Belmont area (Charlotte, Gastonia, Gaston: loans, neighborhoods, buying)

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Jesse67

Hello All,

I intend on moving next year and in doing my research for schools and homes I have found new homes being built in the Belmont area. Can anyone spread some light to me regarding this area i.e. crime, homes, population, demographics and extracurricula activities such as a boys and girls club or park and planning activities. My son will be 7 when we move and I would love to keep him involved in activities outside of school. Your comments are greatly appreciated.

You didn't mention a price range, so this may not be the right spot, but have you heard of Stowe Manor? Off their website it sounds interesting...

STOWE MANOR-AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD-THE PLAN

Stowe Manor is a ten acre family estate on which is being developed a special neighborhood of new homes that adopt many of the architectural features of some of the grand older homes located in the City of Belmont, North Carolina. Belmont is approximately 10 miles west of the City of Charlotte and has a strong history as a major textile center.



The neighborhood is an extension of an existing 1924 mill owner's manor house and its three acre grounds. The neighborhood fabric of the city extends to the northern boundary of the site. To the east are large scale high density apartment buildings. An arterial road, Keener Boulevard, defines the southern boundary and a major residential street, Central Avenue, defines the western boundary.

Location Location Location!

The Neighborhood of Stowe Manor is a walkable community designed to connect pedestrians with the town of Belmont and bring all the small town living amenities to sidewalk travelers. Wide sidewalks with street trees and lamps are prominent on both sides of the Neighborhood streets and bring walkers within a five minute stroll to several restaurants, Stowe Park, Belmont’s town hall, Belmont General Store, and a coffee house. Neighborhood residents can access the public library quickly, enjoy Belmont’s summer movies in the park series, and see the town’s Christmas parade all without starting the car. Last minute grocery items are two blocks away, banking services are available, and the post office is about a ten minute walk. On evenings and weekends Belmont’s sidewalks are busy with exercisers and strollers alike - solid evidence of the town’s thriving and growing center and the connection with the Neighborhood of Stowe Manor.

[tirzah]

I found this forum because of the thread about the KKK and Mount Holly. Someone at my husbands shul (Temple) told him that Mount Holly was the home of the "Wizard". Scared the you know what out of me! I lived in Gwinnett county Georgia and the KKK marched down the city of Lawrenceville back in 1979....The Church groups in the area stood around with signs that said..."Go Away" Jesus loves ALL the children...stuff like that. Made me feel good and safe.

I was working in a Christian bookstore located on the square on the Saturday they marched through town. The head honcho of that parade came in, smiled and said, Hi young lady...nice to see a good Christian woman. If he only knew...I thought...

But, we've yet to find anyone around here in Mt. Holly who knows who this Virgil Griffin guy is...or where his business is located.

We took our auto's to "Clippards" for inspection etc...nice guy...Presbyterian. Invited us to Church...told us "I love your people." I laughed...I know he meant well.

We're from Georgia...and we're Jewish. The hubby is a transplanted Yankee...But, I'm not from the North...I'm a SJAP...for those that don't know what that is...I'm a Southern Jewish American Princess...Born and raised in Atlanta.

We just moved to Mount Holly in Sept 06. It's a nice town. Except for the occasional article in the News paper...and some funny looks we've gotten in a few stores...No one has bothered us. We live in one of the nicest communities in our price range..."around 145,000 to 170,000." People are friendly here...and we put up our Menorah during Chanukah... Nobody burned a cross in our lawn.

There's not much to do in Mount Holly, but the little downtown area is kinda neat. City Cafe is pretty good for lunch...not so good for dinner. And Charlotte is so close...it doesn't matter. And let me tell you...after leaving Atlanta traffic...and coming here...it's rather refreshing...except that I think folk's reflexes on the highway are a bit off. What is it with coming to a stop at the end of an entrance ramp???? And redlights aren't the same as stop signs here are they? At least not in the driver's manual. You drive like that in Atlanta...you'd be dead in a hurry.

Schools...well we homeschool...we homeschooled in Georgia too...We put our kids in a charter school in Gastonia for about 4 months...NOT impressed. So, we're back to homeschooling. The kids in our neighborhood that attend the public school nearby..well...lots of foul mouths...but most go to Church...and seem like moral folks. There is some gang graffiti on some buildings that no one has yet to clean up after seeing it for the last year (it was there while we were looking for houses too).

