ECA Officers
ECA Board Members
Paul Shipley President 704 651 5897 Kenmore Avenue paul.d.shipley@gmail.com
Jim Belvin Zoning & Real Estate Committee 704 334 2611 Lamar Avenue j.belvin@bluewaterdb.com
Jenna Opiela Vice President 614 746 9506 Greenway Avenue jennaopiela@gmail.com
Beth Haenni Past President 704 562 5152 Greenway Avenue beth.haenni@gmail.com
Secretary position vacant
Suzanne Henry Social Chair N. Dotger SuzkHenry@gmail.com
Ladd Van Devender Treasurer 704 641 0480 Kenmore Avenue ladd.vandevender@gmail.com
ECA Special Projects Eric Davis Past President 704 776 3013 Greenway Avenue ericadavis0123@yahoo.com Susan Green Newsletter Editorial Assistant and Proofreader 704 806 0568 East Fifth Street Susangreen8@gmail.com Janet Karner Membership Clement Avenue janetk@caro.net Ken Magas Website 704 877 7151 E. 5th 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 2
ECA board meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m., Studio K Gallery 2024 E. Seventh Street First Thursday of the month. All are invited. JUNE 9
Last day of school for CMS JUNE 20
Rezoning meeting 5:30 p.m., City Council chambers 600 E. 4th Street City council will vote on Faison’s request to rezone the properties at E. 7th and N. Caswell Road.
Kristan Magas Park & Recreation Liaison 704 488 0051 E. 5th Street kdm2201@gmail.com John F. McBride Newsletter Editor 704 375 8977 East Eighth Street john.f.mcb@gmail.com Social Co-Chair #2 position vacant
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Claire M. Short Communications 813 326 3223 Greenway Avenue claire.m.short@gmail.com Ric Solow Beautification & Trees Co-Chair 704 906 1967 E. 5th Street ric@solowdesigngroup.com Kris Solow Art Committee Co-Chair 704 806 4456 E. 5th Street ksolow@carolina.rr.com
this Who runsw y? place any a
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ECA board meeting See June 2 — same same. AUGUST 5
Next newsletter deadline Want to advertise? Email Cory Arnwine at carnwine@gmail.com. Have an article or photo to contribute? Email John McBride at john.f.mcb@gmail.com. The next ECA newsletter should be delivered by September 1. AUGUST 13
Charlotte Roller Girls Special 10th Anniversary Inter-league Bout 5 p.m., Grady Cole Center Advance tickets: $12 adults, $7 children, $16/$9 at the door. Ages 5 and under are free. Charlotterollergirls.com.
cover photo by Daniela Mardaras, back cover by Nancy O. Albert // photo p3 by Anne McBride
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ECA calendar
Nancy O. Albert (Oakland Avenue) is a former editor of the ECA newsletter.
Anne McBride (East 8th Street) was born in Elizabeth and is currently home from college.
Cory Arnwine (Ridgeway Avenue) recently moved to Elizabeth from Atlanta, and is the newsletter advertising czar.
John McBride (East Eighth Street) is the newsletter editor.
Jim Belvin (Clement Avenue) heads the ECA Zoning and Real Estate Committee.
Jim Morrill (Kenmore Avenue) is a longtime Elizabeth resident.
Donna Bise (East 5th Street) is a longtime Elizabeth resident.
Officer David Padgett (CMPD) is the new Response Area Coordinator for CMPD.
Alan Goodwin is an urban design planning coordinator for the CharlotteMecklenburg Planning Department. Susan Green (East 5th Street) is the copyeditor for the ECA newsletter.
Lolo Pendergrast (East Eighth Street) is a longtime Elizabeth resident.
Kris Solow (East Fifth Street) is the ECA Art Committee Co-Chair.
Diana Settlemyer (Clement Avenue) is a lifelong resident of Elizabeth.
Ric Solow (East Fifth Street) is the ECA Beautification and Trees Co-Chair.
Adrian Lineberger (South Laurel Ave.) is a dentist.
Newsletter designer Little Shiva (former Charlottean) thinks grassroots publishing is super fun. Yay team!
Sgt. Robert Sprague (CMPD) is the former Response Area Coordinator for CMPD.
Daniela Mardaras (Montevideo, Uruguay) graduated from Myers Park High School five years ago as an exchange student.
Claire M. Short (Greenway Avenue) heads the ECA Communications Chair.
