About Charlotte

Graced with four distinctly beautiful seasons, a temporate climate and breathtaking natural surroundings, Charlotte offers something for everyone. Pristine, tree-filled landscapes invite you to explore. A spot for inventive cuisine and exciting nightlife. A welcoming place for families. Charlotte’s history is exciting and rich. Here the arts are thriving with music, visual arts, and dance.

Once confused with places like Charlottesville and Charleston to outsiders, the city named for Queen Charlotte, the wife of England’s King George II, is consistently ranked among the best places to work and live for men, women, families and minorities by media including Forbes, Black Enterprise, Ladies Home Journal, Natural Health, and Child.

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Climate

History

About 250 years ago, Scots-Irish traveled the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia. They stopped at the crossroads of two Indian trading paths east of the Catawba River and built a settlement. As friends and neighbors joined them, the community grew to several hundred residents. In 1768, the town was incorporated and named in honor of the wife of King George III, the reigning English monarch. Local citizens also honored Queen Charlotte when they named their new county Mecklenburg after her German homeland. That’s why it’s called the “Queen City.”

The discovery of a 17-pound gold nugget in 1799 began a proliferation of mines and an influx of prospectors. A Charlotte branch of the U.S. Mint was established in 1837. The boom was short-lived, however, as strike-it-richers and other opportunists followed the call to California a few years later. After gold’s boom and bust, the cotton industry brought prosperity to the region, and with it came the railroads, followed by the interstate highway system and the airport.

For a visual display of Charlotte’s beginnings, see the four symbolic sculptures erected at The Square (Trade and Tryon) — a gold miner for Charlotte’s commerce, a woman millworker for our textile heritage, an African-American railroad builder for the city’s importance as a transportation center, and a mother holding her baby aloft for the future.

Housing

The same qualities that appeal to visitors have made Charlotte one of the Southeast’s premier places to live. More than 500,000 people reside in the city, approximately 1.3 million within the metro area, and 6 million within a 100-mile radius. Charlotte is home to 292 of the top Fortune 500 companies and more than 340 foreign firms. Financial experts know it as the nation’s second largest banking center (next to New York City), with more than $362 billion in banking assets. It’s the nation’s fifth largest urban region.

Charlotte has been ranked as one of the hottest and most affordable housing markets by U.S. News & World Report. The Carolinas Multiple Listing Service (CMLS) reports the 2005 average sales price of $219,069 for a single-family home in Charlotte. As of the end of 2005 CMLS reported that over 16,000 homes in the county were sold, totaling $3,711,682,128 in sales volume.

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Fast Facts

Zip Codes: 28202-28278

County: Mecklenburg

Population: 769,055

Population Metro: 1,499,293

Population Density 2,402.3

Median Age: 33.2

Female 50.93%

Male 49.07%

Ethnic Makeup:

Afro American 20.50%

Asian 1.90%

Hispanic 5.10%

Native American 0.40%

White/Caucasian 73.60%

Home Appreciation: 4.90%

Homes owned: 57.74%

Home Median Value: $163,713

Median Income: $56,158

Student/Teacher Ratio: 16.0/1

Property Crime index: 6

Unemployment Rate: 5%

Cost of Living: 107.5%

Sales Tax: 7.00%

By Car

Charlotte’s location in the sunny, moderate Central region of the Tar Heel state gives it unlimited accessibility. Interstates 77 and 85, which intersect in Charlotte, link the city with the Great Lakes region, New England, and Florida. Interstate 40, running coast-to-coast across the United States, is only an hour north of Charlotte. A two-hour journey to the west takes you to the Blue Ridge Mountains; a three and- a-half hour trip to the east, to Atlantic beaches. Within an hour’s drive east of the city are some of the world’s best golf courses.

Public Transportation

Local Transportation

Local Transportation

Center City Circuit

(704) 375-0287 or (704) 332-2227

A free shuttle service

Charlotte Transit (City Buses) (704) 336-3366

Charlotte Transportation Center (704) 336-3159

Yellow Cab Company (704) 529-1130

Inter-City Transportation

Amtrak 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245

Amtrak Rail Passenger Service – South Carolina (803) 252-8247

Amtrak Rail Passenger Service – Charlotte (704) 376-4426

www.amtrak.com

Tickets & Reservation: 1-800-872-7246

Tour & Vacation Information: 1-800-321-8684

Group Sales: 1-800-321-1477

Greyhound Bus

(800) 231-2222 or (704) 372-0456

Service from City to numerous locations throughout the United States.

