Walkable Neighborhoods -- How to Make More

[davidclt]

1 minute ago, kermit said:

I have heard that using packing tape to press a fist-size rock against the beg button works. If you see this rig at Tremont and South in the future think of me. (But I am not sure it works, I think its a capacitance switch)

I do anyway. Regardless, my timing at that light is almost without fail off. It amazes me with all the pedestrians crossing from all four corners at all times of day that we'd have to resort to a workaround. I did call into 311 about this in March. My incident with them is still open without response. I will say I'm growing disillusioned at the lack of response and services from city government. Traffic signal timing is woeful, keeping public facilities in working order is getting less responsive, and the streets aren't swept with any known frequency.

[Vitamin_N]

1 hour ago, davidclt said:

I remain infinitely flummoxed that many crossings at traffic lights across South Boulevard and roads perpendicular to South  Boulevard remain demand rather than automatic for pedestrian crossing signals. 

How is this decided? At the intersection of 3rd and Charlottetowne the pedestrian walk sign comes up automatically crossing Charlottetowne but only if the button is pressed crossing 3rd.

[CLT>]

3 hours ago, davidclt said:

I do anyway. Regardless, my timing at that light is almost without fail off. It amazes me with all the pedestrians crossing from all four corners at all times of day that we'd have to resort to a workaround. I did call into 311 about this in March. My incident with them is still open without response. I will say I'm growing disillusioned at the lack of response and services from city government. Traffic signal timing is woeful, keeping public facilities in working order is getting less responsive, and the streets aren't swept with any known frequency.

I've found the online requests (or via the app) are dealt with quicker than the ones called into 311. I've requested a bike line be cleaned by the street sweeper and it was done 48hrs later.

Signal Timing Change request:
https://servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/SIGNAL

And be sure to email your council member or @ them with twitter (if you use it) If a council member calls in a request it gets dealt with quickly. I've found the city to be much more responsive than they used to be, but occasionally requests need a kick in the rear.

I do feel it's time for Charlotte to have a 'Pedestrian Czar' as we now have a Bicycle Program manager, there are advocates for seemingly everyone but pedestrians in town.
 

[tozmervo]

A few years back, I got a "yield to pedestrian" sign added with an email to CDOT & the council person over the specific area (Patsy at the time). I think I even copied the NCDOT engineer for the area, since I wasn't sure exactly the jurisdiction over the off-ramp.  Greasy wheel. 

[southslider]

17 hours ago, Vitamin_N said:

How is this decided? At the intersection of 3rd and Charlottetowne the pedestrian walk sign comes up automatically crossing Charlottetowne but only if the button is pressed crossing 3rd.

If the amount of time needed to cross the street on foot (about three feet per second) exceeds that typically timed for the concurrent vehicle movement, then that pedestrian crossing should have a button to actuate a longer-timed crossing.  In the case of 3rd and Charlottetowne, 3rd has more traffic and more green time, allowing pedestrians to also cross Charlottetowne without any extra time, whereas the green time for Charlottetowne is typically too short (for an accessible crossing, though others could walk faster) without pedestrians activating a longer phase.

[JHart]

16 hours ago, tozmervo said:

A few years back, I got a "yield to pedestrian" sign added with an email to CDOT & the council person over the specific area (Patsy at the time). I think I even copied the NCDOT engineer for the area, since I wasn't sure exactly the jurisdiction over the off-ramp.  Greasy wheel. 

These need to be default on many pedestrian heavy intersections. I can't count how many times I've seen a driver looking to his left before making a right hand turn without even checking to the right and had to stop walking with the walk sign lit. At least on Woodlawn they put in one of these:

[rancenc]

New retail slated for Huntersville's most popular walkable section of town.....

Birkdale Village lands lifestyle boutiques, cryotherapy venture as part of $20M revamp

http://media.bizj.us/view/img/12274950/birkdale-village-construction-tour-mk030*304xx5455-3637-0-0.jpg

MELISSA KEY/CBJ

Four small kiosks will offer a mix of retail and food offerings.

Three new retail concepts have snagged space at Birkdale Village as part of its ongoing, $20 million revamp.