This could be you! To contribute a little of your time and talent to the ECA newsletter, write to john.f.mcb@ gmail.com
Thank you, newsletter contributors!
ECA Board member Jim Belvin leads a discussion on the changes Faison is proposing to its plans for the site at East 7th Street and North Caswell Road. About 40 people met at St. John’s Baptist Church on May 19 to learn of the changes, which include fewer apartments and more parking.
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Faison alters plans for 7th and Caswell project by Jim Belvin
of Elizabeth. At the last meeting prior to the city council hearing, the developer said the number of apartments was required to make the financials of the Plans for the properties development work, and that at East 7th Street and North number could not be reduced. Caswell Road have changed Because of these issues, the ECA again after several Elizabeth residents spoke out against the felt it had no other recourse rezoning request at a Charlotte other than to inform city council of the issues and tell council City Council meeting Apr. 18. that the ECA could not approve Highlights of the new plan are: of the rezoning at that time. • A decrease in the number Our council representative, of apartments from 123 Patsy Kinsey, expressed her own to up to 100. concerns about the building’s appearance and size. After • Breaking the long 7th hearing both sides, Mayor Street building into two Jennifer Roberts — also an separate buildings. Elizabeth resident — succinctly • Improved parking ratios. summed it up by noting that it looked like there is still work to While many neighbors in be done. On May 4, the Faison Elizabeth are happy to see this team met with members of the property develop, many have ECA’s committee for real estate also expressed concern that development and zoning. At this too much was being put on meeting, Faison representatives this site, resulting in a massive presented a new plan for the building that did not have site in which they decreased enough parking and presented the number of apartments from problems for cars entering and 123 to up to 100 and improved exiting the building’s parking the parking ratios as requested. garage. The ECA’s concern is that if the building did not have They have also broken the large building into two separate and adequate parking, then nearby neighbors would see the effects distinctly different buildings. At the time of the writing of this as the building’s users parked on adjacent streets. In previous article, the ECA is still reviewing these early plans and giving meetings, the ECA had asked feedback to the developer for the Faison to increase the number new proposal. This is a welcomed of parking spaces or decrease the number of apartments. The change, and we look forward to developer had also been asked to sending out more information to the neighborhood when the break the single large building plans and elevations are more into two smaller buildings in order to better fit the character fully developed. 4
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New development on Beaumont Avenue by Jim Belvin Located across 7th Street from St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Beaumont Avenue has been a bit of an island in the Elizabeth neighborhood. For many years the Charlotte Fire Department had a campus at the end of Beaumont, but recently it was moved to another location, leaving this site vacant. Recently Grandfather Homes announced that it will redevelop this site with an eclectic mix of 18 duplex/triplex type units called The Towers at Mattie Rose. Their target market is affluent millennials and baby boomers. The units will be 2,200 to 2,800 square feet, with upper floors offering skyline views of downtown. The Grandfather Homes website (grandfatherhomes.com/ portfolio_page/towers-mattierose) says, “pricing begins in the $600s.”
M VOLUNTEER M elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com
Rain fails to dampen Progressive Dinner fun by John McBride
progressive dinner photos: Anne McBride
About 120 people took part in this year’s Elizabeth Neighborhood Progressive Dinner, one of the signature events in Elizabeth. The annual dinner, sponsored by the Elizabeth Community Association, was held May 21 with the theme “Carnaval Brazil.” The menu was designed by chef Nikki Moore, an Elizabeth resident. Moore is the owner of Food Love (n2foodlove.com), a personal chef and cooking class service.
The evening’s festivities began with appetizers at Jessica and Glenn Weiner’s house on Greenway Avenue. Among the offerings: grilled lime-marinated shrimp, guacamole and chips and a Brazilian rum cocktail called Caipirinha. A strong thunderstorm moved in around 7:30, causing partygoers to scramble for raincoats, umbrellas and automobiles in an effort to stay dry as they progressed on to the their respective dinner houses.
papaya salsa and yuca cheese rolls to their dinner houses. Guests who provided the rice dish were also charged with making Moore’s lime and hot pepper sauce. The sauce provided a dash of heat to the party as evening temperatures fell. Along with the yuca cheese rolls, the hot sauce was a frequent subject of conversation at the dessert house, hosted by Robb and Tammie Beatty on East 5th Street.
