Mae Israel

Mae Israel

Stories by Mae Israel

Q&A with urban planner Ryan Gravel, author of ‘Where We Want to Live’

Journalist Mae Israel spoke with Gravel recently about his ideas for creating more livable cities. His comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

S.C. communities near Charlotte ‘bursting at the seams’, raise impact fees

As more people buy homes and rent apartments in fast-growing South Carolina communities on the outskirts of Charlotte, officials increasingly are taking a stand: New development must help pay for...

South End: From mills to millennials

Imagine it’s 2030 and Charlotte’s popular South End has grown up like other neighborhoods in an increasingly urban and transit-friendly city. What does this area, just on the outskirts of uptown’s...

More self-storage can mean more abandoned goods

As the number of self-storage facilities increases across the Charlotte region, renters can’t always keep up payments. When that happens, their belongings can be auctioned to the highest bidder.

As possessions expand, so do self-storage businesses

Self-storage facilities used to hide in the shadows, mostly low-slung, metal sheds spread out over a few acres of asphalt. But over the past decade, newer designs mean multistory buildings in visible...