Craft attack at park

Hi Elizabeth,

My name is Vickie Cockrum & I live on Clement Avenue in Elizabeth.  I am trying to get the word out to Elizabeth residents about an Indy Craft Show, CraftAttack 2009 that will be held in Elizabeth Park on October 10th from 10-5.  There will be 50 Indy vendors selling all Handmade merchandise (mostly vendors from the Charlotte area that sell on Etsy.com).  This is a juried show, so everything is quality!

Here is the website:

http://craftattacknc.com/

Home tour

Comment on 7th Street development

Beth Haenni writes:

You may comment on the proposed Winter 7th Street development by emailing your comments to:  winteron7th@gmail.com

The proposed Winter Properties plan and a map are available for viewing on the homepage of www.elizabethcommunity.com. Due to subsequent city-related deadlines, the deadline for Elizabeth neighborhood comments to this email address is:  this Wednesday, September 2. The gmail address will be monitored by ECA representatives, who will compile the comments, render them anonymous, and submit them to the developer along with summarized comments from the public meeting held on August 27.

Quiet fall at Memorial

I've occasionally been miffed at the noise coming from Memorial Stadium -- sometimes it sounds like it's right next door, especially during an otherwise quiet Friday night. And more than one big high school game at Memorial has caused parking problems on my street. But I still think it's a shame that there'll be no football this fall at Memorial Stadium. I will miss it.

Thank you Gary Dunn

No, I haven't used them yet. I've thought about it and even talked about it. But my inability to get over to Independence Park and play on the ping-pong tables that Gary Dunn donated  doesn't mean I don't think it's a really cool thing he did. Thanks Gary.

Charlotte: an extreme deviation from the mean?

Our fair city -- I had no idea:  “Charlotte's an outlier" -- this from no less an expert than Elizabeth's own Dan Clodfelter, a Democratic state Senator. On occasion I've felt like an outlier in Charlotte, but the city is so plain it's hard to see it outside the norm. What could this mean?

The Queen City: a person who lives away from his place of work?  An extreme deviation from the mean? A portion of stratified rock separated from a main formation by erosion?

Me,  I wanted to think of Dan's comment as a reference to Malcolm Gladwell's book of the same name because I wanted to think the city is full of  "exceptional people, especially those who are smart, rich, and successful, and those who operate at the extreme outer edge of what is statistically possible." Certainly we have our share of smart and rich people, but that doesn't explain Dan's comment.

Unless you recall the Great State of Mecklenburg. You know, the theory that there's Charlotte and there's the rest of North Carolina. Charlotte goes its own way and doesn't care about other areas of the state. And other areas of the state don't care about it. Reckon that's the definition of an outlier.

Running time

The 23rd annual Elizabeth 8K Road Race is Saturday. The proceeds benefit the beautification of our neighborhood. The 8K starts at 8 a.m., the 3K at 8:05. As always, there there will be festivities after the race at Independence Park. Sign up online by Friday, March 27.

Dang it's good

You wonder about what's happening to the businesses on Elizabeth Avenue while the street is all torn up. You have questions about why that lovely old house on 7th Street at Louise is gone -- just like that. You can't remember when the Elizabeth road race is -- or the Elizabeth recycling event or the Elizabeth Easter egg hunt.

You are in bad need of the Elizabeth Spring 2009 newsletter. It's got all this and more -- stuff you can't get elsewhere (least of all here at UTWT, which has obviously dropped the ball on coverage the last few months). Also, there's a coupon for $3 off a large pizza at my favorite Elizabeth pizza joint. I'd link to the newsletter, but I can't find it on the Elizabeth Community site .

Such a snow

Peaking in 28204

The Observer reports that for homes in ZIP code 28204, last year brought the highest average sales price of the last six years. If you take a look at the interactive map, you'll notice that 2008 also saw the fewest number of homes sold in the ZIP: 98, or about 10 fewer than the average sold each of the last six years. Having fewer homes sold in a year could affect the average price, but it's difficult to say which way.

So at least up until 2008, home prices were still rising in Elizabeth. Is that still the case? Too early to tell, I guess. Homes seem to linger on the market longer than they used to, but that's just based on my limited observation. I've always maintained that as long as downtown Charlotte remains a viable office park, property values in Elizabeth and other close-in neighborhoods should do well. Can downtown Charlotte prosper with two banking behemoths reeling?

'Lizbeth legs

Register now for the 23rd annual Elizabeth 8K, or if you prefer the slower pace of the 3K, go for that. As always, the proceeds benefit the beautification of our fab hood. 

Watch your mailbox

Crime Dudette writes:

A 5th Street resident placed two envelopes with bill payment in her mailbox last week. One was a utility bill, the other was a tax bill. On Saturday she received a phone call from a woman residing on Perrin Place who told her she had found a bunch of opened mail near her house. The Perrin Place resident retrieved the mail and saw our Elizabeth neighbor’s return address on one of the envelopes. Having the presence of mind to check the phone book, this woman contacted the Elizabeth resident, who then reported the incident to the police. She also contacted her bank.

Apparently the thieves who stole her mail were able to obtain her checking account information from her check, and they proceeded to order electronic funds transfers to be made. One such transfer was made to a local WalMart in excess of $500. The crime committed here was quite sophisticated and far more serious than a misdemeanor. Our neighbor wants residents to be advised this type of crime is occurring in Elizabeth. 

Dudette's report also said this happened to two other Elizabethans. CD says: "While outgoing mail hasn’t been confirmed to be the culprit of all the above, we know it’s happening. Either hand your mail personally to our mail carriers or take it yourself to the post office."

Renew renew renew renew renew

The lovely and talented Maya Packard reminds us that the start of the new year (ok, I'm a month behind) is time to renew your ECA membership:

This year, the ECA needs your involvement more than ever, especially during these tough economic times. Our theme this year is LIZ GOES GREEN! Not only are we intent on preserving our tree canopy, but we are also keen on supporting our neighborhood’s many unique restaurants and businesses -- all within walking distance!

It's only $20 per household. It's worth it for the Progressive Dinner and the Christmas party alone.

Do the doggie do

Crime Dudette writes:

The neighbors have noticed, as have I, that the 'hood appears to be more lax than previously with picking up dog droppings. PLEASE make sure that when you walk your dog, you pick up what they leave behind! It’s becoming quite an issue – when one dog leaves a present, all the other dogs leave a present in the same place. We know how competitive the little ones can be about territory!

