The Good News Report

[KJHburg]

One good thing about Charlotte is that it can laugh at its self.   (always been suspicious of people who take themselves too seriously)  Here is the long running Charlotte Squawks musical/play that makes fun our city.  This is from this years production. 

This bit about uptown is so true and funny it hurts.   This is more than Center City Partners is doing to promote uptown.

 

[15895]

I’ve grown so accustomed to expecting posts & riddles in this topic to be insinuations that Wells Fargo/a California company was moving it’s HQ to Charlotte & now there hasn’t been mentions in a while. 

Did the rumor fall flat? 

 

[KJHburg]

4 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

I’ve grown so accustomed to expecting posts & riddles in this topic to be insinuations that Wells Fargo/a California company was moving it’s HQ to Charlotte & now there hasn’t been mentions in a while. 

Did the rumor fall flat? 

 

not dead yet.  things take time.  

[RANYC]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

One good thing about Charlotte is that it can laugh at its self.   (always been suspicious of people who take themselves too seriously)  Here is the long running Charlotte Squawks musical/play that makes fun our city.  This is from this years production. 

This bit about uptown is so true and funny it hurts.   This is more than Center City Partners is doing to promote uptown.

 

This was excellent.  My love of the city just grew with this musical self-deprecation.  

State of closed restaurants in Uptown: a Gasternal shame!

Yes, I'm just not seeing a sense of urgency from Charlotte Center City Partners.  And I, for one, would get value out of focusing more on what's wrong in the center city annual report, than having so much patting on the back about how optimistic everyone is.

[deleted account]

4 hours ago, KJHburg said:

One good thing about Charlotte is that it can laugh at its self.   (always been suspicious of people who take themselves too seriously)  Here is the long running Charlotte Squawks musical/play that makes fun our city.  This is from this years production. 

This bit about uptown is so true and funny it hurts.   This is more than Center City Partners is doing to promote uptown.

 

I've always wanted to go see the Charlotte Squawks show but after watching this...not so much. Love the self deprecation but not the act itself.  Would find that hard to sit through.

We did have something in San Diego that would be good here, an annual architecture "contest" called Orchids and Onions. It really felt like it contributed to better design (no one wants their new headquarters to get an onion).  Seems like something city planners and architects could do locally through Axios or the Observer...

[TheRealClayton]

1 hour ago, JBS said:

I've always wanted to go see the Charlotte Squawks show but after watching this...not so much. Love the self deprecation but not the act itself.  Would find that hard to sit through.

We did have something in San Diego that would be good here, an annual architecture "contest" called Orchids and Onions. It really felt like it contributed to better design (no one wants their new headquarters to get an onion).  Seems like something city planners and architects could do locally through Axios or the Observer...

https://charlottenc.gov/newsroom/cityhighlights/Pages/Urban-Design-Awards.aspx

We did this, I was on the jury. It was supposed to be unveiled to much revelry at Charlotte Shouts but that event was cancelled so we did it a little too quietly. It will be back and bigger than ever next year.

[rancenc]

A recent survey from the NC Department of Commerce finds business optimism throughout the state with some pockets of concern.

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/survey-finds-business-optimism-high

[KJHburg]

How NC fares in cost of living and hint 32 states have higher cost of living than ours.  There of course is variability within our state too.   Check this article out from NC State. 

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2021/12/21/is-it-really-cheaper-to-live-in-north-carolina-ncsu-economist-says/

""North Carolina is the 19th lowest-cost state in the country, meaning there are 32 states (including the District of Columbia) more expensive than North Carolina. Among nearby states, Virginia, Florida and Georgia are more expensive, while South Carolina and Tennessee are less expensive (although only slightly).""

[KJHburg]

Lets find a way in this season of giving to give back to our city and region with our time (and yes money) and improve the lives of everyday people.  that is truly good news.  And this is by NO means a complete list of organizations in this area.  I thought of this when I saw an UPer picking up trash along the highway with his firm.  And many of our largest employers will give you a day off with Pay to help out.  

