Plaza-Midwood (Charlotte neighborhood)

Plaza-Midwood is a neighborhood located approximately one mile to the northeast of Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. The neighborhood is roughly bound by Hawthorne Lane to the west, The Plaza to the north, Briar Creek Road and the Charlotte Country Club to the east and Central Avenue to the south.

Locally known as one of Charlotte's most diverse and eclectic neighborhoods, it is filled with art galleries, funky stores, and restaurants. Just south of Central Avenue in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood is the 19 acre Veterans Park.

History
Plaza-Midwood was first established in 1910 as a streetcar suburb of Charlotte. The Oakland Land Company was responsible for the layout of the roads within the neighborhood. Through the Great Depression, Plaza-Midwood would thrive, before its decline commenced in the 1950s.

By 1975, the Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association was established to protect and preserve the neighborhood.

Since the mid-1990s, the area has seen a dramatic comeback as reinvestment has transformed once dilapidated homes into funky urban dwellings. It continued redevelopment has spilled over into other surrounding neighborhoods, and resulted in the overall renaissance of the former inner-ring suburbs of old Charlotte.

Plaza-Midwood's Historic District is located in the western section of the neighborhood and is maintained by residents and business operators. The area along The Plaza, Thomas Avenue and parts of Pecan and Clement were designated as a Local Historic District in 1992. The district is now regulated by the Historic District Commission.

Demographics
As of 2010, Plaza-Midwood had a population of 3,993. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 84.2% White American, 8.2% Black or African American, 1.6% Asian American, and 2.8% of some other race. Hispanic or Latino American of any race were 3.2% of the population. The median household income for the area was $97,576.

Mass transit
The following buses from the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) serve the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood:
 * #4 (Country Club)
 * #9 (Central Avenue)
 * #17 (Commonwealth)
 * #39 (Eastway)

Five stops are planned for the future CityLynx Gold Line streetcar, with stations proposed for Hawthorne at Barnhardt, the Plaza, St. Julien Street, Iris Drive, and Morningside Drive. There are also possible plans for a stop along the future Silver Line light rail in Plaza-Midwood, though an alignment for the line hasn't been finalized.

Roads
The major thoroughfares are Central Avenue, Hawthorne Lane and The Plaza.

School system
Residents of Plaza-Midwood attend Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, including Eastway Middle School, Garinger High School and Shamrock Gardens Elementary School.

Libraries
Plaza-Midwood is served by the Plaza Midwood branch of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The library is located on the corner of the Central Avenue and the Plaza.

References in popular culture
Pop musician Jon Lindsay included a reference to the neighborhood (in which he also owns a home) in the title of his official label debut LP, Escape From Plaza-Midwood, released August 17, 2010 on Chocolate Lab Records. Plaza Midwood was also used as Little Korea for the USA Network pilot for the show "The Novice" in December 2013