I would like to add a big shout out to the folks who do bag the poo. Thank you for taking responsibility for fido.

LizBizPromos

Maya Packard writes:

The ECA has created an email mailing list to help encourage support of our neighborhood businesses.  Sign up for LizBizPromos today, and you will begin receiving occasional emails from Elizabeth restaurants and other businesses offering special promotional deals to Elizabeth residents.  To subscribe to this list, send an email to majordomo@elizabethcommunity.com with "subscribe lizbizpromos" in the body of the email.  If you have trouble subscribing, send an email to owner-lizbizpromos@elizabethcommunity.com and ask to be added to the list.

Farewell Design Center

Whether it was the right concept at the wrong time or simply the wrong concept to begin with, the Home Depot Design Center underneath Target at midtown is shutting down. Home Depot spent a lot of money over the years to train me on what a Home Depot store is. I'm just stupid enough that if you tag "Design Center" on the end of it, I still kind of expect a hardware store inside. That's not what I found. What I found I liked, but it wasn't a Home Depot.

At least I figured out a positive aspect of the choice developers made to emphasize parking over retail at the Home Depot/Target site: Now that the Design Center concept is dead, we're not stuck with a massive empty big box store at that corner. Because the store is so well hidden, it's vacancy will be hard to notice.

Goodwill drive

Maya Packard writes:

Dear Neighbors,
Clean out those closets! The Elizabeth Goodwill Drive is coming! As a 5th Street neighbor says, "It's the time of year to pass along some  of our past blessings to get ready for new ones this holiday season."

When: Saturday, December 6, 9-12 noon
Where: Goodwill truck stationed at 2125 Greenway Ave. (empty lot)
What: furniture, clothes, baby items, home goods, small appliances  in working order, books, etc.
Who: We welcome any Elizabeth neighbors, friends and families
Why: Goodwill needs our donations more than ever.
What else: Goodwill attendants will be on site with receipts.
Hungry?  Morning snacks and coffee for all donors!
Questions?  beth.haenni@gmail.com
Let's fill up the truck!

BB makes the All Star list

I was remiss by not drawing attention to longtime Elizabethan Byron Baldwin when he was featured as one of the All-Stars of the Arts in the Observer. If you see him, congratulate him on recently becoming a grandfather.

Janet on the economy

There's Elizabeth's own Janet Woodson on the Observer's Business page, featured in a story about how companies are cutting back on parties. Woodson's business, La-tea-da's, is -- like most businesses -- being hit by the economic downturn. "Woodson has been in the business 12 years and has never seen scaling back on this level, she said."

Centers, corridors and wedges

Dana Inge writes:

There’s an "emergency" ECA meeting next week. Note from our ECA president Melanie Sizemore: We will have a community-wide meeting Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church to discuss a very important planning document which is being proposed by the planning office. The plan is on a fast track approval process so we need to make our comments heard as soon as possible. You can go to this link to read more about this proposed plan. In addition, the city has a survey at this link which will only be available online until Nov. 7. We need as many people as possible to attend this meeting so we can discuss this plan and how we will respond as a community.

The City of Charlotte's Office of Planning is updating their "Centers, Corridors and Wedges." Per the planning website:

"The 'Centers and Corridors' development framework was originally introduced in 1994 and is the City of Charlotte's adopted overarching policy for organizing and guiding growth and development within the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The framework is currently being updated and is expected to be adopted by the Charlotte City Council in the spring of 2009. The updated framework – referred to as the Centers, Corridors and Wedges Growth Framework - broadens the original transportation oriented focus to include other aspects of planning and development, such as public facility needs and environmental concerns. The update also provides more specific definitions and guidance for Centers and Corridors and expands the concept to provide recommendations for Wedges, as well."

Carving commenced

The carving at the Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall has more than commenced -- it's almost done, as you can see ahead of the official lighting on Wednesday. Among the carvers Monday night were Hughes (left) and McLean Maddrey of East 8th Street, who fashioned a scary one.

Pumpkin wall returns

The Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall returns to 537 Lamar Ave. this year, site of the original wall in 2004. (The above photo is from two years ago, on Clement.) Carving starts Oct. 24 and the official lighting is Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. The project is put on by the Woodpeckers, a group of mostly Elizabethans who like to work with wood. And pumpkins. My guess is that, like past years, there will be a political component to the wall. In the past that has rubbed some people the wrong way. The wall is on private property, and the ECA has nothing to do with it. All are welcome to attend.

Don't forget to vote

Yes, that's Elizabethan Donna Bise with James Taylor at his concert at Ovens today for Barack Obama. No matter who you support, don't forget to vote. In Elizabeth, you can vote early at CPCC:

CPCC Central Campus Facilities Building
Located at 1325 E. 7th St., Charlotte
October 16 – 31 (Weekdays) 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
October 25 (Saturday) 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
October 26 (Sunday) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
November 1 (Saturday) 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Final Day)

Charlotte on 60 Minutes

Ok, it's got nothing to do with Elizabeth specifically, but it's fun to see 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl walking down Tryon Street with Bank of America's Ken Lewis and hear her say things like "B of A seems to own Charlotte" and hear him say things like "We need to cut back compensation in this industry." Elizabeth is home to lots of BofA employees, so there you go.

Minor at Burning Man

Hope you got to see Elizabethan Hardin Minor's take on the Burning Man festival in The Observer.

TJ and HT

I'd never been to a Trader Joe's before ours opened in Midtown, so I thought it was going to be like a regular grocery store, one that could replace a Harris Teeter. And it could, I suppose, but it's not really a regular grocery store. JT veterans already knew that, but I didn't. I love the stuff at Trader Joe's, stuff I didn't know I could get. But I'll still wander over to Central and The Plaza, although probably not as often as I used to, for more commonplace items.

Midtown grocery

I've been a loyal Harris Teeter customer for years but I have to admit I'm looking forward to the new Trader Joe's opening at Midtown on Oct. 10. Choice is good, right? I got my postcard offering a free reusable Trader Joe's shopping bag if I show up before Oct. 24. If you check it out on Friday, let me know how the crowds are. I may wait for Saturday morning before I go.

Have you seen Lefty?