Lifestyle boutiques Beck on Broad and Cosmo Gypsy have each signed one-year agreements. They will occupy two of the 200-square-foot micro retail kiosks in The Grove, near the existing Regal Cinemas.

Both stores are slated to open on July 4.

Husband-and-wife team Ozzy Ojito and Leigh Moose are behind both of those ventures.

Moose — a fashion photographer — designed and launched her own line of upscale handbags, called Beck Bags, in 2018. (Fun fact: Beck is her nickname.)

Today, those bags can be found in over 270 stores around the globe, including the flagship location of Beck on Broad in Mooresville. That location carries luxury apparel, shoes and artisan jewelry as well as home goods such as furniture, linens and home décor — with a collection of authentic designer clothing and housewares too. There are skin, hair and self-care items as well as pet products, from toys to handwoven collars.

Cosmo Gypsy is tucked into Beck on Broad’s Mooresville location. Shoppers can find a curated selection of Bohemian-inspired offerings, including women’s apparel like acid-wash T-shirts, feel-good graphic tees, soft denim and kimonos. Also among its offerings are high-end Native American jewelry, rocker-inspired artwork, 1970s-inspired fridge handbags, home décor and wellness items including sage, incense and crystals.

Those concepts will be joined by Icebox Studios, an Atlanta-based cryotherapy and wellness franchise. Chloe and Ryan Slattery are behind that venture.

Expect an innovative cold therapy studio that specializes in athletic recovery, pain relief and Cryobeauty services. The 1,700-square-foot Huntersville studio will feature a state-of-the-art Cryotherma machine for anti-aging face and body treatments. 

It will be located adjacent to the parking deck along Cranlyn Road, across from Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Those tenants are the latest announced as part of an ongoing $20 million renovation of Birkdale Village. That project looks to activate the center’s 250,000-square-foot retail district with enhanced shopping and restaurant offerings.

Cincinnati-based North American Properties and Nuveen Real Estate are behind those efforts.

Construction is ongoing on a 6,000-square-foot plaza that will serve as a central focal point for the property. There will be a covered stage — built around two existing trees in the village’s green space — with a 16-by-20-foot LED screen to show movies or sporting events, such as Carolina Panthers football games. The area will be large enough for an ice-skating rink in the winter.

A concierge facility will be added to cater to guests' needs with public restrooms, valet parking and assistance with reservations.

Specialized retail and restaurant space includes three standalone jewel boxes — floor-to-ceiling glass structures. NAP is in talks with cocktail concepts and breweries about its 2,000-square-foot jewel box, which includes rooftop space as well as room for a beer garden.

Two additional micro kiosks are available near the movie theater.

NAP is looking to reposition its tenant mix at Birkdale Village. It has added retailers Apricot Lane and Girl Supply, a new concept by Girl Tribe that melds an upscale pop-up shop with interactive elements.

Signed deals are also in place with Lovesac as well as restaurant Brown Bag Seafood, which should open in August. Longtime restaurant eeZ Fusion & Sushi is preparing for an expansion and complete renovation as well. And Brixx Pizza has plans to move into a new space there, where the chain’s refreshed brand and menu will be featured.

NAP’s Adam Schwegman and Molly Morgan are leasing at Birkdale with Adam Williams at Legacy Real Estate Advisors.

[JacksonH]

Charlotte is the 13th most walkable city in the U.S.?  Can someone explain this to me?

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/most-walkable-cities-us-ranked-190637611.html

[CLT2014]

11 hours ago, JacksonH said:

Charlotte is the 13th most walkable city in the U.S.?  Can someone explain this to me?

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/most-walkable-cities-us-ranked-190637611.html

Page 12 of their report: https://smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Foot-Traffic-Ahead-2023.pdf

It is a less than perfect method. Charlotte's large concentration of its office square footage in Uptown is the main reason we rank relatively well. Our walkable residential and retail isn't a great rating, but we outranked some other areas due to our relatively walkable office square footage concentration. It is also based on the metro area / region, NOT the individual city limits. So in an area like Baltimore, the sprawling suburbs outweigh the inner city areas that are walkable to bring down the metro as a whole.  

Edited January 24 by CLT2014