ECA 4-16

ECA Officers

ECA Board Members

Paul Shipley President 704 651 5897 Kenmore Avenue paul.d.shipley@gmail.com

Lauren Briggs At-Large 847 530 9419 East Eighth Street lwendorf@gmail.com

Jerry Tylman Vice President 704 953 0626 Kenmore Avenue jerrytyleman@icloud.com

Beth Haenni Past President 704 562 5152 Greenway Avenue beth.haenni@gmail.com

● Secretary position vacant

Laina Kafiti Social Chair 216 577 7232 East Fifth Street lkafiti@cchrealtors.com

Ladd Van Devender Treasurer 704 641 0480 Kenmore Avenue ladd.vandevender@gmail.com

ECA Special Projects Cory Arnwine Business Liaison 404 729 8823 Craftsman Lane carnwine@gmail.com Susan Green Newsletter Editorial Assistant and Proofreader 704 806 0568 East Fifth Street Susangreen8@gmail.com

● Home Tour

position vacant

Ken Magas Website 704 877 7151 East Fifth Street ken@kenmagas.com Officer David Padgett CMPD Response Area Coordinator dpadgett@cmpd.org Robert Zabel Elizabeth 8K Road Race Chair 917 873 8028 Pecan Avenue nycrcz@yahoo.com

Kristan Magas Park & Recreation Liaison 704 488 0051 East Fifth Street kdm2201@gmail.com John F. McBride Newsletter Editor 704 375 8977 East Eighth Street john.f.mcb@gmail.com Claire M. Short Communications 813 326 3223 Greenway Avenue claire.m.short@gmail.com Ric Solow Beautification & Trees 704 906 1967 East Fifth Street ric@solowdesigngroup.com Kris Solow Art Committee and Membership 704 806 4456 East Fifth Street ksolow@carolina.rr.com

● Zoning and

Real Estate Committee position vacant

M VOLUNTEER M

2

elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com THE PEOPLE PAGES

ECA calendar DECEMBER 3

ECA holiday party From 6 to 10 p.m. at the home of Elizabeth and Winn Maddrey, 425 Clement Avenue. Please bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share.

Please indicate your dish and RSVP to elizabethparty@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 8

ECA board meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m., Studio K Gallery 2024 East Seventh Street All are invited.

JANUARY 5

ECA board meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m., Studio K Gallery 2024 East. Seventh Street All are invited.

FEBRUARY 2

ECA board meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m., Studio K Gallery 2024 East Seventh Street All are invited.

FEBRUARY 5

Deadline for spring 2017 ECA newsletter Have a story or photo idea or event? Like to advertise in the ECA newsletter? Email John McBride at john.f.mcb@gmail.com now.

The spring 2017 issue will be delivered on or about March 1.

MARCH 25

Elizabeth 8K Road Race Register now for the 31st running of Charlotte’s oldest road race.

Nancy O. Albert (Oakland Avenue) is a former editor of the ECA newsletter.

John McBride (East Eighth Street) is the newsletter editor.

Cory Arnwine (Ridgeway Avenue) is the newsletter advertising czar.

Jenna MacFarlane (East Eighth Street) is a longtime Elizabeth resident, student of sustainability, designer and teacher.

Byron Baldwin (Lamar Avenue) is a photographer.

Hardin Minor (Clement Avenue) is a born entertainer.

Jim Belvin (Clement Avenue) heads the ECA Zoning and Real Estate Committee.

Juliann Sheldon is a public and community relations specialist for the Charlotte Area Transit System.

Susan Green (East 5th Street) is the copyeditor for the ECA newsletter.

Newsletter designer Little Shiva (former Charlottean) thinks grassroots publishing is super fun. Yay team!

RECYCLING TIP

Mecklenburg County is encouraging residents to take clean, dry plastic film packaging, bags and more to local grocery stores and large retailers for recycling.

Items that are accepted are: bubble wrap, air pillows, bathroom tissue wrap, paper towel wrap, food store bags, dry cleaning bags, produce bags, case wraps (like bottled water cases), newspaper bags, diaper wraps, grocery bags and bread bags.

Not accepted: candy bar wrappers, chip bags, six-pack rings or degradable bags.

—Kris Solow

Kris Solow (East Fifth Street) is in charge of membership for the ECA. Robert Zabel (Pecan Avenue) organizes the Elizabeth 8K Road Race.

This could be you!

To contribute a little of your time and talent to the ECA newsletter, write to john.f.mcb@ gmail.com

contributors

You can’t say Elizabeth doesn’t take Halloween seriously. Between the Pumpkin Wall and Trunk or Treat (both sponsored by the ECA) and the Rosemont Manor haunted house on East 5th Street, Halloween was clearly a big deal in the neighborhood. It was also fun for the pigs at Grateful Grower’s farm in Denver, NC (above), who enjoyed noshing on our post-party pumpkins.

