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Uptown Photo tour


dubone

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I have been trying to get organized to do this all month, but since cantnot has started a few photo threads, i figure i should go ahead and just post these photos.

I got a new camera early this month, so here is the first batch of photos. It wasn't the best of sunlight, so the lighting isn't as good as i would like, but it is just impossible not to go take photos when you have a nice new camera :).

I'll start with the controversial 8th street houses:

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The fancy old church that is now the AfAm center:

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The old shotgun houses saved as part of the afam center:

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Brixx Pizza at 7th Street Station:

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The nearly completed Imaginon Children's Read & Act center:

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The arena and distant courthouse construction from on top of the ugly deck:

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The block of old 5th street buildings that have survived growth. Avenue will sit next to them:

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Looking down Church Street at Avenue's future front door. Peppers lives in one of those units on the left:

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City View, Cotton Mills, and 5th&Poplar, and the future Vue location (not the lot in the foreground)

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5th and Pine corner of CityView... I'm disappointed about the stucco and the weirdass brick tiles, but i'll survive:

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Vue location and neighbors: ( i think only the firehouse will survive on that block):

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The best part of Graham Street, Charlotte cotton mills

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the new cvs:

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and back at cityview:

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it wasn't the best of days outside, and the wind really made the parking deck facade flow. It was to cool to see, i'm glad the state just tore down all those pesky old brick buildings that were clouding our view of the parking deck facade.

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An old building next to the tracks:

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I'm imagining a time when this building and street were bustling and it was necessary to tell people not to block it. As i was taking this photo, a homeless guy started yelling at me, since he sleeps in that building. When he saw my camera, he was convinced i was going to showcase his digs in magazine. I guess this is close enough.

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Good ole Gateway:

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The jaydub:

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hmmm: :rolleyes::huh::sick::thumbsup:

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the future Trademark:

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Who says charlotte lacks street retail:

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There are the reasons we can see the old wachovia building, but can't see any stars :) :

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The only building in Duke Energy's campus that i do not despise:

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The Hornets left such a sour taste, that they tore down the wall with the big hornets mural:

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Ratcliffe on the Green:

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The Westin:

I love how it appears like the whole thing is stone from some angles:

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Looking back up college street:

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Brevard Freeway:

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Southend:

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The Clocktower:

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Did this count as "Adaptive Reuse" for the historic commission?

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The new Metro School: (no mean comments)

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No, buildings aren't meant to be phallic, duh.

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The Park...ing deck:

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The city seems to be doing penance for razing brooklyn. 2nd ward doesn't have anything but churches, school buildings, and programs for disabled people. Hopefully they will be even soon, and we can start building some more exciting projects there!

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Darth Vader and an Ewok:

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New windows, and it would be okay:

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Along the Trolley line:

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(wave to motorman)

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(future park):

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(future north east light rail line)

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Damn! I believe Charlotte is the best major city in the state, and these pictures prove it! Beautiful tall skyscrapers, clean and wide sidewalks, low crime, tons of urban residential in the core, and even a trolley line to connect you to South End across a busy freeway. Do a tour of South End next time :)

Amazing that as we speak, so many more projects and enhancements are planned or are underway. I hope NC's other cities continue on their downtown-development path and use Charlotte as an example. :thumbsup:

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I've been meaning to take a stroll through downtown for a couple of hours. It's just starting to be nice weather to do so and this little tour wet my whistle until I can get to DT in person. Funny about the homeless guy and his "digs" LOL!

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What's so controversial about the 8th street houses? The fact that they're single family homes with land surrounding them?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, that they are a century old and are being torn down this year for a townhouse development. The yellow one in the second picture has been offered by the developer to move and save. There is another thread about it from a few months ago.

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WOW -

SO many exciting things and building everywhere!

Thanks so much for the photos. We are in the process of relocating - just went down and bought a house so we're almost there. Can't wait to do my own walking tour! I hope the grass is as green there as we think it is!

R

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thanks guys. I really appreciate the compliments, as I am just starting out with photography. I used to be a disposible camera guy... but i went on a trip with someone with a nice camera, and it really made a difference. So this year i decided to blow my tax refund on one.

I have more that i have taken the last few weekends. I'll get them orginized and post them, too, i guess.

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Dubone, For your first photo thread, these are excellent, one of the best that I have seen of Charlotte. I hope we see more.

One thing that does strike me however is the amazing lack of any street activity which makes me think that downtown has a long long way to go to overcome the perception that it is still nothing more than a fancy office park. Even the trolley is empty. March 11th is a Friday so I would have expected a lot more. (though we did have some really cold weather early in the month)

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Dubone,  For your first photo thread, these are excellent, one of the best that I have seen of Charlotte.  I hope we see more. 

One thing that does strike me however is the amazing lack of any street activity which makes me think that downtown has a long long way to go to overcome the perception that it is still nothing more than a fancy office park.  Even the trolley is empty.  March 11th is a Friday so I would have expected a lot more.  (though we did have some really cold weather early in the month)

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thank you!

I agree about the street activity, i noticed at the time. I think that part of the explanation is that it was 10am or so, so most people were at work (i was off that day). Also, most of where i photographed that day was off Tryon and off Trade, where almost everyone in downtown works. Charlotte does have a long way to go, though, to always be bustling further out into the wards at random times.

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seeing that "please don't block the driveway" sign reminds me of another old sign that maybe some of you Charlotte historians might know something about. On the south side of E. 7th St between Caldwell and Brevard sits what looks like a very old and faded drive-in stanchion/sign that has a barely distinguishable "checker king" written on it. It's right in front of the Central Parking sign. Anyone know the story?

Oh and happy Easter you all.

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I don't know much about that when it was in business and doing okay, but four of five years ago, there was an old blue diner-like building between treloar and the cha office building. The sign was the most interesting part of it.

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seeing that "please don't block the driveway" sign reminds me of another old sign that maybe some of you Charlotte historians might know something about.  On the south side of E. 7th St between Caldwell and Brevard sits what looks like a very old and faded drive-in stanchion/sign that has a barely distinguishable "checker king" written on it.  It's right in front of the Central Parking sign.  Anyone know the story?

Oh and happy Easter you all.

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Happy easter to you SmellyCat. Checker King doesn't ring any bells with me. There used to be a Checker Cab company here but that does not sound like the same thing.

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