Sticks and Bricks - How University City Was Made

Because each city is a living artifact, every city is unique. All cities are evolving, living, have the capacity for self-repair, and are products of diverse input and influence. In other words, there is not just one artist.

What makes UCity unique? University City, although well within the boundaries of Charlotte, is sometimes seen as a city within the city. It has its own set of characteristics, its own history, and its own potentiality. In Episode 04, we will explore the topic of University City - As a City.

We will explore the past and future of University City with two of Charlotte’s experts on urban
places, Tobe Holmes and Mary Newsome. Each has a history with University City as well as a
deep knowledge of what elements make a great city and how places evolve over time.

Some of the themes and questions they will explore include What makes a city? Why was Ucity
built the way it was? What influences shaped University City? What does it mean that a city can
make no fatal mistakes? And what does the future hold for this city unto itself?

 

GUESTS

Mary Newsom

Mary Newsom is a journalist with decades of experience writing on urban issues, focusing primarily on growth in the Charlotte region and the Sun Belt. She was an award-winning editorial writer, associate editor, op-ed columnist, and member of the editorial board at the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charlotte (N.C.) Observer. She left the newspaper in 2011 to serve as Director of Urban Policy Initiatives at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Urban Institute, the oldest and most prestigious research center at UNC Charlotte. She left the institute in 2018 to pursue freelance writing.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina, she was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 2007-08 and in 2005-06, she was a Knight Fellow in Community Planning at the University of Miami School of Architecture. A longtime blogger, she writes The Naked City Blog (www.nakedcityblog.blogspot.com) and chairs the board of trustees of the Charlotte Museum of History from 2013 to 2016 on the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation's Community Leadership Council. She was a consulting editor for the founding of Citiscope.org, which examined global urban innovations. Her writing has appeared in CityLab, Next City, and Grist, among other publications. Today, Mary lives in Charlotte, retired from work, still writing and exploring. She also serves as the Board Chair for Center for the Living City.  

Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marynewsom/ 

Twitter: @MaryNewsom

 

Tobe Holmes 

Tobe Holmes is an urban planning and development expert and has spent the past seven years at University City Partners working towards building an even better community. 

Before joining University City Partners in Charlotte, NC, he held the position of Director of Historic South End for Charlotte Center City Partners, where he managed economic, community, and transportation development. He has a master’s degree in Regional Planning from Clemson University, focused on economic development. He completed a fellowship with the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, focused on preserving and enhancing community character through redevelopment and reinvestment. Tobe is not as cool as Mary but hopes to achieve her coolness as his career continues to progress. 

Tobe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobe-holmes-929a7913/ 

Twitter: @Tobe_Holmes