(Photo by Hardin Minor.) ● On the cover: Just in time for Halloween, a mysterious creature with a serious eyebrow landed on the dramatic new entrance to Independence Park’s Rose Garden.

Read about the griffin’s journey elsewhere in this issue.

(Photo by John McBride.) ● Back cover: The Pumpkin Wall lighting party was Oct. 30 at Hardin and Linda Minor’s house on Clement Avenue. (Photo by Kris Solow.)

The Minors and the ECA would like to thank all volunteers that made the setup and take-down of the Pumpkin Wall possible, including but not limited to: Nathan Gaddy, Spencer Stickell, Byron Baldwin, Alan Harms, John Short, Tachi Dellinger and Mike Watson.

THE PEOPLE PAGES

3

In the past few months we’ve become aware of plans to replace the existing American Legion Memorial Stadium with a new stadium.

Due to concerns expressed by neighborhood leaders, including the Historic Elizabeth Neighborhood Foundation (HENF), Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation held a public meeting for the Elizabeth neighborhood on October 20 to present the proposed plans.

Director Jim Garges led the presentation to approximately 25 neighbors at St. John’s Baptist Church.

The proposal provides a home for the Charlotte Independence soccer team and the Charlotte Hounds lacrosse team. As in the past, it will also provide a site

4

THE PEOPLE PAGES

for other events such as youth, high school and college soccer, lacrosse, football, field hockey, rugby and concerts and festivals.

Currently the stadium seats 16,000-17,000, but the proposed stadium will seat 10,870. The projected budget is approximately $25 million, and costs will be split three ways between City of Charlotte/ Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Mecklenburg County and the Queen City Soccer Club.

Each will provide about $8.3 million. The county would retain ownership.

piece because the field needs to be widened.

Other details: — As part of the stadium design process, a new master plan will be created for Independence Park. Though the master plan is appreciated, attendees at the meeting were concerned that, while significant taxpayer dollars are proposed for the stadium, none are proposed for other park improvements, including much-needed deferred maintenance.

— The connection through the stadium site from Independence Park to the Sugar Creek Greenway will be maintained and enhanced.

— Public restrooms will be built as part of the stadium, and would be open for use by the public and users of the greenway connection.

— Under the new plan, the low stone wall in the existing stadium wall would be preserved, but would be rebuilt piece-by-

Many may not realize that Memorial Stadium is part of Independence Park, Charlotte’s first public park. The park was designed and built in 1905-1906 after community leaders lobbied for its creation, expressing the opinion that all “cities of consequence” have such public spaces. The site was chosen because it was served by two trolley lines and was already owned by the city.

Elizabeth neighborhood leaders have requested a traffic and parking study be performed.

Others in the neighborhood have expressed a desire for improvements on the section of Charlottetown Avenue from 7th Street to Elizabeth Avenue.

The city and county must both approve the project and obtain funding before the formal design process begins.

Construction could begin as early as spring of 2018, with the first game in the spring of 2019.

Park designer John Nolen studied at Harvard under Fredrick Law Olmsted, the famed creator of New York’s Central park. Nolen skipped his final exams to travel to Charlotte and create what would be the first commission of his famed career.

He would later return to design the Myers Park neighborhood.

He also proposed a greenway for Sugar Creek.

Initially, the site of Memorial Stadium was a grass field near

photos: John McBride

Proposed plans would modernize historic American Legion Memorial Stadium

by Jim Belvin

the end of the park, ringed by forty trees cut down, a beautiful a simple stone wall and grassed natural amphitheater turned slopes but with no built-in seating. into a concrete bowl surrounded by a high fence – to say nothing In 1935, during the Great of the attendant noise and dust.”

Depression, President Franklin But the proposal succeeded Roosevelt lobbied Congress and construction started in to create the Works Progress January, 1936. The stadium Administration (WPA) as a opened in September, and vehicle to provide jobs for Roosevelt attended the ceremony. millions of the unemployed. City Independence Park’s history and leaders, eager to take advantage existence, including the Memorial of the available funding, Stadium site, have long been approached the WPA with a intertwined with the vitality of the proposal for a concrete stadium Elizabeth neighborhood, and any in Independence Park. changes should be of interest and Even back then the concern to us all. proposal for a new stadium stirred controversy in the Online survey shows neighborhood, leading one strong support for neighbor to exclaim, “I am a Memorial Stadium lover of beauty… I object to proposal having a beautiful thirty or

by John McBride In early October, the Elizabeth Community Association conducted a short online survey about plans for updating Memorial Stadium.