Elizabethans: Be on the look-out for Lefty, a black-and-white cutie. If you find him, call Karen at 704-307-8288.

What do you want the park to be?

So you're walking through lower Independence Park and there it is: A parking lot. In the park. Maybe it made sense to have a place for cars in our park when there was a building there, but seems like they should have torn out the blacktop when they tore down the building. But that's just me. What do you think should be done to lower  Independence Park over the next 10 years?

The rose garden is lovely. The fountain, when it's not ruined by vandals or drought, is ok. But should we add a big ole gazebo like the one in Latta Park? More walkways or other "pedestrian connectivity"? What about a playground? Now is your chance to tell Park and Rec about your ideas. There's no money for improvements to the park, mind you. But if money becomes available, we better be ready to tell them how we want it spent.

Cool bridge on Central Avenue

Have you seen the cool addition to the Briar Creek bridge on Central Avenue? Greensboro sculptor Jim Gallucci used galvanized steel for the artwork. We were remiss in not reminding folks of the dedication of the bridge held Saturday. Hope you had a chance to check it out. 

City saves neighborhood from falling into hole

As soon as I proclaim the city won't "drop everything" to come fix our hole they do exactly that, saving our street from certain doom less than 24 hours after my post. The repair job (above) was professional and clean. That's a paperback book at lower right to give you an idea of how big the patch is. I'd say it's about 6 feet by 5 feet. I wasn't around when they did the repair, so I don't know how deep they had to dig and if they carefully cleaned the cavity or just poured in the macadam. However, in response to the polite wag who wanted a photo, Elizabeth Maddrey supplied the picture below. A brave yardstick measures exactly what we had to fear: About 31 inches of street-devouring depth. Brrrr. Thank goodness the city saved us before things got out of hand. 

Come see the E. 8th St. sinkhole

We got us a sinkhole. Ok, it's not a town-eating sinkhole, like the one in East Texas. Ours is only few inches wide and a few feet deep. So far. But hey, with a few more days of rain and a few more honking Cadieu trucks hauling out fallen trees (one fell on Fred Holder's house the other day; Cadieu dealt with it this evening), who knows how cavernous it may grow. It's not like the city is going to drop everything to fill our petit pit. Several folks have already called 311, among them Elizabeth Maddrey, whose home lies mere feet  from the aspiring abyss. Elizabeth says she was told it would be fixed... yesterday. She's promised to keep us posted. Stay tuned.

Elizabeth green home

Hope you enjoyed the article on the eco-friendly Scott-Tylman home in Charlotte Magazine's Home and Garden summer issue. The work Elaine and Jerry did on their Kenmore home is very inspiring. Perhaps you spent some time in their backyard, having a drink before starting this year's progressive dinner. (Can't seem to find the article on the Web site.) 

Who cooks for you

We had a visitor in our backyard tonight. He cut a striking figure, high in the pecan tree. He was worried for some time by a mockingbird, but outlasted the smaller bird and settled in for a good sit. Last time I checked, he was still there. But it got way dark, so I can't be sure.

Veggie oil power

Hope you caught Dannye Romine Powell's column on Elizabethan Bob Teixeira, who converted his 1981 Mercedes to run on vegetable oil.

Fabulous Fourth

As usual, the shy and retiring Hardin Minor (top) was MC and host of the annual ECA 4th of July parade. The 15th annual celebration of America's birthday started shortly after 10:30 a.m. in front of Hardin's Clement Avenue chateau. In keeping with parade tradition, the temperature and humidity were as high as the spirits. After the parade, folks gathered in the Minors' back yard to eat, sing and perspire. EC Grill King Mike Watson tended three fires and, for the first time, served turkey dogs along with the traditional beef. It was a fine affair, and big thanks are due to the Minors and the Watsons for their generous hospitality. One little firecracker (right) enjoyed her first parade peacefully. She is the granddaughter of the Baldwins on Lamar (I apologize for not remembering her name!).



Update: Check out Linda Minor's excellent photos from the event.

SouthPark still waiting

Turns out Elizabeth isn't the only neighborhood having a hard time landing Whole Foods. Even with its tony demographics, SouthPark is finding Whole Foods a little on the persnickety side. The Observer reports that construction on the site won't start until 2010, and you know these things don't tend to get early starts.

The article says Whole Foods is considering additional locations in Charlotte, one of the three largest metro areas in the country without a Whole Foods. My guess is one additional location won't be Elizabeth -- despite the best efforts of Elizabethan Beth Haenni -- because by the time they make up their minds, we'll have been won over by Trader Joe's, Fresh Markets, Earth Fares and who-knows-what-all stores.

Thomas Street rocks

The only North Carolina bar on Esquire magazine's list of the best bars in America? Thomas Street Tavern of course. No, it's not in Elizabeth, but it is often full of Elizabethans.

Leaving Eastland

The news just keeps getting worse for Eastland Mall. Now the owners may walk rather than pay the mortgage, because they owe more than the thing is worth. I tend to remember what Eastland used to be at this time, but in addition to figuring out what to do with the east side, now is the time to wonder: What will be the next Eastland?

Guns in Plaza Midwood

Maybe if I was shot at Snug Harbor I might feel more like Scott Yamanashi, who is starting an armed neighborhood patrol in Plaza Midwood to battle crime. I certainly understand the frustration. Crime is a constant worry in this city, and sometimes it seems like nothing is being done. But I wonder about the setup: An armed and perhaps angry crime victim searching the mean nighttime streets for evil. No problem as long as wisdom and patience prevail.

I applaud Scott for standing up, for getting involved, for organizing. I hope lots of people follow his lead and his neighborhood and ours becomes awash in nightside eyes watching out for all of us. But I'd feel better if the guns stayed home.

Door-to-door trouble

The Elizabeth Crime Dawg writes:

There is a 30-ish white male going door to door as an alarm company salesman. He was aggressive with one of my neighbors. He has been seen in Elizabeth and Plaza Midwood, yesterday and today. He is driving a small silver car with Ohio plates. Today he was seen cruising the neighborhood, stopping in front of each house, making notes. He may be taking notes of who does and who doesn't have an alarm system.

DO NOT OPEN the door to him. Call the police if you spot him. Dark hair, dark blue shirt, white shorts. When I saw him again today he sped off in his car as though he was afraid I would see him. The police have gotten several reports and are trying to catch him. There is no alarm company with the name on his clipboard.

