Back by popular demand, the touring Charlotte's neighborhoods series will now resume. Plus, bonus skyline shots at the end.
1)
Southend
2)
Plaza-Midwood
3)
NoDa
4)
Fourth Ward
5)
First Ward
?) Elizabeth/midtown
?) Dilworth
?) Myers Park
?) South Park
?) University City
?) .....
First Ward is one of the four wards that make up uptown (downtown) Charlotte. Uptown Charlotte is everything inside the I-277 loop, and the wards are divided by the two main streets, Trade and Tryon. First Ward is northeast of Trade and Tryon.
Unlike 4th Ward, 1st Ward has virtually no historic homes. For a long time, 1st Ward consited of empty lots, run down public housing, and dilapadated shotgun houses. In the 90's many of the run down housing projects were torn down, and new urban housing for for mixed income families and young professionals went up. First Ward today is a stable, safe, and relatively quiet neighborhood that is mere walking distance from the bustling center city.
We begin our tour at 7th Street Station, currently the northern terminus of the light rail line. Here is also the closest grocery store to first ward.
Across the station is ImagineON, a Children's Theater & events center.
Traveling east on 7th St. a block we come to a relatively new restaurant.
Here is the 17 floor Courtside condos. When completed in 2006, it was the tallest residential building in uptown. Since then it has been surpassed by Trademark (2007 - 28 floors), Avenue (2007 - 36 floors), Catalyst (2009 - 27 floors), and the Vue (u/c - 50 floors).
An addition to Courtside. I think it is called Court 6 or something.
A new low rise residential between 6th and 7th, Enclave.
Another new residential, Quarterside. There's Enclave, Quarterside, maybe 1 or 2 others along 7th st. that have recently been build in 1st ward.
Quarterside.
Just east of Quarterside on 7th is another new residential. I can't recall its name.
Looking back west on 7th we see Enclave again.
Across 7th St. is the Afro-American Cultural Center in the old Little Rock AME Zion Church building.
Many 1st Ward workers lived in
shotgun houses built from the 1880's to the 1930's. There were mostly destroyed during the urban renewal of the 1960's and 1970's. These were restored and now sit behind the Cultural Center. Tours are frequently given.
Behind the shotgun houses, a small park.
Houses along Parkside Terrace Ln.
Houses on 8th st. near N Alexander St.
Yet another new residential development, this one on McDowell St. at 7th.
Trinity Episcopal School on McDowell St.
Along Garden District Dr. I-277 is behind me in the next two photos.
Along 10th St.
I'm now going to cross under I-277 on 10th st. I want to give an example of the history of 1st Ward. Here is a photo of Piedmont Court at 10th and 12th st. This was one of the most run down housing projects in Charlotte. This photo was taken circa 2004:
This is the same neighborhood today:
Traveling under I-277 back into 1st Ward, I'm now back at Garden District Dr.
Near 10th and North Davidson St.
10th St.
At 10th and N Alexander St.
Across the intersection.
Looking back up 10th.
Walking east on 10th.
Still going down 10th towards Garden District Dr.
Looking up Garden District Dr. at N Myers St.
9th St. at N Myers St.
For 3 blocks east of here 9th St. has a little park/pedestrian greenway in the center of it.
This is in the roundabout at 9th and North Davidson St.
At 9th and N. Davidson St.
At 10th and N Davidson St.
Between 9th and 10th on N. Davidson is the only grocery/convenience store in this part of 1st Ward. There's also a salon and another business next door.
Back at 9th and N. Davidson.
8th near N. Davidson.
8th St. near N. Caldwell.
Once you get east of N. Caldwell St. you run into an area of 1st ward that is still mostly undeveloped. There are several empty lost and surface parking lots here.
8th St. at the trolley tracks. The light rail line currently ends at 7th St. The trolley runs up to 9th street. This is part of the planned light rail line extension that will go up through NoDa and to UNC-Charlotte and I-485.
The 9th st. trolley station.
Looking north from 9th st. at what will be the northeast extension of the light rail line. You can see the I-277 overpass.
Looking east from the trolley station this block and the block to the right of it are planned to be the 1st ward park. Next to this park will be a midrise building that will be UNC-Charlotte's uptown campus.
Walking south along the tracks towards 7th st. station I come across some bike riders.
And now that you've waited patiently, some skyline shots from this evening. First, from Bryant Park.
Now some photos from Cordelia Park.
The Sugar Creek Greenway can be seen at the bottom of the photo:
The 4 brightly lit floors towards the bottom of the photo is the stock trading floor, in case something shut down Wall St. trading could continue.
Thanks for viewing. You may also like:
Charlotte - Five massive panos
Charlotte - Acting like a tourist in the Queen City
Charlotte - Short and sweet - 3 amazing skyline shots
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