ECA 1-23 by Elizabeth Community

ECA Officers

West Bryant President 704 898 5044

Kenmore Avenue west.bryant@gmail.com

Evan Kettler

Vice President 704 577 4901 North Laurel Avenue evan.kettler@gmail.com

Sarah Crowder Secretary 704 502 7866

Greenway Avenue sarahcr@bellsouth.net

Danielle Kleinrichert Treasurer

704 804 1509 Pecan Avenue danielle@neatbooks.co

Paul Shipley

Past President 704 651 5897

Kenmore Avenue paul.d.shipley@gmail.com

ECA Board Members

Isabelle Cosgriff

At-large

919 623 7855

North Dotger Avenue isabellecosgriff@gmail.com

Eric Davis Transportation Chair 704 776 3013

Greenway Avenue ericadavis0123@gmail.com

Lauren Gomez Membership Chair 704 728 2066 East 5th Street laurenmcjo@gmail.com

Teddy Koch

At-large 336 830 0425 Greenway Avenue teddykoch@gmail.com

John F. McBride Newsletter

980 254 7367 East Eighth Street john.f.mcb@gmail.com

Nikki Moore

Social Chair 704 576 6474

Kenmore Avenue nikki.s.moore@gmail.com

Debbie Rubenstein Communications 704 998 9579 East Fifth Street debbie@flynnonline.com

Elaine Scott Beautification and Trees 704 905 7352 Kenmore Avenue elainekscott@icloud.com

Robert Zabel Elizabeth 8K Road Race Chair 917 873 8028

Pecan Avenue nycrcz@yahoo.com

Officer Jim Gilliland CMPD neighborhood community coordinator 704 336 2878 james.gilliland@cmpd.org

Egg Hunt!

M M

VOLUNTEER elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com

The ECA Newsletter

The ECA newsletter is published quarterly (March, June, September and December) and delivered to homes and businesses in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte. The production team:

John McBride editor

Robb Beatty advertising czar

Jeremy Deese circulation czar

Susan Green editorial assistant and proofreader Little Shiva designer

The UPS Store printer

The Elizabeth Egg Hunt will take place on Saturday, April8 outside of Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, 501 Hawthorne Lane. Bring your basket and join the Easter bunny and neighborhood families for a fun-filled hunt from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Park Reopening!

Independence Park is projected to reopen this spring. Stay tuned for details on a reopening celebration!

Want to help?

Interested in volunteering for the Egg Hunt and/or an Independence Park reopening event? Please contact ECA’s social chair Nikki Moore at nikki.s.moore@gmail.com.

On the cover

Demolition on the buildings in the 1800 block of East 7th Street began in February. Centrum Realty & Development has filed a rezoning petition for the five parcels they purchased. Cover photo by John McBride

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Kelly Breen Boyce Greenway Avenue kellybreen@ hotmail.com

Nikki Moore Kenmore Avenue nikki.s.moore@ gmail.com

West Bryant East Fifth Street west.bryant@ gmail.com

Jim Morrill Kenmore Avenue jmorrill634@ gmail.com

Eric Davis Greenway Avenue ericadavis0123@ gmail.com

Lauren Gomez East 5th Street laurenmcjo@ gmail.com

Beth Haenni Greenway Avenue beth.haenni@ gmail.com

Evan Kettler Laurel Avenue evan.kettler@ gmail.com

Craig Miller Louise Avenue craigmmiller@ hotmail.com

Hardin Minor Clement Avenue hardinminor@att.net

Kris Solow East Fifth Street kjsolow@gmail.com Ric Solow East Fifth Street ric@ solowdesigngroup.com

Lois Stickell Lamar Avenue sstickell@hotmail.com

James Webb East 5th Street james.lucius.webb@ gmail.com

Chuck Wicker Clement Avenue chuck@ churchinteriors.com

Robert Zabel Pecan Avenue nycrcz@yahoo.com

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contributors

From the president: How I came to my decision on LHD by

West Bryant

I was recently reminded of an email I sent years ago to the neighborhood where I detailed my experience with cutting the cord (for TV). It always amazes me that people still remember this email, but it is still the most common thing that comes up when I meet long-time neighbors for the first time.

I thought I might take the same approach with another complex topic: Local Historic District (LHD). To set some context, I was a member of the ECA Board in 2021, and we were asked by a group of neighbors to divert funding, endorsement and time toward the effort to make Elizabeth an LHD. Like many of you, I knew that LHD was a thing, but not many details beyond that. As a member of the ECA Board, it was my duty to do my best to understand not only the details of LHD, but also what the impact would mean to Elizabeth and its residents. This is what I learned and how I learned it.

From the start of the yearslong process, I wanted to consider the request from these neighbors as a member of the board, not as an individual. I set out to understand whether or not LHD would address the issues of concern for the group of supporters and what the

impact would be for everyone in Elizabeth. If it did solve some of the issues, what would it cost the neighborhood in the long term in time, money and opportunity?

In 2021, the ECA hosted a pivotal meeting with LHD supporters, the ECA board and city experts. Kristi Harpst joined us as an expert from the Historic District Commission (HDC). In that meeting, LHD supporters detailed issues they were hoping to address. The answer, paraphrased for brevity, revolved concerns with: Density (of housing), assemblages of properties (a person or entity buying multiple contiguous properties), teardown of single family homes (historic multi-family units and commercial structures were not mentioned) and scale and design of preferences.

Kristi spent a good deal of time helping all of us review each of these goals and how LHD would or would not address them. She explained that LHD did not directly impact density, nor did it prevent assemblages of properties. LHD temporarily prevents tear-downs of historic structures including single family homes, but only for one year per state law. The main thing LHD does is enforce a set of guidelines for the appearance, scale and architectural rhythm of a given area. Even though only one of the four goals would be addressed by LHD, I still needed to learn more.