The survey was open Oct. 5 through Oct. 12, and attracted 138 responses. It was not meant to be a scientific survey, but rather a quick way to get some feedback from residents on the proposal while recognizing that many of the details are yet to come. More than three-quarters of respondents said they supported the proposal while about 6% opposed.

About 40% believed the stadium is adequately prepared to accommodate the parking and traffic the changes would

bring; 30% were neutral and 28% said unprepared. More than half of all respondents said the impact on Independence Park would be positive, while 27.5% were neutral and 16.5% saw the impact as negative.

The survey offered ample opportunity to leave comments and many respondents did so.

Here’s a random sampling: “If done right this could be great for the city and our neighborhood.”

“In our experience, public funding of sports venues has placed an unfair longterm burden on taxpayers.”

“Not a good venue for parking that many cars. Suggest Eastland Mall as a perfect site for what they want.”

“It’s not clear how this will affect Independence Park, on which the stadium sits. Losing more park land is not an option and if this does that I will strongly oppose.”

“The historic features of the property must be preserved to garner my support.”

“I think public transit and the streetcar in particular need to be central to the stadium renovations.”

“I don’t think the city is concerned about finding a solution for parking and will just assume that between the trolley, existing parking, ridesharing apps, cabs and buses that people will figure it out.

Very short-sighted.”

THE PEOPLE PAGES

5

“I’m sure there’ll be a time or two that I get annoyed by traffic. That’s life. The world doesn’t revolve around me, unfortunately, and I shouldn’t keep those 8,000 people from enjoying a soccer game because I waited until I ran out of toilet paper to make a trip to Target.”

“Just because things are historic doesn’t mean they are attractive. I think they could let that rock wall go.”

“Having a good long-term plan for the stadium seems like it would benefit the park…

I think the park matters more than the stadium.”

“The goal for this stadium should be to create a ‘Wrigleyville’-type atmosphere in the area around the stadium that emphasizes public transit and before and after game patronization of businesses in the area. Additionally the stadium should not block the view of uptown from the park and the wall along the field must be preserved.”

“I’m very hopeful the ECA recognizes the positive impact this would be for the area.

Memorial Stadium impacts CPCC, but not really residential Elizabeth. The plans are solid and the ECA should allow this without much – if any – say.”

“Spending $15 million to $17 million in taxpayer funds to reduce maximum seating capacity and then spend more to restore the lost capacity seems odd.”

“Don’t game the analysis.

6

THE PEOPLE PAGES

The stadium needs a long-term plan and a good one will help everyone. Underestimating impact or cost is a disservice to everyone.”

“Would be great if the plans could include a track around the field that would be open to the public. Would also love to be able to run the stadium stairs as a workout.”

“I agree the stadium needs a facelift, but until NC and Charlotte Jerry Tylman cease to endure the continual Vice President exodus of athletic games being played here, we shouldn’t be Q: What do you do for a living? spending any more money…”

A: I’m the co-founder of Greenway Solutions. We’re a Three Elizabeth residents 15-person consulting firm that elected to fill key roles on works with banks in the areas of the ECA board digital product design, customer

by John McBride security and predictive analytics.

Elizabeth residents elected three new members to the Elizabeth Community Association Board at the annual meeting at St. John’s Baptist Church on September 27: — Jerry Tylman, of Kenmore Avenue, was elected vice president/president elect.

— Laina Kafiti, of East 5th Street, was elected social chair.

— Lauren Briggs of East 8th Street was elected at-large.

We asked each of the new board members to take a few moments out of their busy volunteer schedules to answer a couple of questions to help their neighbors get to know them better. Here are their responses.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: I play tennis, golf, watch college volleyball and work in the creek area behind our house on Kenmore Avenue.

Q: Tell us about your family.

A: My wife, Elaine Scott, is an active gardener – we’re the house on Kenmore with all of the flowers in the front yard.

Our daughter Katie is a Myers Park graduate and attends High Point University on a volleyball scholarship. Our son Ben is a senior at Myers Park and a member of the Myers Park golf team. My oldest son Joseph lives in Phoenix, AZ and is in charge of fundraising for the Arizona Democratic Party.

Q: How long have you lived in Elizabeth?

A: Since 1994. We lived on Greenway Avenue until 2006 and then moved to Kenmore.

Q: From where did you move?

A: We moved down from Washington, DC. Over my life I’ve lived in San Francisco (where I met Elaine), Columbus OH, Flint, MI, Phoenix, AZ, Janesville, WI and Erie, PA. Q: Why Elizabeth?

