tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post8708365930952790275..comments2023-11-05T04:34:10.303-05:00Comments on The Naked City: Transit's threat to NoDaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-52976286418617607492008-07-23T06:09:00.000-04:002008-07-23T06:09:00.000-04:00While I find it quaint that cries of preservation ...While I find it quaint that cries of preservation and altruism of "artists" lifestyles pepper the intent of those against having the light rail stop in NoDa, I can't help but snicker when time comes for these same anti-rail-in-NoDa people want (or need) to sell their house. What's your asking price per square feet? You gotta be kidding! Joke, smoke, it's about economics. Even Mary has a price.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-8853773194793326812008-07-18T15:11:00.000-04:002008-07-18T15:11:00.000-04:00Except, of course, for the fact that we won't be g...<B>Except, of course, for the fact that we won't be getting any more ACC Tournaments here because the arena is so small.</B><BR/><BR/>The old Coliseum was also too small for current ACC standards, so we haven't lost anything in that respect. On the other hand we've gained the CIAA tournament, which used to be in Raleigh.<BR/><BR/><B>It's not nullified at all. The congestion on the streets surrounding the rail line is worse now than it was before.</B><BR/><BR/>It would have been worse either way due to growth in that area. The rail line didn't cause congestion any more than Tylenol causes headaches.<BR/><BR/>Of course, one now has the option to bypass street congestion by simply riding the rail line. If you CHOOSE to drive a car straight into it, that is your CHOICE (see the pattern?) and you will have to deal with the consequences of sitting in traffic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-4908522175304814422008-07-18T14:18:00.000-04:002008-07-18T14:18:00.000-04:00LYNX "loses" money in the sense that ticket sales ...<I>LYNX "loses" money in the sense that ticket sales don't cover costs, but it makes money back by the truckload in terms of the tax base and increased ability to host large money-making events like the ACC Tournament.</I><BR/><BR/>Except, of course, for the fact that we won't be getting any more ACC Tournaments here because the arena is so small.<BR/><BR/><I>Whatever density it creates is nullified by the fact that you don't have to drive through it.</I><BR/><BR/>It's not nullified at all. The congestion on the streets surrounding the rail line is worse now than it was before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-49882437828086174342008-07-17T09:53:00.000-04:002008-07-17T09:53:00.000-04:0012:57 - No transit project of ANY kind EVER breaks...12:57 - No transit project of ANY kind EVER breaks even, so why imply that LYNX should make a profit? Would you also want to put toll booths on 485 so it'll break even? Maybe attach a nice fat fare to driving down 74 where it's been widened? Put toll gates on all those neighborhood streets that've been built lately?<BR/><BR/>LYNX "loses" money in the sense that ticket sales don't cover costs, but it makes money back by the truckload in terms of the tax base and increased ability to host large money-making events like the ACC Tournament. That puts it right on par with any other major transit project, the difference being that it adds an extra option for anyone not wanting to drive all the way into and out of the city. Whatever density it creates is nullified by the fact that <I>you don't have to drive through it</I>.<BR/><BR/>I thought all this was covered years ago when the ditto-heads had their heyday. Now it's turned out that "your" side was wrong on the issue. Everything the pro-railers predicted came to fruition, plus some unexpected gains on top. Just live with it and move on... no need to fight the lost cause forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-79121453186482922662008-07-16T17:09:00.000-04:002008-07-16T17:09:00.000-04:00^ That's the truth. Oh, and by the way: we do not ...^ That's the truth. <BR/><BR/>Oh, and by the way: we do not like to be called "funky." That's how you describe white people dancing, or marky mark's friends....not real artists and musicians. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-78386091301605950742008-07-16T16:24:00.000-04:002008-07-16T16:24:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-8241925835294995202008-07-16T12:47:00.000-04:002008-07-16T12:47:00.000-04:00I'm just glad to see that so many folks take an in...I'm just glad to see that so many folks take an interest in the development of the neighborhood. I agree with a previous comment, as soon as someone decided to run with the "NoDa" moniker, the bohemian community was all but lost. But it's still a developing neighborhood with a good amount of historically-significant housing stock, so it's an opportunity for new buyers to get into an area where they can actually have an impact on the way things unfold here. And personally, if someone is going to drop way too much money on a house, I'd rather see them do it here than in Ballantyne. That being said, I would also hope that the sort of person who is attracted to the still-funky vibe of Historic North Charlotte - the actual name of the residential part of the 'hood - would want to preserve and improve the buildings that can be saved rather than raze everthing and build the dreaded McMansion...