 

https://treescharlotte.org/   Love trees I sure do and know many of you do too as I see it in your posts.  Here is an organization that has plenty of volunteer opportunities to increase our tree canopy in the city.   

 

https://www.habitatcltregion.org/   Habitat builds low cost housing and does renovations for future homebuyers in the city.  There are regional affiliates in the area too in the surrounding counties.  Help with affordable housing in Charlotte/

 

https://www.roofabove.org/   This organization works to find and get homeless into housing and off the streets.  You know i have a passion for this and I work with a group in Concord that feeds and supports the homeless in that community. 

 

https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Volunteer/Pages/Home.aspx   Help with our greenways and help with keeping them clean.  Volunteer here.

 

https://northcarolina.uso.org/   another group I help with.  Treat our men and women who volunteer with the military like royalty. At the CLT airport or around town at various events.

 

Not to mention the many arts organizations that all need lots of volunteers.  What I have found the giving of the time will benefit you personally much more than you ever imagine.   So in the coming year find an organization to help and give some of you time and you will be truly be blessed beyond your imagination.  And don't think you can't help in some way or don't have a skill.  I was a landscaper on homes  with Habitat.  Maybe your skill is websites.  I know of many organizations that need help in that way too.  One person can make a difference too. 

 

Money and financial help is great!  But giving of your time is even better.  We have a LOT of very passionate people on this UP site.   Imagine if everyone on this site helped with an organization to make this city and region a better place.  Because it in the end it is not about tall buildings and new developments (which are nice) it is about the people in this region.  And volunteering is fun and great way to meet people of all stripes and backgrounds.  Merry Christmas Charlotte and lets make this region and city the best place to live for all and it starts with us. 

 

Photos from Hellfighters  of Concord homeless feeding in downtown Concord. 

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by KJHburg

[elrodvt]

@KJHburggreat post. Thanks for those links - I had been planning to figure out how to help with Greenways. 

[KJHburg]

PNC Amphitheater ranked #7 worldwide last year in ticket sales

https://www.pollstar.com/Chart/2021/12/amphitheatres_991.pdf

Ovens in the top 10 of auditoriums right after DPAC

https://www.pollstar.com/Chart/2021/12/theatretwopages_990.pdf

both other Charlotte venues were were way down the lists  Spectrum for example.  https://www.pollstar.com/article/pollstar-2021-year-end-special-issue-the-great-return-149349

[KJHburg]

Charlotte one of the top 10 best office investment cities.  The fundamentals are really what is the good news in all this with job growth, office leasing stats etc. 

The Best Cities to Buy Office Property in 2022 | Crexi Insights

[KJHburg]

Lets add a few more to this list:

[DonkeyKong]

36 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Lets add a few more to this list:

Should we expect this list to grow in the very near term? 

[CLT2014]

It is too bad Sealed Air dropped off the list after the investment to recruit them. Still a large company and the Diversey spin-off stayed in the region as well with a Fort Mill HQ, but kind of disappointing they no longer meet the Fortune 500 cut off. Since the pandemic, many Sealed Air employees moved back down to their original homes in the Greenville-Spartanburg area to work permanently from home and just visit the Charlotte campus as needed. Lower cost of living down there and a lot of people were taken from their friends / family, so they jumped at the opportunity to move back when flex work was announced. 

Edited January 6, 2022 by CLT2014

[Rufus]

1 hour ago, CLT2014 said:

It is too bad Sealed Air dropped off the list after the investment to recruit them. Still a large company and the Diversey spin-off stayed in the region as well with a Fort Mill HQ, but kind of disappointing they no longer meet the Fortune 500 cut off. Since the pandemic, many Sealed Air employees moved back down to their original homes in the Greenville-Spartanburg area to work permanently from home and just visit the Charlotte campus as needed. Lower cost of living down there and a lot of people were taken from their friends / family, so they jumped at the opportunity to move back when flex work was announced. 

