Quote:
Originally Posted by Lourdea
I am currently living in Barcelona, Spain and will be relocating back to the US soon! I have previously lived in LA/Miami/DC and loved the diversity, progression, fashion and nightlife of those cities, However....I love the south and want the best of both worlds! I am origially from the Appalachians in VA and do not want to 'de-ja-vu' living in an area of the south that only offers a beer crowd and country activities! 
What are the people like generally? Look Like?...Party like? Live like?
Any info. would be great, to help get an image of the vibe and public!
Thanks so much! 
L* |
Use to be . . . middle class people here were more or less "Prep" in style . . . lots of golf and golf club activities . . .
But over the last 15 or so years, things have changed. Now, 2/3 of the residents in CLT are from "somewhere else," so no one is really sure about CLT's "identity" these days. Even those of us in marketing are not sure how to market CLT.
With two of the largest banks in the country here . . . and the designation of second largest banking center in the nation . . . some people try to rely on that image to promote the city. However, that doesn't fit except for a small portion of the uptown area . . . and the people who work at the banking centers live all over the region. The uptown area has been undergoing transformation for over 15 years . . . w/ renovations, tear downs, new construction . . .
Suburbs (and bedroom communities) exist where only 8 years ago (and less in many areas) there were farm communties and small crossroad towns. This phenomena has extended to the N and S into neighboring counties.
Where once it was considered quite a commute to uptown from such areas as Tega Cay and Ft. Mill in SC, many beautiful and accessible neighborhoods now exist in those areas. Although Tega Cay existed in the 70s, it has seen a resurgence in both construction and renovation . . . making it a very desirable area to enjoy raising a family.
To the North, Lake Norman has boomed in the last 10 years . . . w/ expensive homes and McMansions as well as new subdivisions and condos. Population has spread to Huntersville and now is sprawling into Mooresville, and indeed, even further into Iredell and Cabarrus counties.
Some things are not here wh/ one would expect to see. For example, on Lake Norman, one would expect more boat accessible restaurants, pubs, and fueling stations . . . and dockside shopping. Perhaps in time we will see more development in those types of services.
Stats were just released, naming Charlotte as the 10th fastest growing city in the nation. Neighboring Union County was named the 7th fastest growing county in the nation, a designation wh/ does not surprise those of us who have watched the phenomenal growth.
So what is Charlotte "like?" I am not sure. It is a good place to raise a family b/c it is a family oriented region - w/ many YMCAs, parks, and outdoor areas. The religious community is active here, w/ all major religions represented. Schools alternate b/twn crowded to pupil stable - meaning - some areas have so many students arriving annually that trailers are being used, there is a shortage of teachers, and new schools are under construction or being planned all over the region. Other areas wh/ are not seeing the rapid growth have a stable student ratio and less strain on infrastructure.
With such rapid growth has come strain on infrastructure, wh/ has shown up in over-used and crowded road/highways (worse in some areas than others), water systems that are over-used and strained, schools that are often crowded, and law enforcement that is over-stretched.
Like all cities, CLT has its crime issues . . . and it seems there is a revolving door w/ repeat offenders. Certain areas of the city have a reputation for more crime than others . . . a situation city fathers are well aware of but no one seems to be able to address in a meaningful way. Thus, crime has seeped out of these regions b/c the criminals have decided to cruise other areas of the metro area b/c people have become accustomed to very safe, crime-free lives in most of the city . . . and the thugs have found those areas to be much more inviting since homeowners are less likely to be on guard and thinking about "crime." The attitude of homeowners is becoming more activist, w/ neighborhood watches more popular and citizens realizing they can't be lax about such simple things as locking cars and doors and keeping garage doors down.
We are not sure what Charlotte is going to look like in five years, as things are evolving at this point. B/c of Nascar's nation-wide popularity, many have the misconception that CLT is a huge Nascar center. Actually, Nascar has a presence here but it certainly does not define the area, any more than banking does.
Twenty years ago, natives to the region considered CLT an old Southern town, filled w/ country clubs, old Southern families competing w/ the nouveau riche to secure prime homes in Myers Park, preppy kids attending both public and prestigious private high schools . . . contrasted w/ some real poverty - and crime that basically consisted of black-on-black crime in seamier areas of town. Now that may not be the politically correct thing to say but it is the truth. Altho race relations never heated up to the point of violence as seen in many deeper South cities in the 60s . . . the city was basically segregated as far as residential neighborhoods - even tho kids were bused all over the region to meet racial balancing standards.
Today, neighborhoods are more integrated and diverse and the middle class has only grown . . . and altho there are still the haves and have-nots, CLT has a much more balanced middle class than in the past.
But to tell you what the "personality" of CLT is . . . I don't know that anyone can do that . . . and I will certainly be interested in how newcomers would define it. I am watching the changes w/ much interest . . . and altho I have an ideal in my mind as to how I would like to see the region grow and change . . . it is anyone's guess if my perceptions are accurate. I see more young families and single professionals . . . and retirees are moving here as well. Charlotte used to be an Old Southern city (our roots pre-date the Revolutionary War) w/ an 18th C flavor - housing tended toward 18th C styles and a Williamsburg preference for decorating those homes (w/ the exception of the proliferation of ranch-style homes in some areas during the 60s-70s). . . but that "look" is nearly gone and it appears the style here is transitional and often diluted/cookie cutter and basically a Pottery Barn trend going on w/ decorating. There are exceptions to this, especially w/ 18th C still popular in the old expensive homes inside Hwy. 51 . . . and a modernist/edgier trend w/ high-rise condos in the uptown condos. Old neighborhoods surrounding the core of the city have undergone both gentrification and rehabbing . . . so there are still some varieties in housing, including bungalow and craftsman styles . . . as well as some Victorian/Queen Anne and 18th C.
But to tell you what the face of CLT is today . . . I would say it is morphing into something but we are not sure yet, LOL. I see a sophistication emerging that is welcomed . . . people have moved in from all over, giving the city a more cosmopolitan "feel," but this is only in the beginning stages. We still have a way to go to become a world-class city on all levels . . . but I see this moving in the right direction and only improving. As the demographics move towards professional singles w/ more disposable income . . . and a strong middle class wh/ demands more Class A entertainment . . . I feel we will attract more up-scale nightclubs, Broadway plays, nationally recognized entertainers . . . on the level of major cities like Atlanta and hopefully, even Chicago. It is a big leap but I think promoters will see we will support those bookings . . . Local entertainment, such as w/ the symphony, is solid and offers many accessible opportunities for the community to participate (such as outdoor concerts).
If you come here, you will see a region in transition. I have a clear vision of what I hope will happen . . . I would like to see a blend of Old South w/ New South . . . a family-oriented city that is also supportive of professional singles . . . a growing and vibrant arts community . . . housing that is reasonably priced but has character . . . strong schools w/ challenging curricula . . . nightlife that combines many selections, from jazz to alternative . . . and a highway system that supports easy access to all areas of the metro's outlying areas . . . but we are not quite there yet - in my opinion, of course.
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