Top 5 things for Charlotte in 2010

[HopHead]

1.For the Bobcats and Panthers to leave town. Or at least a salary cap for those spoiled kids that play for them.( The city puts way to much into sports...just my opinion)Dont forget the majority voted NO for the Cable Box..

[atlrvr]

#1. A Fortune 500 company relocation.

#2. A flight to a somewhat unique European destination (Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Zurich, Geneva) or a major Asian city (Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing, Gangzhou, Shanghai)

#3. The Park to be completed.

#4. The Bobcats and Panthers (ok, so 2011) to make the playoffs.

#5. The residential real estate market to stabilize and have positive trends in sales and prices.

#6. Solutions to the NE LRT and streetcar funding be found to push them towards earlier starts.

#7. City Planning set a new set of tougher zoning ordinaces that lead to more urban and higher quality developments in the areas identified as centers and corridors.

#8. That the 2020 Uptown plan is ambitious, yet contains suggestions for succesful achievement.

#9. That the city revists along with Duke Power a practical way to relocate powerlines along major corridors underground.

#10*. That entrepreneurs create small business incubators to foster independent business start-ups (this could be culinary, web-design, arts, micro-brewing, etc....)

I expanded on this in the Armchair Developer section.

[nonillogical]

ok so this is in no way my TOP 5, nor is it realistic within 2010, but this was on my mind recently and seems like a decent place to put it.

Top 5 types of retail Uptown is probably scared of, but should eventually embrace:

1. Thrift store (preferably clothes AND antiques/novelties/furniture)

2. ABC/liquor store (more likely if we could move to privately-run liquor stores in this state, which I would be in favor of)

3. Record store (hard to keep profitable I'm sure, it would have to be a really good one and preferably not a chain. buying/selling used cds/dvds/vinyl would be vital)

4. Tattoo parlor (stunned when I realized we don't have any closer than PM)

5. Adult bookstore/novelty shop (I'm serious!)

Before anyone says it, I do think a bookstore and a decent clothing store or two should probably come first, but I wanted to post about the more controversial elements that tend to make up a vibrant downtown. Since a fairly wild nightlife is accepted here, I see no reason that these shouldn't be as well.

[Skyybutter]

Why in the world would you even want this??? If you don't like sports, that's fine, no one is telling you to do so. But both of these franchises do a TON of stuff for the local Charlotte community, not mention put help put Charlotte on the map. Bobcats players donate tickets to kids to go to games, help the homeless and less fortunate, work with various other charities, etc. Panthers players do the same. Despite the fact they make a lot more money than you, they also do many great things that many people are thankful for. Probably more than any of us on here. Not to mention professional sports helps in business recruiting. When businesses are looking to relocate or create jobs they look for quality of life. Professional sports are part of a quality life for a lot of people...

[caterpillar2]

Top 5 things for CLT in 2010..

1.For the Bobcats and Panthers to leave town. Or at least a salary cap for those spoiled kids that play for them.( The city puts way to much into sports...just my opinion)Dont forget the majority voted NO for the Cable Box..

[Urbanity]

ok so this is in no way my TOP 5, nor is it realistic within 2010, but this was on my mind recently and seems like a decent place to put it.

Top 5 types of retail Uptown is probably scared of, but should eventually embrace:

1. Thrift store (preferably clothes AND antiques/novelties/furniture)

2. ABC/liquor store (more likely if we could move to privately-run liquor stores in this state, which I would be in favor of)

3. Record store (hard to keep profitable I'm sure, it would have to be a really good one and preferably not a chain. buying/selling used cds/dvds/vinyl would be vital)

4. Tattoo parlor (stunned when I realized we don't have any closer than PM)

5. Adult bookstore/novelty shop (I'm serious!)

Before anyone says it, I do think a bookstore and a decent clothing store or two should probably come first, but I wanted to post about the more controversial elements that tend to make up a vibrant downtown. Since a fairly wild nightlife is accepted here, I see no reason that these shouldn't be as well.

[nonillogical]

Let me rephrase, I agree that there's not a lot of demand for these right now, we do have it all covered in nearby neighborhoods and I did say eventually, but when we do get them, it will be something of a sign that Uptown has arrived as a diverse neighborhood. We'll need a lot more residents before this happens.

I guess I'm just jealous that most cities have these in their urban cores but the presumption is that it will never fit here.

[New Name]

I think the bigger point for me is an ethical one. When I look at the world as a whole (hunger,war, violence) and then try and justify paying someone millions of $$ because they can catch or throw a ball I have a problem with it.

[urban980]

1) A skyline for South Park (or at least the start of one)

2) A skateboard park for Uptown

3) An announcement that MLB is finally considering Charlotte (and Portland) for expansion teams

4) More quality development on Charlotte's west side. (Freedom is about to be widened north of I-85; this should warrant further development)

5) No one gets hurt on that cool new coaster at Carowinds. (I know I will be riding it!)

[HopHead]

3) An announcement that MLB is finally considering Charlotte (and Portland) for expansion teams

[krazeeboi]

1) A skyline for South Park (or at least the start of one)

[WestCoastNC]

Great ideas so far, except for the one regarding getting rid of our two pro sports franchises. Go Panthers!!! I imagine life would be a lot more dull without them. Nothing like waking up up on a Sunday morning and looking out your windows to see people tailgating. On that note:

#1 Start construction of Third Ward Park/Romare Bearden One less surface lot.

#2 NE corridor gets approved by Feds....street car/Lynx-Purple(North-Meck) move along.

#3 A Panera Bread or Au Bon Pain uptown--preferably in that corner spot under Suite at Epi

#4 A more chill and casual bar with a decent patio ala Thomas Street Tavern uptown. By casual I mean I can wear board shorts, flips flops, and a tshirt, drink my Corona, and play corn hole or darts. Yes I'm for real. No I won't drive/cab it to TST instead.