A: It reminded us of the neighborhood we moved from in Washington (Adams Morgan) and we like being close to downtown and to other neardowntown neighborhoods. Also, I grew up in the ‘burbs and could never do that again. We wanted Katie and Ben to experience greater diversity growing up.

Q: How did you come to volunteer for the ECA? A: Beth Haenni and Paul Shipley caught me in a transitional period. I had just finished a five-year stint on another board (Olde Providence Racquet Club) and was looking for something new.

Q: What do you think are the three most important issues facing Elizabeth today?

A: The first is continued community engagement and volunteerism. The Elizabeth 8K Road Race, the Pumpkin Wall, the progressive dinner and the holiday party are amazing events. It would also be great to restart the Elizabeth Home Tour

and to have 500 paying ECA members. Our volunteer core is strong and well established, but we need to continue to expand and grow. The second is the development of the 7th Street corridor. I have a dream that someday 7th Street will have a similar look, feel and vibrancy as Dilworth’s East Boulevard. The third is that our neighborhood remains a safe, welcoming and diverse place to live with a great mix of housing and walkable amenities.

Q: Favorite Elizabeth moment?

A: I’m a huge fan of the Elizabeth 8K and getting to see the Big E Elvis each spring.

My daughter Katie and I have run it every year for the past 10 years. Beating my neighbor Suzy Niemann last year by two seconds with a huge kick at the finish line was a big race highlight (at least for me!).

A: I’ve been married for 16 years to Salim (Sal) Kafiti, with two daughters, Sophia, 14, and Ava, 12.

Q: How long have you lived in Elizabeth?

A: Five years.

Q: From where did you move?

A: Rocky River, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

Q: Why Elizabeth?

A: We were drawn to the beauty of the older homes, mature tree canopy and all the amenities of an urban setting.

Q: How did you come to volunteer for the ECA? A: After seeing the request for help by my friend and neighbor Suzanne Henry I decided it was time for me to step up and get more involved in the community.

Q: One thing you wish everyone knew about you: A: I’m Penn State proud!

I graduated from PSU in 1985.

Laina Kafiti Social Chair Q: What do you do for a living?

A: I’m a residential real estate broker.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: I practice yoga, reiki, meditation, enjoy the arts, read and travel.

Q: Tell us about your family.

Q: What do you think are the three most important issues facing Elizabeth today?

A: 1. Navigating the growth and development of the neighborhood in a wise and THE PEOPLE PAGES

7

modern way while preserving the rich traditions of the community.

2. Maintaining a safe environment for our residents in the midst of growth and development. It brings me great joy to live in a place where my children ride bikes or walk to local shops and restaurants unsupervised because I am confident they could find help quickly if ever needed.

more specifics with those new, at home genetic tracing kits!

Lauren Briggs At-Large Q: What do you do for a living?

A: I am currently a stay-athome mom with a degree in audiology.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: I am a big time foodie 3. Determining how Elizabeth and love checking out the can be part of healing the new restaurants, cocktail bars discord in our city and nation. and wine bars in and around Charlotte. I also love cooking Q: Favorite Elizabeth moment? and finding new recipes for A: A few days after moving clean, healthy meals! I enjoy into our home on East 5th being active, going to the gym, Street, we stopped at a lemonade walking around the city, and stand a few blocks up the street. finding new activities and We had the pleasure of meeting adventures for our family to the unofficial social chair of explore in the Carolinas.

Elizabeth, Maya (formerly Q: Tell us about your family.

Packard) Myers and her beautiful children, who quickly A: I have two active boys, wrapped us in neighborhood who are 3 and 1. They keep warmth and cheer. I hope to me on my toes and smiling. continue that tradition as the My husband is a native of the social chair of the ECA. Charlotte area and a vascular Q: One thing you wish everyone surgeon with Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute at Carolinas knew about you: Medical Center. We fell in love A: I’m asked often about in St. Louis in 2007 and have my name, since it is a bit of a had many adventures together tongue twister and unusual. in Boston, Chicago and now My parents were fans of the Charlotte. musician Donovan (of “Mellow Q: How long have you lived Yellow” fame) and named me in Elizabeth? after one of his songs, although it had a different spelling. It has A: One year. nothing to do with my ethnicity, Q: From where did you move? which many people assume. I’m A: We lived in the Lincoln mostly Irish with some Syrian, Park neighborhood in Chicago. although I am itching to learn 8

THE PEOPLE PAGES

Q: Why Elizabeth?

A: I wanted to live in a neighborhood that was urban and walkable with older homes that have character, as well as an active, progressive community.

Elizabeth fit what were looking for perfectly! We could not be happier with our decision to buy our first home here!

Q: How did you come to volunteer for the ECA? A: When we moved here last year, I knew I wanted to become involved in the community and put down strong roots here.

