Greetings_from

Charlotte’s Arts & Entertainment Neighborhood
JULY 2015
Vol. 09 Iss. 06
NODA.ORG
news@noda.org
@NoDaNews /NoDaCLT @NoDaCLT
Greetings_from
CordeliaPark
A New Hub for Arts in NoDa
Whiskey Women + Matt
Sugar Creek Road Closure
100 Years in North Charlotte
NoDa Farmers Market
A New Art Hole on 35th
Tr yon St,
page 2
Cullman
seeds @
100 gardens
Railroad
/ Light R
Davidson
St.
Ave.
ail
Between the railroad tracks and Hart Witzen Gallery is a 13,000 square-foot brick warehouse. It is currently cut off
from Davidson Street by light rail construction, but it is poised to become an anchor for the Arts District ...
SEEDS on 36th Street
by Lauren Schalburg
...The brick building was built in 1965 and housed Red Pepper Graphics a few years ago. A windmillwith-fish structure has replaced the large red pepper that once marked the corner at 200 E. 36th Street.
Today, the building is affectionately known as Seeds on 36th and is managed by 100 Gardens. 100
Gardens is a Benefit Corporation, which is a new for-profit business category, chartered in several
states and pending in North Carolina, that voluntarily meets higher standards of purpose, accountability,
and transparency, such as capping salaries and dedicating profits to benefit the
common good.
100 Gardens encourages new ways of thinking about the way we grow our
food supply. They are on a mission to establish 100 high-yield aquaponic food
growing systems across our region and the world. By creatively partnering with
schools, prisons, and community institutions, they are educating and equipping a
network of AquaLabs (integrated systems that simultaneously raise fish and plants
for food). 100 Gardens has outreach programs as far away as Haiti and as close as
Garinger High School.
100 Gardens’ plan is to be self-reliant by operating three related retail subsidiaries:
Seeds, a retail garden outlet; Queen City Tilapia Co.; a retail fish distributorship;
and BOKASOIL, a composting and fertilizer business. The retail store
located on 36th Street features supplies for aquaponics, hydroponics, and
greenhouse gardening. The store also offers training services for setting
up these gardens.
100 Gardens had obvious reasons for choosing the name Seeds for their
retail shop, but the name Seeds on 36th fits the entire building as well. The
building is a kind of greenhouse for several growing businesses that work
together in ways as integrated as an AquaLab. The tenants have converged
together organically at this place, and all of them are collaborative in
nature which makes for endless future possibilities.
The_Other_Tenants
MakerSpace Charlotte, a natural spin-off of HackerSpace Charlotte, is a massive,
geeky workshop featuring co-oped tools for sharing and learning. Rocketry, robotics,
feltronics, metalworks, and wood-working are just a few of their areas of interest. They
have a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education,
eager to teach both young and old how to create and engineer. They host an open
house on the first Friday of each month at 7 pm for anyone interested in finding out
more. You can visit makerspacecharlotte.org for more meet-ups with the makers.
Hardin Minor, a Charlotte native and performer, has also sown roots here. Hardin is
an actor, mime, clown, choreographer, and theater director who is asked to perform
regularly at local benefits for charities like Foundation for the Carolinas. He often
collaborates with local production studios who need rehearsal space or performance
space. (You may have enjoyed the COTU’s Rocky Horror Picture Show production
at this location in May. I did, and I really appreciated how the unique set-up naturally
allows for interaction between the cast and audience, much like CAST once did.)
Hardin will be hosting a sale of many of his interesting props on Saturday, July 25,
from 11 am to 3pm.
Professional actor, Kelley Hinman, teaches the Meisner Acting Technique and
a Scene Study Class to actors of all experience levels at the Actors Loft. These
techniques focus on listening and concentration skills with the goal that an actor
become more spontaneous, confident, and skillful at their craft. Find more info at
www.charlottemeisnerteacher.com.
Outside, a food truck will be permanently stationed and open during business hours.
In the not-too-distant-future, a hand-crafted lighted sign will mark the building and
read “SEEDs.” Another sign, an “ON-AIR” light, will let us know when our last-but-notleast tenant Charlotte Community Radio is broadcasting.
(top: fish windmill of 100 Gardens) (left: MakerSpace rocket and 3D printer)
Programming_____
Charlotte_Community_Radio
Charlotte Community Radio is a streaming, internet-based radio station
located here in NoDa. It was Bridget B. Sullivan, who co-founded the station
with her husband Melvin Nix, who first contacted NoDa News. When I went
to interview her about the radio station, I unearthed all this other information
about the building, 100 Gardens, the other tenants, and how they all work
together, as you’ve just read.