#5 A bar with a large amount of micros or regional brews on tap--I'd be thrilled to have Flying Saucer open an expansion down here.

#6 Somewhere to get sushi downtown....just kidding!

#7 Free or cheap shuttle to NCMF--talking a single Washington here folks--maybe use gold rush shuttles. We can call it the Beer Rush or Booze Cruiser--I'm open on names. Yes, people will occasionally puke on it at 2:30 -- don't worry you'll be hammered and will laugh.

[Miesian Corners]

Top 5 things for CLT in 2010..

1.For the Bobcats and Panthers to leave town. Or at least a salary cap for those spoiled kids that play for them.( The city puts way to much into sports...just my opinion)Dont forget the majority voted NO for the Cable Box..

[Spartan]

I think the bigger point for me is an ethical one. When I look at the world as a whole (hunger,war, violence) and then try and justify paying someone millions of $$ because they can catch or throw a ball I have a problem with it. I think its great that the teams contribute to the community, but I just dont like the pro sport concept as a whole. I guess the "Great recession" re-shaped my ideas and I just cannot support certain things anymore and this is one of them. I realize that Charlotte wants to be a "grand" city. I just wonder sometimes at what cost.

I knew this one would raise some eyebrows but dont forget the other 4 I mentioned. :-)

[Forrest]

I sure as heck would like to see a real book or music store this year in Uptown as opposed to let's see..... another drycleaners/convenience outlet. Good grief sometimes I think there is an ordinance that requires this combo in almost every condo tower in the city.

Yet all we seem to get are more of these and of course we have to throw in more overpriced mediocre sushi bars. Are these the hallmarks of a fun city? Not to me.

[49er]

Bookstores and music stores seem to be going the way of dinosaurs these days but it would be cool to have them downtown. I was even in Best Buy the other day and they really don't carry many cd's anymore compared to just a few years ago.

[krazeeboi]

I sure as heck would like to see a real book or music store this year in Uptown as opposed to let's see..... another drycleaners/convenience outlet. Good grief sometimes I think there is an ordinance that requires this combo in almost every condo tower in the city.

Yet all we seem to get are more of these and of course we have to throw in more overpriced mediocre sushi bars. Are these the hallmarks of a fun city? Not to me.

[nonillogical]

^ but we do have some appropriate vacant retail spaces where these types of retail could fit nicely. there's at least one across from TWC on Trade last time I looked, 2 or 3 around Graham & 5th (the most ideal IMO), Brevard Court, I think a couple on Church, at least 4 on Tryon (admittedly those would probably not be considered), and I'd include the new parking deck spaces of the Novare 3rd Ward project and CCG since thats less glitzy than a tower even though they're new. hell, I don't really think an ABC store would be out-of-place in the Epicentre.

we aren't really hurting for more restaurants right now, which are the obvious choices to fill these spaces.

[HopHead]

One of the wishes on this topic for Charlotte was to get an AHL team (the NHL's equivalent of AAA minor league baseball). Well, apparently the Canes are thinking the same thing. There's some talk in the AHL circles and amongst the Hurricanes that they'd prefer to have their affiliate, currently in Albany, NY closer to home. Charlotte is mentioned as the #1 most likely spot: http://www.canescountry.com/2010/1/20/1262605/could-charlotte-be-the-new-home-of. The current agreement with Albany expires after this year. However, in order for this to happen an AHL franchise would need to relocate here and something would have to be done with the Checkers (Greensboro maybe?). I think this would be a great way to connect Raleigh and Charlotte. Now, if we could only get the Bobcats' NBA D-League affiliate to move from Maine to Raleigh

[AlmaPinnix]

One of the wishes on this topic for Charlotte was to get an AHL team (the NHL's equivalent of AAA minor league baseball). Well, apparently the Canes are thinking the same thing. There's some talk in the AHL circles and amongst the Hurricanes that they'd prefer to have their affiliate, currently in Albany, NY closer to home. Charlotte is mentioned as the #1 most likely spot: http://www.canescoun...the-new-home-of. The current agreement with Albany expires after this year. However, in order for this to happen an AHL franchise would need to relocate here and something would have to be done with the Checkers (Greensboro maybe?). I think this would be a great way to connect Raleigh and Charlotte. Now, if we could only get the Bobcats' NBA D-League affiliate to move from Maine to Raleigh

[HopHead]

I think Greensboro has just as much of a shot to land the AHL team as Charlotte does, if not more. Greensboro had the Carolina Monarchs for a good while back in the day and attendance was very successful.

[Urbanity]

I think Greensboro has just as much of a shot to land the AHL team as Charlotte does, if not more. Greensboro had the Carolina Monarchs for a good while back in the day and attendance was very successful.

[HopHead]

Of course I've also seen a comment on there that said that they have seen more people wearing Checkers stuff around Charlotte than wearing Panthers caps/shirts...

[cltbwimob]

I think it will be great if the city lands this team and keeps the Checkers. Back in October IIRC, there was talk about the Checkers moving to a new arena that would be built in Matthews where they would serve as the anchor tenant. Maybe they will move to Matthews whenever the new arena gets built and the AHL team would move into TWC arena. Maybe also they would get on different home game schedules allowing people to see the Checkers while they have home games and see the River Rats when they are at home without having to chose one or the other.

[HopHead]

I think it will be great if the city lands this team and keeps the Checkers. Back in October IIRC, there was talk about the Checkers moving to a new arena that would be built in Matthews where they would serve as the anchor tenant. Maybe they will move to Matthews whenever the new arena gets built and the AHL team would move into TWC arena. Maybe also they would get on different home game schedules allowing people to see the Checkers while they have home games and see the River Rats when they are at home without having to chose one or the other.