Charlotte's Quirky and Randomly kind of urban...

[Guest]

So I really didn't know where to post this (probably the coffee house), but lately in my spare time I have been reading the neighborhood plans for Charlotte. And I keep coming across random little commercial/retail buildings scattered around the inner city of charlotte. This has been so cool to me :-). They are always in the most off beat and random places...

First: East 8th in Elizabeth.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.213686,-80.817533&spn=0.001401,0.001967&t=h&z=20&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=35.213579,-80.817399&panoid=fSiykU0IUve0KD_D46Okqg&cbp=12,265.75,,0,4.44

Second: Baldwin Avenue in Cherry??? My favorite one!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cherry+Street,+Charlotte,+NC&hl=en&ll=35.210286,-80.831231&spn=0.001401,0.001967&sll=35.213579,-80.817398&sspn=0.001407,0.001967&oq=Cherry&vpsrc=6&hnear=Cherry+St,+Charlotte,+North+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=35.210358,-80.831143&panoid=1h79HYWcZIWbIeCly1qMCQ&cbp=12,185.39,,0,6.87

Here are just two examples... Please post any examples you know of!

[New Name 72]

I'm not sure the address, so I don't know how to Streetview link - but - on the corner of E. 35th St. & N. McDowell St. in NoDa, there is a stand-alone retail space that was formerly (viewed in streetview) a small convenience store, but it currently being renovated to be a neighborhood market. They've added french doors on all sides that will open the walls out to the sidewalks (presumably for roll out fruit trays or something like that). A great concept!

[Guest]

I'm not sure the address, so I don't know how to Streetview link - but - on the corner of E. 35th St. & N. McDowell St. in NoDa, there is a stand-alone retail space that was formerly (viewed in streetview) a small convenience store, but it currently being renovated to be a neighborhood market. They've added french doors on all sides that will open the walls out to the sidewalks (presumably for roll out fruit trays or something like that). A great concept!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=E+35th+St+%26+N+McDowell+St,+Charlotte,+Mecklenburg,+North+Carolina+28205&hl=en&ll=35.244655,-80.803413&spn=0.007825,0.014344&oe=UTF-8&geocode=FerKGQIdTAov-w&hnear=E+35th+St+%26+N+McDowell+St,+Charlotte,+Mecklenburg,+North+Carolina+28205&t=m&z=17&vpsrc=0&layer=c&cbll=35.244778,-80.803252&panoid=cnNciMgNcIgfA_fLvpEuRg&cbp=12,185.68,,0,14.24

Nice! I'm glad this place is getting an upfit, it seemed like it no longer fit in with the neighborhood for a while.

[tozmervo 8551]

Belmont Ave and Harrill St, just off Seigle Ave.

http://g.co/maps/7v8ux

[Guest]

oh wow, on 3 out of 4 corners! cool!

[kermit 12211]

Great idea for a thread. 8th St in Elizabeth is one of my favorites, that strip is really screaming for a decent, midpriced tablecloth restrauant.

Some others:

Dilworth Billiards at Tremont and Cleveland -- this is what gentrificaiton looks like 25 years on..... http://g.co/maps/jhg49

Recently reopened (since this image was taken) hair place at E Park and S Blvd http://g.co/maps/pzr7u I think this was an A&P at one time

S Mint retail strip in Wilmore: http://g.co/maps/ygevj

More Mint street, this time at Spruce: http://g.co/maps/s2h9y

Even more Mint St, this time at Worthington: http://g.co/maps/mh75j I think this may have finally seen a wrecking ball.

And not so obscure but significant none the less is Eds Tavern in Dilworth at Park and Ideal Way : http://g.co/maps/d7mgt I think it was an old hardware store

EDIT: \/ Sorry about that Scott -- we were clearly on the same wavelength.

[ScottCLT 250]

In Wilmore @ Mint and Spruce:

http://g.co/maps/99wu4

In Wilmore @ Mint and Worthington (about ready to fall in on itselft, but still...):

http://g.co/maps/t3hc9

In SouthEnd/Dilworth on Park near South Blvd. (actually has opened back up with the original name after this pic was taken):

http://g.co/maps/fx7jm

Edit: Doh! Kermit beat me to two of these by two minutes.

[Guest]

The area around Mint and Summit have SUCH a cool old urban building stock that goes completely untalked about. Great posts guys, this is so exciting!

There are a lot around West Trade that are ASKING to be fixed up and given a rebirth!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=West+Morehead+and+Freedom,+Charlotte,+NC&hl=en&ll=35.241888,-80.859023&spn=0.004048,0.007172&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.829818,117.509766&vpsrc=6&hnear=W+Morehead+St+%26+Freedom+Dr,+Charlotte,+Mecklenburg,+North+Carolina+28208&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=35.241888,-80.859023&panoid=OqQg5Eh5_T_WjDH1RirtKQ&cbp=12,338.73,,0,12.92

[southslider 1278]

Unfortunately, the City's zoning treats these cool, old storefronts as legal non-conformities. Sure, the sterile, suburban approach says limit any commercial uses to thoroughfares. But these unique, heritage storefronts, prove that context-sensitive scale and walk-friendly design are more important factors than use, when guiding urban development. And hence, these cool "non-conformities" are a great example of how Charlotte could use a form-based zoning code, instead of its use-based one.

