Charlotte wishlist - scorecard

[Matthew.Brendan]

1 hour ago, Yeahdoug said:

Can we add getting rid of that ugly Duke building on college 

What is that terrible building? It looks so bad next to the convention center. The stupid metal grid thing they made as decorative has its faded paint peeling off and is all rusted to hell. 

Data Center. It's in the process of being decommissioned. Site will be the convention center hotel.

[southernnorthcarolina]

 

How about bringing back "Downtown"?

The word "Uptown" has always struck me as a silly affectation.  But some people like it, so keep it to refer to the part of the central business district north of Trade Street, and call the part of the central business district south of Trade "Downtown."  The intense development of the Stonewall/Tryon area merits its own geographic name, anyway.  And having an Uptown and a Downtown would mirror the same designations as in New York and Atlanta, with Uptown being north, and Downtown being South.  (Of course, Tryon runs approximately southwest-to-northeast, but North Tryon and South Tryon are the street names.)

 

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

On 6/20/2020 at 6:07 PM, southernnorthcarolina said:

 

How about bringing back "Downtown"?

The word "Uptown" has always struck me as a silly affectation.  But some people like it, so keep it to refer to the part of the central business district north of Trade Street, and call the part of the central business district south of Trade "Downtown."  The intense development of the Stonewall/Tryon area merits its own geographic name, anyway.  And having an Uptown and a Downtown would mirror the same designations as in New York and Atlanta, with Uptown being north, and Downtown being South.  (Of course, Tryon runs approximately southwest-to-northeast, but North Tryon and South Tryon are the street names.)

 

There isn't an "uptown" Atlanta, and New York's is very geographical. I think the Uptown vs Downtown is a native vs. non native debate. As a Charlotte native growing up in the 90's I always have and always will call it Downtown. Uptown for areas in "North End" makes sense.

[Guest]

As a Charlotte native who grew up in the 00's, I and everyone else I knew (native or otherwise) called it uptown. Only outsiders called it downtown and were swiftly corrected. Shows how successful the city's campaign to rename it was.

[Yo Diaz!]

I’ve always thought since moving here in 02 that it should’ve been called “midtown” Charlotte just because of its location. That was never gonna take though obviously.
It seems it wasn’t even just a campaign to call it Uptown. They did outright name it that. There are actual signs saying Uptown as you cross 277.


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[Guest]

3 hours ago, MothBeast said:

As a Charlotte native who grew up in the 00's, I and everyone else I knew (native or otherwise) called it uptown. Only outsiders called it downtown and were swiftly corrected. Shows how successful the city's campaign to rename it was.

as a Charlotte Native who grew up in the late 80s and 90s, we called it downtown, I can remember the first time I heard uptown, I was very confused.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Guest

[KJHburg]

Since I have been alive and noticed things such as this it has always been uptown to me.  When I met my grandmother working at Belks uptown or my aunt who worked there until it closed it was always "Lets go uptown to pick up aunt Frankie"  and little KJ was there with my 110 camera.   Uptown is physically UPtown when compared to rest of the city it is on a ridge where the major Native American trading path and Great Wagon road intersected.  That is why the skyline is easily seen from Lincoln Catawba county line on Hwy 16 or from many points in Concord always located on ridge.   Walk Trade St from county jail to the Square (trade and tryon) and you will walking up a slight hill.   Notice there are no creeks in uptown because it was up land.  

[KJHburg]

Here is a topo map of Mecklenburg county and you can the see original city of Charlotte was located on ridge following Tryon St  and other ridges are shown as the city swallowed up half of the county.   and yes I am a Charlotte native though not always lived here (absent for 20 years) always visited Charlotte and its uptown yearly. 

https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/kh1/Charlotte/

Edited June 22, 2020 by KJHburg

[ertley]

39 minutes ago, Tyree Ricardo said:

as a Charlotte Native who grew up in the late 80s and 90s, we called it downtown, I can remember the first time I heard uptown, I was very confused.

