|
What new thing is happening in Charlotte that you are most excited about?
Well, there’s no one thing. We are sitting right in the middle of a golden era in Charlotte. it’s a fine time in the history of the city. I hope we all pause to enjoy it! Charlotte is experiencing great job growth, has over $5 billion worth of private investment, 15 new high rises planned. We have a good blend of retail, office, and residential, with all sectors growing. There is a lot of focus on retail, we have about one million square feet currently being developed and another ˝ million online. Plus, there is a task force responsible for creating a 10-year vision, which contains all the right people in terms of city staff, economic planner, transit authorities, real estate executives from the banks and private developers who have the ability to shape retail. We have a shared vision for thoughtfully planned retail with the right merchandise that will complement all downtown has to offer and enhance it as a destination.
What are your thoughts around light rail to the suburbs vs. an Uptown/ring neighborhoods streetcar?
I don’t see those as directly competing because they draw on different funding sources, so the two can happen concurrently. Our [City Center Partners] interest is to work with CATS and MTA to expedite introducing the entire transit plan in the quickest way possible. There is real excitement about the streetcar because it is absolutely the best economic development tool we have available. People do not fully understand at this point the potential of the Beatties Ford out Central Avenue corridor. On a relative cost basis, the streetcar takes little money to build for all it will provide.
There's lots of talk about attracting diversity to Charlotte, but at the same time are we developing an economically diverse range of housing options?
We are going to have to be deliberate about this. Land values are escalating faster than rest of the market because Uptown is ringed by 277, so development is limited. This creates scarcity and scarcity creates high prices. We are working to develop housing strategy. Our goal is we’ve got to make sure there is workforce housing for employees such as police, teachers, and many of the people who work in the buildings of Uptown. Another consideration is how we handle subsidized housing. Center City has always been one of most diverse neighborhoods in Charlotte and we’d like to see that continue.
Charlotte considers itself forward-thinking on many urban development issues. It seems the larger a U.S. city gets, the more it needs an expanded social services network to handle needs of a burgeoning population, but can never keep up. What is Charlotte doing to be preemptive in this area? Can we plan ahead to offer programs that effectively promote productive living? How do we avoid the pitfalls of the “build more shelters” or “reactive spending mentality” rather than provide proactive assistance for independent living?
We are going to have to be thoughtful about it. Chris Wolfe [executive director of A Way Home] and other groups have a real commitment to Charlotte. They try to make sure to combine a network of social services so help just doesn’t end at shelter. As we continue to welcome 80,000 people each year, we are going to have to scale for the fragile population--or people that become [fragile]--that can’t sustain housing. If we continue to grow outward, growth doesn’t pay for itself. We have to develop the infrastructure that we have already paid for. Then, we have the chance of not becoming an overly taxed system. The good news is that the next generation likes density. The transit system is more about land use than moving people. If we build transit corridors and encourage, through zoning, the right kind of development, we can curb suburban sprawl and encourage dense, efficient urban growth.
When one visits memorable cities, what often stand out are the waterfront/riverfront areas, immense parks and green spaces. Right now, Charlotte has nice fountains and large parks in the suburbs. What is the city/county doing to preserve green space and develop it for pedestrian use? The greenway system tapping into both sides of city allows for a lot of connectivity to parks. The new West Park is a great win for the whole region. It will encompass land between Church and Mint and 2nd and 3rd and will actually front on Tryon Street. This will be a premier city park. Of course we already have Fourth Ward Park, and there is talk of anchoring a park in First Ward with Daniel Levine’s new development.
From your perspective, how do you envision Charlotte's future? How would you describe it 10 years from now, 20 years from now?
We are a region that will continue to enjoy a broad base of employment in sectors that are fairly stable. We have so many jobs related to banking and utility, which are highly regulated and therefore have long-term stability. We need to continue to place great value on the airport to increase connectivity to the world and need to continue to thoughtfully prepare our urban core. If we have an interesting, well planned urban core, Charlotte will become the foundation for this entire region of the country!
~ Celina Mincey
|