The main course served at each of the 11 host houses was a black bean and meat stew known in Brazil as feijoada completa. Guests also brought sautéed greens, Brazilian rice, roasted mini-pepper boats with mango-
top left: chef Nikki Moore // top right: carnaval-themed cookies at the dessert house above: Folks enjoy appetizers at Jessica and Glenn Weiner’s house on Greenway Avenue. THE PEOPLE PAGES
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top photo by Donna Bise, center photo by Diana Settlemyer, bottom photo by Daniela Mardaras, photomontage by Little Shiva
Rolling ‘full-contact sport’ says the OrthoCarolina ad in the has home at Grady Cole March game-day program. by Lolo Pendergrast On skates at a recent doubleheader bout at Grady Cole, the Roller Girls and their Liz McLaughlin may get Greensboro opponents sported banged up and bruised after nicknames like Smackulotta, she straps on her neon green and gray skates as a roller derby Wrecking Belle, Sensa Doom, Bunsen Burn Her, Give ‘em Hell skater. But she’s well-adjusted Vetica, Princess Slaya, Unleasha later: she and all her Charlotte Roller Girls teammates get a free Monster and Sheeza Pistol. chiropractic adjustment once Derby skaters don kneepads a month from the official team and elbow pads, mouth and chiropractor. It’s a much-needed wrist guards and helmets for realignment. protection as they jockey around the Grady Cole flat track. “I use it every month,” said McLaughlin, known by her derby After giving high-fives to fans name “Total Lizaster.” In four lined around the track during years of derby, McLaughlin has skating warm-ups, Roller Girls cracked a rib, sprained an ankle, offer a warning to folks sitting on torn a quadriceps and dislocated the floor: “Injury to both you and a shoulder. “We take a lot of the skater is possible.” blows in the shoulders. It does Roller girls “body check,” take a toll on your body.” shove, block and bump each Playing at Elizabeth’s Grady other around the track in a Cole Center in their 10th somewhat complicated formula season, the Roller Girls have for awarding points. Skaters plenty of scars and bang-ups can’t use elbows, but can use to show for their 60-minute their hips, torsos and upper arms battles: fractured wrists, floor to sling another skater out of the burns, broken ankles and pack to keep her from scoring. tailbones, torn ankle ligaments, “It gets out the rotator cuffs and ACLs, black aggressiveness,” said eyes and multiple bruises. Greensboro All-Star “Patti Besides the chiropractor, Smith and Wesson,” known as they’ve got an official orthopedic Stephanie Steele when she’s off hospital, physical therapy the track. “You get to hit people.” providers and an official yoga Skaters and their fans dress studio. for prowess. Roller girls have “If we were crazy enough to pink hair, green hair, dolace up our skates, our Roller rags and themed tights with Derby name would be ‘Pat Ella bananas on them. The Roller Bonesetta.’ But we’ll just stick Girls merchandise stand offers to being the team physicians,” T-shirts with slogans like “I like
Big Bouts” and “Talk Derby to me.” Fans hold up signs touting their favorite skaters. They get their team updates in the Hipcheck Newsletter. Off skates, the Roller Girls and their B-team, the B-Dazzlers are family-friendly folks. They include a teacher, lawyer, scientist, banker, artist, librarian, social worker, nurse, kitchen manger, computer programmer and graphic designer. They donate part of the proceeds from every bout to a charity or community organization. A group skates in local parades. They willingly sign autographs and meet fans and their opponents after bouts at Pure Pizza. They offer fans with disabilities or mobility problems the prime seats in the Grady Cole balcony rather than the lower-level bleacher seats. They give out flowers to moms at bouts on the day before Mother’s Day. “It’s a good venue… I think that adds to what the people get to see,” said retired player Bridgot Isenhour. Also known as Elly Mae Slamett, she said women’s sports like roller derby are “picking up steam.” Charlotte’s teams offer volunteers with “Ask Me About Derby” signs to explain the action: Five players per team compete in two-minute rounds called “jams.” A pivot and three blockers form a tight bunch called “the pack” and a jammer tries to fight through the pack. THE PEOPLE PAGES
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DETAILS The Roller Girls next home bouts at the Grady Cole Center: Aug. 13 – 5 p.m. Special 10th Anniversary Intra-League Bout Sept. 17 – 6:30 p.m. Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars vs. Appalachian Roller Girls All-Stars, 5 p.m. Charlotte Roller Girls B-Dazzlers vs. Appalachian Roller Girls BooneShiners, Oct. 29 – 6:30 p.m. Charlotte Roller Girls AllStars vs. Cape Fear All-Stars, 5 p.m. Charlotte Roller Girls B-Dazzlers vs. Cape Fear B
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. First whistle is at 5 p.m. Tickets in advance are $12 for adults, $7 for children; at the door, $16 for adults, $9 for children. Get advance tickets at charlotterollergirls.com, The Common Market, Sleepy Poet Antique Mall or from any Charlotte Roller Girl.
