Affluent African American Neighborhoods? (Charlotte, Huntersville: for sale, house, to buy) - North Carolina (NC) - City-Data Forum

sassys1745 · 06-20-2009, 11:44 PM

I am just curious. Where do the affluent African Americans/Upper Middle Class live in Charlotte (which neighborhoods). My Aunt was just talking about moving to Charlotte and now my mom wants to retire there in a year. I was just curious as to which neighborhoods should they check out.

Thanks

searpr · 06-21-2009, 01:42 AM

Charlotte is very different from cities I've lived in in the past in that you will find people of all races in every part of town. There may be some neighborhoods I haven't seen yet or don't know about, but in every affluent (and not so affluent) part of town I have been in, I've always seen people of all different races. It's nice, especially after living in cities where there are parts of town you can go in and get stared at because people that look like you just don't live there.

NCgirl · 06-21-2009, 03:42 AM

I agree. There really isn't an affluent african american neighborhood. To paraphrase another poster on this board (lovesMountains) Green is the color that divides people in Charlotte.

Generally speaking, the most affluent area is South Charlotte. However there are upper middle class neighborhoods in other parts of Charlotte. There are very affluent neighborhoods as well. For example in the area known as Steele Creek (in SW Charlotte) there are upper middle class neighborhoods and two estate neighborhoods, The Palisades and The Sanctuary. Both have multimillion dollar homes. Currently there is a 3 million dollar home for sale in The Palisades and a 6 million dollar home for sale in The Sanctuary.

lovesMountains · 06-21-2009, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCgirl

I agree. There really isn't an affluent african american neighborhood. To paraphrase another poster on this board (lovesMountains) Green is the color that divides people in Charlotte.

Generally speaking, the most affluent area is South Charlotte. However there are upper middle class neighborhoods in other parts of Charlotte. There are very affluent neighborhoods as well. For example in the area known as Steele Creek (in SW Charlotte) there are upper middle class neighborhoods and two estate neighborhoods, The Palisades and The Sanctuary. Both have multimillion dollar homes. Currently there is a 3 million dollar home for sale in The Palisades and a 6 million dollar home for sale in The Sanctuary.

Thanks NCgirl - that is a phrase I coined a few years ago here and it's still true, green is really the only important color that matters in Charlotte. Unlike older more segregated cities, Charlotte doesn't have many historical minority neighborhoods. People of all races live together in many nice neighorborhoods scattered all around Charlotte, grouped together by how "green" they are, not by how black, brown, yellow, red or white they are

Native_Son · 06-21-2009, 06:45 AM

Hyde Park (Hyde Park Drive) off Beatties Ford Road has a large population of African Americans. I wouldn't say it's an affluent neighborhood, but its definitely a nice middle class/upper middle class neighborhood.

1WVULAWGRAD · 06-21-2009, 07:06 AM

There is one neighborhood all the way down Beatties Ford Road heading towards Huntersville I think that is comprised of mostly black older well-to-do folks. I think I just described Hyde Park and Native Son beat me to it. The problem with Charlotte and many other larger cities that had any type of upwardly mobile blacks is that the neighborhoods that were once prosperous when our grandparents or parents moved in, have basically plummetted in value and safety. For an historical example, East and West Blvd represent two different sides of Charlotte with South Tryon serving as a divider. On East Blvd (Dilworth, Sedgefield, Myers Park) side you have the wealthy white folks (until recently "old money") and on the West Blvd (Wilmore, Clanton Park, various project housing) end you have the black folks (a good bit of this section was actually built so that the black maids and butlers would have an easier time getting back and forth to work in the Myers Park areas).

Now on either side you have a historical varying degree of wealth. Myers Park residents were often wealthier than Dilworth and Dilworth has more than Sedgefield. The thing is if you can accept the common true concept that african americans generally have less wealth that caucasians then you know things are going to be a little rougher on the Westside. Now Wilmore from a historical standpoint "was" considered at one point of time along with Beatties Ford Road and Tuckaseegee Road (the dominant areas of Charlotte black population) a bustling and upcoming area for wealthier black residents. However, crack, apathy, and laziness (along with some intentional redlining) have led to the deterioration of these neighborhoods. Wilmore and a street known as Rozelles Ferry Road (off Beatties Ford Road and near Johnson C. Smith) were undergoing a change in population and race (gentrification) as more young, urban, white professionals were seeking to move closer to the downtown area. Hence, the bungalow and other well crafted homes in the Wilmore area were being bought as the city council raised tax rates and basically forced a good bit of people to sell. If you were a young person seeking to buy a home, right now would be a great time to buy a home in the downtown area. Since you said your mom wants to retire, she should probably just move out to one of the new subdivisions being built in the Pineville-Matthews area or something of that nature.

Simply put Charlotte doesn't have an affluent African-American or minority anything which is why I am moving out although there are plently of historical minority neighborhoods, and a great bit of them caused white flight (i.e., drive through the North Charlotte area to see what I am saying and you might find a great home on the back end off Central Avenue (the correct intersection has like a grocery store and subway/comic strip store and there is a fuel pizza right before it i think). I only know this stuff because I was raised in the minorty neighborhoods and bused to Myers Park for school and I always wondered why the city was so divided along lines of wealth and race, and my great-grandmother was the first black resident of North Charlotte (the same street that runs along Piedmont Courts and that YMCA/Boys and Girls Center). You will be hardpressed to find a community in Charlotte that is affluent, majority-minority, and staying that way for the near future in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sorry for the run-ons.

