Greensboro vs Charlotte

[DigitalSky]

I think throughout the city Greensboro has better interconnectivity than charlotte, Throughout its neighborhoods.

[QC704]

For some of you who think Charlotte has no character, it's still there. It jsut seems like it's all been crammed into the Paw Creek area.

[jervais]

I agree with cityboi that greensboro is alot like charlotte outside of the Downtown area

[intcvlcphlga]

Okay, next question.....

How Hip, trendy,and exciting is Greensboro? I lived in the Washington DC area for 10 years, so i'm a bit spoiled. What types of things are there to do on a random weekend? Are there alot of "yuppies"? Is there a large middle-class? Is the work force mostly White-collar, mostly Blue-collar...equally dispersed between the two? Are there any 5-star restaraunts, trendy little enclaves similiar to Georgetown, upscale shopping like Neiman's or Bloomingdale's? Or does the place just drop off after rush-hour is over?

Don't misunderstand, i'm not knocking anything...i actually want a little of the things i mentioned... but with a touch of a laid-back feel...some of the hipness and progressiveness of the big city, with the slower pace of a smaller one. It doesn't have to be huge, just INTERSTING.

Call me greedy but i guess i just want it all!

Any suggestions?!?! Help!!

I lived in DC for a while and I would have to say that Greensboro in no way is comparable to DC and although Charlotte is similarly sized, it's not much more comparable than Greensboro. DC is urban with a diverse population. While it has a lot of problems, from the legacy of Marion Barry to destitute conditions in Anacostia, it is still home to a very interesting, well-educated, sophisticated, cultured population. It's more "suburban" areas like Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights are urban compared to what you would find in Greensboro and Charlotte's downtown area is not any more interesting than downtown DC. Additionally, there is nothing comparable to the museums, the Kennedy Center, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, U Street, etc. As DC is a one-industry town, banking in Charlotte is king. But, I personally find the type of people who work on the Hill, in think-tanks, etc to be more interesting than bankers. I'm not really sure what the predominant types of white-collar jobs are available in Greensboro. Neither Charlotte or Greensboro could really be considered hip, especially not in the context of a city like Washington. Greensboro has a larger college-age population, so it might have a slight edge, but I'm not sure how many of them stay after graduating.

In NC, Asheville probably has the most interesting, dynamic downtown in the state. It has the feel of U Street and a mini-Adam's Morgan crossed with Glover Park. Winston-Salem has an urban feel with a great local music scene complemented by a few Adam's Morgan-ish venues. Raleigh has a large well- educated yuppy-ish population sort of like a Montgomery County (MD) town, and it benefits from its cooler, smaller neighbors Chapel Hill and Durham. Durham has a cool, gritty feel to it. And, Chapel Hill is a great college town. Another place worth looking into is Wilmington.

[Dixie]

Outside of the Downtown areas CLT and G-boro feel much different. CLT's south side feels like it has more money than GBRO. North Charlotte seems to have many more outsiders than GBRO. Overall, even in the suburbs Charlotte feels more like a city than Gbro.

[DanRNC]

If you are looking for hip and happening, Greensboro isn't it. Not a slam on the Boro (I had family there for 20 years, worked there for 4 years, and lived 1 year there). More of a family, church-type town. People that live there love it for the most part and the quality of life is pretty good. My brother who lives near Memphis can't wait to move back but he's a golf/country club type.

[blburton]

I agree completely... riding around Charlotte outside of downtown is very remniscent of Greensboro. It's like a mini-Charlotte.

Outside the downtowns, much of the city is sprawl just like any typical southern city. Outside downtown, there is no reall difference between Greensboro and Charlotte. The difference is in the downtowns. Charlotte's downtown is newer whereas Greensboro has alot of historic buildings, Charlotte obviously has more tall buildings, hotels and things of that nature downtown. Charlotte has a big city downtown and Greensboro has a small city downtown. Thats where the differences are.

[RALBOI]

Raleigh is dirty compared to Charlotte or any other city.

Stop hating on your Capital city,when your growing as fast as we our here in Raleighwood it can be hard to clean up after yourself.

[RALBOI]

The main thing that makes Charlotte stand out is that awsome uptown/dowtown area i was their for the ciaa and was very impressed, the last time i had been to Charlotte was in 1996 big diffrence sense then ,but other than that when i rode around the rest of the city it was like any where else, when i was in southpark i felt like i was in north Raleigh or Cary so if these other North Carolina cities get their acts together including my beloved Raleigh, and build up their urban cores then people would not perceive in there minds that theirs such a BIG! diffrence in the cities because the true is the diffrence are small and as far as Greensboro go's Greensboro has a bright future they just need to turn the corner ,but when they do ,they will be the juggernaut they use to be when textile and manufacturing was big WATCHOUT!!!!!