I volunteered to help for some social events, like the Holiday Party and Pumpkin Wall. I have enjoyed and really appreciated all the ECA events I have attended and people I have met over this past year. In addition, the dedication and enthusiasm that Paul Shipley has for the neighborhood made me want to be more involved this year.

There was an open position on the board so I volunteered!

Q: What do you think are the three most important issues facing Elizabeth today?

A: I would say the biggest issue is preserving Elizabeth’s character and history in the face of new development and expansion. Second is maintaining the active Elizabeth community that we have now.

To continue the events that make our community so special we need new volunteers and new members to help keep our traditions alive. Third is continuing and encouraging growth for restaurants and retail within our community. This makes our community more walkable and desirable.

architecture, Portillos hotdogs, the lake, the restaurants, the energy, the people – even the negative 50-degree weather and mountains of snow. I have been surprised by how many people I have met in Charlotte that have lived in Chicago at some point in their lives and sharing stories with them is the best. If you ever see me at an event I could talk about Chicago all night!

The Rose Garden griffin’s journey: part 1

by Nancy O. Albert

When Kris Solow and I co-chaired the Elizabeth A: I loved my first progressive Community Association Art dinner this past year. I was Committee, I mentioned to able to see all my current her that there was a wonderful friends in the neighborhood, brownstone carved relief of meet others who are newer a winged creature lying on to the neighborhood and the ground outside the Foard residents who have lived in Construction Company on the neighborhood for 20-plus Pecan Avenue. years. It was the people that A few years back while walking made the night so memorable. with Terry Lett, I had discovered Everyone was so real, genuine, it, mostly hidden from sight by interesting and fun. I knew that trash barrels and construction night that we had moved to the materials.

It was a large, heavy best neighborhood in Charlotte! relief of a griffin eating a bunch It made me look forward to our of grapes.

I thought it must future years in this community. have been part of a fine ornate Q: One thing you wish everyone building. Kris and I set up a knew about you: meeting with Andrew Foard to find out more about this A: I love living in Charlotte, mysterious piece. but Chicago will always have my heart. Born and raised in He told us his crew had found Chicago, you can say I have a it while clearing rubble from a love affair with my hometown. demolition site on Bland Street The skyline, the playpen in the South End. They had no (the party spot for boaters), idea where it had originally the neighborhoods, the come from. But he said the Q: Favorite Elizabeth moment?

Foards would give the piece to the ECA if we could find a place for it and that they would even move it – but only once!

A few years passed while we explored many options in an effort to find it a permanent home. In the meantime, I tried to research where it came from. Charlotte historian Tom Hanchett could think of no city building grand enough to have featured such a carving.

I talked to the librarians at the Robinson-Spangler North Carolina Room at the Main branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, but the research turned up no images or references to anything like it.

One of the librarians, Jane Johnson, thought it might have been a prototype or sample from a commissioned monument that was either broken during construction or rejected for some other reason.

She remembered that there once was a stonemason who carved monuments for Elmwood Cemetery and that he had his studio somewhere on South Boulevard, which is near Bland Street. Fascinating clues, but nothing definitive.

The griffin’s journey: part 2

by Kris Solow Since there’s not much city property in Elizabeth, we started thinking about county property for the project, specifically narrowing our vision to THE PEOPLE PAGES

9

Independence Park. When we learned that the Rose Garden was to be renovated by Solow Design, we approached Ric Solow and asked if he could incorporate the griffin in the design.

Ric felt that children might enjoy the textured feel of the griffin, so he added it to a wall so that they could run their hands along it as they walked along the new sidewalk to the park.

On September 28, our vision got closer to reality when the griffin was moved from the Foard Construction Company parking lot to the park, readying it for the stonemasons to set it in the wall. Having never seen anything like it before, the masons were totally enthralled with its beauty and unique character, taking extreme care and caution moving it as they gently rested it on a flat bed for transport.

Streetcar extension construction to begin in January

by Juliann Sheldon In July 2015, streetcar service returned to the Elizabeth community for the first time since the 1930s with the opening of Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) CityLYNX Gold Line.

Three stops were constructed in Elizabeth, one at Central Piedmont Community College, a second on Elizabeth Avenue just before Hawthorne Lane and a third at Hawthorne Lane and 5th Street.

This January, CATS will begin construction on Phase 2 of the CityLYNX Gold Line project.

This project will include two new stops in Elizabeth, one at Hawthorne and 8th St.t and one at Hawthorne and Sunnyside Ave. With an expected opening in 2020, the project will also include reconstruction of the Hawthorne Bridge over Independence Boulevard, which is essential for the bridge to accommodate the streetcar’s weight, tracks and overhead catenary system poles for electric power.

