Block By Block: NoDa Grapples With Development; Spring Defies Calendar

Published March 7, 2017 at 9:00 AM EST

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

NoDa’s explosive growing pains may continue for a while with the delay of the opening of the next leg of the Lynx Blue Line. Our regular "Block By Block" series continues with a look at NoDa, and then Mike Collins examines why the weather is defying the calendar.

PART ONE

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NoDa Neighborhood and Business Association president Hollis Nixon and Joe Kuhlmann, owner of The Evening News, talk with Mike Collins about development and construction in "the arts district."

When you read about Charlotte's development boom, odds are you’ll see “NoDa” in the mix. Hundreds of new apartments have been announced in just the past year for the area known as “the arts district.”

One of the big draws for developers is the Blue Line Extension, which cuts right through NoDa on its way from uptown to the university area. The neighborhood has been eagerly waiting for the rail line’s opening this summer, if only because it will mean the end of nearly three years of construction that has disrupted the flow of life in NoDa.

But last week brought bad news: the line isn’t going to open until next March. Joe Kuhlmann, owner of The Evening Muse in the heart of NoDa, compared it to a seven-month delay for Christmas.

Our “Block by Block” series continues with a look at NoDA. How as the area been handling the rail construction and the onslaught of development? What will it mean for NoDa’s “vibe?”

GUESTS

Hollis Nixon, president, NoDa Neighborhood and Business Association

Joe Kuhlmann, owner, The Evening Muse

PART TWO

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NBC Charlotte meteorologist Brad Panovich and Jake Weltzin from the US Geological Survey talk with Mike about the early arrival of spring in much of the country.

Spring isn’t “officially” supposed to start for another two weeks, but it seems it’s already in full swing in Charlotte and much of the Southeast and Midwest. The early arrival could be a record.

Those who watch seasonal gauges say spring sprang about a month early in some parts of the country. In Charlotte and the Southeast, the season arrived about two to three weeks too early. This comes on the heels of a February that tied for the warmest on record for Charlotte.

Why is the weather defying the calendar? Is this unusual? What effect does this have on your garden? On wildlife? On allergies?

GUESTS

Brad Panovich, chief meteorologist, NBC Charlotte (@wxbrad)

Jake Weltzin, executive director, USA National Phenology Network