What is economic connectedness? A local nonprofit dubs it as creating cross-class connections to increase economic mobility.
That goal can be achievable by providing collaborative opportunities between creative entrepreneurs and youth from under-resourced neighborhoods. However, it's not an easy task, as there are 50,000 opportunity youth, or those aged 16-24 that are unemployed or not in education, in the Charlotte region. But nonprofit Do Greater Charlotte is passionate about boosting economic mobility here, starting with designing a much bigger space dedicated to that mission.
Do Greater Charlotte, founded in 2017, is a nonprofit formed to train and offer children in under-resourced areas a space to utilize technology and creative avenues. Its first initiative was the Mobile Creative Learning lab, a mobile-truck classroom that provided iPads, laptops and other technology within a nurturing community. Then in 2022, it opened its first physical hub, CRTV (Creative) Lab at Shiloh Institutional Baptist Church, serving youth in the underserved Charlotte communities of Freedom Drive and West and Wilkinson boulevards.
Those initiatives have proven to be successful. The Creative Lab at Shiloh has trained and served more than 300 youth and 3,000 creative professionals since January 2023. That success has motivated the organization to expand its work. Do Greater is now establishing its flagship location in uptown Charlotte at 500 N. Tryon St. That space will cater to entrepreneurs of color and opportunity youth, with an intent of connecting the creative entrepreneurial ecosystem from the uptown space to the economically disadvantaged parts of the six corridors of opportunity.
"When we started to look at the opportunity going forward and how we can kind of expand and scale what we do, we wanted to look at spaces that provided more space, more access," said William McNeely, founder of Do Greater Charlotte. "And then we were starting to attract 16 to 24-year-old creative professionals and more entrepreneurs of color. That space, particularly on the west side at Shiloh, wasn't built for that."
Do Greater enters competition to boost expansion efforts
Do Greater plans to activate the three-level, 20,000-square-foot space at 500 N. Tryon St. as a central hub for under-resourced youth. The building is an historic commercial site that was constructed in 1921 and designed by Louis H. Asbury, Charlotte's first trained architect. It was also later purchased by Harvey Gantt, Charlotte's first Black mayor, and renovated into the headquarters of Gantt Huberman Architects.
McNeely said the organization wants to take that history and create something special. Do Greater had formed the idea of establishing Creative Lab Center City for some time. Then last September, Charlotte Center City Partners sought proposals that "identify, reimagine and explore potential new uses" for aging towers. The contest was meant to be an exercise in changing the way public and private sector leaders look at solving for market challenges.
Six teams submitted proposals through the November 2023 deadline. Four submissions were chosen with two proposals tying for first place and two tying for second.
The first place teams each won $15,000 from CBI Workplace Solutions, and each of the second place proposals won $2,500. Do Greater Charlotte was one of the second place winners, along with its team members Gresham Smith and DPR Construction. Its proposal included a full outline of renovation plans for the 103-year-old vacant building.
The competition came at the right time for Do Greater, helping it gain a jump start on renovating its flagship space. Asana Partners, one of the first place winners, donated its $15,000 to Do Greater because the firm believed in the proposal and wanted to help make it happen, McNeely said.
"For us, it was just natural to take the history of this building and create something cool around that for the Black community and entrepreneurs of color here," he said. "It will continue to give back to the community for a long time."
Rehabilitation plans for 1920s-era uptown space
Do Greater's plans for Creative Lab Center City include renovating the first floor into a Creative Digital Academy for Opportunity Youth. That space will be dedicated to helping young adults cultivate creative skills that align with their educational aspirations. It will also feature a cafe.
The second floor will serve as the heartbeat of CLCC. It will be designed as a collaborative space, encouraging entrepreneurs to team up, learn and gain support for their ventures. That level will also offer reserved offices.
In the basement, Do Greater's flagship space will feature a Digital Creativity Studio. That area, which will be available for rent, will be dedicated to training content development creators. The production studio will also help ensure youth participants gain creative workforce skills. The three-level project is estimated to cost about $4.7 million.
"Now, they will literally start to put those skills into play," McNeely said. "And not only that, but this place can become the central location where those skills are activated."
What the historic building owners say
Members of Boundary Street Advisors, a Charlotte-based real estate firm that is representing the 500 N. Tryon St. space, are fully backing Do Greater's expansion goals.
"We've had folks look at it from a coworking perspective, and I think it lends itself to that, but the design that Do Greater did for the contest I think just complements this building well and takes great activation of the space," said William Haygood, co-founder and principal of Boundary Street Advisors.
Rodney Faulkner, also cofounder and principal at Boundary, said he is looking forward to Creative Lab Center City being a continuation of Do Greater's existing initiatives.
"What he's doing is definitely needed for Charlotte to continue to be a world class city," he said. "You've got to be able to take that group of youth that's not necessarily being looked at and give them a place to be able to grow and evolve with the city."
McNeely said he hopes the flagship location will be known as the center of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Charlotte, particularly for entrepreneurs of color.
"Who's going to be responsible for the kids who are neither employed or trained and creating spaces for them? That's what Do Greater does," he said.
