What's your image of Charlotte?
What’s your image of the Charlotte region? A buttoned-up banker town, family-friendly place, a beautiful stop between the mountains and the beach, or maybe some of all three?
You can have your chance to weigh in on this question by taking an online survey sponsored by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. They hope to use the findings to improve Charlotte as a destination.
The survey takes about 10 minutes, and those who complete it (deadline is Jan. 3) can be entered into a drawing for a free video iPod or choose to have a charitable donation made in their names – or remain completely anonymous.
Use this link to take the survey. Meanwhile, I’m curious to know your thoughts on what Charlotte’s image is. Drop me a line.
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Here’s a little more on today’s story about how newcomers are fueling population growth in both Carolinas. A reader wrote to say it would be nice to know the current populations of both states.
I had thought both numbers would be in the headline of the story, but they didn’t make it into the online version (I don’t write my own headlines).
So, for the record, North Carolina is now at 8,856,505, and South Carolina is 4,321,249. More on the new U.S. Census Bureau data here.
You can have your chance to weigh in on this question by taking an online survey sponsored by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. They hope to use the findings to improve Charlotte as a destination.
The survey takes about 10 minutes, and those who complete it (deadline is Jan. 3) can be entered into a drawing for a free video iPod or choose to have a charitable donation made in their names – or remain completely anonymous.
Use this link to take the survey. Meanwhile, I’m curious to know your thoughts on what Charlotte’s image is. Drop me a line.
---
Here’s a little more on today’s story about how newcomers are fueling population growth in both Carolinas. A reader wrote to say it would be nice to know the current populations of both states.
I had thought both numbers would be in the headline of the story, but they didn’t make it into the online version (I don’t write my own headlines).
So, for the record, North Carolina is now at 8,856,505, and South Carolina is 4,321,249. More on the new U.S. Census Bureau data here.
posted by Leigh at
11:42 AM
38 Comments:
Charlotte is "The Little Engine That Could". Charlotte is a great city with a lot of potential. Hopefully in about 10 years it would be a world class destination city.
Redneck/Jesus
and better than you.
Charlotte in my opinion is far from being "World Class" in the sense folks would like to believe.
I have lived here for sixteen years and have grown to love Charlotte for what it truly is a small country town with big city dreams.
And before anyone start slamming me,that is how I see Charlotte.
You may feel different but thats the good thing about living in America.
"Hopefully in about 10 years it would be a world class destination city."
I said that when I moved here 20 years ago. I'm still waiting.
lame
I think of it as a small city trying to find its identity to become a big city. It doesn't feel big to me at all.
We'll need to do a lot of investing in the city in terms of culture and infrastructure to make it "world-class".
That said, I think it's a great place to live. Virtually everyone that's come to visit me since I've lived here (about 15 months) has said, "Why am I living in Boston/Hartford/Providence/Detroit/Philly when I could be living here? I can't believe how cheap and new it is!"
I would like to enter a comment about the kind of city and region Charlotte represents to me. But first I would like to say what it is not and should not be:
Charlotte should not be, and in my previous years there, has not been, an urban region where intrastate and interstate commerce have been subjected to excessive partisan political regulation, which seems to be a problem here in the Research Triangle Park region of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
For the most part, Charlotte has the best of both worlds: a lot of big-city amenities (pro sports, nightlife, int'l airport, etc.) and a lot of small-town atomosphere.
I have enjoyed living in Charlotte the last two years. There are many big city amenities without much of the stress. From a diversity and cultural perspective this city has a long way to go. I live a content openly gay life here and have never had any problems. Overall though this city is way behind the Triangle and Asheville when it comes to be respectful of the gay community and all minorities. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all is very important. "World Class" cities are not racist and homophobic and much of Charlotte is.
Charlotte is built on the three legged stool of hyperbole, pretention, and wishful thinking. Truly, if there was to be a city motto it would be: "Form Over Substance". (It does not matter what you do, as long as you are dressed right to do it.
Tango33
People in Charlotte don't even dress "right" anyways...