Maple tree honors victims of 9/11 by Jim Morrill Walk through Independence Park and you may see an unfamiliar monument: a brass plaque embedded in a marble base at the foot of a young tree. The plaque is from the old Charlotte Observer property on South Tryon Street. It was laid years ago when a maple tree was planted outside the building on the Stonewall Street side. Dozens of Observer employees gathered on the sidewalk to commemorate the day terrorists attacked America.
skate illustration: Little Shiva / 9/11 tree and plaque photos courtesy Jim Morrill / sidewalk photo by Alan Goodwin
After an initial pass, the first jammer to get through the pack scores a point for every opposing player she legally passes. The game also includes a penalty box and helmet covers called “panties” to identify pivots, blockers and jammers. Referees have a whole set of hand signals, with their own page to explain them in the game-day program. The bouts consist of two 30-minute periods. The score at a March bout was Charlotte Roller Girls, 151, Greensboro Gate City AllStars, 192. Just one person left the action at the March bout. That would be Liz McLaughlin, who spent a month rehabbing her fully dislocated shoulder. She was ready to skate again in May. “I have found it intriguing – a full-contact sport that is female dominated,” McLaughlin said. “We hit hard, but we’re passionate…. These are real empowered women.” Eleven-year-old fan Pheonix Alexander said despite that rough-and-tumble action, she wants to one day join the Roller Girls. “I like it,” she said. “It’s the only sport that’s not boys.”
As you may have heard, the Observer sold the property and moved into the NASCAR building uptown. There was a lot involved with moving out of a building some of us had been in for decades. But with all the commotion, we didn’t want to forget what we’d come to know as the 9/11 tree. My colleague Roland Wilkerson and I talked to Tim Turton of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation about moving the tree to a park. That turned out to be impractical, in part because the tree has an infestation that affects a lot of trees uptown. So Tim suggested starting over with a new tree.
New sidewalk built along Park Drive by John McBride
it, we’ll do it,” Goodwin said. The city knew about the sidewalk gap, he said, and filling it was part of the Elizabeth Area Plan adopted in 2011. Solow got the How long does it take to build three property owners to agree. about 125 feet of sidewalk? For One complication: A tree what might be Elizabeth’s newest length of sidewalk, the answer is: in the sidewalk’s path. A compromise between the Just over 2 years. city and the property owner The idea began during a dis- spared the tree and allowed the cussion of sidewalk gaps in Eliza- sidewalk to go around it. City beth at an ECA board meeting Council member Patsy Kinsey in January, 2014. During that got involved in the negotiations, meeting, Elizabethan Kris Solow Solow said. “Sometimes it takes volunteered to take on the gap more than one person to make along Park Drive, across from things happen,” Solow said. upper Independence Park. She contacted Alan Goodwin with the Goodwin said the project Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning cost about $27,000, which he Department. “We said if you can said was a “reasonable cost for a get the property owners to allow municipal sidewalk.”
The three of us went to Independence Park and found what we think is a perfect location. It’s just off a sidewalk not far from the Rose Garden. The Observer bought a new young maple. The parks department planted it. And the plaque was moved nearby.