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-5376302420587233192008-07-16T00:57:00.000-04:002008-07-16T00:57:00.000-04:00“Numbers don't lie... the light rail as of last mo...“Numbers don't lie... the light rail as of last month is getting close to double the original projected riders.”<BR/>Again, the projected ridership was decreased from where it was originally 6-7 years ago. And regardless (because I’m basing that on memory alone…lost all my old files in a computer crash) even at it’s “double” rate…it still is nowhere next to breaking even financially. Not one system in this country actually pays for itself with ticket sales. It’s the taxpayer that gets stuck with the bill.<BR/>That makes your statement about “giving people a choice” almost insulting. Light rail and increased density force greater traffic congestion. Period. So, while you enjoy your choo choo train, I’m stuck subsidizing your ride and sitting it worse traffic. Where’s my choice in the matter?!<BR/>I mean, seriously, everyone wants to be like New York and Chicago. You know what? If you want the horrible traffic, high cost of living, horrible schools (oh wait, we already have those), high crime, etc of New York…you are welcome to it. How about moving there? I like Charlotte just the way it is thank you very much. Change isn’t always for the better!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-19192812590375475662008-07-15T17:02:00.000-04:002008-07-15T17:02:00.000-04:00Please go to www.wikiplanning.org and login to the...Please go to www.wikiplanning.org and login to the project using the password NODA. There you will find information on the proposed Light Rail Station @ 36th Street, and the potential changes the station siting might bring to the neighborhood. You can also take a survey and contribute to the project BlogAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-65605048792935217772008-07-15T16:48:00.000-04:002008-07-15T16:48:00.000-04:00Well said. All things considered, we are the resid...Well said. All things considered, we are the residents and we can take care of ourselves. We will be who we are, no matter what changes around us. That's the true spirit of NODA (present day, or days past)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-35003697613614973862008-07-15T16:17:00.000-04:002008-07-15T16:17:00.000-04:00My family and I live in NoDa, and we moved in just...My family and I live in NoDa, and we moved in just a few months before Fat City closed...my husband is an artist, and I am in academia...hence, we are a pretty liberal although poor bunch. If we hadn't bought our house when we did, we couldn't have afforded to move to this area. Certainly, aspects of NoDa have changed since I visited as a hippy college student, but overall we are still very happy with the neighborhood. We have looked forward to the light rail line, and really, in the whole scheme of things, whatever happens is fine. We count ourselves as lucky to be so near downtown, and yet still have that "small town" feeling. Some of the change is not so great, but as with most things, that change is functional and dysfunctional...for those of us who chose to make NoDa our home, versus a place to visit, I think we'll make the light rail work for us. I do hope that much of the current structures stay the same, but if they change, so be it, we'll figure something out. As a community, we will survive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-41847179845331751612008-07-15T15:27:00.000-04:002008-07-15T15:27:00.000-04:00So what you're saying is it's all about size for y...So what you're saying is it's all about size for you? Hah!kphonikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12705006947892101958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-22110015514988465182008-07-15T14:16:00.000-04:002008-07-15T14:16:00.000-04:00Some of the comments here are counterproductive an...Some of the comments here are counterproductive and just plain juvenile. I agree with the poster who said that they are tired of all the griping about Charlotte. I also agree with the poster who suggested that we let NoDa evolve as it will, since that is what made it a unique place to begin with. This entire city, like Noda and the works displayed in its galleries, are a work in progress. Why can't we work together to make progress. Yes, planning needs to be a part of the equation, but not to the extent that it cripples the very growth it is trying to foster in the first place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-62065669627076253412008-07-15T10:32:00.000-04:002008-07-15T10:32:00.000-04:00NODA was cool, years ago. Now it's inhabited by y...NODA was cool, years ago. Now it's inhabited by yuppies and frat boy types. You can still buy crack a couple yeards awya, though, and if you're lucky, maybe someone will break into your car.