Are we there yet?
For years, city leaders have pronounced that only their particular project/boondoggle would rocket Charlotte into the league of "world-class" cities. Even those of us who know such positioning only develops organically, not at the behest of a task force or consultant, might look at the last year and think that Charlotte in 2006 had a little bit more to offer than it did the year before.
To wit: The Charlotte Bobcats Arena opened, not long before officials publicly announced proposal for yet another sports complex. The Mecklenburg County Commission voted to prohibit discrimination against gay and lesbian employees, after only a smattering of yahooism. (That same body also passed a tax increase of more than 10 percent -- the highest in years.) Hurricane Katrina brought the city thousands of new residents. SouthPark marked its first meth lab bust. And condos cropped up like kudzu downtown, er, uptown.
Outside our city limits but prominent in our memories of 2005, the war continued in Iraq. Americans watched on television as fellow citizens in the Gulf Coast died in the streets as some government officials (Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, ex-FEMA head Mike Brown, Sen. Kathleen Blanco, D-La.) pondered wardrobe decisions. Pope John Paul II died. And the US Supreme Court shifted to the right.
Despite all that, chances are you'll remember 2005 not by the dispute-of-the-week (or even tragedy-of-the-year) but by the private triumphs and failures not detailed in any publication. But because we often tie our memories to the events of the day, Creative Loafing staffers documented a few ways Charlotte's landscape has changed in the last 12 months. We hope these images bring back a few memories and give you ideas on creating a few more to ponder next year.
Out with the old ...
PATRICK CANNON
For 10 years, the Charlotte City Council member groomed himself for the mayor's office. When he filed to run against Mayor Pat McCrory, everyone expected a political battle royal. Then out of nowhere, Cannon dropped out of the mayor's race and quit his city council career, citing the illness of extended family members as the cause, a claim that few in the political establishment really bought. In the process, the black community lost its premier politician. (Servatius)
BOURBON STREET STATION
Long-time Charlotteans looking for a point of reference along South Boulevard often used the landmark pub next to the railroad tracks on Old Pineville Road as a point of reference. In the summer, blues singers like Fred Jackson played there. The restaurant was torn down by the city, along with 70 other properties along the old railroad corridor, to make room for the light rail line. (Servatius)
CHARLOTTE COLISEUM
When the Charlotte Coliseum opened in 1988, it was considered state-of-the-art. But by the time Bobcats owner Bob Johnson came calling, the venue that had hosted Springsteen, Frank Sinatra and Mother Teresa (to name a few) was little more than a relic. (Shugart)
LYNN WHEELER
Just over two years ago, she was arguably the most powerful politician on the city scene, carrying more clout and getting more done than even Mayor Pat McCrory. Wheeler was instrumental in getting the new arena built uptown, after citizens voted against it in an arena referendum. Four years ago, she finished first in the four-person at-large race for the Charlotte City Council. This year, she finished dead last in an eight-person field. (Servatius)
JAMES PUGHSLEY
The once celebrated Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent left his post shortly before it was revealed that the school system had been less than honest with the state about its discipline statistics. (Servatius)
THE ROOM
The Room on Montford Drive was fast gaining a reputation as a happening spot for alt-rock and hip-hop alike. CL's Timothy C. Davis described the south Charlotte venue soon after its 2003 opening like this: "Picture a kick-ass frat house, with one important distinction. No frat boys!" Sadly, a shooting in the parking lot last summer left Charles Gaines of Charlotte dead and hastened the club's planned closing. (Shugart)
THE STEEPLE
This converted church in the hipster Plaza-Midwood neighborhood had a steady stream of regional and national bands pay respects. No confessionals here, although it was a venue much-loved by local musicians as well as DJs. Themed parties thrown by some of the town's bohemian denizens and an art gallery rounded things out. (Shukla)
In with the new ...