Air Transportation

Charlotte / Douglas International Airport

(704) 359-4027

Welcome Center

5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway

Charlotte, NC

www.charlotteairport.com

Located seven miles west of Center City Charlotte, Charlotte’s airport has been serving the region for more than 60 years and helped put the Queen City on the world map by offering non-stop domestic and international service to 160 cities. Charlotte is two hours by air to more than half of the country’s population.

Aviation Department

(704) 359-4000

Emergency Medical & Lost and Found

(704) 359-4012

Public Parking

(704) 359-4055

Terminal Information

(704) 359-4013

Welcome Center & Paging

(704) 359-4027

Cell Phone Lot

CLT’s Cell Phone Lot allows drivers the convenience to park for free, while waiting to connect with family or friends on arriving flights.

Access to the lot is gained from Rental Car Road. Signs denoting the lot are located at the airport’s entrance. All drivers are required to remain with their vehicles. Visitors using the lot may proceed to the terminal once their arriving party confirms they are ready for pick-up outside ticketing or baggage claim. Please call (704) 359-4038 if you have any questions

Concord Regional Airport

(704) 793-9000 9000

Aviation Boulevard

Concord, NC 28027

Located 15 minutes from Center City Charlotte. The designated general aviation reliever airport to Charlotte Douglas International. Offering a wide variety of amenities to corporations and private citizens.

Radio (AM)

Radio (FM)

Television

Activities

Charlotte is a center for both spectator and recreational sports. The region is the spiritual and physical center of NASCAR racing, home to the majority of teams and drivers as well as the Lowes Motor Speedway which hosts the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on Memorial Day weekend.

If you’d rather play than watch, amateur leagues and groups abound for basketball, baseball, cycling, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. There are more top-flight golf courses, public and private, than you can shake a two-iron at, including the ominously named Verdict Ridge on Lake Norman, and Old Sycamore, Ballantyne, Piper Glen, and Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

On a lesser adrenaline level, quiet time can be found at Concord’s Memorial Garden or the larger Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden nestled along the Catawba River in Belmont. The historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville also offers canoe rentals, hiking trails and horseback riding.

The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is the showcase for the Charlotte Symphony, the Charlotte Philharmonic, the Charlotte Repertory, Opera Carolina, Actor’s Theater of Charlotte, and the North Carolina Dance Theatre. Charlotte ranked first nationally in contributions to the Arts & Science Council in dollars raised per capita. Local colleges and universities further enrich the community’s arts scene in music, theater and dance.

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Sports

Carolina Panthers – NFL Football

(704) 358-7000

Bank of America Stadium

800 South Mint Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

www.panthers.com

Led by head coach John Fox, the NFL Carolina Panthers were contenders in Super Bowl XXXVIII. But these cats aren’t resting on any laurels as each season continues to offer plenty of excitement and drama. The team calls Bank of America Stadium home — a 72,500 seat, open-air, natural grass stadium.

Charlotte Bobcats – NBA Basketball

(704) BOBCATS

Charlotte Bobcats Arena

129 W. Trade Street, Suite 700

Charlotte, NC 28202

www.bobcatsbasketball.com

Take a look back at the Charlotte Bobcats’ inaugural season and find out all the information you need on the upcoming season, including details on the team’s new draft picks and their new home, the New Charlotte Arena.

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Shopping

Carolina Mall

(704) 786-1185

Highway 29 South

Concord, NC 28025

www.carolinamall.com

Major stores include Sears, Belk, and JC Penney.

Carolina Place Mall

(704) 543-9300

11025 Carolina Place Parkway

Pineville, North Carolina 28134

Featuring Dillard’s, Hecht’s, Belk, JCPenney, Sears and over 140 specialty shops including Aeropostale, American Eagle, Ann Taylor and Merle Norman, Carolina Place offers terrific shopping for the whole family!

Concord Mills

(704) 979-5000

8111 Concord Mills Boulevard

Concord, NC 28027

www.concordmills.com

“Where Great Shopping Lives” features hundreds of the best names in retail including Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Nike Factory Store, Osh Kosh B’Gosh Outlet, Zales the Diamond Store Outlet and Off 5th Saks 5th Avenue Outlet.