I just had another person come to my door from a different company. It is suspicious because they are coming during the day when most people are working. Don't be afraid to call the police, if these are legitimate businesses they should know that this is no way to sell products. On the other hand, if it is a theft ring, they need to know that neighbors are watching.

Elizabeth news

My recent post got a pair of excellent responses:

• The Observer's Dan Tierney, staff writer for Neighbors of The City, says: "Please feel free to tell your neighborhood association, neighbors or anyone to please contact me if they have any story ideas or suggestions." Don't be bashful, folks. Call or email Dan and let him know what's going on here. Or tell me and I'll post it and/or call Dan. His phone: 704-358-5696.


• A note that Merry Oaks's fine blog underoak has a bit of Elizabeth news: Free classical music in a beautiful space.
  

Ask and ye shall receive.

Where's Elizabeth?

I hope you've been enjoying the new Neighbors of The City section of The Observer. It's a welcome replacement for the old Mecklenburg Neighbors section, and it's one of the first sections I look for Sunday mornings. (If newspapers are going to survive, they'll do so only by offering readers something they can't get anywhere else, and that will include hyper-local content like you see in NOTC.)

However, one thing has struck me as I've been reading the new section: It's almost as if Elizabeth doesn't exist. In today's section, for example, I count about 35 column inches of news space over 14 pages, and not one news item from Elizabeth. To be fair, there is a mention of CPCC in the College Notes and an event at the Visulite in the calendar. But surely there's more going on in Elizabeth than that.

Labels refer to SouthPark, Uptown, East Charlotte, Myers Park, Cotswold, Eastover, Plaza Midwood, Eastland, Coventry Woods, Idlewild Farms -- but no Elizabeth. And, apart from two Presbyterian Hospital ads, a listing for St. John's Baptist Church in the Worship directory, and a mention of a Helen Adams Realty office in "Historic Elizabeth," there aren't even any ads from our neighborhood.

This is not a one-time deal. I no longer have last week's section, but if memory serves there were only two mentions of Elizabeth, one in the traffic news column on page 2 and one in the list of homes sold by ZIP code.

C'mon NOTC. I'm doing a terrible job covering Elizabeth lately. Why don't you step in and put me out of business? Show Elizabeth some love!

Time to remove tree bands

Kara Gooding writes:

Congratulations Elizabeth Neighborhood! We conquered the cankerworm this year. Your banding efforts, along with the spraying program have saved our canopy from what was sure to be a devastating Spring for our mature tree canopy. I hope everyone is getting out and appreciating all the healthy green leaves we have right now.

However, there is one last critical step: it is now time to take down the cankerworm bands. It is important that bands do not stay up longer than needed as they tend to hold moisture against the tree bark and if they stay up too long, can house insects and/or cause the bark to get infected or rot. Also, its important to pull out any staples that were used in the installation process.

So please take down the tree bands in your area. The city has not let us know when they will remove their bands, but if a city tree was banded in your area, please try to remove that band as well.

Thank You again for all your hard work. Anyone can see how wonderfully green our tree canopy is this year and that is in large part due to your wonderful efforts.

Let's party

Let's race

Register for this Saturday's race here.

This old house

When we moved into our Elizabeth home 11 years ago, the foundation was straight and true. In the last few drought-plagued years it's begun to crack and list. That's not all. During the storm Tuesday night I noticed a leak in the roof. It's been six years since we last painted the exterior. And that's just the outside. Don't get me started on the improvements needed inside.

Our homes give our neighborhood such character. Sometimes character costs. 

If the painter I used last time is still in business, I'll hire him again. He was great. But as far as a roofer or someone to fix my foundation, I have no clue. Who can recommend a few folks who can help me restore some character to my old house? 

Straight bourbon

Elizabethan Monte Ritchey is one of three Charlotte businessmen who have bought an old distillery in Kentucky to salvage heart pine, limestone and other treasures for reuse. The result is Bourbon Boards.

Supersizing in Dilworth

Our sister neighborhood continues to deal with growth issues, as do we. The Observer checks in with a piece headlined: "Smaller houses vanish as property values rise."

Restaurant rezoning

Not much detail, but this appeared in The Observer today:

City Council approves plans for restaurant expansion at Pecan, Gordon

Charlotte City Council on Monday approved plans for a restaurant at Pecan Avenue and Gordon Street in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Robert Nixon asked the city to rezone .19 acres to allow the expansion of the building at Pecan Avenue and Gordon Street by 11,132 square feet. The expansion would add a second floor in several areas as well as rooftop seating. The site was last used as a nightclub, but is vacant now.

The Independence disaster (continued)

The paragraph that stuck out to me in this Observer article about Eastside residents losing patience with what's happening (or not happening) with Independence Boulevard was the one that began:

In the 1980s, the state began widening Independence Boulevard to ease traffic between Matthews and the center city.

Why should Charlotte neighborhoods have to be cleaved in two and forced to deal with the abomination that Independence has become just so people who choose to live far away from downtown can get downtown quicker? Why?

If you want to see what the people who brought us this mess have up their sleeves next, there will be an "informational workshop" in the Activity Center Room at Eastland Mall Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. The end result: East Independence will be a freeway from downtown to Conference Drive. I guess it's too late to tear it up.

Chilling

In case you missed this report from the Crime Dudette:

Breaking and Entering: 2200 block of Kenmore; Monday, the victim and her daughter were home at approximately 7 a.m. when the daughter left to go to school. An unknown suspect entered the residence through an unlocked door. The victim was upstairs when the suspect entered the residence. When the victim came downstairs she saw the suspect. The victim began screaming, got into a physical altercation with the suspect, bit the suspect, at which time the suspect ran out of the house. The victim could not advise if the suspect had a vehicle or left on foot. The suspect is described as a white male, 5-10, thin build, wearing a dark jacket and hat.

This is a reminder that we live in a big city. Like birds on a lawn, we need to keep one eye out for the cats. We have to be ever vigilant, for ourselves and our neighbors.

Elizabeth church picks Elizabeth pastor

Looks like Elizabethan John Cleghorn's commute will be a little shorter now. Cleghorn is giving up the gilded halls of Bank of America downtown for the pastor's office at Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church -- in our 'hood, 'natch. Congratulations, John.