I would expect them to be quite close this year since their products were in high demand with the need for packages and deliveries during the pandemic. 

[KJHburg]

Best in affordability and mild weather the 2 major NC metros Charlotte and Raleigh.

https://www.propertyshark.com/Real-Estate-Reports/20-us-cities-mild-climate-affordable-housing

[J-Rob]

On 1/6/2022 at 2:14 PM, DonkeyKong said:

Should we expect this list to grow in the very near term? 

Was this an actual question or a signal?  I can't tell because of the .

Edited January 11, 2022 by J-Rob

[davidclt]

13 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Best in affordability and mild weather the 2 major NC metros Charlotte and Raleigh.

https://www.propertyshark.com/Real-Estate-Reports/20-us-cities-mild-climate-affordable-housing

And Greensboro was #5. For being so close, it's interesting that Greensboro has (on average) more days below 32° and fewer days above 90° than Charlotte or Raleigh. Is that because Charlotte and Raleigh are heat islands? Greensboro is also rainier and windier than either.

Top 20 U.S. Cities for Affordable Homes & Year-Round Weather

 

Rank	City, State	Clear days	Days Below 32°	Days Above 90°	Annual Rainfall	Wind Speed (MPH)	Housing Affordability Index
1	Charlotte, NC	109	63	46	58.2	6.4	29%
2	Raleigh, NC	111	73	44	55.74	6.5	21%
3	Columbus, GA	110	37	78	66.21	6.1	16%
4	Mobile, AL	102	21	76	55.24	7.5	22%
5	Greensboro, NC	109	81	34	61.72	7.1	23%

Edited January 11, 2022 by davidclt

[DH17]

1 minute ago, davidclt said:

And Greensboro was #5. For being so close, it's interesting that Greensboro has (on average) more days below 32° and fewer days above 90° than Charlotte or Raleigh. Is that because Charlotte and Raleigh are heat islands? Greensboro is also rainier and windier than either.

Top 20 U.S. Cities for Affordable Homes & Year-Round Weather

 

Rank	City, State	Clear days	Days Below 32°	Days Above 90°	Annual Rainfall	Wind Speed (MPH)	Housing Affordability Index
1	Charlotte, NC	109	63	46	58.2	6.4	29%
2	Raleigh, NC	111	73	44	55.74	6.5	21%
3	Columbus, GA	110	37	78	66.21	6.1	16%
4	Mobile, AL	102	21	76	55.24	7.5	22%
5	Greensboro, NC	109	81	34	61.72	7.1	23%

Greensboro is tucked in closer to the Appalachians. A lot of our weather in the Piedmont of NC is driven by Cold Air Damming (CAD) creating a "wedge" of cold air. Essentially, relatively shallow cold air is pushed out of the NE against the eastern side of the Appalachians. Since Greensboro is closer to the mountains that are funneling cold air down out of the NE, it takes longer for this effect to break down than in Raleigh or Charlotte. This type of weather is also associated with damp, wet weather during the fall, winter, and spring, causing more average rainfall as well.

[rancenc]

2021 was indeed a good year for the state's economic development program!!

https://www.nccommerce.com/news/press-releases/2021-record-breaking-year-new-jobs-and-investment-north-carolina

[videtur quam contuor]

Isothermal maps show this difference:

https://gisgeography.com/us-temperature-map/

 

[JRCLT]

Greensboro is father north and at relatively higher elevation (due to its closer proximity to the Appalachians) in comparison to both Raleigh and Charlotte. These usually = Cooler weather.



This is also what DH17 was referring to above. ^

[RANYC]

13 hours ago, JeanClt said:

Greensboro is father north and at relatively higher elevation (due to its closer proximity to the Appalachians) in comparison to both Raleigh and Charlotte. These usually = Cooler weather.



This is also what DH17 was referring to above. ^

Is "Cold Air Damming" good news for the Good News thread?  What am I missing?

[deleted account]

1 hour ago, RANYC said:

Is "Cold Air Damming" good news for the Good News thread?  What am I missing?

We think so!