Metropolitan, Midtown Redevelopment

[Raintree21]

Parks and Rec had an uncapping ceremony yesterday for the Little Sugar Creek Greenway section!

[dubone]

For years, all the inside info on the big box retail have been consistent that Best Buy, Marshall's and Staples would be there. I am assuming they will be unless there is another announcement. I don't think those stores would shy away from being near a Target if they had dibs on the space.

It is really exciting that the Little Sugar Creek is now uncapped. I hope it is the beginning of a good thing for this poor creek in the 21st century. The 20th century was rather unkind to that creek. But with Optimist Park changing from its industrial and polluting past, the whole stretch getting a greenway, and the section in Midtown getting uncapped, you might actually get to jump into the lake/pond in Freedom Park without wondering what mysterious stuff you've just exposed yourself to.

[New Name]

I snapped a picture from my car while sitting at the stoplight at Baxter and Kings.

[moving uptown]

I snapped a picture from my car while sitting at the stoplight at Baxter and Kings.

is that the 15 story condo building?

[Guest]

Nope. Its a midrise condo. The Condo tower will be accross baxter from metmidtown.

[cltheel.sdl]

Nope. Its a midrise condo. The Condo tower will be accross baxter from metmidtown.

I thought it was a LEED office building. Am I wrong?

[New Name]

I thought it was a LEED office building. Am I wrong?

The more completed building is the office anchor (it was a bank, right? i forget exactly who but i remember the announcement), and the steel frame is for the curved retail portion that will front the matching circular courtyard in retail corridor. see here:

[Guest]

I thought it was a LEED office building. Am I wrong?

You are indeed correct, the New Dominion Bank building is applying for leed certification.

[Andyc545]

I think I am the first to post this... I saw it on the WCNC WS which directed me to the O. It's just a little clip on Sugar Creek and the greenway... http://www.charlotteobserver.com/images/video/sugarcreek/

[Raintree21]

It's amazing how scarred the land is. Granted it has been covered up for decades. Hopefully, Mother Earth will not take long to reclaim what was once hers.

[New Name]

wow. they landscapers really have some work to do...

[elvigy]

wow. they landscapers really have some work to do...

Wow is right. Cause right now it's not a place I'd ever head for a run or walk.

I'm sure it will all look nice once done. Hopefully they'll plant more than just grass and a few trees. Some native wildflowers would be nice.

[Raintree21]

They did a pretty good job with the creek down by CMC so I'm sure it'll get a little help here as well. In addition to plants, trees, and other landscaping, they put boulders into the creek in "natural" areas to form eddies and other likely obstacles to created eddies and such so the creek could regain some of it's normal motion and curvature.

[abbitt]

will they extend the running/walking path, that parallels the creek, underneath morehead and through to uptown? i hope so, i enjoy that little stretch, from east blvd. to morehead.

[Sabaidee]

When did the city renamed South Independence Blvd to Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd? I was going to the Wendy's and I noticed that South Independence Blvd is no longer and it's Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd, I'm not sure if it's Ave or Blvd.

[New Name]

They did a pretty good job with the creek down by CMC so I'm sure it'll get a little help here as well. In addition to plants, trees, and other landscaping, they put boulders into the creek in "natural" areas to form eddies and other likely obstacles to created eddies and such so the creek could regain some of it's normal motion and curvature.

Is that why they have that whole lot full of boulders from the excavation still sitting on the corner of Baxter and Kings?

[dubone]

That is great news if the city renamed Independence to Charlottetown Blvd. It gives it a connection to the history of the area, and it is a hell of a lot better than CPCC Blvd which was floated earlier. I am surprised it passed us by, but if this was the name they went with, then I'm fairly pleased. I'm sure there are others that would be fine, too.

[fulcrumsf]

When did the city renamed South Independence Blvd to Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd? I was going to the Wendy's and I noticed that South Independence Blvd is no longer and it's Charlottetowne Ave/Blvd, I'm not sure if it's Ave or Blvd.

Yeah I noticed this today when driving by.

[Raintree21]

Never noticed the Charlottetown Blvd. signs nor have I heard any mention of it.

As for the paths, for now, the greenway won't go further than the Met development I believe, from what I recall. Looking at the pictures of the layout of the property, it appears that the paths will continue along the creek.

[Sabaidee]

I think Charlottetowne will be less confusing than South Independence Blvd especially if you're not a local and you are on Independence Blvd and the overhead signs are tell you to get on the exit if you want to get on Independence but you're already on Independence.

[pazzo83]

Yeah I noticed this today when driving by.

That's funny, I noticed that today too when I was running down Elizabeth...

[Justadude]

I agree that this is a good move. They were considering S. Independence as a possible site for the MLK Blvd. moniker, so maybe someone jumped on the opportunity to go ahead and make the change since it was already being considered for other reasons. In any case, S. Independence was one of the most out-of-date street names in the city and really should have been changed once 74 became a freeway.

[dubone]

Actually, S Independence was already being considered for a renaming, and then the MLK Blvd issue came up and everyone was surprised that it was not selected as the site. So now we have two streets renamed instead of one. Smudgie wanted a site uptown, near the Nascar Hall of Fame, and in Brooklyn. So Stonewall and 2nd were the only real options (leaving 2nd when Stonewall became too controversial).

I had favored S Independence as MLK, but I'm okay now with 2nd Street being selected (although I do wish they had opted for truth in advertizing by calling it MLK Street).

Anyway, so this street has long been recommended for renaming with the confusion it creates by remaining Independence. 'Charlottetown' seems fitting, so it was a good choice.

[Lester1970]

Actually it is CharlottetownE. Ye Olde Charlotte-Towne.....There Ye shall find all of the Elizabeth Avenue ShoppEs there.... hehehehehe .. or is it Elizabethe..

quote name='dubone' date='Jun 16 2007, 06:45 PM' post='798876']

Actually, S Independence was already being considered for a renaming, and then the MLK Blvd issue came up and everyone was surprised that it was not selected as the site. So now we have two streets renamed instead of one. Smudgie wanted a site uptown, near the Nascar Hall of Fame, and in Brooklyn. So Stonewall and 2nd were the only real options (leaving 2nd when Stonewall became too controversial).

I had favored S Independence as MLK, but I'm okay now with 2nd Street being selected (although I do wish they had opted for truth in advertizing by calling it MLK Street).

Anyway, so this street has long been recommended for renaming with the confusion it creates by remaining Independence. 'Charlottetown' seems fitting, so it was a good choice.

[dubone]

Yeah, I just noticed that when I saw the signs tonight. That is the original name for the Midtown Square mall, which dominated the area for very formative decades, so I'll grant them the 'e'. But also, part of the beauty of the english language is the fact that there has been a very diverse etymology for our words, and we can legitimately use older spellings. Won't it be sad when you is officially 'u' when the texting/chatting/emailing generation takes over? It already is tough to convince many to add the old 'ough' for thru or the 'ugh' for 'tho'. So anyway. It is silly to add the 'e', but in this case, it is not pretentious and haughty, as it is simply referring to a placename that connects the area to its past.

NOTE: I'm just playing out a debate I had with myself when I first noticed the 'e', and I've decided I'm okay with it .