New organ for St. John's

Elizabeth is home to a honking new organ at St. John's Baptist Church. The Observer covered it over the weekend, but our friends at underoak broke the story Jan. 13.

Elizabeth graffiti

With big city status comes big city problems. Latest case in point: A few vandals have been busy tagging walls around Elizabeth lately, including Snoops (above), Cooking Uptown, Dollar General and Family Dollar on Central. If you see someone spray-painting someone else's property call the police.

Fire on Bay Street

The duplex often referred to as the adobe house on Bay between Hawthorne and Lamar caught fire on Friday. I don't have any details. If you do, please share them.

Atlanta developer buys block of 7th

The Charlotte Business Journal reports that Winter Properties of Atlanta has spent $4.6 million and three years assembling a collection of buildings between 7th Street and Weddington, but won't say what its plans are for the site. CBJ says Winter is known for developing urban condo and apartment projects and converted the Highland Mill in NoDa into apartments.

Crane rises over Elizabeth

The construction continues on the apartment complex on Hawthorne next to Independence.

So long, tacky Santa

You might call it tacky. We certainly did -- and other things -- before we owned it. When we first saw the three-foot plastic, glowing Santa at a relative's house in Atlanta several years ago we mostly laughed at it. Who would put such a thing in front of their house?

But time passes, the relative passed away and somehow the tacky Santa came home to Charlotte with us. If we own it, we should display it I thought, and so up it went with the rest of the Christmas lights. This was tacky Santa’s third Christmas on our porch. Also, the last.

I’m not sure if the person who took Santa from our porch wanted to make a cultural statement or if he thought tacky Santa was valuable or what (I have a hard time identifying with people who steal things off porches, so it’s hard to say). He certainly creeped us out. He also made a martyr out of tacky Santa, and reminded us how incredibly tacky some people can be.

140 apartments on 7th

A packed crowd at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church heard Chris Branch of the Boulevard Company and Tony Miller of Miller Architecture deliver preliminary details of the planned development on 7th Street for the Roy White properties tonight. The highlights:

• 140 one- and two-bedroom apartments.
• 4 and one-third stories.
• About 5,000 square feet of commercial space.
• Between one and two parking spaces per bedroom.
• No parking visible from the street.
• No plans yet for the properties across 7th Street.

After the Branch/Miller presentation and some Q&A, they left and an open discussion started. Afterward we were to vote on whether we supported the project. I had to leave early, and I wasn't clear on what exactly we were supposed to vote on. I hope someone can fill me in. Branch said that their contract required them to submit their rezoning request by tomorrow. But the details we got tonight were too sparse, I think, for us to tell whether we favor the project or what conditions we might seek to impose. Clearly there will be further steps in this process.

My initial thoughts on the proposal was that it's a good start. The drawings looked handsome, and I like hidden parking. But 5,000 square feet of retail seems kind of small. I know the deed restrictions on most of the property require residential use, but I wonder if there isn't a way to get a little more retail at street level. Also, the size of the thing dwarfs the homes that border it, including the house at the corner of Clement and 7th and the houses on Clement and 8th streets. That's really huge for the people that live there. And 140 apartments? That seems like a lot.

What do you think?

Party time

Boulevard meeting site changed

Dana Inge writes:

The Boulevard Company will be making a presentation to the ECA at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 regarding their proposal for their 7th Street properties. At the present time, we know that they will present their proposal for the Krug Properties (Philosopher Stone to former Violin Shop), but they also have the Roy White properties under contract and they may address their plans for those parcels as well.

Due to the larger group attending, we are changing our meeting location this month to Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, 501 Hawthorne Lane, in the Joy Outlook classroom on the second floor of the educational wing (signs will direct you from the parking lot).

The Boulevard Company will be applying for a rezoning of the properties and the ECA will be writing a letter to City Council either in support or opposition, depending upon how the ECA members vote once the Boulevard Company has made all of their presentations to the ECA. We expect that this will be the first meeting where they present their intent for the properties. After the presentation and the Boulevard Company has left the meeting, we will discuss and vote on what the ECA will provide the Boulevard Company with respect to whether the community can support the proposed zoning change, what we would support, etc. The Boulevard Company would then have another presentation(s) to the Board at another board meeting(s) which would be more detailed plans of their proposed development. We will have a vote after each meeting on what we will convey to the developer in terms of support, opposition and direction of what we would support if such is different from what the developer presents at the meeting.

We need everyone's participation at this meeting and we need everyone to get the word out in the community about this meeting. This is likely to be a sizable development and one which will have a long term impact on the residents of Elizabeth. All Elizabeth residents are invited and all ECA members present at the meeting will have a vote on how we will respond to this proposed rezoning.

Worm catchers

Kara Gooding writes:

Due to the overwhelming demand for more tree banding supplies as well as concerns about common areas in Elizabeth, the ECA will sponsor a tree band volunteer day on Sunday, Dec. 2, from 11-5 in upper Independence Park.

On this day, the ECA will be distributing supplies for banding the park trees, any un-banded city trees or trees on rental property. So take note of any area in our neighborhood, especially on your street or on your block that is not banded. Get a group of neighbors, come get some supplies, and lets band these overlooked trees to make sure Elizabeth is 100% banded.

The one you've been waiting for

What will happen to the Roy White property on 7th Street? What will happen to the properties assembled by David Krug across the street? Find out Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. when Chris Branch of the Boulevard Company makes a presentation to the Elizabeth Community Association at the Hawthorne Rec Center. Boulevard has apparently either acquired or is in the process of acquiring both sets of properties, and will be seeking rezoning from the city. They'll want to get input from the ECA first. The meeting Dec. 11 will be the first steps in that process.

Boulevard did the Laurel Ridge development at Randolph and Laurel. You may recall they originally sought a rezoning that would have allowed more units on that site. The city, after consulting with the ECA, denied the rezoning request for higher density.

I don't think I can overstate the importance of the 7th Street projects to the neighborhood. If you live in Elizabeth or if you just occasionally drive on 7th, you have a stake in the results. Come to the meeting and let your voice be heard.

Neighborhood "improvement"

This is probably unfair criticism, but here goes: Does anyone think a fenced-in gravel lot is an improvement over a restaurant? For this they tore down the Athens?

