Goal 8
DISTINCT IDENTITY AND DIVERSE DESTINATIONS
Celebrate and promote retail, entertainment, arts and culture throughout the urban core to transform Center City into an international destination.
BIG IDEA: Create a uniquely Charlotte destination icon and experience
Why is This Important?
The number of destinations in Center City grows year over year. These include world-class museums, professional sports venues and arts and cultural festivals. In the last decade, one of the most exciting aspects of Charlotte’s evolution has been the emergence, growth and maturing of new, unique destinations outside Uptown, like the growing neighborhood centers of Plaza Midwood, Wesley Heights, Selwyn Corners, Pecan Point in Elizabeth and others. These authentic hubs have become more poplar with visitors heading to breweries in South End, live music in NoDa, and shops and events at Camp North End.
As Charlotte grows, it has the potential to become a renowned destination. Raising the City’s profile will encourage visitors from all over the country and the world to see what Charlotte has to offer, including the incredible concentration of activities and experiences in Center City. Bringing more people to Charlotte will help create jobs in the hospitality and restaurant industry and support small local businesses and artists.
How Can We Achieve This?
STRATEGY 8A: ESTABLISH MORE AFFORDABLE, DIVERSE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS AND EXPERIENCES
Residents from all over Charlotte and Mecklenburg County shared their desire for more affordable, family-friendly activities in the city as well as events and destinations that better reflect the cultural diversity of the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8a-1 Cultivate, recruit and support affordable, culturally diverse food establishments in Uptown and other Center City neighborhood centers, potentially in a multicultural food hall / market.
8a-2 Establish support for professional event staff and sustained funding to support festivals and events in neighborhood centers.
8a-3 Build on successful models, such as ArtsWalkCLT, Charlotte Shout! Festival, BOOM, Festival of India and Hola Charlotte, to develop new destinations and experiences. Preserve event elements and art pieces as permanent or temporary public installations.
8a-4 Use survey and market data to identify desired family and visitor destinations or experiences to bring to Center City, such as a zoo or aquarium.
STRATEGY 8B: CREATE AN ICONIC DESTINATION EXPERIENCE
A common theme among community stakeholders is that Center City needs a recognizable iconic experience, like “The Bean” in Chicago’s Millennium Park or the San Antonio River Walk. A unique, recognizable destination will strengthen Charlotte’s identity as a city and as a destination.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8b-1 Propose a process by which the iconic destination experience will be chosen, designed and funded including a robust engagement effort to solicit ideas and establish selection criteria based on community values (e.g., accessibility, local artists).
8b-2 Develop an iconic destination that fulfills multiple community and design objectives, including:
› Representing the diverse cultures and residents of Charlotte
› Offering a no-cost recreation opportunity for all
› Attracting and supporting businesses and economic investment
› Is within a quarter-mile unobstructed walk of one or more transit stations
› Provides access for all ages and abilities
› Builds civic pride
› Is memorable and invites interaction
STRATEGY 8C: LEVERAGE INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS, CULTURE AND ARTS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHEN OTHER VISITOR DESTINATIONS AND EXPERIENCES
RECOMMENDATIONS
8c-1 Ensure consistent and sustained public and private funding for arts and culture endeavors to enrich residents while supporting local arts and culture professionals.
8c-2 Encourage visitors to return to Center City as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted by adding amenities and programs to public spaces, including local art, performances, and exhibitions.
8c-3 Collaborate with arts and cultural institutions to host Family Days in Center City open spaces with free, activities for kids and families.
8c-4 Partner with professional sports organizations to identify opportunities for no- and low-cost ways for fans to celebrate the teams (e.g., viewing games in parks or plazas).
8c-5 Ensure all major sports, culture and arts projects include:
› New opportunities and support for local artists and small businesses
› Publicly accessible programs or events
› Partnerships with schools or community-based organizations.
8c-6 Cultivate a mixed-use urban district around the Bank of America Stadium that offers year-round, family-friendly entertainment options.
8c-7 Introduce new land uses and outdoor activities adjacent to the Spectrum Center.
8c-8 Renovate, re-energize and reposition the EpiCentre as a mixed-use hospitality destination.
STRATEGY 8D: TRANSFORM UPTOWN INTO A WARM, DISTINCTIVE AND INVITING PLACE
Many parts of Uptown have become increasingly active over the last decade or more, as restaurants, events and cultural attractions have drawn people outside of business hours. At the same time, some areas are dark after working hours, and blank walls and quiet blocks make Uptown less welcoming. Uptown also lacks local and culturally diverse food and beverage businesses and shops that represent the rich and unique mosaic of the city’s people.
Improved urban design and public space activation, and new culturally diverse small businesses will bring more vitality and enjoyment to the urban core, year-round and around the clock.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8d-1 Design and program Tryon Street as a cultural corridor that connects Center City neighborhoods and destinations through art, design, wayfinding, programming and promotion.
8d-2 Prohibit the development of new skywalks that removes foot traffic from surface streets and negatively impacts the pedestrian environment.
8d-3 Engage a professional retail consultancy to evaluate and determine the future and best use of the Overstreet Mall, and develop new wayfinding and signage at key entrances to make it easy for visitors and customers to find.
8d-4 Increase year-round activity and programming on sidewalks and in plazas and open spaces.
8d-5 Better connect the Music Factory to Uptown via new connections from planned Silver Line Rail Trail, the Pinewood/Elmwood Cemetery and Irwin Creek Greenway network.
