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Why do we have to spend $50-60 million dollars on a 'greenway' along Kings Drive with God knows how much stonework, sculpture, how many planters with plants to keep alive, and fountains to maintain
Something I've always wondered.
For a midsized city, Charlotte does seem to have an inordinate amount of money for projects like the one above.
Thanks, Man From Utopia, for the link . Most interestingly: "Charlotte owed approximately $3.5 billion a year prior, and over 80% of that debt was never approved by the voters."
Thanks for your reply , for this is something that I wondered.
Seldom have I seen the development that I have seen in Charlotte.
It's unusual.
485 being built/widened; 85 being widened; light rail being expanded; millions thrown at an elaborate park system.
Did a midsize city raise the money?
Does NC have money to burn?
Hmm...
No, the state does not have money to burn. Aren't interstate projects funded from a common transportatio money pool for state highway projects? Really, have you ever been to Indianapolis, Nashville or Columbus? Other than the light rail, in my opinion, those cities have equal or better urban amenities with respect to parks, etc.....I'm really not following the logic.
Although funded federal funds and local tax, I think light rail has been a boon and significantly transformed the Southend area. You can hardly recognize the place since 2002...actually beginning to look like...gasp, something "urban" and not very "Charlotte". This is how you attract the young professional...not cul-de-sac hell.
1.Roads, potholes poor Interstate planning ie: Johnston Road/ Ballentyne area access to I 485. Who designs an Interstate access that requires a left hand turn? Ever heard of a cloverleaf that keeps trafffic flowing?
2.Traffic/drivers
3. 7 independent mechanics that can't find a vacuum leak in a Jeep Cherokee AND THE LYING NO GOOD Rotten lazy cheating WPOS MEINEKE MECHANICs on North TRYON that say I have 9 codes on my jeep needing every solenoid /fuse/ filter/changed out and a new CATALYTIC Converter, $$$$ but really... all it needed was a purge valve (30$$ from auto parts store) that I a 50 yr old white female changed myself, and I found the piece of kleenex YOU stuffed in the end of a vacuum line under the battery box. AH *^*&%% %^&^$$%^ Grrr! CEL is now off thank you!
4. Homeless Homeless Homeless everywhere... and when they beg for something to eat and you happen to hand them a pack of Lance Crackers, they THROW THEM BACK AT YOU, screaming and cursing! Stay hungry my friend.
5. Gunshots at 4 am.
6. TRAIN NOISE Train WHISTLES all night long. 3 longs 3 shorts. All night long, no wonder Obama stayed in Ballentyne
7. Did I say GUNSHOTS AND Police that don't answer to calls or complaints.
8. Backpack blowers in the parking garages at 1am, cleaning the Parking Garages.
If you live @ an apartment in the middle of the city, close to Panthers Stadium, you will hear the high pitch of the Stihl Backpack blower as the police drive by unphased. There is a un-enforced noise ordinance and a over enforced fire ordinance.
Try navigating the Charmek website to find the ordinances and when you show them to the police they argue with you. Black and White vs a Badge.
9. Motorcycle races up and down the city parking garages @ 1am-3am. Unbearable noise bouncing off the buildings.
10. TAXES! good God they tax everything here.
one more TIME WARNER CABLE UGghhhh! no customer service
Likes,
International markets varieties of cultures and peoples
Le's Sandwiches Vietnamese sammy Get the #7 @ the bombed out looking Asian corner N Tryon and Sugar Creek RD. Mercedes, Land Cruisers and Audi's in the parking lot
Crazy Fish on Central OMG Ceviche Tacos!
Lupies on 7th it's a dive and good food
Hawthorne Pizza GOOD
Midwood BARBQUE omg get the PECAN COBBLER!
LULU on Central
Many Mexican Joints on Central just good eats here
DEE JAI on Providence Thai food
Midnight Diner Carson and S. Tryon I have polled my patients and they prefer Midnight Diner fried chicken to the Coop. Really.
ok thanks for letting me vent and I have reciepts from Meineke so I know what I am talking about.
Noise is part of living in a city. If you want piece and quite move out of the center of the city.
Although funded federal funds and local tax, I think light rail has been a boon and significantly transformed the Southend area. You can hardly recognize the place since 2002...actually beginning to look like...gasp, something "urban" and not very "Charlotte". This is how you attract the young professional...not cul-de-sac hell.
It's not just the young professional. Quite a few young families live in Southend/Dilworth as well. Some of the best Trick-or-Treating in Charlotte is within a 2-3 mile radius of uptown (and these folks dress the part and really get into it). Try finding that same level of community spirit in a cold and sterile Ballantyne cul-de-sac community.