Farewell pumpkin wall

The 2007 Pumpkin Wall has come and gone with little fanfare from UtWT. My apologies to all involved for neglecting the wall and the service of the dedicated carvers who had to brave the few days of rain we've had in the last few months to scoop and cut. Nice job to the Woodpeckers and all who took part. This is what the wall looked like on Halloween night.

Plenty of free parking

No one hates to pay for parking more than I do. But sometimes I wonder if we only encourage our dependence on the automobile (and therefore foreign oil) by offering plenty of free parking everywhere. I thought of this today while wondering what on earth the developers of the nearby Home Depot/Target project were thinking when they put the parking garage out front and the stores behind it. Were they afraid people wouldn't find the garage if they hid it behind the store where it belongs? Home Depot and Target stores aren't known for their tremendous curb appeal, but anything would be better than a parking garage -- even if this one is better than average -- and having the store at the front might encourage walk-ups.

Contrast that Midtown development with the construction on the Central Avenue side of the Hawthorne Lane bridge. I guess the huge concrete monolith is a parking garage, and by all appearances the condominiums will be wrapped around it. Result: We'll see the places where people live, not the places where cars live. Doesn't that make sense?

Come 'n' carve

Certainly you've noticed that the Woodpeckers have erected the Pumpkin Wall again. Just in time for the rains, I might add. Perhaps you've also seen the invitation:

Join us on Clement Street, between 8th and 10th Streets
Nightly pumpkin carving parties start Wednesday October 24
(Or carve and bring your own pumpkins)
Official Pumpkin Wall lighting at dusk Saturday October 27
Bring your trick-or-treaters on Halloween!
Be on the lookout for the documentary "The Great Pumpkin Wall"

Yo Joe

As readers of UtWT comments know, quirky grocer Trader Joe's is coming to the Metropolitan development in Midtown. What does that mean for Grubb's Elizabeth Avenue project? Does the nearby presence of Target, Home Depot and Trader Joe's mean lesser tenants for us? Metropolitan has a jump on Elizabeth Avenue, and it appears Grubb is having trouble luring big names. But does a dominant Metropolitan hurt Elizabeth Avenue's chances? I don't necessarily think so, although it does seem to imply that Grubb needs to get busy. There's still lots of buying power around here and the area is under-served from a retail standpoint. Let's see what happens.

OMG! Target! OMG!

Mysterious red balls in a parking garage on the edge of our 'hood? Could it be? It is! Target is open! I can confirm because my family's pocketbook is nearly $200 lighter today after being taken in by the shiny merchandise and the friendly employees at the store above the Home Depot, which doesn't appear to be ready for customers yet. I know a lot of people have been waiting a long time for this type of retail within walking distance. Who among us will be the first to get on a first-name basis with the clerks?

We'll get sprayed

Our neighborhood will be part of a $2.8 million campaign by the city to eradicate the cankerworm. As part of the effort, Elizabeth will be sprayed next spring, the first treetop spraying since 1998. You're probably thinking, "Hey -- that means I don't have to band my trees!" Wrong. You still have to band. Get busy.

Boundary change dead

The Observer is reporting in its print edition (but apparently not online) that the Eastover school boundary change is dead.

Will we get sprayed?

Charlotte city arborist Don McSween will ask the City Council tomorrow for $2.8 million to spray parts of the city -- including Elizabeth -- to control cankerworms, the Observer reports. We should know by Oct. 8 if he gets the dough. No matter what happens, you still have to band your trees. As Dana Inge writes:

Every fall our mature tree canopy is threatened by the cankerworm bug. This year, the ECA will be selling the necessary tree banding supplies for $1.00 a foot to combat the cankerworm. The cost covers batting material, roofing paper, tanglefoot, gloves, plastic spreaders and staples and/or plastic wrap. Neighbors are strongly encouraged to order enough supplies to account for banding not only their own trees, but any trees whose canopies touch the trees on their property. Residents can then pick up their supplies on October 27th in Independence Park, from 8:00AM-4:00PM near the rose garden. Additionally block captains will serve as more local points of contacts for their respective zones throughout Elizabeth. To order supplies, email trees4elizabeth@gmail.com and indicate:
• Your name
• Address
• Phone number
• The number of feet of supplies that you require.
(Please note the ECA is not profiting in any way from the sale of these materials. The ECA tree banding materials are being sold at or below cost to Elizabeth residents in an effort to encourage participation.)

Good start at Crisp

After a long wait, Crisp is finally open in the old Corner Deli spot at the corner of 7th and Pecan. Jerry, the owner, said they opened Wednesday, and at least for a short time will be serving only lunch stuff, the sandwiches and salads on the menu boards -- even if they're open during dinner time. Folks who work there say they're pleased with business so far, and expect more when they get a beer and wine license and add some dinner items, like pastas and pizzas. ETA on the beer/wince license wasn't certain, but could be next week. Table service is coming too.

The decor and ambiance of the place is a huge improvement over at least the last two occupants of that site. It has a trim, urban feel. Sandwiches come on fresh-baked bread and my salad came with fresh-baked breadsticks. I had the steak salad (can't remember the name now), a marinated hunk of tri-tip steak cooked to order and placed on top of a bed of greens. It was great. My family had sandwiches. With chips and drinks the bill came to $40, which isn't bad for four people. We'll be going back.

Vote for overcrowding

I went to the Eastover/Cotswold school boundary meeting Monday night at Eastover. A few hundred people crowded into the auditorium to listen to CMS talk about the two proposals. I have two observations.

First, I thought CMS did a terrible job presenting the proposals, explaining why it had come to this and what brought us here. They never stated why this particular area was chosen over others, although if you look at the map it's pretty obvious. The data they provided was difficult to interpret and incomplete at best. The moderator frequently failed to answer plainly stated questions. I am a huge supporter of CMS. But this meeting was a good example of why they have an image problem.

Second, it seemed to me the vast majority of people there were taking a strong stand in favor of overcrowding. No, of course they didn't put it that way. But when all the emotion and rhetoric is removed, their basic plan was to do nothing. Many said they wanted to let the situation "auto-correct." While that would certainly minimize the pain of the people living in the affected area, it does nothing to minimize the pain of the people who believe the situation now is intolerable and bound to get worse. I wish I believed the situation would auto-correct itself.

