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Hello! I have learned a lot from this forum, but still have some specific questions and would appreciate your help. My husband and I are in our mid-30's and have a toddler. He will be working in Ballantyne.
We are arty, liberal, etc. We would love to live somewhere safe with a backyard and near other families, but where we can also walk to a coffee shop or restaurant. (Like a "Main Street" feel.) Elizabeth and Dilworth seem a little, uh, stodgey, and expensive.
So we are looking at South End, Sedgefield, Madison Park, etc. OR living near Ballantyne. When I look on Google maps, South Charlotte seems to be made up of cul-de-sacs. I hear there are "walkable" areas of South Charlotte, but I can't seem to pinpoint them. Matthews keeps coming up, and I wonder if what one can walk to in Matthews is Renfrow Hardware and the Farmers' Market?
I don't mind walking 10-20 minutes to get to things, but it needs to be a safe walk with stroller or toddler.
South Charlotte is not very walkable but you could look for neighborhoods where the local shopping center is in walking distance. For example, my neighborhood "Olde Providence" has Colony Place adjacent to it.
We really don't have much of a Main street feel anywhere especially if you want arty. Plaza Midwood and Noda would probably be too far from your husbands work. I don't consider Dilworth and Elizabeth stodgy but they are expensive. Madison Park is good but not very walkable and has bad schools. Sedgefield and Collins Park may be your best bet. You also could try Matthews.
The arty liberal people I know make fun of people who live in Ballantyne, but they are city people.
Personally, I would pick SouthEnd - you're near the light rail, Atherton Market, galleries, shopping, etc. It's very walkable, even at night. I have walked that neighborhood day and night with my daughter and have never felt uneasy.
I find Madison Park very walkable. There's Park Road Shopping Center, Montford Drive, there's greenway access behind PRSC that takes you into downtown. There's a section on Selwyn Avenue near that area that has lot shops, coffee, restaurants, but it's a bit pricey, not sure if the rentals are within your price range - Tranquil Court, I think is the name. *Update* sorry, these are condos.
If you would rather be near Ballantyne, you could live near one of the major shopping complexes like Stonecrest or Blakeney. These places will have more chain stores, restaurants, etc. but the commute into/out of Ballantyne can be a bear. Apartments at Blakeney is one I know. GL!
Tranquil Court is in Myers Park and I think they are very expensive condos. However near Park Road Shopping Center is good - Only a part of Madison Park is really walkable to there - it's a large neighborhood.
Thank you both so much! I have been to the Park Road Shopping Center before, many years ago. I'm going to look there first and will keep all your other tips in mind. My little one won't be in school for a few years so we don't have to worry about that at present.
Hi - my family and I relocated from B-more to Charlotte in 2010. We chose the Ballantyne are for school purposes. It's very walkable along with it's neighboring communities.
Pineville-Matthews/Providence area
Rea Road
Stonecreast
Ballantyne Commons Parkway
Blakeney
I would say that the subdivisions of Ballantyne are walkable for exercise purposes only - many people do that. Crossing the major roads is not easy though if you want to actually get to stores and things are very far apart. As I mentioned above, if your subdivision is next to a shopping center, it would be fine but it would not be typical.
Thank you both so much! I have been to the Park Road Shopping Center before, many years ago. I'm going to look there first and will keep all your other tips in mind. My little one won't be in school for a few years so we don't have to worry about that at present.
They've done some retrofitting down in South Charlotte that has made some pockets of walkability. You might look near the Touchstone neighborhood. They have a new greenway there and a shopping center with a Trader Joe's (small grocery), drug store and a few other shops and restaurants.
There is also a townhome neighborhood called Southgate Commons off of Elm Lane near St. Matthews that has a neighborhood grocery store. As does the Candlewyck Neighborhood b/w Rea and Providence.
None of these have the Main Street feel you speak of but they would give you husband much shorter of a commute.
South End is somewhat walkable, but I debate it's "Main Street feel." There is not grocery in walking distance there.
Here are the real Main Street feel areas of Charlotte.
East Blvd. and Kenilworth (Dilworth neighborhood, $$$, just south of downtown, 45 minutes to Ballantyne in rh)
Plaza and Central (northeast of uptown, $$, 55 minutes-hour from Ballantyne rh)
Fourth Ward (Poplar and 6th streets say, $$$, 45-50 minutes to Ballantyne)
Elizabeth (7th and Pecan) ($$, 55 minutes Ballantyne) (no mainstream grocery, just Dollar General)
Myers Park (Queens and Queens and Providence and Providence) ($$$ but some $$ options, 45 minutes to Ballantyne in rush hour)
Should have read your post more carefully re: Dilworth and Elizabeth.
Also, As someone who lived in Charlotte without a car for several years, I would suggest you identify where the grocery stores are, then work back from there. There are several small neighborhoods surrounding these shopping centers which make for oases of walkability in the sea of divided highways.
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