Urban living with Southern charm

You don’t have to move to Atlanta, D.C., or New York to get a taste of urban, downtown living on the East Coast. Cities small and large across the Carolinas offer exciting options for those who desire something a bit more than the usual Southern suburban experience.

Charlotte

The newest and most luxurious development in the Queen City is bound to draw excitement from across the Carolinas, and perhaps the entire southeastern region.

The Vue, set to be completed in mid-to-late 2010 according to sales manager Rob McCrorey, will include more than 400 luxury units in a 51-story, towering building over Uptown’s First Ward.

The Vue’s units start at $319,000 and continue upward to $2 million or more. It will the be tallest residential building in North Carolina.

McCrorey said that the tough housing market and economy has “definitely slowed down the pace of sales,” but that units are still being sold.

“We’re at 65 percent sold right now,” he told Q-Notes. “We are considered a luxury building in Charlotte. People can really perceive how scarce this opportunity is going to be in the future because so many other projects here are being postponed or canceled.”

The development will feature state of the art amenities and security. McCrorey’s especially proud of the building’s bio-metric finger-print control. A 25-yard, Olympic-sized pool, 4,000 square foot work-out facility, a concierge and 24-hour doorman service is just the beginning of what might turn out to be the place for Uptown Charlotte living.

info: www.vuecharlotte.com

Raleigh

It’s beginning to look a lot like gay town — you won’t have to wait too awful long before a veritable gayborhood pops up in downtown Raleigh.

The Hue, a seven-story condo development with first floor retail sits on the corner of Glenwood and Hargett — right across the street from The CC and next to Legends. Those LGBT nightlife lovers might enjoy themselves living so close to their favorite watering holes in what developers are calling “the future of downtown Raleigh living.”

Amenities in the Hue, scheduled for completion this year, include a resident’s cocktail lounge, contemporary courtyard with pool and barbecue grill, private fitness room and concierge service. Individual unit features include spacious private balconies, walk-in laundry rooms, wireless security capability, hardwood floors and built-in, stainless steel appliances.

info: www.hueraleigh.com

Winston-Salem

Once home to banking giant Wachovia, the City of Winston-Salem offers downtown living with a sense of small town charm. With a population of a little over 200,000, Winston’s downtown is an eclectic mix of offices, cool and relaxing nightlife, a vibrant arts scene and the historic Old Salem.

Two prime properties sit squarely in the middle of all the action — the Nissen Building Apartments and the new, almost sold out One Park Vista.

Originally built in 1927 as an office building, the Nissen has been a symbol of Winston-Salem’s strong business legacy. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, plans to renovate the building for residential use finally went into construction phase. Although condos were the developer’s original plan, the building is now home to over 140 high rise apartments, with rent for a one bedroom starting at $795. Two bedroom apartments run for $1165-$1700.

Amenities, like a workout room and rooftop pool with rentable penthouse party space, seals the deal.

Next to the Nissen is the new development One Park Vista. On its website, developers say they wanted to create a sense of “Uptown style” and “Downtown living” while keeping a flair for suburban life. Porches and decks accompany many of the units giving them an open and airy feel that’ll be just right when those hot and sultry summer afternoons come our way.

But don’t expect One Park Vista to be as affordable-sounding as the Nissen. One Park is solely a condominium community, with prices in the half-million dollar range or higher. Sounds pricey, but some folks must like it — only 19 units haven’t sold.

info: oneparkvistawinstonsalem.com . nissenapartments.com

Greenville, SC

If living downtown in a larger city has you squirming, don’t give up hope. The town of Greenville in Upstate South Carolina has a beautiful, charming downtown area full of life, food, nighttime fun and more in a sleepy Southern town size.

Greenville, population 57,000 or so, sits in the county of the same name — although the population numbers sound small, we’re sure you’ll find plenty of colorful gay folk among the half-million or so people living outside the city limits.

Greensboro

Like its nearby sister city of Winston-Salem, the City of Greensboro offers an exciting but quaint downtown complete with great food and nightlife. Affordable downtown apartment residences make downtown living realistic for young professionals.

The Elms Apartments, a restored turn of the century hotel conversion, sits in the old historic district of Greensboro, above Table 16 restaurant. The Elm St. residences range from $675 to $1175 per month in price and 650 to 1,125 square feet in size. Nearby dining and nightlife includes Natty Greene’s and M’Coul’s Public House.

info: 336-272-0767