[avery]

Have you ever considered Chapel Hill? Very liberal town, but it has a bunch of culture being that it is a college town. Only thing is that it is relatively expensive and it is a college town. I don't think the Raleigh area is anymore expensive than Charlotte. Raleigh has a good bit of culture in the museum and the performing arts. Also, Glenwood South has a great nightlife. Great restaurants, music, bars, clubs, etc.

[tiblerbrit]

Chapel Hill's culture is overrated. I've been to school there for four years and frankly its Carrboro that provides all the culture. Carrboro is interesting and quirky, Chapel hill is mostly just boring as far as culture goes.

[DigitalSky]

^I've heard that more and more in recent years. I think it might be true that Carboro is more lively in that sense

[DanRNC]

Its pretty hard to separate Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

[tiblerbrit]

Well from a student standpoint theres Franklin/Chapel Hill Social Scene; then theres Carrboro. If you live there they're recognized as distinct locations, especially from a social point of view. From a housing standpoint I would say theres also a fairly strong distinction with most of the lower income housing being in Carrboro, and the more expensive housing in Chapel Hill. I think if Carrboro got rid of its crazy curvy road system, and tried to make their town center more of an extension of Franklin Street, then the two towns would blend more easily (if thats what they want). It also doesn't help that one of the lowest income neighborhoods also divides the two town centers, especially along Rosemary Street.

EDIT: sorry, I won't threadjack any more.

[DanRNC]

I do live there and honestly there is no magical line between Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Whats the difference between West Franklin Street and the Weaver Street area? There is none. I can walk from Local 506 to Carr Mill in maybe 5 minutes. Students rarely venture past the corner of East Franklin and Columbia, so yes, Carrboro seems light years away.

[jjasonham]

I'm a UNC grad. I lived in Granville Towers on Franklin St. until Jr. year when I moved to McCauley St. across from Carolina Inn. There is no real physical distintion between West Franklin St. and Weaver, but the social atmosphere couldn't be more polarized. Franklin street was the typical frat/soror/college type hangout. Martini Bar, Bubs, Players, La Rez, He's Not, etc....hey just listen to the names to figure that out. The closer you got toward the railroad tracks/ Carborro, the more the "atmosphere" changed. Weaver Street was "alternative" as they would say...almost anti-Chapel Hill, but not in a condescending or negative way. Carborro is extremely liberal and if you fancy that, that's where you went. It was a mecca for live music as well. I personally loved both places. I could retreat to one, when I needed a break from the other. Even the differences played out between East Chapel Hill High (mostly chapel hill) and Chapel Hill High (more Carborro based students). I know because I had some classmates from the schools sit down and explain that to me. There was never any animosity, as far as I could tell.

[davidals]

Okay, next question.....

How Hip, trendy,and exciting is Greensboro? I lived in the Washington DC area for 10 years, so i'm a bit spoiled. What types of things are there to do on a random weekend? Are there alot of "yuppies"? Is there a large middle-class? Is the work force mostly White-collar, mostly Blue-collar...equally dispersed between the two? Are there any 5-star restaraunts, trendy little enclaves similiar to Georgetown, upscale shopping like Neiman's or Bloomingdale's? Or does the place just drop off after rush-hour is over?

Don't misunderstand, i'm not knocking anything...i actually want a little of the things i mentioned... but with a touch of a laid-back feel...some of the hipness and progressiveness of the big city, with the slower pace of a smaller one. It doesn't have to be huge, just INTERSTING.

Call me greedy but i guess i just want it all!

Any suggestions?!?! Help!!

A late reply, but some thoughts:

On hip factor, nothing in NC compares, which is not exactly a slam. I've lived in 3 NC cities (a native), and spent a lot of time in DC (childhood family friends); DC's assets are unique to DC - NYC beats it on several fronts, but even Atlanta, Miami or Boston really aren't in the same league, much less Charlotte, the Triangle or Triad. DC's diversity, street life, entertainment options, mix of urbanism and green spaces, urban universities and especially the museums are international-class. You do get away from DCs problems down here - crime (improving), traffic (not improving), and bubble-economy real estate prices.

The Triad to me feels more classically 'city', even though Greensboro seemed kinda dated. I don't know what town-gown relations are like there, but it seemed to me that the universities could/should be a lot more proactive in shaping the course of the town. It seemed like a city overreliant on fading history, and not in good ways. Winston is just as southern, if not moreso, but is also a bit funkier and artier.

