. In truth, the program only serves to relocate certian poor people not really changing demographics. Anyway... Gentrification is less about race and more about class. There is a racial connection since most poor people living in the city tend to be black. And for the most part, it's grassroots. How can you stop people from taking over poor neighborhoods and forcing the displacement of its residents. You can't. I've lived in a gentrified nighborhood. I didn't feel good about it because I knew my presence was causing the resisdents more harm than good. But, what can you do???

Discovery Place and Carowinds are not in the same league as a NASCAR HOF. You see, people like me who have no interest in NASCAR, will go to DP and Carowinds yet never set foot inside a NASCAR museum. On the other hand, NASCAR fans will patron both the museum and places like Discovery Place/Carowinds. So, I think Charlotte's projections are accurate. I actually hope Charlotte doesn't get the HOF. Same for Atlanta. Let Daytona have it. I never go there. BTW- does anyone else find Charlotte choosing Pei's firm to design the hall a little specious? I mean, one of the host cities already used Pei to build a HOF museum.

No problem. I can see how you'd make that mistake. It's good to be here. The discussions on this board are more intelligent and useful than on some other boards.

I was kidding! But that is what they say. It's trendy among certain NYers to move to Raleigh. Um, I'm no he.

I don't know about DT, but Raleigh has a great future ahead. Fo years now, everyone I know who has moved to NC, moved there over Charlotte. It's been "de rigeur" for all my hoity-toity NYC friends. Raleigh is just so much cooler, you know.