I reviewed the historic district design standards, which are available on the HDC website. This is a 148 page document that provides an overview of standards that dictate how the HDC regulates LHD. The HDC is made up of individuals that are appointed by the City Council or the mayor, all serving three year terms. By becoming an LHD, property owners within the district are required to obtain a certificate of appropriateness (COA) from the HDC for most changes to the exterior of all properties in the district, whether the property is historic or not.

I started to encounter red flags pretty quickly at this point.

Red flag No. 1: I was immediately surprised by the level of bureaucratic control inherent in the system. For example, a COA is required to cut down even a small or dead tree in your own yard and you might also be required to plant a new one in its place using an HDC approved tree species. Common improvements like screening a porch, pouring a new driveway, modernizing your windows and changing roofing materials all require a COA. The HDC can force you to change minor details of your project based on their view of what fits, all the way down to things like the width of your fence slats. Many applicants need to hire professionals to shepherd them through the process. The

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delays and costs would impact every homeowner’s life.

Red flag No. 2: There is an appeals process with required hearings. If that doesn’t resolve the issues, Kristi indicated the next step was to appeal via the court system. This would be a new risk for the community.

Was there an alternative that could potentially address the supporters’ goals and complement the work the ECA already does to encourage good development in Elizabeth? I learned about some. Individuals can use historic preservation easements to preserve historic structures in perpetuity. Land trusts were also an intriguing option, providing a method of direct control of preservation and development efforts of important parcels and structures.

Red flag No. 3: In our conversation with Kristi, it was also notable how many critical questions were essentially unanswerable. Could a modern house be built in a historic district? “It depends.” If I have already painted my brick and I add an addition could I paint the brick facade too? “It depends.” I respected these answers because they were honest. It truly does depend on what the HDC – an unelected group of individuals – determines to be appropriate. What is appropriate is a moving target, which could significantly frustrate Elizabeth residents.

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Mecklenburg County Park and Rec workers spent the early weeks of 2023 putting the finishing touches on the renovation of Independence Park. The Sifford Gardens memorial was relocated as part of the park update. It honors Ernest Sifford, who served on Park and Rec from 1949 to 1970. The county said work on the park should be done by late February or early March. Photo by John McBride

Red flag No. 4: Reading about the appeals process also made me wonder how LHD standards are policed. Violations can be submitted by any individual online anonymously. Further research revealed that it is a process that creates a risk of abuse. One infamous example of abuse in Raleigh came after a homeowner had obtained full approval for their new home to be built, only to be delayed in court for years because of a lone disgruntled neighbor.

Are there neighbors in Elizabeth that might do this?

Careful reading of articles in this newsletter have provided clues. One line written in the summer 2022 issue caught my attention: “Large and equally outof-scale homes have been built on Clement Avenue, Greenway Avenue, East 5th Street, Bay Street and others, viscerally impacting the pedestrian scale and charm of these streets and our collective sense of place.” The properties referenced in the statement above are homes built by neighbors in the hopes that they could be part of our wonderful community. It seems cruel to insult their choices about their own homes, but it

also highlights a risk of neighbors using LHD in a weaponized manner. It effectively creates an adversarial atmosphere that doesn’t exist in Elizabeth today, enabled by an easy-to-use online grievance form.

Red flag No. 5: When LHD supporters brought the issue before the community in the best open forum we had during the pandemic, the Elizabeth families email group, many expressed outright opposition to the idea. Even the most positive responses expressed a need to understand more about the situation. That is in part why I chose to write this column: To help others understand the details and impact on all of us.

When it came time to vote on the matter in fall 2021, I learned enough to make a sound decision based on how LHD would impact Elizabeth and my neighbors. I voted to discontinue the ECA’s work investigating and pursuing LHD, except in the circumstance where that was unanimous agreement among every property owner impacted.

LHD does not control density or developer acquisition of properties. Neither is LHD the only – or arguably even the best – way to preserve historic structures in our community. While I empathize with the concerns of those advocating for LHD, I could not in good conscience vote to impose such a burden on our neighbors who do not want it.

I hope that this helps highlight what I learned, and why I voted the way I did. I know there will continue to be those that still wish to purse LHD for as much of Elizabeth as possible despite pushback from many neighbors. At some point, the next step may include asking property owners for their signature of support for LHD. The people asking for this signature will be advocates for LHD, and so in order to get a full picture I recommend you conduct your own exploration before they arrive at your door so you too can make an informed decision.

In an effort to support this exploration, the ECA has provided the full video of the joint 2021 meeting on our YouTube channel. That meeting and the HDC design standards on the HDC website provide an overview level of information. To see how requests are handled by the HDC, I also recommend you review an HDC meeting (recorded and available on the HDC YouTube channel). The January meeting was six hours long. Listening to the commissioners talk with COA applicants really gives an idea of the level of work, preparation, details and uncertainty involved with the process.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at president@elizabethcommunity. com if you wish to share your thoughts.

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From the LUD chair: A perspective on property

and people

by Evan Kettler

These are interesting times in Elizabeth, in Charlotte and in cities everywhere. Let me lead off with some thoughts on old homes, new homes and growing cities. Elizabeth has many beautiful older homes; some of them closely resemble the original structure. Elizabeth also has some beautiful newer homes. Let’s concede that we also have some not so beautiful homes, some newer and some older. Some are single-family, some are not. Some are owner-occupied, some are not. Some are wellmaintained, some are not.