Charlotte is a great city, but folks need to wisely choose what parts of town to live in. 80% of the typical Charlotte stereotypes do not apply to areas within 5 miles of uptown. The problem though is that many transplants choose these far-flung cheap areas with two-laned roads that were never meant to handle the high traffic. Then they come onto sites like this one talking about how much Charlotte sucks. No offense to these folks, but there are Charlotteans who walk to work, walk to the parks, live on 3 different bus routes, and ride the train quite often. These are the folks who did their homework, and simply moved to the part of Charlotte that fits their personality best. The ones who complain most likely didn't do the homework that the rest of us did.
I'm willing to bet that 99.9% of the complaints come from folks who live more than 5 miles away from Trade and Tryon. In a city like San Fran, Boston, Paris, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and many many others, these folks wouldn't even be within city limits. I certainly wouldn't choose to live more than 5 miles away from downtown Cincinnati in search of "the city" so why on Earth would I try to do it with Charlotte? Who cares if the house has a "Charlotte address"? Charlotte is a midsized city and the "city" reach in midsized cities don't stretch out very far from downtown (this is especially the case with southern post-automobile cities). Anyone with any travel experience should know this. Heck, even super dense Manhattan is only 23 or so sq/miles. Go one county/borough over to the south-west (Staten Island) and it's like a whole different world from what you will find in Manhattan.
I don't live in or near downtown at the moment, but I have in the past. The Charlotte experience near downtown is so different from the experience in the rest of town. One day during your jog, you might notice a festival going on at one of the parks. It could be Independence Park, Latta Park, Marshall Park, or even Freedom park. You might catch something going on near the "Green" in uptown as well. A person who doesn't live near the center of town misses these community events. They miss the festivals and odd get-togethers that go on. You won't catch everything in this community if you're waiting for the Observer to tell you about it. There's no substitute to actually living close to the "action".
The good news is that many folks are waking up to what guys like me have been blogging about for years. Apartments and condos in areas such as Dilworth, Elizabeth, Southend, Plaza Midwood, Noda and the likes are sprouting up rather quickly. Even Southpark is trying to take on the more "urban" bent to an extent. Places like Huntersville and Fort Mill have gone the hardcore "new urbanism" route. More and more, people want sustainability. People want a sense of community. People want to walk with their kids to the icecream shop and the park. People want to bike ride places that are safe to do so.
In closing, I wish those who complain would take action. You guys could start by paying close attention to the elected officials you vote for. Also, stop settling for the cheap boring cul-de-sacs. If there is little demand, developers won't bother building them. Imagine how much better this community would be if we had more Ayrsleys and Baxter Villages. I'm not anti-suburbia, but there is a good way and a bad way to do suburbia. If you see the bad way, don't buy into their product. It's as simple as that. Last but not least, support your uptown events. Whether it's the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Speedstreet, CIAA, whatever. Support them! Strong support of these events sends a message to planners and organizers that Charlotte could use more of them. I would tell y'all to voice your opinions on the internet, but y'all have already mastered that art form...
I am talking about the general Charlotte area here
Likes:
Weather- 4 distinct seasons
Reasonably priced homes in safe areas with ability to get a large lot, affordably, maybe 15mins from choice of amenities and good schools etc
Wells and septic tanks
Scenery
Things to do outdoors eg parks and rec, Lakes, golf, mini-golf,
reasonable choice of decent quality affordable restaurants
choice of sporting events
Dislikes:
Right-to-work city/state
religion has too much influence on pollitics
people who moved here from elsewhere some time ago complaining about the newcomers!
Lack of progressive thinking and reluctance to change, particularly relating to the environment
Poor transit system
Old boys network
So many people who don't pay attention to their driving, tailgate, cut people up and can't judge distances, speed or anything else! (I don't actually think traffic volume is that bad)
Last edited by Whatsthenews; 10-02-2012 at 03:49 PM..
Where it's true that people can be shallow anywhere, where I come from, people are much more direct. There is far less emphasis on what you look like and much greater emphasis on your character. Say what you mean, mean what you say...that is usually the rule.
Now I get what you're saying-and agree-Bless your heart
I am talking about the general Charlotte area here
Likes:
Weather- 4 distinct seasons
Reasonably priced homes in safe areas with ability to get a large lot, affordably, maybe 15mins from choice of amenities and good schools etc
Wells and septic tanks
Scenery
Things to do outdoors eg parks and rec, Lakes, golf, mini-golf,
reasonable choice of decent quality affordable restaurants
choice of sporting events
Dislikes:
Right-to-work city/state
religion has too much influence on pollitics
people who moved here from elsewhere some time ago complaining about the newcomers!
Lack of progressive thinking and reluctance to change, particularly relating to the environment
Poor transit system
Old boys network
So many people who don't pay attention to their driving, tailgate, cut people up and can't judge distances, speed or anything else! (I don't actually think traffic volume is that bad)
Gosh, some of you "dislikes" are in my "like" column
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. Most interestingly: "Charlotte owed approximately $3.5 billion a year prior, and over 80% of that debt was never approved by the voters."
