It had been the Brooklyn neighborhood: a largely impoverished but self-sufficient African-American district that was deemed unsightly and dangerous by city planners. Now it is a vibrant and well-kept neighborhood that seems quaint against the backdrop of skyscrapers nearby, and its attractiveness is verified by several major residential developments.
This area was almost entirely public housing for several decades, but was redeveloped with great success as a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood. First Ward - Very heavily residential, but beginning to feed commercially off ambitious projects such as the light rail and arena.The axis that determines their boundaries is along Trade and Tryon St., but few people consider the canyon of skyscrapers at the center of the city to really be identifiable as part of the wards.
The four wards were the original political divisions of the city, and part of Uptown. It is also the geographic center of Charlotte, with the center point of the city at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets. It is home to most of the city's major institutions, and is the historic core. Uptown is the central business district of Charlotte.