Almost all of these homes house people, some younger and some older. Some of these people are well-off financially, some are not. Some like older styles, some like newer styles. Some have lived here for many years, some are new to this community. Some like Elizabeth just the way it is, some long for change and new choices. These people – and others, with jobs and businesses and service providers in Elizabeth – are all part of our community.

My perspective is that people come before property. Our community is defined by people, not property. There is no seniority in people or property. Within the limits of behaviors and actions that don’t deny the

rights of others, people should get to decide what to do with the property they own. Through ordinances, statutes and other forms of governance, we have jointly established what the limits are, in order to provide for peaceful enjoyment and peaceful coexistence.

Everything changes. The new coexists with the old. What was new becomes old. Cities grow and change, for better and worse – it just depends on your perspective. We – the ECA, our land use and development team, you – can sometimes influence that change. When we do, I hope that we are always mindful of the many people that make up and will make up this community and how our influence may affect them, now and in the future.

Now, for a quick update:

By the time you read this, I’m hopeful that you have learned more about tenants planning to occupy Elizabeth on Seventh, at the corner of Caswell and 7th. As of this writing, we are aware of Rosemont Market and Wine Bar (from Red Mountain Management, the team behind The Crunkleton and Cheat’s) and Catalina Kitchen + Bar, a new concept from Mike Ditka’s restaurant group.

Keith Corporation has applied for an amendment to their previously approved rezoning petition, allowing for short-term overnight occupancy (beds) at the planned medical office

building between Fifth Street and Park Drive. Our land use and development team has advised them that we will not support this amendment as presently structured. Talks will continue. While we appreciate our institutional healthcare neighbors, we need to get a better understanding of the proposed uses and their long-term implications.

Centrum Realty & Development has filed a rezoning petition for the five parcels they purchased on the 1800 block of East 7th Street. Demolition is underway as I’m writing this in early February. Some of the architectural features, including windows, were salvaged before the buildings were razed. Thanks are due to Centrum for engaging their contractor to remove certain interior items and to the ECA volunteers who facilitated the salvage effort.

The rezoning petition is very general in nature and is as much a placeholder as anything else. With this filing, the developer will have the option of either working with the community on a conditional rezoning for a mixed-use project (MUDD, based on current ordinance) or building “by right” under the Uniform Development Ordinance, or UDO (taking effect on June 1, 2023). We continue to engage in conversations with Centrum and will be taking

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this opportunity to bring the community together for a conversation about this site and, more broadly, the impact of the UDO. Hopefully, that has already taken place by the time you read this.

Finally, the former Royal Gardens property still stands but the adjoining property has been condemned after it was severely damaged by fire on Thanksgiving Day. Those parcels will likely be redeveloped under the UDO. They will default to “CG-

Commercial” zoning under that ordinance and a wide variety of uses will be permitted “by right.”

That’s all for now. Thanks for taking the time to read through my musings as well as the news.

Hey Elizabeth, come out and enjoy your 8K

by Robert Zabel

As we gear up for the 37th running of the Elizabeth 8K Road Race, I want to invite you to become even more invested

in our community through this special event, and there are many ways in which to do so.

The most obvious choice is to run the 8K! Some of us often run through our streets, but there is definitely something to be said about racing through them on foot. The price is at the lowest it will be going forward, so don’t wait to register (www. elizabeth8k.com).

“I’m not a runner Rob!” you may claim. Fair. Not everyone wants to run 4.97 miles in front

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Charlotte fire fighters responded to a blaze on Thanksgiving Day. The fire at the vacant home at 1727 E. 7th St., next to the former Royal Gardens, was brought under control in 30 minutes. No one was injured. Photo by Beth Haenni

of our neighbors. How about the 1.5 miler, though? A cup of coffee and a little quicker step will get you through the shorter, less-competitive course.

Still no go? OK, do you have kids, nieces, nephews, students or grandkids who may enjoy chasing after The Big E as he leads them on a magical 50-ish meter run to the finish line in our Liz Kids’ Race?

Still no? What about being a volunteer! Lending a hand is always welcomed and we have a lot of opportunities to lighten the load of all that this race involves from a logistics side. Pointing runners the correct way or giving them some water should not be underestimated in terms of importance. We need you, and our runners need you!

“But Rob” you say, “I just want to enjoy my day – I have things to do!” Again, fair. How about the ultimate way to be a part of the vibe that is the Elizabeth 8K without even leaving your property: Cheering! This year, the ECA will host a cheer contest. Anyone can join in the fun and all have a chance to be winners. We’ve enlisted ECA board members to vote for the following categories: Most creative, best refreshments and most encouraging. Winning teams will receive some cool prizes, earn themselves bragging rights and will be celebrated on the Elizabeth8K Instagram and Facebook pages.

Still no? Wow, you are a hard sell. How about coming out for the official launch of our 2023 Elizabeth 8K beer, “Under the Water Tower,” on Mar. 30 at Devil’s Logic Brewing, and be one of the first to taste it and kick off race month with us. No strings attached, just come and join the fun.

Apr. 29 is our time to show the greater Charlotte region (and beyond – we already have entries from across North and South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and as far away as New Hampshire and Iowa) how our neighborhood welcomes all.

We are anticipating a banner year for entries, sponsorships and enthusiasm. Our little neighborhood race is growing while still keeping the small event feel.

You are already a part of it by virtue of living in this awesome community. Our ask is that you show up!

A bright neighborhood celebration blossoms from a somber time

by Nikki Moore

In the early days of the pandemic, a friend recommended creating a schedule to give our days routine as we navigated a new life that suddenly was limited to the walls of our home. My three girls were 1, 3 and 6 at the time and the schedule I created included snack times, Zoom

calls for school, reading time and walks.