It was about 3 years ago that Bridget and Melvin began forming a community
radio station as they envisioned one: educational in scope, interactive, and
inclusive. Finding a studio location proved to be a difficult early step. They
looked at some local colleges but, as Bridget explained about location, “You
have to feel it, it has to be the right fit.” Luckily, Bridget wears many hats. One
of these hats is putting together the event, “Ignite Charlotte”, for the past four
years. Ron Morgan, founder and co-director of 100 Gardens, was a speaker at
her event last year. After a short conversation, she toured the Seeds on 36th
location and immediately knew she had found the right fit.
Since she was 12 years old, Bridget has been been community-minded and
service-oriented. She is passionate about providing forums for people to talk
about their own passions. Charlotte Community Radio is a 501c3 charity
with the purpose of providing a platform for people, issues, and events that
lack access to mainstream media. It’s method is to engage the community
through user-generated content and citizen journalism. Bridget told me “the
difference between a community-based radio station and a commercial radio
station is that we can focus on the news of the community and amplify the
voice of community members who often go unheard.”
• Voices From The Community
Bridget hosts this daily show herself. It
features jazz music with an international
twist. The show aims “to soothe the soul
and stimulate the mind.” - Monday thru
Friday (2-5 pm)
• Between The Wickets is hosted
by James Willamour of Croquet Records.
Willamour’s years of music industry
connections lend to a great NC-focused
indie rock, pop, folk, and hip hop show
featuring fresh, local music and live interview
and music sessions. - Tuesday (7-9 pm)
• The Taco Shack Walker Spruill delivers
up hip hop music in the style of 1996
underground with classic rock and reggae
added into the mix. Tuesday (9-11 pm)
• Cuz’s Corner A roots based format
with an Americana edge. Host Dennis Frost
explores the various roots and branches
of the music with in-studio interviews
of touring artists playing in the area. Thursday (7-9 pm)
• Fair Game Three ladies in their 20s
host a new topic each week for this talk
show that is currently Charlotte Community
Radio s’ most listened to show. Anywhere
from 50 to 120 folks tune in to listen and to
interact with the hosts and one another
in the online chat room. - Friday (6-7 pm):
• Sunday Sessions features in-depth
analysis of the jazz music hosted by Bill
Fleming, a man who can’t resist telling a
good story. - Sunday (7-10 pm)
Charlotte Community Radio is run solely by volunteers under the direction
of Bridget and Melvin and their partner, Walker Spruill. More volunteers are
always welcome. Right now, they are especially in need of a web master, an
accountant, a grant writer, audio editors, and event co-coordinators to help them staff
events like music festivals.
This is a great opportunity for those who have the time and passion to host a weekly show.
Charlotte Community Radio is set up to train beginners in the basics of radio hosting. They
have trained in Audacity, WordPress, social media, and even database management, as
well as use of their “starter kit” of radio equipment.
page 3
Behailu_Youth_Radio_Summer_Camp
Charlotte Community Radio found they have a lot in common with Behailu
Academy in NoDa. According to their website, Behailu “exists so youth can find
their voice through the arts and community service.” Once they find their voices,
Charlotte Community Radio offers a forum to amplify those voices.
This summer, Behailu and Charlotte Community Radio are partnering to host 2
sessions of a week-long Youth Radio Camp with about 15 students each week.
These teens will be busy!
MakerSpace is joining in the project and will teach the students to build their
own transistor radio. Meanwhile, Charlotte Community Radio will be educating
them on the art and history of radio.
Later, they will learn how to conduct live interviews with a Zoom recorder.
Local business owners in NoDa are lined up as the interviewees. After the
interviews are recorded, the students will learn to create a cleanly edited radio
spot with Audacity software.
Finally, a visit to Old House Studio and Studio B Mastering will be where they
learn to create and engineer sound. They will watch a local drummer record some tracks and then
meet a local mastering engineer to show them how to put the record together.
Keep an eye out on social media for the outcome of this exciting educational opportunity!
A music library is also housed at Seeds on 36th. Charlotte Community Radio is asking for
any usable CDs or vinyl you’d like to donate. You can contact them for a time to drop off
your stash, or come by for Hardin’s unique “yard sale” on July 25 from 11am to 3pm. The
other tenants will also be hosting a gathering that day, including Charlotte Community
Radio’s music drive.
The station is growing strategically. Bridget insisted, “We’re not in a rush.” The plan is to
have 12-14 hours of programming each day in the next two years. So far, they have 6
solid shows that provide about 25 hours of original programming each week.