Eastland Mall

(704) 568-1263 5471

Central Avenue

Charlotte, NC 28212

www.eastlandmall.com

Major department stores include Belk, Dillard, and JC Penny

Eastridge Mall

(704) 867-1847

246 New Hope Road Gastonia

Major department stores include Dillard, JC Penny, Belk, Sears

Monroe Mall

(704) 289-6547

Highway 74 West, Monroe

Major department stores include Belk, JC Penny, and Sears

Northlake Mall

6801 Northlake Mall Drive

Charlotte, NC

Major departments stores Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Belk, Brookstone, Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gap.

SouthPark Mall

(704) 295-0975 4400

Sharon Road

Charlotte, NC 28211

Crate and Barrel, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus all call luxury mall SouthPark home, as do Anthropologie, Apple, Bob Ellis Shoes, Burberry, Coach, Cole Haan, Frontgate, Kate Spade, Janie and Jack, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Lindt Chocolate, Louis Vuitton,  MontBlanc, Origins, Sigrid Olsen, St. John, Sur La Table, Tommy Bahama and Tumi.

Education

Community Colleges

Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.

The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.

Liberal Arts Colleges

Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.

Online Learning

Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes— and financial aid is equally available—while the cost to the institution can be much less.

There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.

Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.

Public vs. Private

Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.

Universities

Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.

Upper Division

Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.

Housing

The same qualities that appeal to visitors have made Charlotte one of the Southeast’s premier places to live. More than 500,000 people reside in the city, approximately 1.3 million within the metro area, and 6 million within a 100-mile radius. Charlotte is home to 292 of the top Fortune 500 companies and more than 340 foreign firms. Financial experts know it as the nation’s second largest banking center (next to New York City), with more than $362 billion in banking assets. It’s the nation’s fifth largest urban region.

Charlotte has been ranked as one of the hottest and most affordable housing markets by U.S. News & World Report. The Carolinas Multiple Listing Service (CMLS) reports the 2005 average sales price of $219,069 for a single-family home in Charlotte. As of the end of 2005 CMLS reported that over 16,000 homes in the county were sold, totaling $3,711,682,128 in sales volume.

Composite Housing Affordability Index

Average Sales Price Affordability Houston, TX – $151,600 Memphis, TN – 188,050 Charlotte, NC – 204,336 Dallas, TX – 261,325 Phoenix, AZ – 293,334 Portland, OR – 304,650 Staten Island, NY – 596,000 Chicago, IL – 815,000 Irvine, CA – 896,125 San Jose, CA – 1,272,625

Source: Coldwell Banker’s Home Price Comparison Index, 2005

Condominiums and Apartments

Multi-story and townhouse condos can be found in the center city; convenient to shopping, schools and entertainment; and in the suburbs near lakes, universities and other amenities. The average closing price was $161,541 in January 2006.

The average rental rate for apartments is $674 for over 76,000 multi-family units in Mecklenburg County.

Historic and Established Neighborhoods

Charlotte’s older neighborhoods exhibit a sense of the city’s past, the city’s spirit. Many have been kept in pristine condition or have been renovated. For example, concerted efforts to preserve and protect Charlotte’s oldest neighborhoods can be seen close to, or in, the center city. Dilworth, a neighborhood of traditional homes, tree-shaded streets and churches centered around Latta Park, has been reborn. Residents, working with local government, are renovating and restoring the old stately homes and a piece of Charlotte’s past.

One of the original neighborhoods in Uptown Charlotte began its rebirth in 1975 when the need for center city housing became apparent. At that time, Fourth Ward’s houses were abandoned or in need of repair. With the creation of a Victorian atmosphere and the addition of brick sidewalks, granite curbs and pedestrian scale streetlights, Fourth Ward is now a vital and lively neighborhood with an eclectic mixture of restored homes, condominiums, apartments and non-profit housing for the elderly.

New Neighborhoods

The Charlotte area has many new home communities in a variety of styles, price ranges and living environments. These communities offer a pleasant overall design and programmed activities where newcomers quickly become an integral and familiar member of the neighborhood.

Popular brick construction is found more extensively in Charlotte than in most cities because North Carolina is a leading producer of brick. It is also the leading producer of textiles and furniture, creating convenient interior design opportunities.

Average lot size for new homes depends on location and land cost. The typical lot is 100\’ X 150\’, although some upscale developments offer half-acre, or larger, lots. Just outside of the city, there is an abundance of large acre lots and farmland.