Walks were actually the main items on our daily agenda as I had scheduled them three times a day for my own mental health. We were all happier outside. We’d venture out after breakfast, around lunch and then again at the end of the day. Searching for teddy bears, finding rainbows in windows and watching spring transform the neighborhood. We spent hours on the streets of Elizabeth that spring and summer.

So it seemed especially fitting that we would welcome the holidays that first pandemic year in a similar manner. Bundled up against the cold with masks firmly in place, my family ventured out with many of you to merrily meander the streets of Elizabeth. Houses that once occupied and delighted our days with rainbows and early tulips now boasted colorful lights or joyful carolers. A needed reminder, as the Pumpkin Wall stated that year, that “TOGETHER” is better.

The brainchild of Elizabeth resident and ECA social chair at the time, Lisa Yagla, the Merry Meander was born out of Covid. It was a creative solution to the problem of how to continue to engage the neighborhood socially and also safely in the midst of a pandemic. And here, in its third year, with record participation of 30 plus households and

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McAlleyville on Bay Street is one of the favorite stops of meanderers. Meanderers gather in the front yard of a home on East 8th Street during the third annual Elizabeth Merry Meander. Photos by John McBride

crowded sidewalks despite frigid temperatures, it’s clear that it’s not a passing pandemic fad but a new and already very much beloved neighborhood tradition.

As the current social chair, I’m cognizant of how great it feels to see neighborhood favorites the egg hunt on the calendar (join us Apr. 8 at Hawthorn Lane United Methodist Church). It’s good to be getting back to things we’ve missed these past few years. I am grateful for these chances to reconnect with neighbors and like many of you am not taking for granted the opportunity and joy that comes from being able to gather once again.

But I also see the Merry Meander as a reminder. A reminder that change can be a good thing and that it’s nice, even merry, to switch things up every once in a while. So consider this an all call of sorts – an ask to you to participate in an upcoming event, to volunteer your time to make it happen and/or to share your ideas about how we, as a neighborhood, can gather in the year ahead. Let’s make it merry!

Meandering to where I always belonged

by Kelly Breen Boyce

I was raised in semi-rural Matthews in the 1970s and 80s. It took us at least 15 minutes by car to get anywhere worth going.

In my naiveté, I thought little of this until my family took a

trip to Sunset Beach with our cousins. Our little rented beach house was within walking distance to the (tiny) town center.

Every afternoon or evening after dinner, the five of us kids (aged 4 to 11) would walk to get candy or ice cream. The ability to walk to obtain these glorious treats felt magical. Of course, my 5-year-old mind knew nothing of the concepts of rural, urban or suburban and all of its derivatives, but I knew that being within walking distance to amenities felt inherently right. Or to refrain from moralizing, it felt right to me!

As I grew and my vocabulary and awareness started to include such concepts such as urban mobility and walkable communities, I knew that city living was the only lifestyle for me – even if it meant living in a shoebox. I would and will continue to gladly trade square footage for walkability and location any day of the week.

Fast forward to 1998 – I was in my early 20s and living in a rented house in Dilworth with two dear friends with whom I had gone to both high school and university. (My portion of the rent was $300 for a three bedroom bungalow, but that’s another story). I often rode my bike all over the city and, although I grew up in Charlotte (ok, Matthews), I had never stumbled upon Greenway Avenue. During one of those fateful

bike trips, I found myself turning onto Greenway from Pecan. Upon rounding that first curve, the feeling that welled up inside of me was, “I’m home!”

Fast forward again to 2014. A bungalow with an inviting front porch came on the market on Greenway and without having even stepped inside, I knew it was the one. After a quick call to our realtor, an expedient viewing of the house, and a little bit of bickering on the sidewalk with my husband – rightfully annoyed by my seeming impulsivity – we put an offer on the house.

Fast forward once more to Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Merry Meander. A celebration of all that is wonderful about Elizabeth: Front porches, sidewalks, bonfires, community spirit, walkability, a showcase of ingenuity, fabulous neighbors and a tradition of creating magical and memorable experiences for children and adults alike.

A huge thank you to the amazing (and highly organized) coordinators of this year’s Merry Meander. And a heart full of gratitude of the privilege of living in this great neighborhood.

From the membership chair: 2023 reminders by Lauren Gomez

Did you know that businesses and organizations in Elizabeth may also join the ECA?

The annual membership is

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$30 and is available on the elizabethcommunity.com website. Businesses who wish to join will select “Household.” After joining, contact Membership@ elizabethcommunity.com to find out how to pick up your 2023 ECA window cling to display proudly!

It’s the time of year when houses go on the market and we have new neighbors moving into Elizabeth. Let’s welcome them! Do you have some new neighbors? Let me know and I will drop off a new neighbor packet at their house.

If you haven’t joined the ECA or renewed for 2023, there’s still time! Visit elizabethcommunity. com to join today.

Joining the ECA helps fund the neighborhood events we all love like the upcoming Easter egg hunt and the 37th running of the Elizabeth 8K Road Race. The ECA also supports beautification of common areas and is a liaison between our neighborhood and the city, county, other neighborhoods, businesses, developers and other groups with interest in Elizabeth.

7th Street update: CDOT analyzing data

by Eric Davis

Here is a brief update on the 7th Street traffic pattern changes that started in October of last year with the deactivation of the reversible lanes in Elizabeth.

With this change, the city began collecting traffic data for the 7th Street corridor between Charlottetowne Avenue and Laurel Avenue. The initial data collection was completed in early January and CDOT staff are analyzing that data about traffic flow.

The ECA will coordinate with CDOT and will communicate opportunities for public input on the long-term operation of the 7th Street corridor in the next several months.

Please subscribe to the ECA notification list on the ECA website (https://elizabethcommunity.com) to stay informed.