Most listeners live in Charlotte, as expected. But, there seems to be some regular listeners
from Chicago and from Philadelphia, while other listeners have tuned in from California
and as far away as Sidney, Australia. The online platform allows people to interact and
share their connection from halfway around the world.
You can find out how to get involved or listen to live radio on their website
charlottecommunityradio.org. (See the current show schedule above). Show archives
are available at mixlr.com/cltradio/showreel. I also suggest that you visualize radio at
instagram.com/cltradio.
(top: Bridgett B. Sullivan, Charlotte Community Radio)
(top/right: Hardin Minor’s props)
page 4
100_Years_in_NoDa
Consistency Amidst Change
A Look at the Life of Mae Van Camp
by Jared Stewart
It’s not easy these days to travel around NoDa without seeing great multitudes of dirt and
construction equipment everywhere. It seems as if there is always something in the neighborhood that is changing, often times for the better. Amidst the change, however, there is
a natural desire for sameness. NoDa is full of homes and buildings that are 100 years old or
older; and although many of them have experienced transformation over the years, the very
fact that they have existed for a long time brings a feeling of consistency and regularity. Not
only are there houses and structures that have remained 100 years in the neighborhood, but
there is also one lady who can speak of a century in NoDa. My great-aunt, Mae Suddreth
Van Camp, of Benard Avenue, is this amazing woman.
Mae Suddreth pretending to
be a nurse at 2 or 3 years old
on the dirt streets of North
Charlotte, c. 1917/1980
Mae Suddreth (L) and her cousin
Viola Phillips (R) in the heart of
North Charlotte, early 1930s
Mae Suddreth driving her father’s
Model T Ford in the early 1930s
She has lived all but about a year of her life in NoDa (when she was about 1 year old, her
father was transferred to Richmond, VA, where they stayed for no more than a year). Born on
May 12, 1915, at the house that is now 612 E. 35th Street (it was 208 E. 31st Street at the
time of her birth), Mae was born at a time when many of the streets of NoDa were literally
dirt and when cars were a rarity in the mill village. One was more likely to see a horse and
buggy than an automobile.
NoDa was not a neighborhood for the materially or financially wealthy at the time, as Mae’s
first cousin Lois Moore Yandle outlined in The Spirit of a Proud People. This fact is one of the
reasons extended families often lived together; and for most of the first six years of Mae’s life,
she and her parents, W. Albert and Lula Moore Suddreth, lived with her grandparents, W.
Henry and Mary Laney Suddreth, on E. 35th Street. During those first six years of her life, it
was not uncommon for twelve people to be living under her grandparents’ roof. She and her
cousin, Guy Suddreth (for whom Guy E. Suddreth Avenue is named) were much like siblings
in their early days. They roller-skated together in a swimming pool at Electric Park, and they
walked up each evening to Mecklenburg Mill carrying tin buckets with their grandfather’s
dinner (he was the night watchman at the mill until his death in 1919). Mae was only three
or four years old when she did this.
By 1922, Mae, her parents, and her sister Mattie had all moved to what is now 720 Charles
Avenue (it was East 29th Street), where her sister Willie was born, and finally to their home
at what is now 716 Charles Avenue, where the last three of Mae’s five siblings (Buster, Red,
and Esther) were born. Lula kept a big garden there, with chickens and all. The Suddreths
had one of only two telephones on the street, thanks to Albert’s income from being a railroad messenger; and everyone and anyone used the Suddreth telephone, as the owners of
the other telephone kept theirs to themselves. Mae and her family would have to track their
neighbors down when their neighbors’ friends began calling their house.
Following the completion of her 8th grade year at Charlotte Technical “Tech” High School
in 1929, Mae worked a job at the Highland Park Mill that summer; and in the fall, when her
mother asked her if she was going to quit so that she could go back to school, Mae replied
“no,” that she was making too much money to go back to school. She also began driving a
Model T Ford that year at age fourteen, when her father wanted her to drive him to work.
The Charlotte Police Department gave her permission at the responsibility of her father,
and Mae began 78 years of driving, culminating at age 92 with no speeding tickets nor any
chargeable accidents. During the early to mid-1930s, she would drive great numbers of her
contemporaries from her church, Garr Auditorium (now Garr Memorial Church), to minister
to the residents of the Mecklenburg County Home.
Mae married a railroad messenger, Edwin E. Van Camp, a native of Auburn, NY, in 1937 at
the North Charlotte Methodist Parsonage; and they set out to raise their two children,
Barbara and Ray, born in the following years in the neighborhood. Living in at least five
different places in the neighborhood from 1937 to 1953, including the front room of Mae’s
parents’ home on Charles Avenue and an apartment above the North Charlotte Post Office on North Davidson Street, Mae and Edwin finally settled down in January of 1953 at their
newly-constructed home on Benard Avenue. In this house, Mae, and her septuagenarian
children who stay with her now, continue to live.