When Phase 2 is done, the system will be four miles long. The

Andrew Foard agreed to move the griffin to Independence Park.

10

THE PEOPLE PAGES

photo: Nancy O. Albert

The griffin is now regally placed for all to see and admire.

A park dedication party will be planned for this spring. Stay tuned for details!

current system will extend west two miles from the Charlotte Transportation Center to French Street, and east onehalf mile to Sunnyside Avenue.

Phase two will add 11 additional stops, including the two in Elizabeth, and will use modern streetcars. The cost of Phase 2 is $150 million.

Like Phase 1, art will be incorporated in each of the stops through the CATS “Art-InTransit” program. Amy Cheng of New Paltz, NY will create art for the two new stops in Phase 2. She will also design the interiors of the new modern streetcar.

streetcar ride from Sunnyside Avenue in Elizabeth to French Street in Charlotte’s west side.

To stay informed on this project, visit ridetransit.org. For questions or comments, please email CityLYNXGoldLine@ charlottenc.gov.

Park Drive between Hawthorne and 5th no longer one-way

by John McBride

A two-way traffic sign has been put up at 5th and Park by Caldwell Presbyterian Church.

buses and cars dropping off and picking up students at Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School.

griffin photo: Kris Solow / sign photo: John McBride

After about 12 years of being one-way, the section of Park Drive between Hawthorne and Fifth again allows two-way traffic. School traffic was again the main consideration for the change The street was made one-way Once Phase 2 is complete, the prior to the beginning of this Gold Line will provide a seamless in 1994 to improve safety for school year.

Ric Solow inspects the placement of the griffin.

THE PEOPLE PAGES

11

Phase 2 of the Charlotte Area Transit System’s CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar project will extend the streetcar down Hawthorne Lane. At some point during that project, Park Drive at Hawthorne will be closed while work proceeds.

Cars will use the back parking lot on Park Drive. CharlotteMecklenburg Schools and Charlotte Department of Transportation officials encourage parents to enter and exit Park Drive from 5th Street since this will be the only access available when the HawthornePark intersection is closed.

CATS officials say Phase 2 of the streetcar project will begin in January, 2017. However, CDOT officials say utility relocations have already started along the corridor including Duke Energy, AT&T, Piedmont Natural Gas and Charlotte Water.

ECA, Elizabeth 8K honored at TreesCharlotte event

by Robert Zabel

The Honorary Garden at Freedom Park features a gingko as its centerpiece.

12

THE PEOPLE PAGES

On Oct. 20 TreesCharlotte held an event to unveil the Honorary Garden at Freedom Park, which celebrates Charlotte’s tree canopy and recognizes TreesCharlotte’s major donors – among them the Elizabeth 8K Road Race and the Elizabeth

CATS image courtesy of Charlotte Area Transit System / park photo: Kris Solow

A digital rendering of what the Hawthorne Lane Bridge will look like after Phase 2 of the CATS CityLYNX Gold Line is complete.

Bridge reconstruction is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

The new traffic pattern has buses picking up and dropping off on 5th Street in front of the school.

Afternoon buses will stage on Travis Avenue.

Community Association (ECA).

I had the pleasure, along with Kris and Ric Solow, of attending this magnificent event.

For many years, the ECA has committed funds from the Elizabeth 8K to subsidize the purchase of trees for Elizabeth residents to help restore our canopy. As the race grew in size, stature and significance in Charlotte, we looked for ways to expand the impact the race could make in protecting, restoring and replenishing the tree canopies beyond just our neighborhood.

In 2013, the Elizabeth 8K partnered with TreesCharlotte, which is a nonprofit collaboration of public and private partners dedicated to achieving 50% tree canopy coverage in Charlotte by 2050.

shaped seating area with a gingko tree as its centerpiece.

An extraordinary urban tree, the gingko is known for its display of rich, golden leaves in the fall and its long life.

Pavers are fashioned in circles surrounding the tree, symbolizing tree rings.

The names of donors contributing $5,000 or more are displayed on leaves as part of artistic trees in the garden.

Park and Rec reroute bike Route 9 through greenway

by John McBride

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation recently installed signs for Charlotte bicycle Route 9 along the Little Sugar Since then, the ECA, on behalf of Creek Greenway and Memorial the Elizabeth 8K, has donated a Stadium. portion of the race proceeds to The updated route for 9 takes TreesCharlotte. cyclists off Elizabeth Avenue, which saves them the agony of This past spring, we worked navigating streetcar tracks. in collaboration with TreesCharlotte and the Chantilly The change became possible and Grier Heights neighborhood after the Charlottetown Avenue associations to host a “Neighbor- underpass reopened and the woods Tree Store.” We also path from the underpass on the hosted a mini-tree store at the soccer field side up to Park Drive Elizabeth 8K race. Combined, was finished. nearly 300 free trees were given Charlotte Department of away. It’s because of this strong partnership that TreesCharlotte Transportation officials say the greenway route will recognized and included both eventually become the only the Elizabeth 8K and the ECA route for Route 9, but for now in the Honorary Garden at both the Elizabeth/Torrence Freedom Park. route and the greenway route will have signs.