Please note, while no final decisions have been made about the future of the corridor, it will operate in the current state until further notice.

ECA updates bylaws

Over the past few months, the ECA board has been working on a rewrite of the ECA bylaws to bring them up to date. The original bylaws were adopted in 1979.

In the coming months, the ECA will send the updated draft version to all ECA members and will hold informational Q&A sessions. A vote will follow at a called membership meeting.

Look for more information soon via the ECA and Elizabeth Families email accounts.

After rare diagnosis, a neighborhood unites for Rosie

by Jim Morrill

Rosie was just a few weeks old when Diana Roetting realized something was wrong.

Her daughter, 5 pounds at birth, wasn’t gaining weight. She couldn’t get milk into her stomach. When she tried, she couldn’t keep it down.

“Right around six weeks was when things took a turn,” Diana says.

Diana and her husband, Greg, began what she calls a “diagnostic journey” that took them to a series of medical specialists and their daughter through two surgeries. Eventually Rosie’s condition was diagnosed as GMPPA, a rare genetic disorder. Hers is only the 22nd reported case.

Now, weeks before her second birthday, Rosie is a bright-eyed girl who bounces around her Kenmore Avenue home. But she faces ongoing health challenges and an uncertain prognosis. Her weekly routine includes visits from a handful of therapists.

The Roettings, who also have a 4-year-old son, are trying to raise the $4 million they’ve been told is needed to find a cure. “It was shocking and frightening, and honestly it makes me a little bit sad you could put a price tag on a child’s life,” Diana says. “But at least we had an option.”

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Their first goal is raising $350,000. That’s the cost of designing a gene therapy treatment. After that there’s the cost of FDA studies and trials as well as a drug’s manufacture.

They call their campaign Bloom for a Cure (bloomforacure.org). Through a nonprofit, they raised more than $270,000 through early February. They’re doing it with the energetic help of their Elizabeth neighbors.

“Your kids mean everything to you, and especially with my kids being same ages, you see them going through this and you think it could be your kids,” says Caitlin Boone, who lives with her husband and three children a block away on Kenmore Avenue.

Caitlin enlisted her mom, Kathy Foulser, who also lives in Elizabeth. Kathy came up with the idea of planting “gardens” of solar-powered pink roses around the neighborhood. They hoped

Diana and Greg Roetting and their children, Rosie and Lincoln. Photo by Jim Morrill Solar powered “rose gardens” bloomed in Elizabeth yards, raising awareness for Bloom for a Cure. Photo by Kris Solow

the gardens, which included a sign with Rosie’s picture, would raise money and awareness.

Caitlin and Kathy set up a table for Rosie during the Merry Meander. Three kids came up and asked what it was all about. Later they came back and donated more than $60 of their babysitting money. “I don’t think you can help but be moved,” Kathy says. Other neighbors are pitching in as well.

Brenda Slater, who lives on Dotger Avenue, is asking Elizabeth restaurants to donate a portion of proceeds from a “Rosie Night.” The first one was Feb. 7 at Caswell Station. Hawthorne’s Pizza is planning on Mar. 2. Both are going to give Bloom for a Cure a percentage of their sales for that day. Slater’s son Jack, a 17-year-old Myers Park junior, plans to book his band and two others for a benefit they’re calling “Rock for Rosie.” Reena Powers from Clement Avenue is helping develop fundraising promotions including “Bloom for a Cure” golf balls.

“I probably have one cry a week thinking about how supportive and amazing our community is,” Diana says.

Before Rosie was born, Diana, 38, worked as a chemical engineer and as a PA, or physician’s assistant. Now she’s immersed herself in the still-developing world of gene therapy. She’s contacted medical experts as well as two

other families who also have children with the disorder.

Rosie’s gene mutation caused something called achalasia, a disorder that affects the esophagus. That was what made it hard for her to process food and why, for a time, she needed a feeding tube. She still eats only food that’s pureed and faces the prospect of a permanent soft food diet.

“The doctors always tell us every kid is different,” Diana says. “We don’t know what will happen… No one can tell us life expectancy. No one can tell us how independent she’ll be as an adult. That’s the hardest thing for me to wrap my head around.”

She believes finding a cure for one genetic disorder will make it easier for scientists to find cures for others. And she’s overwhelmed by the neighborhood support.

“In reality nobody owes us anything,” she says. “We’re not entitled to help. It’s just amazing to see so much support.”

The Boones, Foulsers and Slaters are all relatively new to Elizabeth. But their choice of neighborhood was intentional.

“We targeted Elizabeth as a neighborhood we were interested in,” says Brenda, who moved from the Washington area. “We heard about the community here. People take care of each other. They care about each other.”

For more information about Rosie, see www. bloomforacure.org or watch a short video at https://youtu. be/4rb7xbrxmhEC.

For information on how to help, contact Caitlin Boone at (781)572-5665 or boone.caitlin@gmail.com. Some donations can be matched.

On Pecan, another wreck in a familiar spot

by Ric Solow

A lot of inquiries have been made about what happened to the fence at Solow Design Group on Pecan Avenue at Chesterfield Avenue recently.

On the evening of Dec. 15, around 11 p.m., a Jeep traveling on Pecan Avenue from 7th St. toward Central Avenue failed to make the curve at the railroad tracks at Bay Street and plowed into the fence at Solow Design Group offices, taking out more than 40 feet of guardrail and 25 feet of privacy fence.

The police report indicated that the car was traveling at 50 mph in a 25 mph speed zone, but the presence of car parts on the roof of the building and in the parking area in front of the building on the Chesterfield side would suggest that the speed was significantly higher.

This isn’t the first time this has happened.