She has been retired from a position as supervisor of Huntley Mill in York, SC, since 1977;
and she has been widowed since 1984. Still, she lives and serves as a marker of consistency
against the ever-changing world (and neighborhood) around her. This great-great-grandmother has adapted to the changes that the 20th century brought (and even to some 21st
century changes); but she is the same physical person as was born in 1915 in NoDa, living
only six-tenths of a mile from the home she was born in. She still desires to be a good neighbor, having cut her own grass and having manicured her own shrubbery until age 92.
She lives through all of the logistical challenges that the temporary closing of the E. 36th
Street railroad crossing has meant for neighborhood residents and all of the challenges that
Charlotte construction brings as a whole. She desires to live life well; and although this is
hard with advanced age, she does her best as she leans on a strong, deeply personal Christian faith. Times may change over 100 years; but Mae shows us that there is an ability to
adapt and to remain a symbol of fortitude, even as she spends most of her days quietly at
home, rocking in her chair, greeting visitors, or going out for the occasional luncheon.
This picture was taken May
16, 2015 at Mae Van Camp’s
NoDa home on her 100th
birthday celebration
page 5
Will_Puckett
Grabbing the Bull
By the Horns
As you have likely noticed if you have been anywhere near the Neighborhood Theatre lately, the
landscape of 36th Street is changing again. But, this alteration is not only due to construction.
This transformation is being implemented by local artist, Will Puckett, who is doing it one brush
stroke at a time.
by Matt Lemere
Will also explained the fragmented sections of individual animals are presented in the likeness of
modernism, but there is also homage to our region’s history in that the block print is reminiscent
of the Appalachian quilting groups that would have come through our area. “I’m trying to touch
on this larger discursive art historical element as well as a more local regional cultural heritage.”
Situated between the construction zones on 36th Street, Will has been busy at work creating his
most recent public art installation. As with any piece, it has been a meticulous process, a process
that started with conversations with the business owner of Neighborhood Theatre and other commercial buildings nearby, Tyler Foster.
If this tug between modernism and post-modernism sounds familiar, it may be because this new
work is very much a continuation of the discussion he led at the inaugural NoDa Drinks & Thinks
event at the Evening Muse last June. “We see the consistency of imagery throughout human history, but it’s the hows and whys that we describe it are actually changing versus the what.”
As Will recounted, “Tyler was familiar with me and my work here in the neighborhood and wanted
to do a large signature piece.” They had several conversations and Will grew more excited about
the project. “I wanted to create something that would last a really long time and hopefully create
something of a landmark for the neighborhood.”
“In many ways you have this bull coming through and it’s very much about change. It is changing.
But along with that change you have this embedded cultural heritage that is there with it and is
running alongside it.”
Some of the challenges he is facing are obvious. Painting around the hot, humid North Carolina
Discussions followed for 6 to 8 months and featured about a dozen different designs. Once the summer is difficult at best. The heat has been intense, exacerbated by the location, lack of shade,
two agreed on a general theme, there was about another dozen designs with
and time of day he has worked. Still, it hasn’t been all that bad because he
“I wanted to create some- gets to use a lift for most of the work on the mural. “I get up early in the morneach one playing off nuances and ideas.
thing that would last a really ing and work all day and then drive it back home. It’s like the best part of the
The end result is a juxtaposition of change and consistency; it is a post-modlong time and hopefully
job is driving that thing back and forth to the house,” he said laughing.
ern look at classic imagery that’s both timeless and immediate. In short, it is create something of a landa bull, albeit a huge bull, that will span across the Neighborhood Theatre’s mark for the neighborhood.” But after the fun of driving the lift has subsided, after all the hot days have
large parapet.
passed, and the last of the paint has been put away, the mural’s lasting mean-Will Puckett
ing will be a reflection of each of us and NoDa. It reflects the battles and chalThe piece is meant to be seen from three points of perspective. Viewed up close, there are distinct lenges we face today, and it shines a light on what our future may be.
individual patterns and a patchwork of animals painted inside the bull. As you step back into the
middle ground, you should be able to appreciate the larger abstraction as the bull comes to shape. “It’s like the continuation of change and consistency throughout the evolution of the neighborAnd finally, you can take in the actual bull if you stand back farther to view the mural in full scale. hood,” he said. “The neighborhood is certainly going through a period of change. And although
there are many attempts to try and keep some consistency by preserving historical buildings, we
Nestled inside the bull will be ornate images of regional North Carolina wildlife, featuring ani- are also welcoming new modern-styled projects.”
mals such as owls, crocodiles, cats, fish, and turtles. Will’s most favorite illustration, of course,
will be chickens.
