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Charlotte Trolley Vision Plan
Shook Kelley spearheaded the visioning of a new historic trolley line, spurring economic development and creating a “mascot” for the place branding effort for Charlotte’s South End district.
Beginning in 1987, a succession of volunteers, primarily history and train buffs, gave their time, talents and funds toward restoring the shell of Charlotte’s last vintage trolley car as a museum piece. In 1994, the vintage trolley (Car #85) was adopted by a real estate developer who was transforming a collection of vacant manufacturing buildings located just outside the center city.
The mostly blighted area contained an abandoned rail spur track linking the area to downtown. The car was made operable for only a length of 600 feet, and the ride became a “must” event for school trips and family outings. Terry Shook and Kevin Kelley teamed with the developer and other volunteers to name and form one nonprofit organization—Historic South End, Inc., and to transform another—Charlotte Trolley, Inc.—to support the new district and its historical brand driver, car #85..
In 1995, Shook Kelley held a public lecture that advanced the idea of linking South End to the center city by establishing full-time trolley service upon the abandoned rail line that connected them. More than a transportation link, this endeavor would foster economic development along this unique corridor. Charlotte Trolley, Inc., Historic South End, and Charlotte Center City Partners combined their efforts to host a series of charrettes in 1997, orchestrated and led by Shook Kelley, to explore the concept. Preparation of the resulting Charlotte Trolley Vision Plan marked the first time in the city’s history that a number of divergent factions—the private and the public sectors, downtown and its adjacent neighborhoods, business leaders and common citizens, those who live in the center city and those who work there, and the black and the white communities—came together to champion an agenda for the greater public good. Through intensive community workshops, a contingent of citizens, local design professionals and national experts forged a vision of a new urban reality in which the diverse factions could become stakeholders and advocates for the Vision Plan’s acceptance and funding. To document the Vision, Shook Kelley designed and sent out 3,000 posters to the community, which instantly earned their support, and then the political interest.
The first time in the city’s history that a number of divergent factions came together to champion an agenda for the greater public good…
A short time later, Kevin Kelley and other community leaders presented the trolley vision to Charlotte City Council. The request to the city was simple: give us $20 million dollars to transform the rail corridor into a trolley corridor, and we will give you $500 million dollars worth of new economic development projects and increased tax base.
The Vision Plan was ultimately funded by the City of Charlotte at the level of $17.2 Million. This success also sparked debate about a broader light rail initiative, which led to the successful passage of a local referendum to impose a 1/2-cent sales tax for transit, funding the Charlotte LYNX Blue Light Rail line in operation today.
The Vision Plan proves that grass root efforts—with goals and a pathway clearly defined—can harness the energies of both “insiders” and “outsiders” to accomplish great and lasting things. The process of openness, inclusion, honesty and action that typified the Trolley Vision process is one that can be useful for cities large and small, regardless of the goal at hand. To date, the initial trolley system and it’s progeny, the Lynx Light Rail, has generated over $1 billion dollars worth of economic development. Better yet, it has now become Charlotte's first light rail corridor and has permanently changed the future of South End, the Center City of which it is now an integral part and greater Charlotte for the better.
Beginning in 1987, a succession of volunteers, primarily history and train buffs, gave their time, talents and funds toward restoring the shell of Charlotte’s last vintage trolley car as a museum piece. In 1994, the vintage trolley (Car #85) was adopted by a real estate developer who was transforming a collection of vacant manufacturing buildings located just outside the center city.
The mostly blighted area contained an abandoned rail spur track linking the area to downtown. The car was made operable for only a length of 600 feet, and the ride became a “must” event for school trips and family outings. Terry Shook and Kevin Kelley teamed with the developer and other volunteers to name and form one nonprofit organization—Historic South End, Inc., and to transform another—Charlotte Trolley, Inc.—to support the new district and its historical brand driver, car #85..
In 1995, Shook Kelley held a public lecture that advanced the idea of linking South End to the center city by establishing full-time trolley service upon the abandoned rail line that connected them. More than a transportation link, this endeavor would foster economic development along this unique corridor. Charlotte Trolley, Inc., Historic South End, and Charlotte Center City Partners combined their efforts to host a series of charrettes in 1997, orchestrated and led by Shook Kelley, to explore the concept. Preparation of the resulting Charlotte Trolley Vision Plan marked the first time in the city’s history that a number of divergent factions—the private and the public sectors, downtown and its adjacent neighborhoods, business leaders and common citizens, those who live in the center city and those who work there, and the black and the white communities—came together to champion an agenda for the greater public good. Through intensive community workshops, a contingent of citizens, local design professionals and national experts forged a vision of a new urban reality in which the diverse factions could become stakeholders and advocates for the Vision Plan’s acceptance and funding. To document the Vision, Shook Kelley designed and sent out 3,000 posters to the community, which instantly earned their support, and then the political interest.
The first time in the city’s history that a number of divergent factions came together to champion an agenda for the greater public good…
A short time later, Kevin Kelley and other community leaders presented the trolley vision to Charlotte City Council. The request to the city was simple: give us $20 million dollars to transform the rail corridor into a trolley corridor, and we will give you $500 million dollars worth of new economic development projects and increased tax base.
The Vision Plan was ultimately funded by the City of Charlotte at the level of $17.2 Million. This success also sparked debate about a broader light rail initiative, which led to the successful passage of a local referendum to impose a 1/2-cent sales tax for transit, funding the Charlotte LYNX Blue Light Rail line in operation today.
The Vision Plan proves that grass root efforts—with goals and a pathway clearly defined—can harness the energies of both “insiders” and “outsiders” to accomplish great and lasting things. The process of openness, inclusion, honesty and action that typified the Trolley Vision process is one that can be useful for cities large and small, regardless of the goal at hand. To date, the initial trolley system and it’s progeny, the Lynx Light Rail, has generated over $1 billion dollars worth of economic development. Better yet, it has now become Charlotte's first light rail corridor and has permanently changed the future of South End, the Center City of which it is now an integral part and greater Charlotte for the better.