On Jan. 13, 2020, there was a crash into the fence and signage

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at the corner of Pecan and Chesterfield. The car was coming from Central Avenue and overshot the bend in front of Villani’s.

On Sept. 12, 2017, another crash from the 7th Street direction damaged a similar amount of guardrail and fence as well as hastening the removal of the last majestic oak in that median. There used to be four.

This pattern actually goes back to the early ‘90’s and became so prevalent that in 2000

a request was made to CDOT to install the guardrail that you see today. It has deflected numerous cars over the past 22 years and also been ripped out of the ground on several occasions by cars hitting it straight on.

After the 2017 incident, CDOT installed chevrons and speed limit signs at both ends of the curve. CDOT was to install flashing speed signs in February. Even with the addition of the stop signs at 9th and Pecan, and Commonwealth

and Pecan, drivers seem intent on gaining enough speed to overshoot the curve.

If you’re a Charlotte driver you know the problem is only getting worse. Luckily no one has died. We along with Chantilly residents have asked CDOT repeatedly over the years to take a more aggressive approach to managing speed on this section of Pecan. Time will tell if the flashing lights will work. If not it will be back to the drawing board.

On December 15, 2022, a Jeep failed to navigate a curve every Elizabethan knows well. Photo by Ric Solow

Elizabethan’s WWII diary captures horrors of battle, imprisonment: Part 2

by Lois Stickell

Editor’s note: Elizabethan Lois Stickell’s research on the history of First Presbyterian Church in downtown Charlotte led her to Buford Patterson’s diary in the UNC Charlotte archives. The diary documents Buford’s World War II experience in the Philippines. He and Milton Woodside are the only two native-born Charlotteans –both from Elizabeth – known to have endured the infamous Bataan Death March. This is the second of two parts.

In April, 1942 the island of Luzon in the Philippines was surrendered to the Japanese. Buford Patterson, who grew up on Clement Avenue, was among the estimated 10,000 Americans taken captive. Buford was forced to march up the Bataan Peninsula on the Bataan Death March. He was held in two different prison camps before being herded onto a “hell ship” in November 1942 and shipped to Tanagawa POW camp near Osaka, Japan.

He spent three months there and recorded in his diary that the men were “living and acting practically like animals.” Food was scarce, it was bitterly cold, and Buford’s body swarmed with lice. His best friend Chuck died there. Buford managed to

retrieve Chuck’s ring, Air Corps bracelet and wallet but dreaded the “hard job facing his family.”

Buford began New Year’s Day 1943 with a prayer that things would improve. Two weeks later they did when he was moved to Zentsuji prison camp – a show camp used for propaganda purposes for Red Cross visitors. Buford spent the next two years there. Early on he termed it “a dream compared to our preceding life.” Over time, however, conditions worsened and starvation was a problem throughout his time there. He weighed 160 pounds when he enlisted. At times in Zentsuji his weight was 105 pounds.

He tried to keep his morale up by looking toward a future when he would be free. He and another prisoner planned a hunting and fishing trip in the Okefenokee Swamp “when we get back.” He took classes in bookkeeping under a fellow prisoner and was able to leave camp one day to gather food. He found the scenery “soulreviving.” He was an artist who described the bay as deep blue, the mountains purple and the rice fields emerald green.

Buford marked the one-year anniversary of captivity on Apr. 9, 1943, as a year of “extreme and limitless hardship.” Still, he was philosophical and hoped he would forget the hardship in time but keep the lessons learned. He even wrote that he admired the

Japanese for “their frugality and energy and self-effacing.”

As the months in camp passed he worked clearing land with a pick, took classes in Italian, read, sketched and had long conversations with others. But “everything eventually revolves to the center of the whirlpool, viz. food and home.” He began to write more frequently of home and often mentioned the birthdays of family members, noting the “little girls birthdays.” His sisters Martha and Helen back on Clement Avenue were 10 and 8 years old.

Although some of his diary entries were optimistic, several entries reveal a concern for his mental health. Buford also suffered physical ailments, including recurring malaria, eye problems, dysentery, edema, malnutrition and diarrhea.

Numerous diary entries were about food. The prisoners were so hungry they were willing to eat anything. During one meal Buford speculated that the soup contained whale blubber. He didn’t care. The cat that wandered into camp became a meal. Prisoners also cooked snakes, lizards, rats and any other source of protein they could find. Food dominated many discussions, as evidenced by Buford and another prisoner having a heated argument over whether they could eat a full chicken without getting sick.

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As his time in captivity lengthened, he watched friends die and buried them, battled disease without medicine and both witnessed and experienced brutality from the guards. In one diary entry he prayed that his faith would be revived because “it has been weak lately.”

In January 1945, as the war turned against the Japanese, Buford and the others were moved to Rokuroshi prison in the mountains. On Aug. 22 the prisoners received the official announcement that the war was over. Buford wrote, “An entirely new life is ahead; it’s important to pull a curtain over the past half and forget it completely. Throw away all encumbrances and start

from scratch. So help us, Lord.”

Guards melted away, aware that they might now be charged with war crimes. American planes flew over and dropped so much food the men began to give it away to villagers. On Sept. 9, 1945, the camp was liberated. The doctors who examined Buford described his condition as “poor” and he was taken to a hospital. Milton Woodside, who had last seen Buford in Camp O’Donnell prison camp over three years earlier, visited him there. That visit brought together Charlotte’s only two known Death Camp survivors.

After the war Buford briefly studied art in New York before returning to Charlotte. He some-

times worked menial jobs and he became addicted to alcohol.

