Charlotte Sacrificing Old Buildings For New Ones

Well intentioned but loose zoning regulations are threatening the character some of the city's historic neighborhoods.

1 minute read

June 5, 2007, 12:00 PM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera

"On Sunday, another one bites the dust. The implosion of the old Charlotte Coliseum will add to the body count of memory-laden Charlotte buildings that got scraped away.

In some ways it's understandable why the Coliseum, only 19 years old, is expendable. It was designed for a city with no NBA team, built before pricey luxury seats were seen as essential.

Even so, it adds to a continuing Charlotte mystery: Why do we tear down so much?

I don't have easy or complete answers. Some of the factors are specific policies: A state building code that until a few years ago made renovations expensive. Yet there's also a civic habit: a uniquely Charlotte striving to be always bigger, always bolder.

But as I've watched development here, I've also noticed that many other growing cities haven't seen demolition derbies like Charlotte's."

Read the full story: Eve of destruction looming for historic areas?

Saturday, June 2, 2007 in The Charlotte Observer

History / Preservation North Carolina

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