The garden features a circular-

Bike Route 9 runs from Kings Drive to McAlpine Creek Greenway.

ECA membership: At $20, it’s a quite a bargain

by Kris Solow Elizabeth is a great place to live with its unique homes, beautiful stately trees, good restaurants within walking distance and, most importantly, its wonderful residents. Because of the many activities organized by the ECA each year, we all have the opportunity to meet new friends from throughout the neighborhood.

These events include the Elizabeth 8K Road Race (coming up on March 25), the Progressive Dinner, Elizabeth Recycles Day, the Easter Egg Hunt, the annual meeting and covered dish dinner, the Holiday Party (coming up Dec. 3), the Pumpkin Wall and Trunk or Treat. These events are THE PEOPLE PAGES

13

Arianna Halsema carved a pumpkin as a demented doctor at the ECA Pumpkin Wall carving party October 30.

organized by volunteers and paid for by the ECA. Did you know that you can get an ECA membership?

What is that, you ask? Well, other than volunteering, your membership dues are a great way to contribute to these events and ensure they continue for everyone’s enjoyment.

We’ll be looking for you at upcoming events and you can also send a check anytime to: Elizabeth Community Association 401 Hawthorne Lane Suite 100, Box #198 Charlotte, NC 28204 Get your decals by contacting me at kjsolow@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support!

14

THE PEOPLE PAGES

photo: Kris Solow

Besides events, your membership dues help with the beautification of our neighborhood’s common areas, maintenance for the trolley path, tree replacement and our awesome ECA newsletter and website. For a nominal $20 annual fee per household ($10 for 65 and older) or business, you get so much bang for your buck! And you will receive a membership decal for your house and an “ELIZ” decal or magnet for your car! How cool is that? Extra car decals/magnets are $5 each.

photo: Byron Baldwin

Neighbors Mike Watson (left), Ann Depta and Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts enjoy the festivities at Hoodstock 2016, Clement Avenue’s second annual fall block party on Oct. 22. The event featured live music by Lucinda Lucas and the Grey Brewster Trio as well as barbecue and a bouncy house.

THE PEOPLE PAGES

15

Two-story duplex planned for vacant lot at Louise and 7th

by Jim Belvin

Ground broken on Beaumont Avenue apartments project

by Kris Solow

Grandfather Homes has broken ground on the Towers at Mattie Rose on Beaumont Avenue, off East 7th Street. The project will consist of 18 “duets” and “triets,” duplexes and triplexes ranging from 2,450 to 2,800 square feet and pricing from $659,000 to $749,000.

Recently, the property was purchased by Banister Homes, There will be a private drive Inc. They have cleared the lot off Beaumont called a “woonerf,” and set out stakes in anticipation a traffic calming concept from of a construction start. the Netherlands, consisting of permeable pavers emphasizing According to Kathy Spence of that the drive is a shared space, Banister Homes, a two-story encouraging slow traffic. duplex will be built, with the owners of Banister Homes Animals, owners blessed occupying one side of the duplex, at Hawthorne Lane UMC and the possibility that the other

by Carolyn and Bill Horton side will be rented out to clients in need of temporary housing Dogs! Cats! Even stuffed while their homes are being built animals!

All came to the or remodeled.

“Blessing of the Animals” at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church on Oct. 2.

Pastor Tom Steagald and associate pastor Sarah Davis led the gathering of the animals and their “people” with scripture, words of thanksgiving and prayers for God’s creatures.

Each animal and its owner received a personal blessing from the pastors. As members of the church and the Elizabeth community shared pet stories and their love for God’s creatures, Davis invited those attending to enjoy refreshments.

You may have noticed changes to the vacant lot at the corner of 7th and Louise. This property has sat vacant for a few years since the previous property owners bulldozed the original home that occupied the land.

16

THE PEOPLE PAGES

The Youth of Hawthorne Lane UMC took up donations of pet food, treats and leashes for delivery to the Humane Society of Charlotte. The annual event happens each October and all community pets (and their owners) are invited.

CPCC realizes cost savings from energy sustainability

by Jenna MacFarlane The first person to hold the job of energy and sustainability director at Central Piedmont Community College did the job so well she didn’t last.