Buford Patterson died in 1979. By then the Bataan Death march was 37 years in the past. A new generation knew little or nothing about the tragedy. Buford’s obituary in the newspaper even misspelled “Bataan.” Despite the lack of recognition, he had accomplished something remarkable. He had survived a death march, prison camps, a hell ship, persistent disease and 3½ years of starvation. It is estimated that 40% of the POWs in Japanese prison camps did not survive. Buford returned to Charlotte to live a life that was surely not the one he had hoped for but was, in the end, a life.

A line of ex-POWs wait for medical examination after liberation of the Rokuroshi prison. Photo from the National Archives

The People’s Market opens

on Elizabeth Avenue

by James Webb

Since August, bright yellow awnings and yellow mugs have warmly greeted guests at the reimagined People’s Market on Elizabeth Avenue.

“Yellow is a happy color. It’s bright. It opens your eyes, and I believe it’s welcoming,” says owner Cory Duran.

Cory first started the People’s Market several years ago in Dilworth, before having to press pause on operations during the pandemic. In need of a new

space, Cory and his team fell in love with the space formerly occupied by Earl’s Grocery.

“The community and space itself really fit who we are. Our old location had a bar in the center of the space, so does this one. We wanted a bakery and the square footage was perfect for our guests to be able to grab food, coffee and hang out to get work done – while haĆving some breathing room.

“Aside from being on Elizabeth Avenue, the biggest attraction was the free three-hour parking directly across the street.”

Since reopening, the People’s

Market has quickly gained a loyal neighborhood following. Cory says his mission is to bring people together. And he wants the People’s Market to serve as a hub for Elizabeth.

“We want to encourage employees to live close by. We have a conference room so Elizabeth residents can pop in for meetings. Grab a drink. Grab food. Relax while you’re here.”

He has big plans for the business and hopes to continue to build more of an evening crowd. He plans for Wednesday nights to become “neighborhood networking” nights, and even hosted a matchmaking singles night back in February.

“We want to continue to get better. Bring in good people who understand our mission and our goals. And continue to serve the Charlotte community. We’re really excited to have a second chance in Elizabeth.”

Looking ahead to this summer, Cory hopes to continue to have live music on Sundays and introduce more improv and comedy shows. He would also like to invite the community to consider the space as a venue for community organizations and private events.

If you haven’t ventured in yet, the People’s Market offers made-to-order food, coffee, wine, beer and a full selection of to-go beverages. Oh, and fresh squeezed mimosas too!

Consultant finishes survey of Elizabeth’s National Historic District

by Craig Miller

Editor’s note: Craig Miller sits on the Historic Elizabeth Neighborhood Foundation (HENF) board. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the ECA.

HENF recently hired SVM Historical Consulting to do a number of tasks, most notably to conduct a survey of all properties within Elizabeth’s National Historic District and record information about each

structure’s historic features.

SVM owner Susan Mayer led the project. Susan is a protégé of well-known local historian Tom Hanchett and has earned an admirable reputation through her work on many historical consulting projects in the area. The survey and report were completed between August and December and include photos and information about historic features for 995 structures and sites. As you can imagine, this was a monumental task.

A determination was made by SVM for each structure about whether it is “contributing” or

“non-contributing.” In terms of historic districts, contributing resources have features of historic significance and character that are consistent with the original architecture and history of a district. Noncontributing resources are those that, due to alterations, date of construction or other factors do not contribute to a district’s historic significance or character.

The survey revealed what we all suspected, or rather knew, just by seeing with our own eyes what has happened in the neighborhood over the past several decades. Between 1988,

The northbound lane of North Kings Drive between Elizabeth Avenue and 7th Street was closed for a month to repair a water main break. Photos on both pages by John McBride

when the previous survey was done, and 2022, the number of contributing structures in the surveyed area declined by 239, or 19% in 34 years. The decline in contributing structures is due to a combination of demolitions and alterations.

Of the structures that were demolished or altered and are no longer contributing, 91% of them were designated as contributing structures in the 1988 survey. In terms of net loss/ gain of structures in the past 34 years, contributing or noncontributing designation aside, we are down 38 single-family homes, 26 multi-family structures (think full quadraplexes, not individual units), and five commercial structures.

The survey and accompanying photos are one of the required parts of a larger application package (called the Local Designation Report) that will be sent to the city’s Historic District Commission (HDC) for consideration of a local historic district. Other required parts which are also being completed by SVM Historical Consulting include:

• A proposed historic district boundary map which is largely based on the current National Historic District.

• Written narratives about why the boundaries were selected and the historic importance of the area including people and architecture.

Additional steps in the designation process and approximate timeline are as follows:

• The HDC will facilitate a meeting including HDC and city planning leadership representatives, District 1 City Council member Danté Anderson and community leaders to share about the project and determine support for the rezoning process. All documents including the full survey done by SVM will be made public on the HDC web site. A video of the meeting itself will be on YouTube (April 2023).

• The HDC will review the report and vote to support the effort or not and then send the report to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) (May 2023).

• SHPO has 30 days to review the report and provide recommendations (June 2023).

• A petition will be circulated to all property owners in the proposed local historic district boundary to obtain signatures of support. A minimum of 51% yes votes from property owners will be needed for the local historic district effort to move forward. It’s estimated that the effort will begin around July 2023.

• Rezoning application will be submitted to city planning (September 2023). The application consists of the completed petition, SHPO review letter and Local Designation Report (property survey,

photos, narratives). A rezoning application is required because a local historic district is an overlay district that requires a rezoning.

• City attorney’s office certifies the petition (October 2023).

• Project goes through required rezoning process which includes a community meeting, public hearing and City Council vote (process takes about 4 months).

Please attend our community outreach meeting Mar. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s Baptist Church. HENF will provide updates on the local historic district effort. Q&A will follow.

Visit the HENF website at HistoricElizabethNC.org to find out more about the local historic district effort. HENF Is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible.