So next time you walk by, you’ll know where the plaque and the tree came from. And think a good thought about the 2,996 people who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
The new sidewalk under construction. THE PEOPLE PAGES
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Thank you from Sgt. Sprague by Sgt. Robert Sprague, CMPD Editor’s note: Many of you have come to know CharlotteMecklenburg Police’s Robert Sprague, the long-time CMPD Providence Division Community
I’ll be getting promoted to the rank of Sergeant on April 8th, 2016. While I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead, there is also a bit of sadness as my time as the community coordiTo the residents/friends of nator for your neighborhood is the Elizabeth Neighborhood: coming to a close. I met with Chief (Kerr) Putney Over the last eight years I recently and got great news that have had the honor and privilege of working alongside some really wonderful, passionate and dedicated residents. While there are still goals that have yet to be achieved, I leave knowing that together we made Elizabeth an even more wonderful place to work, live and raise a family. I feel confident that whoever is chosen to fill my spot will do it with the same energy and excitement. Please know that you can always contact me any time with any questions or concerns and perhaps in the future the path will lead me back to Elizabeth. It has been my pleasure to serve each of you! Coordinator. He was recently promoted to sergeant and assigned to the University City Division. On Mar. 30, Sgt. Sprague sent this email to Elizabeth residents:
Greetings everyone. My name is Officer David Padgett. I am extremely pleased to be assigned as your new response area coordinator. I have been a CharlotteMecklenburg Police officer for a little more than 24 years. I graduated from Presbyterian College with a BA in Political Science and a minor in English 10
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photo courtesy of CMPD
Meet Elizabeth’s new CMPD coordinator by Officer David Padgett, CMPD
Literature. A couple of years after graduating from college I was hired as a police officer by CMPD.
Norman Rockwell, The Runaway, 1958 (detail) from www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2009/11/rockwell.html
For the first part of my career, I served as a warrant officer, field training officer and a community coordinator for the old Adam 2 area near the airport. After six years on patrol, I was assigned to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s office as a detective working with the Domestic Violence Team and the Parole Accountability Committee. After 5 years with the DA’s office, I was assigned as a research officer/analyst with the CMPD Research, Planning and Analysis Division. After five years with RPA, I was assigned to the Providence Division as a response area coordinator for Amity Gardens, Amity Place, Anthem Community, Echo Hills Community, Oakhurst Community and Wendover Place.
owners with improving the security of their business or home. I have also given numerous talks on personal safety to community members and school children.
Policing isn’t just about locking up criminals. It’s about During my tenure as the developing partnerships within response area coordinator for the community to identify and Response Area 2, I was twice resolve crime and quality of life the recipient of the Charlotte issues that affect community Mecklenburg Police Community members. Relations Award. This is the essence of how I I am also certified as a crisis approach my job as a response intervention officer and a dual area coordinator for the sport motorcycle officer. Providence Division Response I have a great deal of Area 1. My philosophy about experience conducting business police-community relations and residential security surveys involves problem solving with to assist business and residential the different entities within
Response Area 1. By allowing members of the community to take ownership of the problem and pointing them to the most effective resource to address the problem, they learn how to address crime and quality of life issues within their own community and partner with their local police officers. It is my hope that the work of these partnerships will keep repeat offenders off the streets and improve the quality of life for not only their neighborhood but the city as a whole. I look forward to working with everyone in the community. If you have a questions, please feel free to email me at dpadgett@cmpd.org. THE PEOPLE PAGES
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More than 30 join historic tour of Elizabeth neighborhood by Nancy O. Albert On April 22 I led a walking tour of our neighborhood. Organized by the Charlotte Museum of History under the direction of Kay Peninger, more than 30 people set out from our starting point at Earl’s Grocery at 6 p.m.
of streetcar suburbs, the migration of hospitals from the center city, Elizabeth College, John Nolen and the design of Independence Park. We’d gotten as far as the corner of 8th Street and Hawthorne Lane and I was discussing our famous late resident Harry Golden when the heavens opened up and the longpredicted rain began to fall. Umbrellas in hand we headed back toward Earl’s where the conversation continued over hors d’oeuvres arranged by the Museum of History.
puppy photo by John McBride // walking tour and gargoyle photos by Kris Solow
I was pleased that so many had signed up and especially pleased that many of them were from other Charlotte
neighborhoods or surrounding towns. Though walking with such a large group was at times difficult, it was gratifying to see that there is such interest in our beloved Elizabeth. Inspired by Tom Hanchett, recently retired resident historian at the Levine Museum of the New South, I based this, my first history walk, on research from his book “Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte, 1875-1975.” The book has a chapter devoted to Elizabeth’s history. Topics covered were the development
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Rose garden redesign update by Kris and Ric Solow
Pet Palooza at park raises money for HumaneSociety by John McBride Humane Society of Charlotte officials say they raised more than $140,000 at the Pet Palooza Festival and Walk for the Animals 2016 on Apr. 9 at Independence Park. “It was a record-breaking day,” said Donna Ragan, director of marketing and public relations for Humane Society of Charlotte. Ragan said the 2K fundraising walk “raised more funds than ever before.” A beautiful, if somewhat chilly day saw plenty of pets and people mingling in the park among the 95 vendor booths, at the beer and wine garden and the food truck “Paw-Vilion.” Also, Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera made an appearance, autographing copies of the Humane Society’s “Rescue Recipes Cookbook.” This is the ninth year the Pet Palooza festival has been held at Elizabeth’s Independence Park. Dilworth’s Freedom Park had been its home for more than 20 years previously.