Charlotte is a city of Vanity. If you dont drive a Mercedes or BMW and have GREY POUPON Mustard in your car your nothing here. Charlotte was a nice freindly middle class town and then the Blizzard happened. someone started a rumor " the streets are lined with gold " and every person who bought WCOM stock arrived" Charlotte has a lot of potential but it will take big money to dress it up into a world class city. Charlotte has a "Champangne appetite and a beer pocket book"
Charlotte is a place where People get into their dowtown towers and tout the city. They claim their is Jobs , gold , cheap housing ; Thats what is getting Charlotte in trouble they think if they call all the sheep here the Governmnet will give all these Jobs , they wont. Charlotte is a place where they hand out rosy colored glasses.
Charlotte is trying to get rid of its straw hat for a NEW YORKER turbine. Problem is Charlottes head is to swelled to force on . They are throwing up condos that your trapped in until the next morning because of the crime rates. People are ditching their cars because they can "RUN not walk" to work to avoid getting robbed in the downtown streets.
The city is Okay of you live to tell about it; The Gangs here are worse than Al Capones men in Chicago. The city council is trying to jam all of downtown with money making schemes but they forget about parking or a real subway to get people to the Carnivals they have erected. Charlotte needs Income and now not a wishy washy real estate tax they raise when the moon comes up.
Charlotte used to be a kind city but now PEOPle start out with smiles and start growing FANGS; Oh dont worry they want your wallet not your blood; AND watch out for Full moons and and People with glasses and Horned rim glasses , those are to look down upon you as they lick a spoon full of grey poupon
I like Charlotte but I'm growing tired of the primary attitude that seems to prevail around Charlotte. The attitude I'm referring to is one of "Uninspired Elegance". Much of the architecture uptown is "nice" but lacks true inspiration. The Bobcats and the Panthers are a great example of this. All the amenities and none of the spirit. Panthers games are slowly getting better, but compared to stadiums like Seattle and Chicago, our fans aren't nearly as rowdy and spirited. Fans from this area seem to only support teams when they win and as soon as the team falters, support disappears.
I see two images of Charlotte. One image is the historic neighborhoods with stately homes and small bungalows nestled in amongst tree lined streets which is a beautiful image. The other image of Charlotte are the new tree-less neighborhoods, with their snout nose garages, vinyl siding and feeling like they will not stand the test of time. I believe theire are two Charlotte's...one that I like and the other that looks like any other place, USA.
"RUN not walk" to work to avoid getting robbed in the downtown streets,
What are crybabies like you talking about. I've lived uptown for over 4four years without one single incident. I feel safer uptown than in any number of the crappy suburbs around town.
It's getting better. I suspect that most of the naysayers I see posting here are left out of the gold rush and liked Charlotte as it was 30 or more years ago [shudder]. As one poster noted, it is behind Raleigh and Asheville (Asheville? aren't Charlotteans appalled to be behind Asheville?)in the way it embraces (or doesn't embrace)diversity.
The post that said people are trapped by crime rates in their uptown condominiums is utterly wrong and says way more about the poster than about center city Charlotte.
It's a very nice town but it is built largely to raise families and maybe for singles who aspire to raise families. Those are good things that any city should want. It would be nice if singles who are likely to remain single felt more at home.
I like the way you can come to Charlotte and build a career, but it's hard to do that if you're single and/or gay. Charlotte thankfully doesn't have much of that Richmond ethos of multi-generational entitlement.
"Charlotte thankfully doesn't have much of that Richmond ethos of multi-generational entitlement."
You'd be surprised...
I didn't say it didn't exist. I know that it does. Charlotte just isn't drowning in it the way Richmond has drowned in it. Who would have thought, even 50 years ago, that Charlotte would completely eclipse Richmond economically and demographically?
USAIR is ALWAYS available for you whiney losers to leave Charlotte. it takes 0 effort to whine about the City on this blog, try doing something....please go back to whatever rock you came from.
I moved here two and a half years ago, and I love Charlotte.