It’s encouraging to know we are still embracing art and celebrating the impact on our neighborhood as we face tomorrow.
“But why the image of a bull on a theatre?” I wondered. Will said that his earliest ideas did involve
some aspect of theatre scenes, but he realized they were a bit too cliché at the end. “It’s like the
first thing people would associate with the project: ‘Oh, it’s a theatre? Let’s paint a picture of a theatre.’ I wanted to start with a base image and break it down in a couple of different ways.”
He added, “Post-modernism suggests that what I say doesn’t mean anything. It’s only going to
be interpreted by the reader. With that in mind, I wanted to create a text of images that could
be read in many different ways by many different people. I chose the bull because it has had a
consistency throughout human history. It’s been a part of expression from the caves in France
to Greco-Roman era to the modern era in pieces such as Picasso’s Guernica. It’s this constant
image that’s been done many different ways in many different eras.”
worldly art!
handcrafted items from over 40 countries
3202A N. DAVIDSON ST
puravidaart.com
/PuraVidaArt
Davidson Street
Spencer
page 6
36th
35th
Matt Moore, Charlotte, NC
908 E. 35th Street
PBR to Open ART HOLE in NoDa
by William Puckett
As of Wednesday, July 1, NoDa has a new addition to its art scene - Welcome to the Art Hole.
PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer) will be hosting a pop-up art gallery called the Art Hole that will
feature local, regional and national artists.
(to Uptown)
For those of you who don’t know, PBR has continually funded and supported the arts by commissioning public artworks (murals) and art happenings (including live paintings and music events)
throughout the year. These events have taken place in our neighborhood and all over the city/
state/nation, at a time when the number of our precious art galleries have been, unfortunately,
dwindling. This summer, and into the late fall, PBR will be bringing you a unique gallery featuring
a cross-section of graphic, low-brow, street, and modernist/post-modernist art work (as well
as a pumpkin carving show) for your viewing and, in some case, participation.
The Art Hole is located at the corner of 35th Street and Whiting Avenue (the former location of
NoDa Yoga). It is free and open to the public, and shows often include cookouts and music by
some of the finest DJ’s in the city.
Whether you drink their beer or not, come support the folks that have been supporting the arts
while many others have been lacking, and have a good time and see some great art too!
Jim, Seattle, WA
Matthew Maddox, St. Louis, MO
Shows
Wed July 1:
National PBR Art Show
Fri July 17:
The Pucketts
Fri August 7:
Matt Hooker, Matt Moore,
Alex DeLarge
Fri August 28:
Pabst “Localized Art Show”
Fri September 11:
P/V + Friends
October date TBD:
Haloween-themed show
Wed October 21:
Pumpkin Carving Show
Fri November 6:
RIP Pabst Van – Final Show
Fri November 9:
Gallery Closes
Bill Watson, New Market, MD
page 7
Queen City
Whiskey
Women
by Tonya Jameson of Sip + Play
I caught up with the Queen City Whiskey Women for the monthly “drink up” last month. The
group, founded by NoDa maven Hollis Nixon, is a gathering of women who drink whiskey. Okay,
in theory, they like to drink whiskey, but really they just enjoy craft cocktails. The group meets
the third Wednesday at Heist Brewery in NoDa.
Each “drink up” features a signature drink and a “MANhattan”, a male friend brave enough to
drink with a bunch of women. (What guy wouldn’t want to do that?) Last month’s drink was
Heist’s version of Whiskey Sour with a Claret Snap (a port float).
Similar to Charlotte’s Bourbonistas, of which I am also a member, Queen City Whiskey Women
gatherings often feature a visit from a liquor rep. Nixon hopes the group will catch on. Clubs for
women who drink whiskey and bourbon are popping up throughout the country.
I didn’t think about until I started working on my blog, but last month I toured Maker’s Mark,
Buffalo Trace, Four Roses and Woodford Reserve bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Women
made up nearly 50 percent of the people on the tours that I attended.
I’ve been drinking brown liquor - as I call it - for more than a decade. The rest of the country has
finally caught up to me. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, vodka
sales have stagnated at 1.6 percent growth in 2013-2014, but sales of single malt scotch rose
6.4 percent, bourbon 7.4 percent and Irish whiskey 9.1 percent. The Washington-based lobbying
firm credits women drinking with these trends.