Peachy market

Possibly the best peach I've had this summer was bought at the Charlotte Tailgate Farmer's Market on Commonwealth. Large and juicy, it peeled easily and tasted of sweetness and sunshine. I may head over there on Tuesday to see if they have any more left.

Did you hear it?

Did you hear the big boom this afternoon? I didn't. In a link that's sure to be gone in a day or so, the Observer reports: "Workers trying to excavate 8,000-gallon underground tanks from beneath an abandoned gas station inadvertently sparked a flash fire this afternoon that shut down an intersection and alarmed residents but seriously hurt no one. It happened at about 3:30 p.m. at Hawthorne and Elizabeth lanes in the Elizabeth neighborhood, just across the street from the main entrance to Presbyterian Hospital." I think we were very lucky no one was hurt.

Numbers at Eastover

Those of you who noticed the figures in the Observer's story on attendance changes at CMS and my recent post may be wondering what's up with the numbers. The Observer says Eastover "has nearly 450 kids in a school built for 410." I say 541 kids in a school built for 430. Who's right?

Numbers are funny things. They can change. They can be interpreted. How many kids can a school hold? That depends. I used a number that Eastover Principal Vanessa Ashford and CMS Area Superintendent Joel Ritchie seem to agree on, 430. But I've got no real argument with the Observer's number.

I do take issue with the 450 number. Ashford says as of today there are 533 kids enrolled, down from the 541 two weeks ago.

Strike up the banding

Cooler weather means time to band your trees to stop the spread of that hateful cankerworm. I can hear you now: Do I have to? The answer is yes. And the Elizabeth Community Association is making it easy for you, selling everything you need for $1 a foot. Email trees4elizabeth@gmail.com with your name, address, phone number and the number of feet of banding stuff you need. (Measure the circumference of the trees at about chest-height.)
And tree banding experts will be on hand at the annual ECA dinner on Sept. 25.

Elizabeth community annual dinner

Don't forget the annual Elizabeth community dinner Sept. 25th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Always a great time to meet neighbors and politicians and get an accounting of what's going on -- and ask questions from the movers and shakers. The ECA provides a main course and drinks. You provide a covered dish. We eat, we talk, we learn. What could be better?

He's everywhere

Suddenly Elizabeth celebrity chef David Pasternack is everywhere. Hear him on NPR. See him in the Observer. Read his book. And you can eat his food at Customshop, where he is consulting chef.

School boundary hearing

CMS will hold two meetings to discuss the redrawing of attendance lines for Eastover and Cotswold elementary schools. The first will be Sept. 24 at Eastover, the second Oct. 1 at Cotswold. My understanding is about 40 kids would be moved (PDF) from Eastover to Cotswold, a small start but nowhere near a solution to the overcrowding at Eastover.

So let me see if I get this right: We won't solve the problem, but at least we'll make some people mad. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out right before the bond vote. The big problem appears to be that all the elementary schools in the zone except Eastover and Cotswold are magnets. Is this really a good idea?

No matter where one stands on the overcrowding issue -- and it's not just Eastover -- it's clear the bonds need to be passed. Voting against the bonds will only guarantee that we have more problems like this. Unfortunately, passing the bonds in no way guarantees we won't have these problems.

Conformity on Commonwealth

Now is your chance to speak your mind on what should happen to the vacant lot at the corner of Pecan and Commonwealth. Elizabeth's Conformity Corp., headed by resident Monte Ritchey, owns the property. Ritchey told the Observer he plans to do some market research to find out what residents and business owners want to see there. There was a push recently to turn the lot into a park, but I'm not sure what happened to that effort. While a park would be nice, it seems unlikely at this point. What's the best use for that land? Let Conformity know: 704-334-5516.

Desegregation at Central

There was no spitting or taunting on the first day of the 1957 school year at Elizabeth's Central High School as its first black student walked to class. The principal made sure of it. You can learn more about the student and the principal and the role a neighborhood high school played in desegregating Charlotte's public schools in the Observer's story.

Save Volare?

Egads. Volare owner chef-owner Fabio Salazar says his business is down since he moved to Elizabeth from Myers Park. "I don't have much time to hang out over here," Salazar told the Observer, adding that he could call it quits in Elizabeth by the end of the year. Do we want to lose such a great restaurant? I wouldn't think so. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't eaten at Volare since the move, so I can't say if they've lost a step. But I can say they were great on Providence.

Latest restaurant rumor

The latest rumor is that the planned Mexican restaurant in the old Arrow cleaner's spot between Roy White Flowers and Sub Station is dead. Instead it will be a beer, burgers and billiards concept. A thought from an anonymous observer: Don't we have enough beer and burger spots nearby? I might have to agree with that. But let's see how it turns out.

Your big chance

Maya Packard needs help. One of the homes in the Home Tour has dropped out. Don't you want to help? Maya writes:

I have just heard from our Homes Tour coordinator that one of our houses has just dropped out, only five weeks before the tour. I know that it is a lot to ask, but we really need to have that slot filled in order to have the tour this year! This event raises about $7,000 for our neighborhood every year, which we really need to do all the things we do. We NEED the Homes Tour! You may not think your home is tour-worthy, but you might be surprised. Some people go on the tour to see lovely decor, some go to see a new addition or remodel, some go because they are just curious to see how other people live, or what is behind those walls they walk by day after day. Having had my house on the tour last year myself, I will admit that it is not easy to prepare for it, but it isn't as bad as you might think, and it is excellent motivation to give (or hire someone to give) your house that deep cleaning you keep meaning to get around to, and to finish up those little projects that have been hanging over your head. If there is any way you would consider opening your home on the weekend of Oct 13 & 14, or even if you just want to know what is involved, please, please email or call me at 704-334-2196.

I hope you'll consider helping.

Goodbye Independence

I've been meaning to mention how Independence Boulevard is slowly retreating from our daily lives in Elizabeth. (Would that it never entered!) Back in 1946 the city decided to cleave some decent neighborhoods with the abomination that would become Independence Boulevard. Many years later the ungainly behemoth was turned into a limited access freeway, more useful for Union County residents than those who live and suffer next to it. We were left with a relatively useless section of divided highway between 7th Street and downtown, kind of an impotent reminder of poor decisions of the past. But no more. In June, our slice of Independence history was quietly renamed Charlottetowne Avenue. I say good riddance.