For culture, I don't know about Raleigh, but the western part of the Triangle can boast an art scene (Carrboro and Durham), a music scene that's generated a buzz for going on 20 years and is more or less officially recognized as a cornerstone of the local idenitiy (Chapel Hill/Carrboro; Carrboro's Cat's Cradle is - along with the 40 Watt in Athens GA - one of the most durable grasroots music venues in the south), a social scene that doesn't rely on chains (resturants, bars, or shopping to some extent), and an economic commitment to emerging industries, research and technology that places it at the cutting edge - it's economic peers are places like Austin and Seattle. The Triangle is also more diverse - the most African-American city in the state (Durham), the two most Asian (Cary and Durham; the Little India in Cary and the Galaxy Arthouse Cinema being Cary's greatest assets) cities in NC.

The Triangle's downfall is urban planning - very unfocused, sprawling, with cities competing against each other or pushing agendas instead of thinking and acting regionally. The area does have an edge on some environmental things - no hideous Lake Norman-style walling in of Jordan Lake or Falls Lake, for instance. However Charlotte and the Triad are a quick trip to the mountains, whereas the Triangle to the beaches is a bit more of a trek (the deadly dull I-40 east of Raleigh).

I grew up in Charlotte, which glitters and grows, but when I was growing up - granted in the 1980s - the city was a vast, sprawling cultural desert with some real mean right-wing tendencies in the local politics; in some serious ways the most ideologically right-wing city in the state. To it's credit, the liberalism of the Triangle strikes me as more show than anything else, and Charlotte has a directness and honesty about such matters that is refreshing. Charlotte's real estate climate is less schizo than the Triangle, and it's serious in doing something about the urban planning catastrophes of the past. Charlotte desperately needs a big state park or large natural preserve (larger than McDowell or Reedy Creek, which are both miniscule and not of a league with what you find in other major metros).

If we could combine the hipness of the Triangle, the earthiness of the Triad, the urbanism of Charlotte, and the hipness and nature of Asheville into one metro we'd have the coolest place on earth. As it is, the thing to do is pick your spot and be willing to do a lot of travelling around the state to take advantage of what isn't in your own city: depending on where I lived at the time, I've undertaken hundreds of road trips to go to shows at the Cradle in Carrboro, or shop in Charlotte, or just hang out, visit bookshops and galleries in Asheville, or go see foreign films in Cary and Chapel Hill. You can't get a steady diet of all of the above in one spot.

[Raleighsfinest]

A late reply, but some thoughts:

On hip factor, nothing in NC compares, which is not exactly a slam. I've lived in 3 NC cities (a native), and spent a lot of time in DC (childhood family friends); DC's assets are unique to DC - NYC beats it on several fronts, but even Atlanta, Miami or Boston really aren't in the same league, much less Charlotte, the Triangle or Triad. DC's diversity, street life, entertainment options, mix of urbanism and green spaces, urban universities and especially the museums are international-class. You do get away from DCs problems down here - crime (improving), traffic (not improving), and bubble-economy real estate prices.

The Triad to me feels more classically 'city', even though Greensboro seemed kinda dated. I don't know what town-gown relations are like there, but it seemed to me that the universities could/should be a lot more proactive in shaping the course of the town. It seemed like a city overreliant on fading history, and not in good ways. Winston is just as southern, if not moreso, but is also a bit funkier and artier.

For culture, I don't know about Raleigh, but the western part of the Triangle can boast an art scene (Carrboro and Durham), a music scene that's generated a buzz for going on 20 years and is more or less officially recognized as a cornerstone of the local idenitiy (Chapel Hill/Carrboro; Carrboro's Cat's Cradle is - along with the 40 Watt in Athens GA - one of the most durable grasroots music venues in the south), a social scene that doesn't rely on chains (resturants, bars, or shopping to some extent), and an economic commitment to emerging industries, research and technology that places it at the cutting edge - it's economic peers are places like Austin and Seattle. The Triangle is also more diverse - the most African-American city in the state (Durham), the two most Asian (Cary and Durham; the Little India in Cary and the Galaxy Arthouse Cinema being Cary's greatest assets) cities in NC.

The Triangle's downfall is urban planning - very unfocused, sprawling, with cities competing against each other or pushing agendas instead of thinking and acting regionally. The area does have an edge on some environmental things - no hideous Lake Norman-style walling in of Jordan Lake or Falls Lake, for instance. However Charlotte and the Triad are a quick trip to the mountains, whereas the Triangle to the beaches is a bit more of a trek (the deadly dull I-40 east of Raleigh).

I grew up in Charlotte, which glitters and grows, but when I was growing up - granted in the 1980s - the city was a vast, sprawling cultural desert with some real mean right-wing tendencies in the local politics; in some serious ways the most ideologically right-wing city in the state. To it's credit, the liberalism of the Triangle strikes me as more show than anything else, and Charlotte has a directness and honesty about such matters that is refreshing. Charlotte's real estate climate is less schizo than the Triangle, and it's serious in doing something about the urban planning catastrophes of the past. Charlotte desperately needs a big state park or large natural preserve (larger than McDowell or Reedy Creek, which are both miniscule and not of a league with what you find in other major metros).