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-70346923696777098112008-07-15T09:46:00.000-04:002008-07-15T09:46:00.000-04:00Just a thought -- while it's true that NoDa and So...Just a thought -- while it's true that NoDa and South End have both become too expensive for "bohemians" (do real bohemians even exist in this country? maybe on the west coast but not in NC...), it's also worth considering that South End is now the city's center of design studios and NoDa is now full of proper galleries. <BR/><BR/>Neither neighborhood is exactly bohemian, but they're a good option for educated, successful people looking to make a good living in the arts. If you are a serious artist you can find no better place in Charlotte than NoDa to buy and operate a gallery. In the long run it might be better for the city to have safe, artsy districts where artists can rise to true prominence and contribute at a high level, than to have a bunch of scrubby dangerous neighborhoods for graffiti artists to thrive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-68021447088899147052008-07-15T09:40:00.000-04:002008-07-15T09:40:00.000-04:00Housing costs are driving out many people in the "...Housing costs are driving out many people in the "creative class" from center city neighborhoods. Plaza-Midwood is also far too pricey for many. Merry Oaks and Windsor Park are becoming the new frontiers for these folks. Because of their suburban feel, these neighborhoods may not have the gritty hip factor of NoDa but the homes there are younger and need less investment to renovate. Folks who are priced out of hotter 'hoods like Myers Park, Cotswold, South End, NoDa, Wilmore etc. find Merry Oaks and Windsor Park to make sense for them.<BR/><BR/>City officials and planners understand that they've just about reached the end of what they can annex to grow the tax base. Now they're trying to increase density to generate increaed value in areas that already have city services. Density and efficiency is what cities are about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-54798003306332712332008-07-15T09:39:00.000-04:002008-07-15T09:39:00.000-04:00What's there to protect in NODA? It's a few stree...What's there to protect in NODA? It's a few streets of ridiculously overpriced mill homes surrounded by ghetto.Hopefully light rail will spur redevlopment from Uptown all the way to NODA and beyond, and run the gangbangers and associated riff-raff out to the hinterlands.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-61683070930632093312008-07-15T08:43:00.000-04:002008-07-15T08:43:00.000-04:00There is already a perfectly good railroad right-o...There is already a perfectly good railroad right-of-way going through North Davidson; why not use it?<BR/><BR/>If it is not converted for light rail, it should be converted into a pedestrian-bicycle route (as many other abandoned rail lines have been all over the country.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-54103629557834380782008-07-15T08:42:00.000-04:002008-07-15T08:42:00.000-04:00Cities evolve. Yes, artists are probably priced ou...Cities evolve. Yes, artists are probably priced out of NODA already and probably out of South End too. They are creative people and will find the next place and start turning that area around. They don't need the help of city planning to preserve an area that they already can't afford.<BR/><BR/>As certain neighborhoods grow expensive people move elsewhere and start improving other areas. My neighborhood is a prime example. People who can no longer afford NODA, Chantilly, Midwood are buying up the affordable housing and improving the area, pushing the riff raff further out. It rolls on.<BR/><BR/>To me- stupid to ask people to try to get density up on North Tryon- an industrial corridor. Why not put density in an area that already offers some appeal and popularity? Do you know how long it took 3030 South to get moving vs the projects that flank Dilworth in South end?<BR/><BR/>Seriously- I grow so weary of people griping about Charlotte. There sure are a lot of housing choices for such a backwards developer driven city (note the sarcasm). For under $200,000 you can have a single family home with a big yard adjacent to a nature preserve within 3 miles of uptown, a studio in a high rise, a condo or town house in a popular neighborhood close to town, a new home in the 'burbs. Try finding that in any of the cities that people like Mary love to hold up as bastions of great development and planning. Huh. And you can thank a developer for those choices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-14834596323512833132008-07-15T07:53:00.000-04:002008-07-15T07:53:00.000-04:00The above comment on the light rail in Charlotte s...The above comment on the light rail in Charlotte still just makes me shake my head. The numbers for Charlotte's light rail projected ridership haven't changed since I was doing my undergrad urban planning work some 5 years ago. The numbers were not altered to become more politically correct, and were made LONG before all the scrutiny came down upon the light rail the last couple of years (which I feel was typical local news trying to fabricate a headline and blow a story WAY out of proportion). Numbers don't lie... the light rail as of last month is getting close to double the original projected riders. If you look at the light rail as simply doomed from day one you are totally looking at it the wrong way. Of course Charlotte doesn't have the density to support it fully at the moment. The idea is to foster the type of smart growth along transit lines that WILL support rail transit. Of course rail transit will not be everyone's cup of tea, but the point is to at least give people the option to get off the interstates and to be able to spend commuting time in a more fulfilling way. Contrary to common belief, you cannot build more lanes to roads and freeways and simply build your way out of congestion. Traffic will always fill them up as soon as they're built, and you're still back at square one. Cities above 500,000 people need more options than just freeways for transportation, period. The reality of $4+ gas is entirely changing the game too. People are becoming less car centered, are driving less, are buying smaller cars and scooters, and are using public transit more than ever. Light rail is a natural progression for Charlotte, especially given all the above circumstances.