Over crowding at Eastover

Those of you with school-aged children know that Elizabeth is in the Eastover Elementary school attendance zone for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. We're lucky. It's a very good school. So good in fact, everyone wants to go there.

Right now 541 kids are enrolled at Eastover, in a school that's built to house about 430. There's a waiting list of 92. One third-grade class has 34 kids in it. There are 367 kids who live in the Eastover zone that attend other CMS schools. The projections for coming years show more, not fewer, children coming.

CMS policy is a school must accommodate children who live in the attendance zone. That means when a child shows up, the principal has to find a place for him or her. No matter how many hims or hers there are. CMS also has a fairly strict sibling policy, meaning if one kid gets in all the rest do too.

If you've driven by Eastover, you'll notice one thing that separates it from other schools, even other inner-city schools. It's wedged in. There's no room to add more classrooms. There's no room to even add trailers.

What is the solution? You can't tell parents who live in the Eastover zone they can't come. You can't build more space at the school. You can't go on housing 541 kids in a school build for 100 less than that, although that's exactly what will happen this year.

What about next year, when the problem will be worse? The only apparent solution is to change the attendance zone. Carve off bits and pieces and send those kids elsewhere. You can imagine how upsetting this will be to a lot of people.

Look for meetings in September to discuss changes to the attendance zone (click on "Locate your child's school," enter your address, click submit, click Go and click on "View attendance zone" under Eastover). How will it affect Elizabeth?

Mark at Customshop

If you're heading over to Customshop on Elizabeth, see if you can get Mark as your server. We did recently and had a blast. Mark and his wife are expecting their first baby in a few months, and he is just as happy as he can be about it while still exhibiting the appropriate amount of fear and uncertainty. Do your best to reassure him and enjoy your meal.

We certainly did ours, and ran into some friends who were return customers and raved about the place. Over on Chowhound, not so much. Here's my take on the criticism: When one of your owners writes a cookbook, the expectations are high. People want to be wowed by celebrity chefs. But I think Customshop is all about simplicity. Their site says they serve food "with the freshest quality ingredients and the simplest preparation." High expectations, celebrity chefs -- simple preparation. Uh oh. I would tend to agree that the prices lean toward the higher end -- especially the wine list -- but they're not out of line.

My wife Lolo and I both had fish. I had tuna, she had snapper. Both were simple and done to perfection. The presentation was elegant, yet -- surprise -- simple. A chocolate tort for desert was to die for. Mark's service was impeccable. Check it out for yourself and decide.

Can't be good for business

Winn Maddrey and his family enjoyed dinner at the new Intermezzo restaurant at Central and Louise the other night, but when they returned to their car they found the front passenger window smashed and Winn's briefcase gone. In it, among other things, was his laptop. On the laptop were a bunch of family photos. He said he's got copies of most of the photos elsewhere, but not all. And insurance is covering the monetary side of his loss. But, really, this can't be good for a new business to have that kind of crime outside its doors in broad daylight.

Bird's eye view

Over at UrbanPlanet, dubone has created some wonderful maps that give a bird's eye view of development projects around the city. Of special note, of course, are those in Elizabeth. Nice work dubone.

No comment from Fresh Market

The official word from the Fresh Market's PR people on a store in Elizabeth is: "no comment at this time." If anyone hears anything please let me know.

Ellizabeth Avenue at CPCC

By now most of us have gotten used to Elizabeth Avenue being closed between Kings and Charlottetown. The Observer reports it will open in time for the start of the fall term at CPCC, but don't get used to it. A construction project that's expected to take 18 months will close the street again in October. If this stretch of Elizabeth wasn't needed as a third way into and out of downtown, I'd say why not just close it permanently. But it's really useful when 7th and 3rd/4th get congested, even if traffic moves slowly on it.

How hot was it?

Wednesday was the second day in a row of plus-100 degree temperatures at our house. Hot enough to fry an egg on the street? Well, actually, no. Our children Anne, 10, and Alan, 12, put the lie to the myth by cracking this egg on the manhole cover on Bay Street between Clement and Lamar and letting it sit for an hour. If you like your eggs really runny, this one might be done enough for you. Otherwise I recommend Shomars or John's Country Kitchen. (Photo by Anne McBride)

Best of Charlotte in Elizabeth

A number of Elizabeth establishments made Creative Loafing's Best Of Charlotte 2007 list. Among them Hawthorne's New York Pizza and Bar was named best late night restaurant by the critics and Visualite was named best concert venue [small]. Visart Video was mentioned as having the best video/DVD rental selection. Although they aren't strictly in Elizabeth, the Penguin, Thomas Street Tavern and Elizabeth Billiards also received raves.

So far-o, Solero

Great reviews continue to pour in for Solero, in the old Ethan's/Pearl spot on Caswell. I was there with friends recently, and I can tell you the owner is very gracious and accommodating. We had only appetizers, so I can't speak about the dinner menu. The high-profile location deserves a signature restaurant we can be proud of, as Ethan's was. I'll be going back to see if it makes it.

Pressures in Commonwealth-Morningside

Our neighbor Commonwealth-Morningside is seeing big changes, none more so than the development of Morningside Village. They're also seeing the pressures renovations can bring to a neighborhood. "People are buying the old, little bungalows and putting up these 3,800-square-foot homes that aren't in keeping with the neighborhood," said Krista Murphy. So, wisely, the neighborhood association held a meeting, bringing builders, architects and neighbors together to talk about renovations. The association has no power to stop people from doing what they want. But better to be proactive than reactive. While we watch how things play out in Commonwealth-Morningside, we probably want to continue to pursue our own Small Area Plan. Will it make everyone happy? Probably not. But if we don't get everyone together to talk about what we want our neighborhood to be, we won't know what makes people happy until after they become unhappy.

Fresh Market instead of Whole Foods?

Rumor has it that Whole Foods is out and Fresh Market perhaps is in for the Grubb Properties grocery store in the Elizabeth development. Anyone know anything more?

First stops

What does it mean that, after a week of vacation out west, our first stop when we got back in town (after the gas station, which doesn't count because the tank was on E) was VisArt Video and our second stop was Hawthorne's New York Pizza and Bar? I don't know. But I think we're happy to be home.