Native_Son · 06-21-2009, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1WVULAWGRAD

There is one neighborhood all the way down Beatties Ford Road heading towards Huntersville I think that is comprised of mostly black older well-to-do folks.

That'd be Hyde Park...

lovesMountains · 06-21-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1WVULAWGRAD

There is one neighborhood all the way down Beatties Ford Road heading towards Huntersville I think that is comprised of mostly black older well-to-do folks. I think I just described Hyde Park and Native Son beat me to it. The problem with Charlotte and many other larger cities that had any type of upwardly mobile blacks is that the neighborhoods that were once prosperous when our grandparents or parents moved in, have basically plummetted in value and safety. For an historical example, East and West Blvd represent two different sides of Charlotte with South Tryon serving as a divider. On East Blvd (Dilworth, Sedgefield, Myers Park) side you have the wealthy white folks (until recently "old money") and on the West Blvd (Wilmore, Clanton Park, various project housing) end you have the black folks (a good bit of this section was actually built so that the black maids and butlers would have an easier time getting back and forth to work in the Myers Park areas). Now on either side you have a historical varying degree of wealth. Myers Park residents often wealthier than Dilworth and Dilworth has more than Sedgefield. The thing is if you can accept the common true concept that african americans generally have less wealth that caucasians then you know things are going to be a little rougher on the Westside. Now Wilmore from a historical standpoint "was" considered at one point of time along with Beatties Ford Road and Tuckaseegee Road (the dominant areas of Charlotte black population) a bustling and upcoming area for wealthier black residents. However, crack, apathy, and laziness (along with some intentional redlining) have led to the deterioration of these neighborhoods. Wilmore and a street known as Rozelles Ferry Road (off Beatties Ford Road and near Johnson C. Smith) were undergoing a change in population and race (gentrification) as more young, urban, white professionals were seeking to move closer to the downtown area. Hence, the bungalow and other well crafted homes in the Wilmore area were being bought as the city council raised tax rates and basically forced a good bit of people to sell. If you were a young person seeking to buy a home, right now would be a great time to buy a home in the downtown area. Since you said your mom wants to retire, she should probably just move out to one of the new subdivisions being built in the Pineville-Matthews area or something of that nature. Simply put Charlotte doesn't have an affluent African-American or minority anything which is why I am moving out although there are plently of historical minority neighborhoods, and a great bit of them caused white flight (i.e., drive through the North Charlotte area and you might find a great home on the back end off Central Avenue (the intersection has like a grocery store and fuel pizza right before it i think). I only know this stuff because I was raised in the minorty neighborhoods and bused to Myers Park for school and I always wondered why the city was so divided along lines of wealth and race. You will be hardpressed to find a community in Charlotte that is affluent, majority-minority, and staying that way for the near future in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I got one word for ya - PARAGRAPHS (dang your post was hard to read!)

1WVULAWGRAD · 06-21-2009, 07:25 AM

I changed it. lol. Happy Father's Day!

lovesMountains · 06-21-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1WVULAWGRAD

The problem with Charlotte and many other larger cities that had any type of upwardly mobile blacks is that the neighborhoods that were once prosperous when our grandparents or parents moved in, have basically plummetted in value and safety. For an historical example, East and West Blvd represent two different sides of Charlotte with South Tryon serving as a divider. On East Blvd (Dilworth, Sedgefield, Myers Park) side you have the wealthy white folks (until recently "old money") and on the West Blvd (Wilmore, Clanton Park, various project housing) end you have the black folks (a good bit of this section was actually built so that the black maids and butlers would have an easier time getting back and forth to work in the Myers Park areas).

How long have you been in Charlotte? This isn't actually accurate info.

The truth is, West Blvd was once very white and very middle class. It only became predominantly black in the 1970's when interstate 77 came thru. But for generations prior it was a white area. It is a myth that any of what is along West Blvd was built to house folks to work for the rich white folks over in Myers Park Black folks had several communities in west Charlotte to be sure, but these were clusters of neighborhoods like Biddleville and the area near Johnson C Smith University. The largest black community from those old days doesn't exist anymore - Brooklyn. It was razed to make way for the construction of I277 in uptown. THAT is the neighborhood most domestic workers lived in that worked in Charlotte's wealthy homes.

Simply put Charlotte doesn't have an affluent African-American or minority anything which is why I am moving out although there are plently of historical minority neighborhoods, and a great bit of them caused white flight (i.e., drive through the North Charlotte area and you might find a great home on the back end off Central Avenue (the intersection has like a grocery store and fuel pizza right before it i think).

Your comment that "historical minority neighborhoods have caused white flight" makes no sense. If indeed they are "historical" and have always been there why would whites flee them? They would just not have lived there in the first place.

I only know this stuff because I was raised in the minorty neighborhoods and bused to Myers Park for school and I always wondered why the city was so divided along lines of wealth and race. You will be hardpressed to find a community in Charlotte that is affluent, majority-minority, and staying that way for the near future in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Name me ANY city in America not "divided along lines of wealth"?? This happens EVERYWHERE. However, here in Charlotte there is a lot less division based strictly on race, which is a good thing and something we do better than most older cities.