Nixon says you don’t have to love whiskey to join the group. Here’s what she sent me as the
criteria for membership: “The Queen City Whiskey Women want strong, dedicated, and passionate QC females to grow the group. Our ladies focus on laughter, networking, and whiskey. We
nominate a monthly “MANhattan” - an adventurous and supportive male friend that is invited to
attend the drink-up and regal us with his humor (and chivalry). Tiaras are strongly encouraged!”
page 8
NoDa
Farmers
Market
by Shannon Lynch
of charlottehomesandhappenings.com
Gone are the days of having to drive all the way
over to Yorkmont or Kings Drive in order to hit
the local farmer’s market. Thanks to Scott Lindsley and Joey Hewell’s vision, drive, and passion for all things organic, they have managed to
bring together local farmers to NoDa, at the open
grassy area along 36th Street and Alexander.
I finally had the opportunity to check it out this past weekend, and I was impressed. This once fledging market has grown incredibly in such a short time.
We have seen others attempt to get something like this off the ground in
NoDa, but this one seems to have the power to go the duration if the Linwell
Team continues with their laser focus and determination. With a large enough
space, plenty of tents, an assortment of ever growing participants with great
produce and products for sale, this market has the basic ingredients to really
make it work.
A great new addition to our ‘hood, people were out and about, checking out
the wares and supporting the market. There’s a real sense of community. We
live in a neighborhood where people actually know their neighbors and socialize! This was more than evident while at the market. Folks were out with
their kids/dogs/significant others, many with coffee in hand, walking around,
greeting other neighbors, and leisurely shopping.
It’s a fun way to start off a Saturday morning. There were homemade breads
to die for from Local Loaf Bakery, organic meats from Mary L Farm and Two
Moon Family Farms, fresh flower bouquets made on site by Commonwealth
Farms & Jane G Henderson Design, vegetables and fruit from Burton Farms,
local wine from Dover Vineyards, seafood from Fish On Seafood, local honey from Midwood Hill Apiary, and cheeses from Ormann’s Cheese Shop,
just to name a few.
I picked up some fresh mozzarella, along with a big beautiful striped tomato.
I added basil from my yard and Caprese Salad was dinner that night. So good!
Next week, I’ll be checking out the organic meats and fresh loaves of bread.
Be sure to get there early for the best selection. Watch for new vendors in the
future as this market continues to grow… come out and support local!
Association_Member_of_the_Month
Linwell Farms
by NoDa Neighborhood & Business Association
The June Neighborhood Association Member of the Month is Linwell Farms. This is only the second business
recognized by the Association as AMOM, but they are certainly deserving of the award. Headed by Scott Lindsley and Joey Hewell, Linwell Farms has helped keep your bellies full and support local farmers by organizing the
NoDa Farmer’s Market at the corner of Alexander and 36th Street. They’ve brought a diverse mixture of booths
from traditional produce, dairy product, meat, bread, seafood, coffee, and wine. And all of the booths are run by
local farmers who offer fresh, in-season fare. The group was also responsible for building benches for the North
Charlotte Park, which has been a huge hit with the 16” Softball crowds on Monday nights. Lastly, they have also
helped establish fruit trees around the neighborhood to help be a food source for animals of all sizes. Big thanks to
Linwell Farms! Please show your appreciation by checking out the NoDa Farmer’s Market, Saturdays from 8:00 am
to noon.
If you would like to nominate a NoDa volunteer for next month’s award, email your recommendation to news@noda.org.
36th
Davidson St.
Uncovering Area 15
page 9
15th
to Uptown
by Anne Klaus of Goal Champion, LLC
I just moved my goal coaching business into Area 15 a couple of months
ago. Like so many places around NoDa, this space is a hidden gem that the
average Charlottean knows nothing about. It’s at the corner of N. Davidson and East 15th Streets: a painted old concrete building that’s a work
of art inside and out.
I’m a question-asker, curious to the bone (which can be a good thing when I remember to
put my heart into it). My questions led me out of the corporate conference room and into a
search for the work spaces of heart-driven leaders. Finding Area 15 was like stumbling onto a
conscious mother-lode of heart-led ventures, where socially conscious people come to plug
in and challenge themselves.
On the surface, I saw it as a micro business incubator that serves local, socially-minded entrepreneurs to jump start their small businesses. As I look deeper, though, I am finding a social experiment
that turns on something deep inside me. Artists, activists, city officials, churchy people, business
folk, and local neighbors make a steady flow of visitors coming to learn what makes this place tick.
I’ll continue to share more each month as I uncover the life that is teaming behind these old,
painted walls. In the meantime, I’ll share one event I just learned about that’s coming up in
September. It seems to be a concentrated sampling of what goes on at Area 15. The event is
called Carnival de Resistance (carnivalderesistance.com/the-vision). From what I can tell, it
will be a three-day networking party turned just enough on its unprecedented head that
community-rich ideas (including yours) can’t help but come out. Check it out and let me
know what you think. You can email me at anne@thegoalchampion.com.
