CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Overlooked and ignored. For decades, one Charlotte community has been left behind as the Queen City grew around it. But now, the county and the city are investing millions of dollars to help change that.
At nine years old, the parking lot off of Hoskins Road is where Chris Peake earned his first few dollars. Now, at 52, he’s back with a new understanding.
“It’s like, I get it now! I understand,” laughed Peake.
Peake grew up on the west side of Charlotte.
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“I still know the families,” said Peake.
He said the only time there’s been any kind of attention here is when something bad happens.
“I’m going to be totally honest, yes. Years on top of years, this area has been written off,” said Peake.
Here’s the thing, others may have written them off, but not Peake.
“Hope helps you find a way,” said Peake.
The old egg factory off of Hoskins will soon be transformed into a farm-to-table grocery store, kitchen, and community center. Peake has been part of the project and said, this will change the west side completely. He was there when the grocery stores started moving out.
“At fifteen, sixteen, the local food stores just started leaving. They started turning basically into convenience stores, where you have to go in and whatever’s assessable to eat in this store, I’m going to take it,” said Peake.
Carolina Farm Trust is behind the project. The non-profit works to help people living in urban areas get access to fresh food and groceries. Peake said they’ll be partnering with local farmers in North and South Carolina and get food directly from them. That will help cut out the added expenses that come with groceries as well as the waste that happens.
“With that added on value with our commercial kitchen, with low nutrient level, we’re going to turn it into a sauce or into a dressing, so nothing will be wasted,” said Peake.
Time hasn’t clouded Peake’s vision.
“They never lost hope,” said Peake. “Even when people gave up, they didn’t give up on themselves.”
He said what’s special here isn’t the street he grew up on or the old factory they’re remodeling, but it’s the people who kept on hoping.
“I saw it as being the heartbeat of the community.”
The county and the city kicked in money to help with the project. Mecklenburg County officials contributed $3 million and Charlotte city officials set aside $1.5 million for the project. Peake said they plan to start construction late summer or early fall. He hopes they’ll be open in May of 2023.
