Charming. Quaint. Delightful. These reactions are typical of a first-time visitor's stroll through Charlotte Fourth Ward district. Fourth Ward is the most residential quadrant of Uptown's four wards.  Fourth Ward Charlotte artfully blends restored 100-plus-year-old homes with newer construction designed to be compatible with its surroundings.

Along the edges of the neighborhood, the vitality of the North Tryon arts and entertainment district as well as pricey new condominiums offers a diversity of amenities for Uptown dwellers. In fact, one hallmark of much of the recent development has been combining retail - offices, restaurants and galleries - on the Tryon Street side with residential on the Church Street side. And although high-rise structures characterize much of this, the scale has been monitored carefully so as not to overwhelm adjacent single family homes.

The McColl Center for Visual Arts, is a beacon that attracts notice from passersby, whether driving on the Brookshire Freeway or strolling through the Center City. The structure is a dramatic restoration of a one-time church.  Such arts and entertainment venues will be prominent in the future development of Fourth Ward as well.