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I’ve lived in Dilworth for close to 10 years. I’ve always loved the neighborhood: the huge trees and beautiful bungalows, Freedom Park, the great activity along East Boulevard, and the friends and neighbors. Over the past few years, however, I’ve been feeling the pull of center city. Uptown has grown and its mostly business and office crown has added a number of new jewels. Residences, restaurants, and nightlife have taken hold, and I want to be a part of it.
Since I’ve been on my own I’ve always lived in houses. I love yards, gardens, trees, and plants. For that reason, uptown has always been a hard sell for me. A couple of years ago, however, some friends moved to a fantastic unit at The Ratcliffe. They had two terraces, one large enough for a seating area and lots of plants. It was so big that they had a dinner one night with a dining table large enough for 12 and room to spare. A side balcony was used for all types of plants and trees. I decided that with the right outdoor space, this was something that could pull me out of my house. The search began.
Most condo projects in town have outdoor terraces or balconies. The majority are really “Juliet balconies,” maybe large enough for a bistro table and a chair or two. Not adequate for me. As towers were announced, we looked at each one, searching for the right fit, including views, floor plans, and, of course, outdoor space.
After we weeded through many that just didn’t have the right mix, 230 South Tryon was announced. We were immediately drawn to the 12th-floor penthouse corner units. Ample square footage, two bedrooms and a den, two massive walls of windows, and two balconies! The side balcony isn’t huge, but it is great. It runs from the den to the guest room and has views down to Tryon Street and over the swimming pool. The other, well that was the one we’d been looking for all along! At 25’ x 10’ it’s large enough for an outdoor “living room,” a separate sitting and garden area, and a grill station. And the views: most nights have sunsets that are simply amazing. You can see Crowders Mountain, Kings Mountain, and parts of the foothills almost every day and most evenings, but if the sun sets just right, add Grandfather Mountain and the Appalachians when the sun just drops under the horizon and silhouettes them.
I miss Dilworth. It was a great home for many years. I’ve watched it grow along with the city itself. The restaurant and retail selections along East Boulevard have doubled since I first moved there. Along South Boulevard the changes are even more dramatic. Warehouses and old factories have been reborn as retail, lounge, restaurant, and showroom space. Rail is coming and the condos have sprung up as a result. Dilworth and South End are fantastic places to live. I miss walking across the street to Freedom Park. I miss Phong, who owns two of my favorite restaurants--Sole and Zen. Cantina is a wonderful Mexican restaurant to have as a neighbor, and Japanese “i” can teach you what sushi is really all about. I know, I can still go to any of these places, but we used to just walk out the door and take our pick during an evening stroll. I know it won’t be the same.
That being said, I’ve found new places to fall in love with and met new folks to enjoy them with. Arpa, Zink, and Fujo are now tops on the list. Ruth’s Chris is right downstairs, and Picasso’s is across the street. We have almost any food I could ever want, from high-end to low-end, just as close as before. Though I expected lots of activity in the city, certainly more than we used to have, I was really surprised to find how much is going on. It seems there is always a convention in town, a show at Blumenthal, an event in one of the nearby restaurants, or a basketball or hockey game keeping the streets alive.
The best part of all of this is knowing what’s coming. Like my years in Dilworth watching it grow, I see the same energy here now, but on a totally different scale. As I write this I’m looking out our dining room window as construction crews continue their site work for the Novare Group’s multi-building project between Church and Mint Streets, where the Duke Power building used to be. Beside it sits a parking lot that will one day soon be 3rd Ward Park. Another site I see will possibly be a baseball stadium. All of that just in my view. There is so much more coming that the list I could start would be longer than this article would allow.
The downsides I have found so far aren’t much different than Dilworth. Retail, though it is here, is scarce, and you still have to leave to find much selection in clothing, shoes, and housewares. Until EpiCentre opens we don’t have a movie theater other than Imax. Unlike Dilworth, and a real downside to uptown living, is the Saturday and weekend situation. Though there are people here, and plenty of them, many businesses and restaurants still remain closed. This made sense when downtown Charlotte was little more than a massive office park that was deserted after five and most weekends, but common questions for me to get when I see out-of-towners on the sidewalk on Saturday consist of: “Are there any lunch places open?” “Where can we shop?”
RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS PLEASE TAKE NOTE: people want your services on the weekend. Eckerd and CVS on Tryon, Dean & Deluca, so many places could really stand to update their hours to reflect uptown Charlotte of today, not years ago.
Even with the dearth of retail and stores closed on weekends to deal with, living here is better than I expected, and I expected a lot. I don’t think I could have made a better move at this time. From my wonderful neighbor Emmy, to the lively streets at night, to the growth I get to watch around me, this is a dynamic place to be. I know I’ll feed off of this energy and I can’t wait to see it all happen…
~ Scott Lindsley
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