Charlotte’s North End is now the latest Corridor of Opportunity with what’s called a playbook. It’s meant to help steer investment and growth in one of the city’s fastest-changing areas. The playbook is the result of a lot of community feedback, an examination of past efforts and distilling of priorities.
Monica Holmes oversees the city’s Corridors of Opportunity initiative, which aims to ensure long-neglected areas along six thoroughfares thrive. She says North End residents made it clear they need help staying in their neighborhoods as rent and property taxes rise with all the new investments.
“People really want tools to preserve the heritage of their neighborhood, to preserve some of the character and to provide a framework of how they can stay in their neighborhoods and continue to grow wealth and prosper,” Holmes said.
The city already has programs that provide down-payment assistance for homebuyers and rehabilitating houses. The playbook calls on expanding and publicizing them. Another goal is also to lure new employers to the area who will hire people from surrounding neighborhoods like Greenville and Double Oaks.
The Lynx light rail runs on the eastern edge of the North End, but a railyard and big streets make it hard to reach. The plan calls for creating mobility hubs — and infrastructure to make it safer to walk and bike.
The North End has a handful of large properties like Dillehay Courts owned by Inlivian and the Double Oaks school that are awaiting development. The playbook suggests “reimagining” them with partners to complement the neighborhoods.
The city is accepting comments on the playbook through Friday, before finalizing it.