My 86 year old uncle (married my aunt who's 15 years younger than he), who was born and grew up in Charlotte in the '30s on Townes Road (off Park), confirmed for me years ago that it  was definitely Downtown Charlotte when he was young, and well after World War II. I was told "Uptown" was an '80s marketing ploy, to recast the central area in a more positive light, when it was trying to revive. 

I can personally remember a television commercial from that era promoting the Overstreet Mall and the like, with a conceit of the commercial that two women who'd had an *amazing* time shopping there arguing continuously whether it was "Downtown" or "Uptown" Charlotte, never resolved even upon their return via car (!) to their leafy neighborhood and shutting the trunk of the car (if I remember correctly).  

Perhaps it was always a toMAYto versus toMAHto thing... Could be a cute conceit for adapting "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," for Charlotte (if there would ever be such a need). 

Edited June 22, 2020 by ertley

[videtur quam contuor]

I recall this blog post by Brad Panovich which led me to investigate the highest point in Mecklenburg. It is in the back yard(s) of some homes in a development off Gibbon Road. The rail line follows the ridge which this high point is the crest upon. 890 ft +/-

http://wxbrad.com/the-highest-point-in-charlotte-is-a-cul-de-sac/

Yes, I drove there to investigate. I wonder if the residents there know their situation. I hope they have lightning rods and surge protectors. (surge protectors will not prevent damage from a direct strike)

 

[davidclt]

On 6/22/2020 at 1:14 PM, ertley said:

I can personally remember a television commercial from that era promoting the Overstreet Mall and the like, with a conceit of the commercial that two women who'd had an *amazing* time shopping there arguing continuously whether it was "Downtown" or "Uptown" Charlotte, never resolved even upon their return via car (!) to their leafy neighborhood and shutting the trunk of the car (if I remember correctly).  

Has the Overstreet Mall outlived its usefulness? From this weeks 99% Invisible, they explore the Skyways of MSP: EPISODE 428: Beneath the Skyway. Good listen

[joenc]

-

Edited February 3, 2021 by joenc
delete, wrong topic

[kayman]

Add to the list:

• A Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise along with a baseball stadium meeting MLB-standards in or near Uptown
• Turning Zootastic Park into an actual large regional zoological conservatory for Charlotte but maintain their family-friendly larger concept similar to Wild Animal Safari Park in Pine Mountain, Georgia (https://animalsafari.com/georgia-park-home-about-us/)
• A standalone regional aquarium that features our unique ecosystems across the region on both sides of the NC/SC state line 

My list is to increase tourist dollars for Charlotte which will raise our city's profile as a place to visit

Edited September 27, 2021 by kayman

[TheMightyBK]

Green rooftop parks- the convention center could be a massive one. It’ll never happen, but it’d be super unique if different rooftops were linked via open air skywalks. Think NYC’s Highline…similar but different [emoji2371]


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[KJHburg]

My wishlist includes one of these.  The top of the sign but I would not mind a Raising Cane's too they are so good. 

[KJHburg]

And one of these not too far from Charlotte.   And this is higher possibility than an In N Out as they are looking in NC after being spurned in Orange County NC.  But 2 coming to SC. 

[SpiritOf76]

On 9/27/2021 at 1:37 PM, kayman said:

Add to the list:

• A Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise along with a baseball stadium meeting MLB-standards in or near Uptown
• Turning Zootastic Park into an actual large regional zoological conservatory for Charlotte but maintain their family-friendly larger concept similar to Wild Animal Safari Park in Pine Mountain, Georgia (https://animalsafari.com/georgia-park-home-about-us/)
• A standalone regional aquarium that features our unique ecosystems across the region on both sides of the NC/SC state line 

My list is to increase tourist dollars for Charlotte which will raise our city's profile as a place to visit

New MLB franchise name > Charlotte Liberty

[TheMightyBK]

New MLB franchise name > Charlotte Liberty

Carolina Blue Sox


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[tozmervo]

I have one for the list: For people on UP to stop being so effing pessimistic about every single damn thing. It's been real bad the past year or two. You'd think Charlotte was a real POS city going off what you read here.