BLACK GAY PRIDE
It took long enough, but black gays and lesbians in Charlotte finally got their own festival. Charlotte NC Black Gay Pride attracted more than 7,000 people, according to organizers, and netted the group an award from the National Black Justice Coalition. It wasn't long ago that black gays and lesbians had few places to come together, but now organizers are planning Pride 2006 for July 20 through July 23. (Shugart)
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS ARENA
Bob Johnson's controversial development opened its doors on Trade Street uptown with the sold-out October concert of the Rolling Stones and a weekend of open house fanfare. The street and foot traffic may snarl in the Arena's vicinity before and after shows but the area tradesmen and restaurateurs ain't complaining. The "If you build it, they will come" mantra seems to have worked, as patrons continue to flood the venue for high-ticket bills including Sir Elton John, U2, Dolly Parton and, soon to come in '06, Aerosmith and Larry The Cable Guy. There's definitely room for improvement in the sound department but, on the plus side, restroom waits are not dire. As long as you're not in the nosebleed section, you'll be sitting pretty at the Arena and efficiently entertained. (Crazy Horse)
CLUB TEMPO
Newsflash: Wilkinson Boulevard is not Siberia! It's the prime nightlife rival to Sixth & College, and the spot that's elevated the industrial area's stature is Jumaane Torrence's hot Club Tempo (formerly Eight Tracks). Tempo opened this summer and has had a slow but positive build, focusing on providing superb neo-soul entertainment for a young but sophisticated urban clientele. Tempo is the last word in hip, providing a watering hole for such out-of-town luminaries as Erykah Badu, Motor City loveman Dwele and OutKast's Big Boi, among others. Queen City party people can thrill to these stars, quaff to their hearts' content between sets with great spins from DJs Stacy Blackman and DR, or simply kick it on Sunday afternoons watching the game en famille. (Crazy Horse)
CL'S NEW OFFICES
Who knew there were industrial yards uptown? Our new place, located right where 77 and 277 touch in the north, is a renovated factory next to smoke stacks and a freight company that runs trains all day (these frequently block the way to the office, our on-the-level excuse for being late to work). Before they spruced up our factory, rumor is that it used to be a popular rave spot. Now, the walls that aren't old brick have been splashed an assortment of bright colors that can waver between funky and a little kid's unchecked fantasy, depending on your mood. We're the pioneers of the NC Music Factory's plans to turn their 270,000 sq. feet of space into an arts and entertainment community. There's still plenty more space if you want to be our neighbors. (Neumark)
PROJECT ACORN
The controversial grassroots group that has been instrumental to electoral victories up north settled in here before the 2004 elections and helped turn the county blue, handing a big victory to Presidential candidate John Kerry. Since then, the group has worked quietly behind the scenes to register those who normally wouldn't vote. (Servatius)
THE FORUM
Once-celebrated nightclub Mythos went dark in summer 2004. Then, this September, new cool "metaclub" The Forum arose on the same 300 N. College Street site, promising a fresh elevation of Charlotte nightlife. Gus Georgoulias, Andy Kastanas and other partners sought to contribute to the evolution of uptown's entertainment district, which is reflected in the club's nontraditional, multilevel design of recycled steel, brick, stone, copper and other materials. The Forum's five themes include a main dance floor, lounges and a fine roof deck. (Crazy Horse)
EXPANDED 485
In September, two new lanes added to I-485 in the southwestern part of the county opened. It was another historic moment in the state's screwed up construction history, because it added lanes to the least traveled section of I-485 while other sections near Pineville and Ballantyne, which carry three times as much traffic, were left as is. A quirk in state road construction law forbids the addition of the extra lanes where they're really needed. (Servatius)
IMAGINON
"Free your mind and the rest will follow." ImaginOn, a collaborative venture of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and Children's Theatre of Charlotte, challenges young minds to go beyond thinking outside the box. Encompassing an entire city block, the building was made for kids and families with engaging navigation, interactive games and exhibits, award-winning theater performances and classic stories that will bring them back again and again. It's the new home of Children's Theatre, though we're still sad that the group's old location on Morehead Street has been razed. (Calloway)
ANTHONY FOXX
A year ago, no one knew who Anthony Foxx was. But by the night of the at-large primary election, which he easily won, he was turning heads. The 34-year-old lawyer went on to win an at-large seat, a rare feat for a political newcomer. In the process, he assumed one of the top leadership roles in the black community and put himself on the future mayor track. (Servatius)
ROCKET 13 RECORDING STUDIO
This is a new recording studio on Central Avenue that's owned by local music catalyst Jeff Lowery, currently the publisher of music zine Amps Eleven. The reformed Lou Ford is presently recording there and several local bands, including Volatile Baby, recently cut tracks there for future releases. Lowery plans to run two record labels affiliated with the studio that are aptly named Rocket 13 Records and Eye Poppin Records. (Shukla)
FRANCES HAITHCOCK
As the interim superintendent until the system finds a replacement for Jim Pughsley, Haithcock had a school system struggling with its public image dumped in her lap. Voters then voted down the school bond package by an historic margin. Despite all of this, Haithcock has managed to keep the wheels on and the train moving forward. (Servatius)
HOMELESS SHELTER
Charlotte's only shelter devoted solely to shielding homeless men from the cold had few fans. It was a crumbling, smelly building on West Fourth Street that by many accounts should've been shuttered years ago. So its temporary denizens welcomed the new location, except for one not-so-minor detail: its location. The building, three miles north on Statesville Road, puts it far from the area most homeless people congregate and, incidentally, far from the view of downtown button-down types and Johnson & Wales students. But it did open on time, and considering recent frigid nights, that's a good thing. (Shugart)
INDEPENDENCE INTERCHANGE
In a state where road improvement projects are usually started decades after their initial schedule, any major road opening is an historic event. The state launched its plan to turn Independence Boulevard into an expressway to Matthews in 1989, so the opening of the Independence Interchange at Albemarle Road was really right on schedule. Next up -- an interchange for Sharon Amity. Work on that is scheduled to start in 2012, which means you can look for construction crews to break ground sometime around 2022. (Servatius)
NORTHLAKE MALL
Wow, just what we needed: another mall! But something had to take up the slack of Eastland's decline and SouthPark's ascent into swanky separatism. Enter Northlake Mall, 415,000 square feet of shopping excess complete with a 14-screen AMC Theatre to serve the growing North Charlotte area's active year-round lifestyles and rich historic traditions. (Calloway)