I moved here from the DC area. Arlington to be more specific. .75 miles from the Balston Metro stop to be exact. The townhouse that I lived in with some college buddies was a 25 year old dump that sells for about $600K now. I give this level of detail, so that the local big city wannabees and ex-big city refugees will know that I have a frame of reference for what I am about to say.
Washington, DC has horrible traffic. It rules your life in determining where you work, live, and recreate. The extensive DC metro system has not prevented that in the least. Why? Trains do not go everywhere. In fact, they go very few places. It used to take me 45 minutes to travel the 7 miles to my office by car. It took over an hour by train. Riding bus to metro stop, riding train, transferring, riding some more, then walking to the office. That sucked. Now it takes me 20 minutes to drive 13 miles from my $200K house in a close in suburb.
Verdict on housing cost and commute? Charlotte wins in a landslide.
Entertainment. The wannabees and the refugees constantly talk about the lack of culture and restaurant options in Charlotte. They may be right. They might have a point - IF your average person went to dinner and a play every night. Alas, they don't, so I'm not sure why they are whining.
I ate at an Ethiopian restaurant the other day down off of Kings Blvd. Meskerem is the name, I believe. Sure, DC has a dozen Ethiopian restaurants and Charlotte only has one. Does it matter?
My image of Charlotte is that it is full of three kinds of people.
Used-to-Bees, Wannees, and Refugees.
There are very few people who live here who can just accept that the cycle of life for a city starts with backward small town, moves to really nice place to live, and then ends in nice place to visit.
We are currently in nice place to live, but soon with rising taxes, crime, failing schools, we'll just be a nice place to visit.
Charlotte is a city that wishes it had the attitude of Atlanta and the charm of Charleston, vainly grasping for both in a desperate attempt to reinvent itself into something it is not.
But SouthEnd is cool
I don't think many people in Charlotte wish we had the attitude of Atlanta. Atlanta sucks, period.
I love Charlotte. I think it is a great place for families or singles and there is a lot to do for both. No one can convice me that Charlotte does not have a nightlife or the arts, considering we have great broadway shows and there is a bar/club on every corner. There are also great places to take kids.
Atlanta is way better than Charlotte.
If you don't like Charlotte, you don't have to live here. I moved here from Asheville to go to college and didn't like it for about the first two years. Now I have been out of school for over two and half years and in Charlotte for a total of five. It has really grown on me, and I don't see myself living any where else for a long long time. Charlotte offers the amenities of a big city. It is only hours away from the mountains and the beach. There is plenty of culture if you look for it. No place is going to be perfect. You can either choose to see the good, or you can move!
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for NEW YEAR'S EVE:
AFRICAN worship celebration service from Africa
in English, Togo, French
Song, Scripture, and Praise
10pm - 1am
Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church
101 West Sugar Creek Rd.
(Sugar Creek/North Tryon)
704-596-4466
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This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ive been here in charlotte about 7 mnths. honestly, i have not been impressed. its definitely not world class, heck they cant even fix lights that have been non-working for 6 years, which makes me think government or the people dont care much about this city. charlotte lacks something but i dont know what just yet. i spent 3 years in the military, have lived in 3 states and i have traveled extensively. charlotte is to conservative, it just doesnt have that city atmosphere that i was looking for. during my research on charlotte it received many accolades, but once i got here i see only some of those truths. all the people who are moving here are retirees. there are jobs ..if you like to work in finance. charlotte lacks any other industry... the colleges here do not have a strong presence..there is no military presence. its like what else do we have here other than a banking presence, nascar and health care....the innercity between uptown and suburbs is rundown and the suburbs are country, i will give uptown its due though.. Charlotte still seems very segregated which is terrible.. people want to brag about the trees in charlotte....how about some lights instead of trees so that when we drive on the interstate we can see where were going. before all you charlotteans begin, yes i will likely move within the next 2 years if it does not grow on me. i heard san diego and dallas are very nice,diverse metropolitan cities with a strong national presence where you can enjoy all city ammenities. i'm 30 years old. i would still like to live a little before i retire.
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