Years later, I live in the city and it just so happens a lot of people here are literally “moving on up.” Uptown high rise construction is everywhere. And these people’s deluxe apartment is actually a condominium. The newest tower to open is called Trademark, and along with my friend Leigh Dyer from the Charlotte Observer, I recently got a sneak peek inside.

Trademark stands 28 stories tall, with two high speed elevators and a penthouse that covers the entire top floor. It’s on West Trade Street where an old motel and fuel pizza once sat. There are 202 condominiums and as of my tour this past Thursday, all but 14 or so were sold. Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances are standard and the condos sport floor to ceiling windows and windows that actually open, not always found in high rise construction.

Local architect David Furman and his company, Boulevard Centro, are responsible for the project. They also built Courtside, uptown’s first high rise near Bobcats Stadium. To say the least, I found the building and its design to be really cool. But it’s when we stepped onto the 7th floor social deck that Leigh and I started thinking, We could live here. There’s a swimming pool, an outdoor pool table and a fire pit for cool winter nights. And for pet owners like myself, there’s a grassy spot so you don’t have to go all the way downstairs.

If you’ve done any research on uptown living, you know it isn’t necessarily cheap. Trademark units sold from a pre-construction price of $189,000 for less than 500 square feet to two units that sold for more than $1 million. I talked to a couple of new residents who say they love it so far, even though there is still some construction in the building as finishing touches are put on some of the floors.

Want to see inside Trademark for yourself? Check out our photo slideshow. Also, watch WCNC Monday morning for our newcomer report. Leigh Dyer and I will take you to the very, very tip top of the building. Trust me, the view from above is great!