September 17, 2005
Center
Charlotte
: Streetcar suburbs: Welcome to the neighborhood
MICHELLE
CROUCH
Staff Writer
Uptown may be the heart
of
Charlotte
, but its neighborhoods are its soul.
Some of the most famous
neighborhoods are the "streetcar suburbs" that form a ring
around uptown. Built to accommodate trolley commuting, many have front
porches and traditional sidewalks that lead to eclectic shops and
restaurants. All are within a few miles of the city's center.
Dilworth
Dilworth, Charlotte's
oldest streetcar suburb, is known for its renovated bungalows, churches
and leafy streets.East Boulevard forms the neighborhood's spine, offering
restaurants, shops and office space within easy walking distance of nearby
homes. The city is encouraging more dense development in Dilworth.
Don't miss: 43-acre
Latta
Park
.
Wilmore
Once one of the city's
most crime-ridden neighborhoods, Wilmore has experienced a recent revival,
mostly due to its proximity to trendy South End.
Urban pioneers have
been buying and remodeling its turn-of-the-century Dilworth-style
bungalows, and developers have started to show interest.
Don't miss: Site
of the original Bojangles at
South Tryon Street
and
West Boulevard
.
Elizabeth
It's home to two major
hospitals,
North Carolina
's largest community college and the city's oldest park. But
Elizabeth
also has a mix of housing, from brick mansions to new townhomes.The
neighborhood was home to department store magnate William Henry Belk, and
the city's first neighborhood movie theater, the Visulite on
Elizabeth Avenue
.
Don't miss: Breakfast
at
Andersons
, where politicians go to make deals and be seen.
Myers
Park
There is no better
introduction to
Charlotte
than a drive down
Queens Road
in
Myers
Park
, where some of the city's grandest homes are framed by a canopy of willow
oaks.
Myers
Park
emerged from a cotton farm in south
Charlotte
in 1911, when landscape architect John Nolen was hired to create a
"garden suburb." Nolen opted for curving streets that followed
the landscape.
Don't miss: The
baffling intersection of
Queens Road
,
Queens Road
,
Providence
Road and
Providence Road
.
Cherry
A stone's throw from
the million-dollar homes of
Myers
Park
, this unlikely community of renovated bungalows, public housing and
boarded-up buildings is the city's oldest surviving black neighborhood.
Cherry was named in 1891, but local historians say the neighborhood
probably predates the Civil War.In recent years, more white Charlotteans
have moved in. At least one developer wants to raze homes and build
condominiums.
Don't miss:
The convent started by Mother Teresa on
South Torrence Street
.
Eastover
Developed on two dairy
farms southeast of center city, Eastover was the first
Charlotte
suburb with driveways for "motorcars."
The neighborhood's
stately homes have long attracted the leaders who helped shape
Charlotte
's growth, including banker Hugh McColl Jr. and department store scion
John Belk. A major landmark is the Mint Museum of Art.
Don't miss:
The Manor, an old-time movie theater that shows art-house films.
Plaza-Midwood
Just east of the center
city, Plaza-Midwood is a hip neighborhood of restored bungalows, funky
shops and places to eat.On
Central Avenue
, you'll find tattoo parlors, antique shops, pawn shops, clothing
boutiques and a bookstore. Try a burger at The Penguin or pizza by the
slice at Fuel Pizza Cafe, a restored 1936 filling station.
Don't miss: The
homemade bread at Nova's Bakery.
Wesley
Heights
Developed around 1920,
this neighborhood on
Charlotte
's northwest side is a designated historic district in the shadow of the
city's skyline. It's one of the few places in town to get a Dilworth-style
bungalow for less than $150,000. But some renovated homes are selling for
more than $300,000.
Don't miss: The
George Wadsworth house at
400 South Summit Ave.
, dating to 1910.
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