With that in mind, I’ve accepted a challenge to share my journey with all of you, for the next several
months, as I travel deeper into the heart of Area 15. (I’m grinning - as I type - at the very thought of
this assignment.)
page 10
NoDa Development
Sugar Creek Road
to Close for 2+ Years
by NoDa News Staff
NoDa News has worked hard to keep you updated over our past ten years about development, construction, and changes happening in our ‘hood. This month we’ll take a look at
the mammoth construction project affecting NoDa at Sugar Creek Road.
Several projects are tied together for the crossing at Sugar Creek: this will be NoDa’s new
frontier once our second light rail station is complete, but there is work to be done first for
the car and train crossings here, which are the busiest in the state.
Sugar Creek Station will mix industrial/railroad
inspired artwork designed by Chandra Cox, the
head of the department of art and design at NC
State University.
NCDOT is about to begin work on the project which will close Sugar Creek Road at the rail
crossing for 2+ years. You may have already noticed the casualties: our Wells Fargo Bank
branch and the pawn shop. These buildings will be removed, and a small scale cloverleaflike entrance/exit to an overhead bridge will be constructed in their foot print.
The inconvenience of another major arterial road in NoDa being closed for two or more
years is alarming, for sure. But the closure of Sugar Creek won’t happen until Eastway
Drive is reopened (which has been closed for two or more years forcing Sugar Creek Road
to carry its traffic). Also, Craighead Road will remain open to traffic in and out of NoDa.
However, once Sugar Creek bridge is complete, Craighead will close forever.
There are a lot of details and moving pieces in this project, but the outcome is easy to understand: the railroad tracks (freight, Amtrak, passenger, and Lynx light rail) need a “sealed
corridor” in order to function independently of cars and pedestrians. Without this sealed
corridor, the crossing gate arms at Sugar Creek Road would have to close nearly every six
minutes for some sort of train crossing. In the end, auto traffic will be smoother, light rail
will be faster, intercity train travel will be quicker, and conductors will no longer need to
blow their horns at street crossings.
There are more positives wrapped up in this giant project: CATS and NCDOT will construct a pedestrian bridge from the 3800 block of Davidson Street (near Blue Ridge
Recycling) for easy pedestrian access across the tracks to the Sugar Creek Lynx light
rail station on the north side. Sidewalks and roadways will be upgraded to pedestrian
standards from Asian Corners toward The Plaza, as well as along Davidson, Raleigh, and
Greensboro Streets.
We may not consider these roads to be as desirable for pedestrians as our central NoDa
streets, but imagine a day when our walkable and livable neighborhood standards stretch
beyond our boundaries for everyone. Imagine walking to Asian Corners for Bahn Mi
sandwiches at Le’s. Imagine no more train horns!
Managing Editor Lauren Schalburg
Copy Editor
Hollis Nixon
Ad Manager
Jen Laracy
Art Director
Evan Plante, Docklands Design
Direct all advertising inquiries, submissions
& comments to
News@noda.org
816 East 37th Street
Charlotte, NC 28205
Any submission will be considered for publication
if received by the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Content approval is based on
newsworthiness, available space, and the discretion of the editors.
NoDa News is a publication of the Historic North
Charlotte Neighborhood Association, Inc. a 501(c)3
charity d/b/a NoDa Neighborhood and Business
Association in Mecklenburg County, NC.
page 11
Come_Celebrate
CrossFit NoDa’s 5th Anniversary
by Kevin Brafford
NoDa is a neighborhood full of rich history and culture. The community is dedicated to working collaboratively in order to better the livelihoods of everyone living there. CrossFit NoDa epitomizes
how individuals unite each day in order to achieve both personal and fitness goals.
So much of CrossFit training embraces the ideals of focus, concentration, and working through
tough moments. That is when it is best to have a community of supporters around you. For the last
five years, CrossFit NoDa has grown and established an environment where everyone can thrive
regardless of fitness background or current fitness levels.
In celebration of this tremendous feat, CrossFit NoDa would like to invite you to our fifth anniversary on Saturday, July 18, at 9:00 am. In true CrossFit fashion, we will begin the festivities with a
group workout, “CrossFit for Hope”, benefiting St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. We will offer heats
throughout the day so everyone can do the workout. After the hard work and sweat has been
poured out for the fight against childhood cancer, let us enjoy some delicious food fresh off the grill
and refreshing beverages. A Slip n’ Slide, bounce house, and water balloon toss will also be available for all to participate. We will also be raffling off prizes graciously donated by local businesses.
