Uptown Charlotte is finding new life. What could take it from good to great? | Opinion
Uptown Charlotte is “back.” Just a few years after North Carolina cities missed out on hosting two consecutive NCAA tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, March Madness has returned to Charlotte, breathing further life into a city that is always hoping to find more of it.
Smiling faces sporting their favorite team’s gear poured off of the light rail near the Spectrum Center just ahead of noon tip-off on Thursday. TV cameras sought out fans wearing the flashiest ensembles. It felt like a holiday, or a celebration of sorts — to be sure, this particular Thursday in March is considered a sacred day by many. The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority expects more than 40,000 people to attend the tournament in Charlotte.
Three years ago, Uptown looked very different. Any momentum that Uptown had amassed was slowed considerably by the pandemic, prompting people to describe it as a “ghost town.” But things are improving: The number of visitors into Uptown is up 107% over three years, according to data provided by Charlotte Center City Partners.
There’s once again a lunch rush at places like Rhino Market on weekday afternoons. On Friday and Saturday nights, you’ll see people walking about on their way to grab dinner or see a show. Events like the NCAA tournament and the upcoming Lovin’ Life Music Fest help tourism and hospitality thrive, as do big names like Beyoncé and Lionel Messi when they stop through for a show or a match. In some ways, Charlotte may be exceeding where it was pre-pandemic: Direct visitor spending from major events was higher than 2023 than in 2018, for example.
The surroundings are changing, too: New spots are filling in alongside mainstays like Mert’s Heart & Soul and Mimosa Grill. A new food hall, Monarch Market, opened last year at Trade and Tryon streets, and work has begun to renovate the former Epicentre into a new mixed-use development called Queen City Quarter.
There’s no doubt that Uptown Charlotte has a lot to offer, particularly in the realm of sports, business and entertainment. It’s already cemented itself as the financial and economic center of Charlotte. But it does feel like there’s a few pieces that have yet to come into place — pieces that would take it from good to great.
In the interest of finding out exactly what those missing pieces are, I asked people on X/Twitter what (if anything) they feel Uptown still needs. My post received more than 100 responses, and I received a few direct messages as well.
Here were some of the most common answers:
Retail. Lots of people said there is a lack of overall shopping options, particularly street-level retail and corner stores. People mentioned everything from popular brand stores to small businesses and supermarkets. While Charlotte often compares itself to peer cities like Nashville, Atlanta and Austin, several people said they wished Charlotte was more like Greenville, where they can spend hours walking, shopping and eating through downtown.
Longer hours. Several people complained about businesses and restaurants closing too early.
More parks, or some kind of public square. Also, a water feature. There was a lot of talk about walkability and pedestrian-only streets, too.
Attractions such as an aquarium, museums and more family-friendly entertainment.
Safety. Recent events like shootings and stabbings seem to linger in the minds of Charlotte residents and affect their sense of security in Uptown.
That vision does seem to be shared by those tasked with helping Uptown Charlotte grow.
“We’ve been very interested in our center city becoming a more complete place — more balanced,” Michael Smith, president and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners, told me.
Smith noted that with Uptown reaching a state of stability after the pandemic, small businesses now have more certainty about the economy and their ability to thrive in the area, which can help drive further growth.
“It is the major employment center of the Carolinas,” Smith said. “But we also want it to be the premier destination, the premier neighborhood.”
And once we fill in those missing pieces, hopefully it can be.
This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