If we could combine the hipness of the Triangle, the earthiness of the Triad, the urbanism of Charlotte, and the hipness and nature of Asheville into one metro we'd have the coolest place on earth. As it is, the thing to do is pick your spot and be willing to do a lot of travelling around the state to take advantage of what isn't in your own city: depending on where I lived at the time, I've undertaken hundreds of road trips to go to shows at the Cradle in Carrboro, or shop in Charlotte, or just hang out, visit bookshops and galleries in Asheville, or go see foreign films in Cary and Chapel Hill. You can't get a steady diet of all of the above in one spot.

You just summed up NC's largest metros. Cosign!

[davidals]

You just summed up NC's largest metros. Cosign!

LOL - why thanks!

Seriously, any kind of ranking between the big cities of NC is somewhat irrelevant, aside from local pride, and as a pushing-40 NC native, I've spent too much time in too many places all over the state (and SC and VA as well) to push the issue too much. The strengths, weaknesses and needs are all easy to identify.

The Triad needs to transition economically, and I think it's happening - forward thinking needs to be hitched to some targets. Certain aspects of the history of the area could really be turned into a draw - as NC (and the Triad) sheds a manufacturing-and-textiles-and-tobacco history, that history won't and shouldn't be forgotten.

The Triad's stong suit is it's easygoing vibe and it's universities, which have been a bit overshadowed by the Triangle, but the concentration of major universities in Greensboro and Winston is nothing to sneeze at. It's definitely an edge over Charlotte, which is woeful (moreso than any other major metro in the country) in the higher-education dept; though the research campus underway in Kannapolis is a step in the right direction down there.

Transportation - all are a mess, and something visionary (which would have to touch upon all three metros, and some other areas as well) needs to be pushed - high-speed rail, which may or may not be needed now, but will be in the future. Given the expense and logistics, if we need it in 15 years, the time to plan and commit in a serious, serious way is now.

[davidals]

Raleigh is dirty compared to Charlotte or any other city.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

I've always liked the fact that instead of NC having one dominant city (like Atlanta where Georgia is concerned) we have several medium-sized cities spread throughout the state....at least throughout the Piedmont. And as a native Tarheel, I've always thought each city had its own distinct personality and vibe. One of the things I find interesting while reading this thread is that, for many people who aren't from NC originally, our cities seem more alike than different, while for many of us natives, they seem more different than alike.

To address the poster's original question (which I would imagine has long since been settled, since this is a pretty old thread) I see almost no similarities between Charlotte and Greensboro. I live in Charlotte but I spend a good deal of time in the Triad, and have for many years. Like some other posters have mentioned, Greensboro has more of a small town and college town feel, whereas Charlotte is a faster, larger, corporate and business-minded city. Even though I live in Charlotte and love (most) things about it, I've always thought Greensboro was beautiful and very livable. And I find it far less stressful to drive there, especially being accustomed to the congested Charlotte streets and freeways - not to mention our aggressive Charlotte drivers!

I doubt either city (or any city in NC, for that matter) would be a big draw for someone who needs a really fast-paced truly urban lifestyle. With the possible exception of Asheville, most of North Carolina's major cities feel like pretty suburban. Just my opinion.

[RALNATIVE]

Greensboro and Charlotte are so different its no comparison. Charlotte has a big city feel and Greensboro has a small city feel. Charlotte is mainly new...downtown full of new glassy skyscrapers and LOTS of current growth. Has NFL, NBA teams.

The best city in the state IMO is Wilmington...bar none.

[davidals]

Asheville gets my vote as the best NC city. It is not the largest by far, but the quality of the downtown can't be beat, eventhough it is smaller scale.

Raleigh would be my 2nd choice, and to call it "dirty" is a gross mischaracterization to say the least.

[cityboi]

The only similarities I see between Greensboro and Charlotte is the sprawl. Its typical of any southern city. But both cities have very different vibes. Greensboro seems like an older city due to the preservation of its historic building. Charlotte is like a fresh new city. I dont think one is really better than the other. They are just different cities going in different directions, thats all. It just depends on your preferences. Greensboro does have some big city characteristics but the city seems to come across as a college town which is not bad at all. differences are good. it would be a pretty dull state in all of NC's big cities were the same.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

I mean - Lizard Lick vs. Meat Camp - who's to say which is the cooler, swiftly expanding, creative-class mecca, recently reinvented unincorporated crossroads community in NC?