Urban Getaway

The Charlotte Observer ran a wonderful article on suburbanites who are buying Uptown Charlotte real estate as their second home. They spoke with several people who lived in Fifth and Poplar, a Condo with many amenities, near Fourth Ward Park. By all accounts this is a great place to live and play.

You've heard of city people who flee to the country on weekends. The building boom that's transforming uptown Charlotte offers a different twist -- suburbanites such as the Palmers who'd rather spend weekends walking among the skyscrapers than tending yards or piloting boats.

The story went on to discuss the growing center city population and mentioned a few other new complexes which have been completed or are being built.

The center city's population is expected to jump from about 10,000 today to about 21,000 people by 2012. Many are young professionals and empty-nesters who moved uptown when kids moved away. Just about every new uptown condo complex -- from Courtside to 230 South Tryon to TradeMark -- includes a small corps of suburbanites who bought city homes as weekend getaways.

As someone who has lived in uptown since 1989 I know how these new comers feel. What a great place to live. We walk nearly everywhere and there is always something happening. Whether you live here on the weekends or full time center city living is not to be missed.