[kermit 12211]

I coun't resist a few more:

Wesley Heights Way and Walnut (not far from West Trade): http://g.co/maps/559ew

Parkwood and 16th (future LRT stop): http://g.co/maps/hsycv

Kennon and Hawthorne (at the edge of Plaza Midwood): http://g.co/maps/82ktj

"downtown" Derita (OK, this is a reach): http://g.co/maps/7qkha

[rjp212 1518]

Commonwealth and Pinecrest http://maps.google.c...6bEKYGUMvX1pboN

[DigitalSky 5]

Love this thread!!! I bet you if metro.moo was here this thread would be deleted and you'd be a goner... lol

[mh10809 0]

Parkwood and Allen (plenty of space for parking too):

http://g.co/maps/3mtgc

Catawba Ave at Pinckney Ave:

http://g.co/maps/u9qg6

[Guest]

Thanks Digital Sky!!! Its nice to celebrate the little things that can go unnoticed.

This one is not so much urban, but definitely all quark.

One day when I move back to Charlotte from Brooklyn, and get my Ad Agency up and running. I want to buy this little house and make it my business.

http://maps.google.c...,180.15,,0,1.23

http://g.co/maps/3kemd

http://g.co/maps/a298t

http://g.co/maps/hgp8f

http://g.co/maps/ndkam

http://g.co/maps/xjzxh

Its just too bad that some of the shabbier structures are just going to get torn down. This building has a TON of character, I'm sure it will get demo'd at some point.

http://g.co/maps/6t9bw

[mh10809 0]

I kinda wish that they would be able to start transitioning the commercial areas on The Plaza/Parkwood into something that resembles what they did at Pikes off Shamrock or even the old shopping centers on Selwyn. It seems like this could really help tie the surrounding neighborhoods to Plaza Midwood:

http://g.co/maps/6nbfy

http://g.co/maps/erzrm

Also, that strange little market on The Plaza seems like a perfect location for a commercial space that would expand commercial to that side of the neighborhood. It has tons of parking and is a great location but "as-is" seems to draw a seedy crowd:

http://g.co/maps/8e3mk

[Guest]

Short URLs aren't working...

http://maps.google.c...,235.99,,0,0.88

Morehead Tavern :-)

http://maps.google.c...,252.52,,0,9.72

the whole Morehead line.

http://maps.google.c...169.03,,0,-5.88

Morehead keeps going and going

http://maps.google.c...166.67,,0,13.21

tuckaseegee

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.244406,-80.883247&spn=0.002813,0.003935&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=35.244385,-80.883489&panoid=-hfO9xfVprq0_q7s2cxAow&cbp=12,2.26,,0,2.83

[kermit 12211]

This old neighborhood store is spitting distance from the groovy NoDa convenience store mentioned by the Escapists. I have never known it to be any type of retail (its always been office / gallery space in my memory)

Whiting and 35th porkchop lot in the middle of NoDa: http://g.co/maps/nn87a

[New Name 72]

This old neighborhood store is spitting distance from the groovy NoDa convenience store mentioned by the Escapists. I have never known it to be any type of retail (its always been office / gallery space in my memory)

Whiting and 35th porkchop lot in the middle of NoDa: http://g.co/maps/nn87a

That is NoDa Yoga currently. It's an awesome space.

[kermit 12211]

Belmont and Peagram st, this might be the coolest building I never noticed: http://g.co/maps/5w2ky

but even cooler than the brick building is the operating business right beside it (my lunch tomorrow?): http://g.co/maps/crkh8

And for the sake of contrast lets not forget Alex Mikes in 4th ward: http://g.co/maps/uuezk

EDIT: The streetcar should _eventually_ be within three blocks of the Belmont and Peagram buildings

[Guest]

but even cooler than the brick building is the operating business right beside it (my lunch tomorrow?): http://g.co/maps/crkh8

This thread keeps getting cooler and cooler. I have you eaten at fatback queen before? I'd be interested in seeing how i twas. It sounds like i would be super tasty (and super unhealthy ). I never thought this thread would take off like this!

[nonillogical 404]

More Mint. If new development were to fill in the gaps here, it could be a very cool district reminiscent of parts of Nashville's West End.

http://g.co/maps/r4eav

S. Church by my building. This used to be where Foodie Call was based and I think it could support some interesting retail.

http://g.co/maps/uc5yj

Summit near Charlotte Pipe & Foundry

http://g.co/maps/ngxzk

More Belmont (it may take a while, but there's lots of potential in this neighborhood)

http://g.co/maps/7eysv

http://g.co/maps/fzdfq

Hawkins in Southend, right in the middle of everything but easily overlooked

http://g.co/maps/gtcx9

[kermit 12211]

Hovis and Wildwood neighborhood grocery in Thomasboro: http://g.co/maps/26mq3 meh....