was included in the design. It will definitely be happening, though, and will be something we can all look forward to and enjoy! Due to bureaucratic paperThe renovation of the Rose work, the projected completion Garden will allow for a slightly of the Rose Garden re-design larger event area including plan is now slated for this a more generous planting summer. Snags include having area. The original maze will be to confirm concrete quotes, get realigned as a circular path irrigation quotes and make sure through the garden. the quotes stay within budget. If you have any concerns or suggestions for improvements There was one change made to the design plan: The American to the park, please email Mecklenburg County Park and Disability Association nixed Rec’s Tim Turton at timothy. the grand stone staircase even turton@mecklenburgcounty though an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp nc.gov.
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—Hawthorne’s NY Pizza & Bar —Novant Health Platinum Sponsors —Cabot Cheese —Charlotte Bridge Home —Jones Dry Cleaning —Lineberger Dentistry —Recover Brands —Winiker Law Firms, PLLC Gold Sponsors —Burn Bootcamp — Catalyst Financial Group/ Ameriprise — Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church —Iron Butterfly Pilates —Ken Magas Design —Leroy Fox —Open Door Studios —Opera Carolina —Pantazis Law Firm —School of Rock —St. John’s Baptist Church —Sunflour Baking Company —TR Lawing Realty, Inc. —USNWC —Zia Pia imports Partners — Charlotte Mecklenburg Parks and Recreation —Jones Racing Company —TreesCharlotte
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photo by Claire M. Short
The ECA and the Elizabeth8K Road Race would like to acknowledge and thank the following companies and organizations for their tremendous support of this year’s race, without which this race would not be possible.
Presenting Sponsors —Harris Teeter
Big E Elvis and the rest of the ECA would like to thank all the amazing volunteers and dedicated runners/walkers who made the 30th annual Elizabeth 8K Road Race a huge success!
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‘Now is Fireworks’ artwork dedication by Kris Solow To bring national attention to our innovative public art project, “Now Is Fireworks,” the Arts & Science Council (ASC) chose to dedicate our art so that it would be recognized by the International Sculpture Center as part of International Sculpture Day (IS Day). The dedication took place on Apr. 23 at Studio K, the art studio owned by Kate Vasseur on East 7th Street.
Bagwell and Carew spoke In addition, the entire poem is on the challenges the project part of a mural on the side of the presented and how they could Studio K building. not have gotten it accomplished A crowd of about 50 people without everyone’s trust and gathered to sing the praises to support. It was truly a team all who made this art project a effort, one to be very proud of.
photos: Nancy O. Albert
Our project was part of the Neighborhoods in Creative pARTnership initiative, a collaboration among the City of Charlotte, the Public Art
Commission and ASC to put reality: ASC president Robert public art in neighborhoods that Bush, ASC program director do not have public art. Todd Stewart, artists Bagwell and Graham Carew of Walls The installation centers Poems of Charlotte, CPCC around the poem “Now Is welding students Palmer Fireworks,” written about the Bradshaw, Jason Blanchett and neighborhood by artist Amy Alex Blackman, the ECA and Bagwell. Components of the all the wonderful Elizabeth project include “word-houses” neighbors and businesses. hung on trees around the Mayor Jennifer Roberts and neighborhood that include City Council member Patsy segments of the poem and a Kinsey, both Elizabeth residents, permanent sculpture at the roundabout at Clement Avenue spoke of the importance of art in our lives. and East 8th Street.
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How Lineberger Dentistry came to North Caswell by Adrian Lineberger Earlier last year, I had an epiphany. I’m a dentist, and I’d been working in a practice with two other dentists in Charlotte. Three dentists in a small space doesn’t always work logistically, so I decided to take on a personal and professional quest. I set out to do what just about every friend in the dental field told me not to do: Launch a new practice in a major metropolitan area. Despite how daunting that initially felt, I knew Charlotte was the right major metropolitan area. I love this city. My wife loves Charlotte. My 2-year-old daughter — who yells out “there’s the buildings of Charlotte!” every time we loop around I-277 — loves Charlotte. This city has an odd, strong way of making you feel absolutely comfortable in your own skin from the get-go. I knew I wanted to start this practice here.
