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People the last few years have been flocking to Charlotte, even compared it to Atlanta in the 1970s. With the crash of the financial system and the once robust job market all but gone, is Charlotte's growth now stunted? is is days a boom town over?
People the last few years have been flocking to Charlotte, even compared it to Atlanta in the 1970s. With the crash of the financial system and the once robust job market all but gone, is Charlotte's growth now stunted? is is days a boom town over?
Don't know the answers to your questions but have you heard about the panning for gold in the mountains just 3 hours away.This will return Charlotte to it's "boom town" status by mid-2010 fer sure.
People the last few years have been flocking to Charlotte, even compared it to Atlanta in the 1970s. With the crash of the financial system and the once robust job market all but gone, is Charlotte's growth now stunted? is is days a boom town over?
Um, Charlotte was the size of Matthews (34,000 pop) 100 years ago. Since then, this city has boomed (most of those years had NOTHING to do with being a US banking center BTW) to nearly 700,000. Even during the decade of the Great Depression, Charlotte posted a 22% growth rate. The Great Depression was also the time period when Charlotte's population reached the 100k mark. In every census dating back to 1850, Charlotte has grown by at least 20% (1970 to 1980 was the lowest decade of growth for Charlotte thus far).
The bottom line is that Charlotte's growth is nothing new at all. What has happened in the last 20 years is the same thing that has been happening for the last 160 years. In fact, Charlotte's fastest boom took place between 1850 and 1900. During this time period, Charlotte went from a small town of 1,000 to a small city of nearly 20,000.
In the last 20 years however, Charlotte's growth has finally given Charlotte a size that is noticeable on a National scale. I cringe everytime Charlotte is talked about like some city that came out of nowhere. Charlotte has been steadily growing longer than every human on this planet has been breathing. This much is a fact.
If Charlotte's next 20 years of growth is half the rate of the last 20 years, Charlotte will have a city population of nearly 1 million by 2030.
Charlotte's best years are yet to come. I see Charlotte's growth rate slowing down over the next couple of decades (just a little bit), however Charlotte will continue to mature as a real city. Uptown and the surrounding neighborhoods will attract those folks that are looking for a more urban lifestyle. Ballantyne will be a "mini city" of its own. Southpark could very well be Charlotte's "Buckhead". South End could emerge as Charlotte's "midtown". I honestly see Charlotte as a city 30 years behind Atlanta. Few folks in Charlotte are willing to admit that Charlotte is doing things just like Atlanta did, but it is. Metrolina could very well be an area of nearly 5 million or more in the next 30 years. This area's population has more than doubled ever 30 years for the last 150 years. It is not silly at all to think that the next 30 years won't be any different.
Um, Charlotte was the size of Matthews (34,000 pop) 100 years ago. Since then, this city has boomed (most of those years had NOTHING to do with being a US banking center BTW) to nearly 700,000. Even during the decade of the Great Depression, Charlotte posted a 22% growth rate. The Great Depression was also the time period when Charlotte's population reached the 100k mark. In every census dating back to 1850, Charlotte has grown by at least 20% (1970 to 1980 was the lowest decade of growth for Charlotte thus far).
The bottom line is that Charlotte's growth is nothing new at all. What has happened in the last 20 years is the same thing that has been happening for the last 160 years. In fact, Charlotte's fastest boom took place between 1850 and 1900. During this time period, Charlotte went from a small town of 1,000 to a small city of nearly 20,000.
In the last 20 years however, Charlotte's growth has finally given Charlotte a size that is noticeable on a National scale. I cringe everytime Charlotte is talked about like some city that came out of nowhere. Charlotte has been steadily growing longer than every human on this planet has been breathing. This much is a fact.
If Charlotte's next 20 years of growth is half the rate of the last 20 years, Charlotte will have a city population of nearly 1 million by 2030.
Charlotte's best years are yet to come. I see Charlotte's growth rate slowing down over the next couple of decades (just a little bit), however Charlotte will continue to mature as a real city. Uptown and the surrounding neighborhoods will attract those folks that are looking for a more urban lifestyle. Ballantyne will be a "mini city" of its own. Southpark could very well be Charlotte's "Buckhead". South End could emerge as Charlotte's "midtown". I honestly see Charlotte as a city 30 years behind Atlanta. Few folks in Charlotte are willing to admit that Charlotte is doing things just like Atlanta did, but it is. Metrolina could very well be an area of nearly 5 million or more in the next 30 years. This area's population has more than doubled ever 30 years for the last 150 years. It is not silly at all to think that the next 30 years won't be any different.
UrbanCharlotte, I'm always in agreement with you, b/c I usually see things the same way you do in regards to Charlotte. I believe that Charlotte will continue to grow despite this economic downturn and the fact that the leaders have learned from the mistake of relying solely on banking and working to diversify its economy. Charlotte will continue to grow and prosper. Charlotte will emerge even stronger after this mess is over.
It's OK to be optimistic but lets be realistic here...Unemployment is at 12%/Sales tax is 8.25%/Foreclosures left and right... Lets face it...North Carolina (Charlotte) has plummeted quickly. NC(Charlotte) in general needs to start recruiting more companies/organizations here to accommodate the unemployed residents here. I actually think it's quite sad when you have people here that used to be employed making "modest' salaries, now asking for assistance. Charlotte is becoming the 'mini' California. It used to be quite affordable, but not anymore.
It's OK to be optimistic but lets be realistic here...Unemployment is at 12%/Sales tax is 8.25%/Foreclosures left and right... Lets face it...North Carolina (Charlotte) has plummeted quickly. NC(Charlotte) in general needs to start recruiting more companies/organizations here to accommodate the unemployed residents here. I actually think it's quite sad when you have people here that used to be employed making "modest' salaries, now asking for assistance. Charlotte is becoming the 'mini' California. It used to be quite affordable, but not anymore.
Isnt this the case for the rest of the USA as well?
Don't know the answers to your questions but have you heard about the panning for gold in the mountains just 3 hours away.This will return Charlotte to it's "boom town" status by mid-2010 fer sure.
Hey, BTW, have you heard about that bridge that's for sale in Brooklyn???
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