[davidclt]

46 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

I have one for the list: For people on UP to stop being so effing pessimistic about every single damn thing. It's been real bad the past year or two. You'd think Charlotte was a real POS city going off what you read here.

Maybe our pessimism is the longstanding hope that Charlotte will learn from other cities' mistakes and do better for her citizens to make an urbane, livable, modern 21^st century city. Rather than looking back and lamenting all that we have lost and can't recover, how do we move forward in making a place that's great to live, nice to visit and noted or what and how we are - Esse quam videri, right?

[videtur quam contuor]

Esse quam videri.

Latin is a concise language. A few words give  deep meaning which current languages would require more words to transmit. Nonetheless the full quote is by Sallust:

Esse quam videri bonus malebat; ita quo minus petebat gloriam eo magisillum sequbatur.  

Translation:  Rather than seem good he chose to be good. And so the less he strove for fame the more it followed his steps.

It was an old aphorism in the time of Sallust and Cato. 

https://eidolon.pub/on-being-and-seeming-good-8f779ab34342

edit: missing space between bonus and malebat

Edited December 29, 2021 by tarhoosier

[kayman]

20 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I have one for the list: For people on UP to stop being so effing pessimistic about every single damn thing. It's been real bad the past year or two. You'd think Charlotte was a real POS city going off what you read here.

I agree to a certain extent about the constant complaints about "how Uptown has become unsafe". It was a perception for those who really wanted to live in the suburbs anyways.  That's fine but don't trash the city in the process.  The urban core of the city outside of museums and family-oriented attractions generally for those want the urban lifestyle.  

19 hours ago, davidclt said:

Maybe our pessimism is the longstanding hope that Charlotte will learn from other cities' mistakes and do better for her citizens to make an urbane, livable, modern 21^st century city. Rather than looking back and lamenting all that we have lost and can't recover, how do we move forward in making a place that's great to live, nice to visit and noted or what and how we are - Esse quam videri, right?

I agree with this as well.  Charlotte should not be looking backwards towards when it was more socially conservative & button-up with the urban core was dead after 5PM .  We must aim to become a world-class, global city outdoing in quality and giving all an equally as diverse alternative to Atlanta in the Southeast. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by kayman

[davidclt]

On 3/29/2012 at 11:06 AM, Guest said:

I do love Sheetz, every time I'm in Cleveland visiting my wife's family we end up at Sheetz after going out on the town. It'd be nice to have in Charlotte when I visit my family. After living in the North East for 4 years now, I would love to see a WaWa in the Charlotte area.

Looks like the wish will come true, 12 or more years after it was wished for.

Wawa to expand to North Carolina – WSOC TV

[Binbin98]

On 3/11/2022 at 6:56 PM, davidclt said:

Looks like the wish will come true, 12 or more years after it was wished for.

Wawa to expand to North Carolina – WSOC TV

There is one of these on every block here in Miami.

Also hello everyone I have not posted in this forum yet but I like charlotte as a city and my aunt lives there. So I’m doing my best to check in here as well as Miami and Nashville.

[kayman]

After reading this other threads, reforming the Charlotte City Council from a council-manager form of municipal government to a mayor-council form of municipal government. With this move, expansion of the number of district council seats while maintaining at-large seats all with 4-year terms as well.  Creating the role of Council President or retooling the role of Mayor Pro Tem to be the presiding official over council meetings of the city's legislative branch. As a result, removal of the Mayor from presiding over all city council meetings. City Manager should continue to preside over the day-to-day municipal government operations but must report to both the Mayor and Council. The Mayor could remain weak overall with a 4-year  term, but be the key influential elected official & chief city lobbyist to advocate for the city with making needed connections with the Governor and NCGA in the state capitol in Raleigh. However, the Mayor will be the executive branch of the municipal government with veto power of legislation and the ability to appoint city management and key city department leadership like police, fire, airport, water. However, the Charlotte City Council must have 2/3rd majority for approval of said appointments.  That would give us a more balanced government with 3 branches and representative municipal government for our fine city of Charlotte.

Edited May 30, 2022 by kayman