Speedway Children s Charities Racing at Lowe s Speedway isn t just about cars and high speeds. The people involved are family folk who really step out to help kids. Founded in 1984 by O. Bruton Smith, the Speedway charities have grown into a nationally recognized foundation that supports hundreds of children s charities, and endless good deeds, annually. Crosland, whose company owns the prime S. Tryon St. site, entered into a conservation easement for the Arcade and the air space above it, giving the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission the power to block any future demolition. Built in 1914 by streetcar mogul, Edward Dilworth Latta, the Arcade preserves a unique old-world flavor found nowhere else in the city, and remains today a popular retreat for center city workers.
Storefronts line a promenade lit from above by skylights.
A white marble staircase leads up to offices on the second floor, once occupied by cotton brokers. A shoeshine man plies his trade amid Art Nouveau stained glass. Charlotteans breathed a huge sigh of relief when this grand old building escaped destruction. Odell Building Plaza Guarded by an arch of iron oak trees with bears in the branches, punctuated by the water dance of a fountain that invites you to run through it, the plaza between the Odell Building at 525 N. Tryon and the First Methodist Church next door is the coolest new public spot we found this year in Charlotte. Enjoy a great view from the Palomino Euro Bistro bar.