CrossFit NoDa is more than just a gym. We are a community within the astounding NoDa neighborhood whose triumphs occur because of supporters like you! We look forward to seeing you Saturday, July 18, at 9:00am. 624 Anderson St. Charlotte, NC 28205.
7.18. 2015 | 9am-1pm | 624 Anderson St.
BOUNCE HOUSE • WATER BALLOONS • RAFFLES • FOOD • BEER • & MORE
C ROS S F I T N OD A . C OM
A fundraiser benefiting St. Jude's Children's Hospital
July
Aug
24
1
All Arts Market
July 24: Planes Mistaken For Stars,
Black Market, Mon Frere, Sea of Storms
Neighborhood Theatre will get heavy
on Friday July 24th for the reunion tour
of Denver, Colorado’s Planes Mistaken
For Stars. Here is a band that set the
bar in the late 90’s and early 2000’s to
redefine melodic post-hardcore. One
of few bands who didn’t lose their integrity in the emo-revolution, they will
play their only North Carolina show in
Charlotte. Another reunion will happen from local Charlotte band, Mon
Frere. Richmond, VA’s Sea of Storms
will travese I-85, and Charlotte’s own
Black Market will support with their
own dynamic post-alternative energetic set.
August 1: All Arts Market
@ Neighborhood Theatre
NoDaRioty is pleased to announce the
second All Arts Market this year. Join us
on Saturday August 1st, 2015 from
2:00pm-11:00pm at the Neighborhood
Theatre. The space will be full of local
artists personally selling their work
and welcoming conversations of appreciation, custom designs, and overall
love for all topics art. Come peruse the
diverse collection of artwork, jewelry,
décor, and so much more.
Are you an artist looking to share your
talents at the August 1st AAM? Mark
your calendar, online registration begins at 7:00am on Saturday, July 11th,
and you’ll need to act fast, spots fill up
quickly! Further details around the
registration process, eligibility, booth
fees, and other important information
for the artists can be found online at
NoDaRioty’s Vendor Information page
(nodarioty.org/vendor-information).
If you’d like to be a part of NoDaRioty,
they meet the 2nd Wednesday of every
month at 6:30pm at Solstice Tavern. Send
any questions or comments to nodarioty@noda.org.
July
featured events
Thursdays: I Am Art: Spoken Word @ UpStage
Saturdays: Eclectic Market behind Smelly Cat
Saturdays: Farmer’s Market @ Linwell Farms (36th & Alexander)
Sundays: Brunch @ Boudreaux’s, Crepe Cellar, Heist, Jack Beagle’s, & Solstice
Mondays: Open Mic @ Evening Muse
July 1: National PBR Art Show @ Art Hole
July 2: Royal Thunder @ Chop Shop
July 3: Sinners & Saints @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 3: Revolution (feat. Son of Kick) @ Chop Shop
July 8: The Reef & Queen City Dub @ Evening Muse
July 8: Stu Hamm Band @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 10: Rick Spreitzer @ Evening Muse
July 10: Father @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 11: All Arts Market Artist Registration @ nodarioty.org, 7am
July 11: Future Thieves @ Evening Muse
July 11: SummerSplash Festival @ Chop Shop
July 14: Stephen Stills @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 15: Queen City Whiskey Women @ Heist, 6pm
July 16: 5th Annual Patty Griffin Tribute @ Evening
Muse
July 17: Pucketts Art Show @ Art Hole
July 17: Morgan Heritage @ Chop Shop
July 18: 5th Anniversary Party @ CrossFit NoDa , 9am
July 18: Mandyland Summer Carnival @ Chop Shop
July 18: Songs of Water @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 19: Deniro Farrar @ Chop Shop
July 20: Open House @ Charlotte Christian College, 7-9pm
July 21: Robert Earle Keen @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 23: Comic, Stewart Huff @ UpStage
July 23: Grace Askew @ Evening Muse
July 24: Planes Mistaken for Stars @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 25: Yard Sale @ Seeds at 36th, 11-3
July 25: Blue Dogs @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 25: Cameron Floyd: EP Release @ Evening Muse
July 26: Gate Creeper @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 29: School of Rock All Stars @ Chop Shop
July 29: Jeff Austin Band @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 30: Jimmy LaFave @ Evening Muse
July 31: The Steel Wheels @ Neighborhood Theatre
July 31: Mike Strauss Trio @ Evening Muse
August 1: All Arts Market @ Neighborhood Theatre, 2-11pm
July 8, 9, 10: Circle Mirror Transformation @ UpStage
July 9-19: Lion in Winter @ Seeds on 36th