Meet the Renaissance teenagers next door by Kris Solow

I have the most awesome teenagers next-door to me, Marshal and Claire Herrmann. They are focused, respectable, strive for excellence, know how to carry on a conversation and are kindly to their elderly neighbors (lol).

While out on a walk down the Trolly Path at the 5th Street end, I ran across a group of rocks painted by Claire. When asked if this was a project, she texted, “Oh it’s not a project. I was just bored.”

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She is an amazing artist at 13 and I’m in awe of her many talents. Not only does she paint rocks, she is an accomplished watercolor artist (you might have seen her art in the Free Little Art Gallery, 2109 E 5th St.) and creates origami, which she sells during holidays, and makes mobiles for baby cribs.

On the performing side, Claire plays keyboard. You might have heard her on the Merry Meander. Oh, and she can bake, too!

Brother Marshal is an outstanding young man and an entrepreneur as well. He mows lawns, is pursuing a license for his drone photography and recently launched a car detailing business which is getting positive feedback. I caught him in action detailing a beautiful, red and white vintage Chevrolet. His attention to detail impressed me.

I interviewed both of them to find out what makes them tick and what they see in the future for themselves.

Claire

Q: How did you get started painting?

A: One day I was bored and found a really cheap watercolor pallet at the dollar store with five color cakes in it and some printer paper – what you’re not supposed to use – and I started painting. I liked how the colors blended but not on that paper. When I talked to my aunt and told her I was painting watercolors,

she said, “That’s what I do!”

I asked her what paper she used and got some at Michael’s. Then I got to painting, got better and even watched YouTube videos. For color choices, it depends upon what I’m painting. Sometimes I’ll try to use a certain color scheme like blues and oranges which are opposite on the color wheel and means they contrast well together, for example.

Q: What subjects do you like to paint or do you create as you go?

A: I have some travel watercolor kits that have brushes with a compartment you put water in so

when you squeeze them the paint comes out the bristles. I’ll go out in nature to paint. I also paint abstract and still life. I painted one person but I find it hard to paint people.

Q: Any other interests you’d like to try in the future?

A: I’d like furthering my piano and maybe look into learning to play other instruments like bass guitar, electric guitar and ukulele. I’d like to be in a band, write my own music. The music I listen to is alternative, Indie pop, beats and electronic. Artists I like are BoyWithUke, Quinn XCII, but my favorite is AJR.

Claire Herrmann enjoys painting and playing keyboards. Photo by Kris Solow

Marshal

Q: You’re only 16. When did you realize that hard work pays off?

A: I’ve always been doing jobs for my dad like washing the cars, helping in the yard, mowing the grass, raking leaves. I think when you mow a lawn for the first time and see how nice it looks, it’s really satisfying to see. That’s half my motivation. I am a little bit crazy about how clean I like things.

Q: Your dad is a successful entrepreneur who sells businesses. Who or what else influenced you to become an entrepreneur? Why not work for someone else?

A: My dad is my biggest influencer. I like working for myself because I have more control. If your work is good enough, people want you, you’ll be more valuable because you do it better than anyone else. It’s your reputation and it’s easier to

control things if you’re on your own. You try your best all the time. All the profit goes to you.

Q: Besides mowing lawns, tell me about your car detailing business and future drone business.

A: Since washing and waxing my dad’s car, one day I thought maybe I should put it out to Elizabeth Families email which I did and found that everyone wanted them. I was backed up the weekend I posted it. One person tells another person and that makes me busier. Unlike lawn care, car washing is year-round. Everyone wants their car washed no matter what time of year it is. I hope to see it get bigger…

As for the drone business, I’m studying for my license to legally become a commercial drone operator. Once I get that, I think I want to focus on a type of drone called an FPV (First Person View). They are really interesting because there are small ones you can mount a Go-Pro on and fly indoors to make a really cool visual tour like you’re walking around but through a drone. I’ve seen them used for restaurants, bars, warehouses and Airbnbs to post on social media.

The way I look at it, I do have a professional photography drone but Charlotte’s really, really big and there’s lots of people doing drone photography so it would make it really easy for me to enter the market with an FPV. To see some of my work, I have a website, carolinadronetours.com.

Marshal Herrmann recently started a car detailing business. Photo by Kris Solow

Join ’Spaceship Earth’ at Charlotte Earth Day

by Hardin Minor

Charlotte Earth Day (CED) will be held Sat. Apr. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in First Ward Park as part of the Charlotte SHOUT! Festival. For information as to how you can get involved please visit charlotteearthday.com.

We need volunteers, exhibitors, artists, knowledge guides and participants like YOU. It is a “festival within a festival” oriented toward children and students 5-15 years of age but everyone is welcome to this family friendly event. By being associated with SHOUT!, we hope to increase attendance, expand our promotional advertising and most importantly engage more folks to understand the challenges and solutions to the increasing environmental concerns before us.

This year we have chosen “Spaceship Earth” as our theme not so much to look outward into space for answers but rather to see our Earth from the International Space Station. We hope that we can inspire our community to get involved as responsible stewards of our natural resources.

Let’s get connected to our ecosystems! We hope you will join us!

CPCC has been putting up new signs on its Elizabeth campus. A rebranding campaign that started in 2019 changed the old “Central Piedmont green” to gold and gray and included an updated logo. Photo by John McBride

Titanium Sponsors

Harris Teeter

Hawthorne’s Novant Health

Pepsi

Platinum Sponsors

ColsenKeane

Crescent Communities –Elizabeth on Seventh

Devil’s Logic

Freixenet Mionetto USA

The Keith Corporation

Lineberger Dentistry

Lucas Chiropractic & Acupuncture