<BR/><BR/>Regarding people thinking I'm criticizing NoDa, I'm not! :-) I love NoDa, and am so glad Charlotte has neighborhoods like it. It's just not the same place it was years ago. All the artists and such that I know make their scene around Plaza Midwood these days, because NoDa has become Disneyfied and overpriced. Again, I still love NoDa... I have many fond memories from college hanging out there. I strongly feel that light rail development can only build on what's already there. There will be no razing of Center Of The Earth gallery or the Neighborhood Theatre. Those are the cornerstones of the area, and there is plenty of land to develop/redevelop without sacrificing those. Even if NoDa becomes another Dilworth (a little too gentrified for the commoner), there will always be another area where the bohemians will be staking their claim. Long before the artists transformed NoDa, the area was a working class mill village known as North Charlotte. Morale of the story is: nothing ever remains the same...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-75129252253287033572008-07-15T00:47:00.000-04:002008-07-15T00:47:00.000-04:00I suppose I'm the only one here so far that was an...I suppose I'm the only one here so far that was and is opposed to Charlotte light rail at all!<BR/>In order for light rail to work (which it doesn't in most of the places taxpayers’ money has been wasted on it) the density needs to increase to a level that Charlotte can only begin to imagine...and most of us don’t want! <BR/>This density is only achieved by forced zoning that by definition needs to increase the height and size of buildings running along the corridor. Of course, along with this forced densification comes WORSE traffic than we previously had as more and more people are forced into a smaller and smaller area. Duh.<BR/>The nine point whatever mile long Lynx line is a joke. Once people start realizing that the 15 miles out of their way they are driving to save the nine mile ride uptown (where most Charlotteans don’t even work mind you!) the novelty of being “cool” will quickly die down. I love the people showing how ridership numbers are outperforming what was anticipated! Doesn’t anyone remember how they kept dropping the already LOW ridership projections for just this reason? Set low expectations and then cheer about your results! How Charlotte!<BR/>Just to put it perspective, according to US Census numbers, Charlotte’s density is currently 2,515/sq mi. New York’s is 27,147, Chicago’s is 12,470, and DC’s is 9,015! Even Atlanta’s is 3,921…and they have finally realized that Marta was a bust and they have begun massive new highway projects to keep up with people’s real transportation needs.<BR/>For what light rail has cost us already, we could have finished and widened 485, and performed massive and functional refits of every major road in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Instead we get a 9 mile long joy ride to nowhere. Woopee!<BR/>I love Charlotte and think it is a great city...but our supposed "visionaries" are ruining it. It's easy to micro-manage with other peoples money and zero accountability in the long term. At this rate Charlotte will be bankrupt in 25 years...and one giant ghetto to boot. Just wait until Wachovia or BofA leave!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-25382877045632810082008-07-14T23:45:00.000-04:002008-07-14T23:45:00.000-04:00the whole reason that NoDa blew up was the prospec...the whole reason that NoDa blew up was the prospect of Light Rail - trust me I invested there. NoDa needs Light Rail, duhh!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-13278120544622608062008-07-14T23:12:00.000-04:002008-07-14T23:12:00.000-04:00GentrificationGentrificationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-34780637841207903642008-07-14T21:57:00.000-04:002008-07-14T21:57:00.000-04:00Sorry Know Duh,as a proud Dilworther I can't let t...Sorry Know Duh,as a proud Dilworther I can't let that insult pass. Our walkability to restaurants and a safe supermarket puts NoDa to shame. Give me a break.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-69997701266837167332008-07-14T21:52:00.000-04:002008-07-14T21:52:00.000-04:00In case you haven't noticed, NoDa (which really on...In case you haven't noticed, NoDa (which really only existed before it was ever called NoDa) is dead already. The NoDa that exists today is really something that is fit for light rail development. <BR/><BR/>I think the rail should have a stop right in the middle of NoDa. Then it might make it something worth naming.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com