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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Charlotte City Life, Part One-(Start Singing here...)


February 12, 2008
Charlotte City Life- Part 1…

How we gonna’ keep them down on the farm after…
Lynnsy Logue, The Real Estate Lady and Condo CanDo, Charlotte, NC


Towering over the city, the steel birds work every day...on South Tryon, they seem to have found a rich feeding ground...for there are many, silently pecking, or so it seems, at the ground around them in every direction.They are cranes. Building cranes. The ones made of steel that tower in the Carolina Blue sky against a backdrop of glistening new buildings, a mammoth called the stadium, and yes, off in the near distance, a pink glass tower.Welcome to the New South, a city that prides itself on its newness, yep, it's Charlotte, NC. Not Charleston, Chapel Hill, or Charlottesville. Charlotte.

Besides the focus on Uptown Charlotte Condos, there's much more going on here. I have heard it said and say it myself, we're building a city here. And it is hard to keep up with everything...so here is a list along with status. And it will change before it has a chance to be old. It seems that is our custom.City Life:

1. Spirit Square watercolor by Warren Burgess for AtHomeCharlotte.com)
The cultural arts center was originally supposed to be sold as part of the baseball stadium swap, but the property was taken out of the deal.Currently, a committee of residents, arts groups, and county staffers is studying how Spirit Square should be redeveloped.

2.Wachovia Arts Complex
The complex on South Tryon Street will include The Mint Museum, Afro-American Cultural Center, Bechtler Art Museum and Knight Theatre. The Mint is scheduled to be completed in early 2010; others will open in late 2009.

3.Uptown Baseball Stadium

The Third Ward Park will be a new home for the Charlotte Knights. The project which involves a complicated land swap ( see above Spirit Square note) is moving along. Officials hope the Knights will play there in 2009.

4. N.C. Music Factory

An uptown entertainment district. North of Fourth Ward in Center City. Outdoor stages, restaurants, bars, night spots, music venues, and other arts and entertainment businesses. A four lane road to the area should be complete this spring. Outdoor stages may open in late summer. Bars, cafes to open late 2008.

5. Uptown Dog Park
A 1.3 acres dog park will be built by Park and Rec in Frazier Park. Building in the spring with other dog parks to follow uptown.

6.Charlotte Trolley
The trolley will run on the light-rail line from Atherton Mill in South End to Ninth Street in Uptown. Open this spring or sooner.

7. NASCAR Hall of Fame

Ground was broken in February for the $157 million hall of fame next to the Convention Center on College St. To open in early 2010.

8. UNC Charlotte's uptown campusAt Ninth and Brevard streets, this classroom building is for for graduate level courses in business and architecture and others. Plans are being reviewed by the state construction office. Scheduled opening 2010.

9. Rhode Island School of DesignCenter City Partners is spearheading the effort to bring RISD to Charlotte. The branch if negotiations are successful would be located uptown.And this is just hitting the highlights in Charlotte.

On to City Life. Part Two!
Lynnsy Logue, The Real Estate Lady and Condo CanDo, Charlotte, NC

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