And we love the "J." The Jewish community center is only a half hour drive away. After living in Atlanta...that's not a bad drive for us..

I've been Jewish and Southern all my life it is interesting to live in both "worlds."

[friendnc]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

Jesse, in all my almost 2 decades of living here I have never heard a single thing about active Klu Klux Klan groups anywhere in the Charlotte metro region AT ALL. And especially near Belmont or Mt. Holly - these are good places to live

Lived in Gaston Co. 32 years of my life and had NEVER heard of any klan activity at all. Go figure!

[Tallulahnc]

I was born in Belmont and grew up there during the 1960's and the Civil rights Movement. I heard about Virgil Girffin my entire life and understand that he ran a gas station in Mt. Holly. Yet, I have NEVER seen any Klan activity in Belmont or Mt Holly, where I currently live. As a matter of fact, he is a big joke among almost everyone I know. No one has ever taken him seriously except perhaps a few other bigots who may think like he does. I moved away from the area during the 1980's for about 7 years but moved back to Belmont to raise my child, who is now 19 years old and very liberal thinking, like her mother. Belmont and Mt Holly are both wonderful family communites and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a wonderful place to raise a family. Do I know people who agree with the Klan's way of thinking? Unfortunately, yes I do. Do I know more people who disregard the Klan as a relic of a bygone era. Thankfully, yes I do. The same thing was true of other cities and towns that I lived in. Don't base your judgement of a community on your experience with one person.

OTE=NCborn;428204]Isn't Belmont right next door to Mount Holly? What I remember about Mount Holly is that it has a pretty active Ku Klux Klan chapter. The Grand Wizard (or whatever they call that guy) of the local chapter lived in that town. I remember back when I was in college going for an interview over on that side of Charlotte. I was sitting in the personnel director's office and he stepped outside for a few minutes. There was a magazine on his desk and I leaned over to see what it was and it was a KKK publication! The PERSONNEL DIRECTOR of this company a member of the KKK! And not even hiding it! I've been wary of that whole area every since. Around that same time, a friend of mine who is Egyption got a job over in Gastonia. Knowing the atmospher around there, I BEGGED him not to take that job.[/quote]

[sal329]

My family moved to Charlotte in 03. I moved away to FL. They lived right near Coulwood off 16 and bellhaven. Now they live in Belmont, they have been there for a year and they all love it. When I say they I mean mom, stepdad, 24 yr old sis, her fiance, 19 yr old sis, 10 yr old sis and 12 yr old bro. The kids love their school. The education was great, teachers were top notch. That is why when my fiance, 10yr old step son, 1 yr old son and myself move to NC in Nov Belmont is our area of focus. It is hard to find a 3/2 rental house though and unfortunatley we can not buy just yet.

[statefan]

I am amazed at how much Belmont in particular has changed in the last 10 years. I grew up in Gastonia, Belmont and Mt. Holly were always the mill towns. Heck, I bought my wedding dress from a shop in downtown Belmont (a friends shop) in 1996, and there was no much down there. Now downtown Belmont is the place to go.
I was home in May,we took a drive through, a coffee house, new restaurants, even the little park in downtown was nice. If I moved back to NC, that would be the only place I would live!

[davesgurl]

My husband and I are planning to retire in Gastonia or a nearby county. Can anyone suggest an area where there are active seniors and fresh water fishing near by?

[wsobchak]

I think the suggestion that one reads an individual's previous posts is a good one.... especially those posters who apparently are posting everyday, seemingly 24 hours a day, and have only good things to say about the nirvana that is Charlotte.

I have lived in Charlotte for 3.5 years, and dream about the day I can leave this horrid, vulgar disaster.

Caveat Emptor. Be advised that many of these back-slapping hucksters have their own agenda, which has nothing to do with your best interests.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by wsobchak

I think the suggestion that one reads an individual's previous posts is a good one.... especially those posters who apparently are posting everyday, seemingly 24 hours a day, and have only good things to say about the nirvana that is Charlotte.

I have lived in Charlotte for 3.5 years, and dream about the day I can leave this horrid, vulgar disaster.

Caveat Emptor. Be advised that many of these back-slapping hucksters have their own agenda, which has nothing to do with your best interests.

You do like to pop up in the oddest places don't you? Reminds me of a mole

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

You do like to pop up in the oddest places don't you? Reminds me of a mole

Yeah...of the "Whack-a-" variety.