nyc'er wants to move to Charlotte: where??? (Concord, Welcome: sales, rent)

[nyctoncsoon]

Hi. I live in Manhattan and do not drive, I am a 50 year old single woman with 2 dogs. Any ideas which neighborhoods/complexes would be right. I am looking for a walkable neighborhood and a place with a clubhouse.. I am looking at Fifth and Poplar but would like more options. Need to be close to some sort of mass transit also... Near a mall would be good, but I shop online alot so this is not so impt. Would like to be near others around my age (but not too old!!)..
Thanks!!

[Westbury84]

Wow, a new manhattanite. Welcome to Charlotte I moved down 12 years ago. Let me first say, since you don't have a drivers license you should get one before you come down. Mass Transit is not what you are use to.
There are three major malls in Charlotte; Carolina Place, Northlake and Southpark. Since you are a walker like most NYCers I would suggest the you look closer to the Southpark area. There you will find limited mass transit, but you can find a ton of shopping and activities in walking distance to the Mall. If you need to get uptown they offer shuttles and taxi service.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by nyctoncsoon

Hi. I live in Manhattan and do not drive, I am a 50 year old single woman with 2 dogs. Any ideas which neighborhoods/complexes would be right. I am looking for a walkable neighborhood and a place with a clubhouse.. I am looking at Fifth and Poplar but would like more options. Need to be close to some sort of mass transit also... Near a mall would be good, but I shop online alot so this is not so impt. Would like to be near others around my age (but not too old!!)..
Thanks!!

I think Charlotte is a great place to live! With that being said I'm curious as to why you're making the move from NYC to CLT. Absolutely nothing negative about Charlotte, only interested b/c you left that part out of your post.

[nyctoncsoon]

I'm looking to move to Charlotte mostly for financial reasons (Manhattan is too expensive now) as well as to beging pre-retirement... Like the idea of 4 seasons but not as cold as NYC.. want more space and to work out of a home office.. I don't intend on learning to drive at this point in my life, so a walkable community is best. Would Ballantyne work for me?? what about Fifth and Poplar??

Thanks for the advice

[CRock]

Do you like challenges? If so a life in Charlotte without a car may be just that. If you are steadfast against driving I think 5th and Poplar might be best. Charlotte transit is "nothing" like NYC. The transit center and Lynx are walkable from 5th and Poplar. Ballantyne will offer a very limited access to transit.

[lumbollo]

Originally Posted by nyctoncsoon

Hi. I live in Manhattan and do not drive,....!

If you do not want to learn to drive and own a car, then I would suggest that you find another city. This is not a place for anyone who doesn't have a car.

[yukster]

I moved from NYC last March and had no desire to drive. Despite everyone insisting that I would need a car, have had no need for one yet, however you'll need to live in uptown without one. You can take the bus anywhere that you need to go (Northlake, Southpark, Concord Mills (only on Saturday), Airport, anywhere and the cost is a few dollars less than you'd pay for an unlimited metrocard in NYC. You can get an ID card from the DMV that will show proof of your address. There are also a lot of car break-ins in uptown from what people have told me, so if you get a car, be careful. But to answer, your original question, you can get around Charlotte without a car. There might be times when from a convenience factor you wish you had one, but it's not a necessity.

[newbie09]

Nyctoncsoon, I relocated to Charlotte about 2 years ago (also from NY State-- Buffalo NY area) and like you, I'm a nondriver (unlike about 98% of the population here.) In addition, I'm a single female over 45 so I know all about safety concerns when getting around without a car & how beneficial it is to live in a walkable neighborhood with nearby access to shopping (and other amenities.) Maybe I can give you some info based on my own experience so far.

Charlotte is not ideal for living without a car, certainly not as ideal as Manhattan, but it's also not impossible. (it's not the most pedestrian-friendly or bike-friendly city either but if you're tough and careful, you can get around by walking & biking.) Although many people would say that living car-free in Charlotte is not workable-- as one respondent here stated: "since you don't have a drivers license you should get one before you come down."-- there IS public transportation, just not as extensive & efficient as you're used to (to me, it's not even as good as in Buffalo NY.) Before I moved here, I researched CATS, the public transit system, you should go to their website to see what's offered. (it was very helpful to look at their transit map, you might want to request that they mail it to you, it's very difficult to follow online.)

BTW, when you ask advice about living car-free as a nondriver here in Charlotte, be prepared for most people to react with confusion and disorientation. Many will find it strange that you're considering going even one day without a car, you might see perplexed looks on their faces and hear questions like "Huh? why would you ever want to do that?" and "Hey, why not just rent a car?". Most people who drive won't at all understand your needs and concerns as a nondriver.

I had to learn a lot thru trial & error, hope your experience will be a little smoother. Charlotte does have some walkable neighborhoods with stores, restaurants, etc. nearby, but you really need to know where to look. I currently live in one of the best areas to be without a car, just a few blocks south of the Southpark Mall in the Southpark area, lots of shopping/restaurants nearby (much of it very pricey/upscale but there's also basic drugstores & dining available.) Public transportation in this neighborhood is buses only, there's access to about 5 bus routes. (Unfortunately, there's been discussions in the local news lately about possible cutbacks in bus routes & bus service due to decreases in sales tax/other revenue during the recent economic downturn-- something to be concerned about!)

There's other neighborhoods which would work for someone without a car. These include parts of Southend, Dilworth, Myers Park and Elizabeth, which are areas just south of downtown Charlotte (which is called Uptown here for some reason.) I guess Uptown itself would also work for you although for me it's a little too pricey. Aside from that, I've seen others suggest Plaza-Midwood for living without a car, but when I went there myself, I had some safety concerns. I take a lot of factors into account when choosing which neighborhood to live in. Feeling safe when coming home after dark (maybe while carrying packages) is VERY important to me as a single female over 45. I also ride a bicycle, it's actually what I use most of the time for my transportation needs and I need to feel that where I live is good for that (in terms of low likelihood of bike theft & feeling safe while riding the bike.)

Feel free to PM me (send me a direct message) for more info or to ask me questions. I'd be happy to try to give you the benefit of my experience as a nondriver living without a car here in NASCAR country. Good luck with your plans.

[lu-dog]

5th and Poplar sounds like the best place for you.

[PlainWhite]

Have you considered Charleston, SC? That's a town you could get by on without a car. More fun too!