Living Here Guide 2009
  • Print
  • Reprint or License
  • Share Share
Monday, Sep. 14, 2009

University City is a bustling, vibrant area

By Sonja Gantt - NewsChannel 36 Anchor
  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2009/08/26/15/201-LHuniversitycity09.ART_GHVM11A4.1+sonjagantt.JPG.embedded.prod_affiliate.138.jpg|421

    Gantt

  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2009/08/26/15/885-LHuniversitycity09.ART_GHVM11A4.1+uncc.JPG.embedded.prod_affiliate.138.jpg|216

    In the heart of University City, UNC Charlotte offers plenty of resources for families living in the area.

  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2009/08/26/15/685-LHuniversitycity09.ART_GHVM11A4.1+ikea2.JPG.embedded.prod_affiliate.138.jpg|496

    This adjustable height "Skruvsta" swivel chair is groovy, baby; $139 at Ikea. (Dallas Morning News/MCT)

  • Hot picks

    Mallard Creek Greenway: The tree-shaded paths connect many neighborhoods. On a nice day you'll find joggers, moms walking babies and families taking bike rides. We've ridden all the way from our neighborhood near Mallard Creek Road to the soccer fields on N.C. 29.

    Paventi's Pizzeria: Every neighborhood needs a great pizza place. It's a requirement when you have kids, right? Our family loves Paventi's Pizzeria, right next to Bloom off Harris. It's owned by two brothers and their wives. I hear they're from Syracuse and let me tell you, they know how to make pizza. I like a crust that's not too thin but not too thick. These guys have perfected it. 6434-D W. Sugar Creek Road, Charlotte. www.paventispizzeria.com.

    IKEA: I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I just recently dropped by the place that so many people have talked about. I'd never visited the store anywhere. The kids and I dropped in for lunch and a quick look through the aisles – that was a joke. I “quickly” realized this is a place where I could lose hours. 8300 IKEA Blvd., Charlotte.

    Why You'd Want to Live Here

    There's a great mix of natives and newcomers, young and old, and different ethnic groups.

With the exception of four years in Chicago, I've spent much of my adult life in University City. Soon after I got married 20 years ago, Mitch and I moved to a new development just a couple of miles north of UNC Charlotte. We were just the second house on the block and our “backyard” was a vacant field that was later transformed into what is now Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Our biggest complaint then was that there were so few places to eat out.

Things have certainly changed.

We chose University City because it seemed to be a growing and vibrant area – a perfect place to begin our new life together. We've remained here because we enjoy the people.

In the University area, there is no better place to work out in the area than the University City YMCA. You can find exercise machines anywhere, but I love this Y for the fellowship and friendliness of its members. Drop by Becky's Total Strength class on Monday mornings at 9:30 and no matter what your skill level, you'll get a great workout and a good laugh from the gentle ribbing we give each other.

It seems counterproductive to talk about my favorite bakery after talking about working out, but here goes.

If you need to order a specially decorated cake, you've got to know about Hansel and Gretel Bakery just off Harris Boulevard. Over the years I've bought many wedding and baby shower cakes there and have never been disappointed.

And you can't talk about this area without recognizing its namesake. UNCC is a tremendous resource that I think many residents, including me, don't fully utilize. One of things I appreciated most about my undergraduate years was the exposure to new and different ideas not just from my classmates but from the nationally recognized speakers that visited campus. I regret not always taking advantage of the opportunity then but am glad to live close enough to draw on the energy of the campus now.

Watch Sonja Gantt on NewsChannel 36 at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

Hide Comments

This affects comments on all stories.

Cancel OK

The Charlotte Observer welcomes your comments on news of the day. The more voices engaged in conversation, the better for us all, but do keep it civil. Please refrain from profanity, obscenity, spam, name-calling or attacking others for their views.   Read more

Disclaimer

The Charlotte Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.

Since charlotteobserver.com does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Charlotte Observer.

If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.