Charlotte/Plaza-Midwood

Plaza-Midwood is a district in Charlotte. It is located on the city's east side, about a mile from Uptown, and is developing as a hip urban neighborhood. The neighborhood derives the first half of its name from The Plaza, a street passing through the center of the area; and Midwood, a subdivision of the neighborhood.

The district's boundaries are slightly ambiguous, but it is generally recognized as the area in between Hawthorne Lane on the west and Briar Creek Road and the Charlotte Country Club on the east, and between The Plaza and Parkwood Avenue on the north and Central Avenue to the south.

Early in its history, Plaza-Midwood was an industrial neighborhood centered around a streetcar line. The streetcar has long been inactive, but the moderate density of the district makes it vibrant and pleasant. An economic upturn in the last 20 years has brought it from seediness to popularity, especially among members of Charlotte's alternative cultural scene.

Get in
The easiest way to get into the neighborhood is to drive, but bus service to the area makes mass transit a fairly easy option. The #4 bus line serves the northern part of the neighborhood, and the #9 and #39 both serve Central Avenue. Most of the neighborhood is easily walkable and safe, but is not recommended to walk there from outside the district as several nearby neighborhoods are not particularly safe.

Sleep
Plaza-Midwood has virtually no hotels, so staying inside the district is unlikely. The nearest concentration of hotels in on Independence Boulevard, a 5-10 minute drive to the southwest.