Charlotte Center City History







	Center City Planning History 1800's - 1900's 1960's A number of plans have been developed for Charlotte’s Center City over the past 30 years, progressively guiding the area’s growth and development. In 1966, Odell and Associates prepared the Greater Charlotte Central Area Plan. This was the first plan to identify specific needs in the central business district. It defined a series of simple concepts such as the need for a convention center and wide, attractive streets to make the area accessible from all directions. 1970's

The next major planning initiative took place in 1971 when consultants Ponte-Travers-Wolf prepared the Central Area Development Guidelines. Building on the basic concepts of the earlier plan, these guidelines gave shape to the urban vision for the Center City which has evolved to date. It recommended such concepts as concentrating development in a compact center, diversifying activities, creating attractive gateways, such as North Tryon Street, and establishing pedestrian and parking systems

1980's

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In 1980, RTKL prepared the Charlotte Center City Area Plan. This plan devoted great attention to the design and development of North Tryon Street; acceleration of growth and revitalization in First Ward and along Trade Street; and shifting development to South Tryon Street and fringe areas north and south of the core. Specific urban design guidelines were provided, out of which came the construction of the transit mall for North Tryon Street, a major streetscape and transportation improvement project. In addition, the Uptown Mixed Use Development (UMUD) ordinance was created as an outgrowth of this plan.

1990's

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The last major planning initiative undertaken for the Center City—-The Center City Charlotte Urban Design Plan—was completed in 1990 by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission. The development vision advanced in this plan emphasized for the first time, the notion of a compact core coupled with the importance of development beyond the I-277 loop and linking surrounding neighborhoods with the core. In the plan, specific planning districts for areas such as First Ward were identified along with design principles and policies for each and an action plan for implementation. An update of some of the development policies included in this plan was completed in 1996.

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In addition to the above, several studies have been completed in recent years for specific locations or projects such as First Ward, Third Ward and Marshall Park. All the work completed to date is currently being reviewed and taken into consideration by Cooper Carry, the consultant selected to produce the Center City 2010 Plan.