Charlotte is a place with many faces. First and foremost, it's a city setting the pace for economic development in the Southeast. It has 325 Fortune 500 companies, over 300 international firms and a banking center second only to New York's in size – no one disputes the fact that the Queen City is running on all cylinders. As corporate growth has exploded, the city has transformed itself to accommodate the growing numbers of employees, travelers and families arriving each day. Cutting edge restaurants and tasteful, contemporary shopping centers have cropped up from Trade Street to Ballantyne. All the while, great care has been taken to nurture and preserve the sites and traditions that are distinctively Charlotte.