The building at 347 N. Caswell Rd. is undergoing a makeover. Above is how the building looked before work started, and at top is a plan for how it will look upon completion. The main tenant for the building will be Lineberger Dentistry, but Clean Juice, an organic juice bar will also be located there. 18
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Where here? Elizabeth. Elizabeth is amazing. It’s a good, strong community fueled by the best of Charlotte’s past and present: An historical neighborhood feel with young, fun, active families. As a resident of Elizabeth, opening this practice right here in this community means the world to me. My brother (an orthodontist) and I bought the building at 347 N. Caswell Rd. in April, 2015. He
will practice on the top floor with me. He has a practice in Huntersville with his wife, who is also an orthodontist, so he wanted a satellite office. He loves our neighborhood too.
media networks where the ECA has an active presence. Check out all of them, or choose the one that best fits how you prefer to receive your information.
Facebook facebook.com/ ElizabethCommunity Type of Information: This is a great source for allaround information on events, neighborhood news, pictures, and connecting with your Meanwhile, outside a trio neighbors. of artists (Matt Hooker, Matt How to Join: Sign up for an Moore and Nick Napoletano) account at Facebook.com, or will be doing a series of six download the Facebook app from paintings on the sides of the the App Store on your phone building. It’ll be almost like an or tablet. Once you’ve set up an art gallery for passersby. I am account, you can “like” the ECA pretty excited about this. page at the link above, and all the I’m also excited that I can be a posts from the ECA will show up professional part of all the growth in your Facebook News Feed. that’s happening in Elizabeth and that this new practice will serve a Twitter lot of good people – the families twitter.com/ElizabethCLT who call this neighborhood Type of Information: Twitter home. That makes this personal and professional quest well worth is most useful for breaking news and quickly sharing short bits of the wait. information (there is a limit of 140 characters on all messages) Keep up with or internet links to articles or the ECA with these posts with more information. social media tools The ECA most often sends out by Claire M. Short pictures from the neighborhood, relevant area news stories, Social media is a great way or links to more information to share information, and on official ECA events or the Elizabeth Community neighborhood business. Association, which strives to keep you up-to-date with How to Join: Sign up for relevant neighborhood news, an account at Twitter.com, or has multiple ways you can download the Twitter app from interact with the board and your the App Store on your phone neighbors. Below are the social or tablet. Once you’ve set up an Clean Juice, an organic juice bar that started in Huntersville, is locked in as a tenant in the building. We are still searching for our final tenant, and hope to decide within a couple of months.
M VOLUNTEER M elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com
account, you can “follow” the ECA’s “Twitter handle,” which is @ElizabethCLT. Whenever the ECA sends out a tweet, you’ll see it in your feed. Instagram instagram.com/ElizabethCLT Type of Information: Instagram is all pictures, with space for a few lines of text or hashtags (searchable terms that are indicated by a “#” at the beginning of the word, like #Elizabeth or #PumpkinWall). This is mostly a way to share pictures of what’s happening in the neighborhood, with only limited capability of sharing news or information. How to Join: Instagram is best experienced through the Instagram app (again, available in all mobile app stores). You can also create an account at Instagram.com. Once you sign in, “follow” the ECA, also at @ ElizabethCLT. You’ll see all of the ECA’s available pictures. Google Groups elizabethcommunity.com And finally, there are the email Google Groups, which include Elizabeth Families (formerly called “Elizabeth Moms”) and the official ECA email list. You can sign up for these on the ECA website (click on “Community” and then “Email Groups”). THE PEOPLE PAGES
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HELP WANTED Clever, capable Business Bookkeeper needed for thriving, energetic neighborhood newsletter The Elizabeth Community Association newsletter seeks a parttime, volunteer go-getter to help the newsletter team maintain financial records. Experience with QuckBooks a plus. Candidates should enjoy frequenting Elizabeth area businesses and meeting their neighbors. The ECA newsletter is published four times a year and features articles by, for and about the best neighborhood in Charlotte. Join our team. Interested? Contact ECA president Paul Shipley, paul.d.shipley@gmail. com, or newsletter editor John McBride, john.f.mcb@gmail.com.
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