Pamela Metcalf was the first to hold the position, but now works for Mecklenburg County as its sustainability director.

Now her former supervisor Vicki Saville, is looking for her replacement. When I went to visit Saville, associate vice president for facilities and construction at the CPCC Central campus, she vigorously beckoned me into her office where she sat with assistant Maria Harrell. They were poring over an impressive list of goals, and I was there to talk about the search for a new energy and sustainability director.

Saville explained that one of the key aspects of the job is economics. College operating costs have doubled in the last decade but county and state funding has remained stable – leaving the administration with a widening gap. Sustainability

projects help close that gap.

The job description includes managing the college’s consumption and allocation of energy, maintaining and initiating programs, addressing issues and coordinating activities. The next director will continue to manage the college’s energy use by helping steer projects toward maximum energy efficiency.

photos: Kris Solow

Back in 2011, the Charlotte Clean and Green festival, a twotime event held on the CPCC Central campus, had failed. Six months later CPCC hired their first energy and sustainability director in Metcalf.

Associate pastor Sarah Davis with Franklin, a Havanese, “Pam had the engineering and owner Bridget Conrad. and architectural background and could speak the lingo of Nowadays, with the majority construction and design,” Saville – Converting 18,000 light of colleges having sustainability said. “She was a dynamo and had fixtures from 32 to 28 watts. the ability to do it all.

– Diverting 59 tons of paper and divisions, (including UNC Charlotte and Johnson C. 35 tons of food waste from the “We’re looking for someone Smith), CPCC’s award-winning landfill. who can stay on the path efforts stand out in the crowd.

[Metcalf created], meet the – Scheduling classes for CPCC has been recognized as requirements of the position maximum building capacity. a Mecklenburg County “Wipe and connect the design and – Installing solar street lights Out Waste Ambassador,” has construction processes.” and charging stations at Central won Charlotte Chamber’s When I first met Metcalf, campus.

Wells Fargo Green Award and she showed me a list of tasks.

– Placing recycling bins in every two consecutive Community Items such as swapping out Sustainability Awards from classroom and office. light fixtures, installing low– Sustain Charlotte. flow plumbing and creating The results would make any compost collection were windmill spin to life. According to checked off. Others such as “The job here is to the NC Dept. of Environment and student education, greenhouse Natural Resources, the changes teach… Educate students on gas carbon footprint and donor- have yielded a 20% reduction in conservation practices as we funded solar panels remained energy use. Needless to say, the endeavor to make the campuses undone. measures have also translated to welcoming, safe and wella significant cost avoidance for designed environments for all,” Other completed projects the college.

Saville said. included: THE PEOPLE PAGES

17

18

THE PEOPLE PAGES

THE BUSINESS SECTION

19

20

THE BUSINESS SECTION

ADVERTISE WITH US

CONTACT

The Elizabeth Community Association newsletter is hand delivered to residents, businesses and organizations around the historic Elizabeth Community. Advertising with us is a great way to promote your business.

Cory Arnwine, ECA newsletter advertising czar carnwine@gmail.com John McBride, ECA newsletter editor john.f.mcb@gmail.com

AD SIZES AND RATES

Little Shiva, ECA newsletter designer shivita@mac.com Biz card: 3.205” wide by 1.8065” tall (641 x 361 pixels) $40 per issue or 4 for $140 Quarter page: 3.205” wide by 3.715” tall (641 x 743 pixels) $80 per issue or 4 for $280 Half horizontal: 6.53” wide by 3.715” tall (1306 x 743 pixels) $160 per issue or 4 for $560 Half vertical: 3.205” wide by 7.53” tall (641 x 1506 pixels) $160 per issue or 4 for $560

OTHER DETAILS

Full page: 6.53” wide by 7.53” tall (1306 x 1506 pixels) $320 per issue or 4 for $1120 Prepare ad as a black and white jpg or pdf at 200 dpi.

Keep important type at least 1/8” to 1/4” in from the edge to allow for the standard 4 point black border.

Email to shivita@mac.com, john.f.mcb@gmail.com and carnwine@gmail.com.

DEADLINES

Please indicate size and frequency with which you’d like to advertise.

SUBMIT ADS AND CONTENT BY THESE DATES: February 5 for the March 1 Spring issue May 5 for the June 1 Summer issue August 5 for the September 1 Fall issue November 5 for the December 1 Winter issue

THE BUSINESS SECTION

21

22

THE BUSINESS SECTION

THE BUSINESS SECTION

23

24

THE BUSINESS SECTION

THE BUSINESS SECTION

25

26

THE BUSINESS SECTION

THE BUSINESS SECTION

27