SOCC-2025-DRAFT by cccpboard

Innovation meets Momentum Charlotte

2025 State of the Center City

Photo by Chris Willenbrock

Charlotte Center City’s transformation is creating a more balanced and resilient urban core, offering the Southeast’s most complete blend of urban living options, destination assets, and center of commerce.

Charlotte Center City: Innovation meets Momentum

Charlotte Center City is positioned to be a leading downtown in the next economic cycle, building momentum as a destination for talent, jobs, investment, and innovation. It is maturing with a more balanced blend of work, live, and play assets, evolving from a singularly focused Central Business District to a more balanced Central Activity District.

The seismic shifts caused by pandemic restrictions and changes in work patterns were massively disruptive forces to downtowns, creating challenges and opportunities. These disruptions are fueling changes in demand, accelerating trends, and shaping opportunities for winning markets like Center City Charlotte with 117 people migrating to the region every day. Charlotte continues to achieve top 10 results in key differentiating areas such as the 1st net inbound migration destination, 2nd most desirable city to live, the 5th best job market for recent college graduates, and the 6th best market for private investment.

2024 was an exciting year for Charlotte Center City and will be remembered for developing a $5.4+ billion pipeline of private and public investments for new development and reimagined assets:

Modernized Bank of America Stadium and Spectrum Arena, along with renewed partnerships with our NFL, NBA, and MLS teams through 2045

New innovation districts with The Pearl and North Tryon Tech Hub

South End’s continued attraction for developing new office, retail, and apartments

Reimagined vintage office spaces, and

Michael Smith

Charlotte Center City Partners

President

& CEO

William H. Rogers, Jr. Truist

Chairman and CEO

Charlotte Center City Partners

Chairman,

CCCP Board of Directors

Novel entrepreneurial centers like the Market at 7th Street, COLAB at UNC Charlotte, and Do Greater Creative Lab Uptown.

Downtown evolutions are built upon the aspirations of communities and advanced within the context of macro-economic forces and cycles. The attached report chronicles Uptown, South End, and Midtown’s development, the results of 2024, and a rich harvesting of insights to support an evaluation of Charlotte Center City.

It is an exciting time in our Center City as it has evolved into the Carolinas’ largest employment node with the densest neighborhoods, most celebrated arts and cultural district, and preeminent sports and concert hub.

We invite you to join us on this journey.

Talent

Center City is a magnet for a diverse and highly educated workforce attracted to the matching of jobs with career growth opportunities, engaging nightlife, and complete urban neighborhoods.

The influx of new talent and Charlotte’s top-tier workforce are selecting Center City jobs surrounded by diverse businesses, arts and culture, sports, hospitality, dining, music, entertainment, education and urban living. There is a strong correlation between the best places to work and Center City.

The 10 educational institutions in Center City help prepare the next generation of talent and enable employers to retain talent with convenient continuing education choices.

North Carolina continues to be one of the fastest-growing states ranking 4th in the nation for inbound migration.1

Charlotte is again one of the fastest-growing regions ranking 3rd in the country.

Most resilient tech market and positioned for renewed growth with 11,500+ tech jobs added since 2019

High tech job growth and office use with positive office rent growth from 2022 to 2023

Growth of 22% in Gen Z and 16% in millennial residents with college degrees since 2017

Concentration of tech talent in non-tech industries like FIRE (Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate), Professional Services, and Health Care sectors are 42% of tech workforce

“Flight to Quality of Life” in Center City.

Attracting and retaining talent remains a top priority for businesses. Two important ingredients of the winning formula for hiring the best talent are location and proximity. A significant proportion of the best places to work in the Charlotte region are in Center City. Uptown and South End have unmatched assets and experiences across the economic, social, and cultural sectors.

Employers have a highly engaged talent pool due to their work being in proximity to home and schools, professional development and continuing education opportunities, and a range of unique dining, sports, cultural, and fun experiences.

net inbound migration destinations.

People are moving to the Charlotte region primarily from the Northeast and South, including New York, Washington D.C, Atlanta, and Miami.

26% of Center City residents have a graduate degree or higher, and 69% have a bachelor’s degree.

More than 3 million people call the Charlotte region home with more than 117 people moving here daily. The city’s growing population is becoming more diverse and increasing our community’s international connectivity with +14% being foreign-born, calling Charlotte home.

Center City’s super magnets for the Charlotte region –

North Tryon Tech Hub and The Pearl

The North Tryon Tech Hub

Charlotte Center City Partners, UNC Charlotte, and community leaders from the private, public, and philanthropic sectors are spearheading the North Tryon Tech Hub. This collaborative effort is aimed at cultivating a globally recognized mixed-use innovation district at the nexus of academics, entrepreneurship, and corporate innovation. This will create a flywheel effect advancing economic opportunity and positioning Charlotte as a launchpad for tomorrow’s jobs, industries, and solutions.

By leveraging the power of UNC Charlotte, existing neighborhood assets, a strong corporate community, supportive local government, and engaged entrepreneurial ecosystem, the North Tryon Tech Hub has achieved significant milestones, the first of which is the opening of UNC Charlotte’s CO-LAB. A space where entrepreneurs and innovators can access University expertise in a collaborative environment to tackle real-world challenges.

The collaborative effort also identified core areas of expertise within UNC Charlotte that are most applicable to the North Tryon Tech Hub and tomorrow’s jobs and industries, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, and Critical Infrastructure.

UNC Charlotte Dubois Center and CO-LAB leverages higher-education talent and expertise, the entrepreneurial community, and corporate innovation to position Charlotte as a launchpad for tomorrow’s jobs, industries, and solutions.

UNC Charlotte will achieve Carnegie R1 status in early 2025, reflecting the University’s trajectory toward becoming one of this nation’s preeminent public research universities.

The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

#1 producer in North Carolina for African American, female, and/or Hispanic computer science graduates.

UNC Charlotte, November 2024

Nation’s top 100 public universities with UNC Charlotte ranking #81 tied with nine institutions, including University of Kansas and University of Kentucky.

2025 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings

UNC Charlotte is the only public university in North Carolina to rank among the most innovative schools at #45 tied with seven schools, including Emory University and Georgetown University.

2025 U.S. News & World Report Most Innovative Schools

70% of UNC Charlotte graduates choose to stay in Charlotte.

40 top-tier universities within a 250-mile radius* Charlotte’s education

and the

Created by a partnership between Atrium Health, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Wexford Science and Technology, “The Pearl” is Charlotte’s new innovation district, designed to create an ecosystem grounded in life-sciences research and academics to create a “super magnet” for business start-ups, partnerships, and venture capital.

The Pearl will feature the Charlotte campus of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine at its heart, seating its first class in July. IRCAD North America will open its doors in September, drawing thousands of physicians to The Queen City each year to learn advanced surgical techniques and innovate alongside researchers and some of the world’s top medical device and imaging companies.

Combining medical research, education, and training with a healthy level of corporate support already committed and an entrepreneurial spirit essential within an innovation district, The Pearl is poised to reshape the Charlotte region into a nationally recognized hub of health science expertise and innovation.

We are building a hub for innovation, medical science and research that will accelerate the pace, scale and impact of clinical breakthroughs. The Pearl will play a critical role in shaping the future of medicine. We are attracting leading companies from across the globe, creating a ‘super magnet,’ where businesses, health care experts and community members learn and collaborate."

Eugene A. Woods

CEO of Charlotte-based

Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part

The Pearl

Photo by Klint Mullis

Center City is well positioned to continue to attract tomorrow’s capital, creating opportunities and driving its transformation into a Central Activity District with an optimal portfolio of real estate classes.

The portfolio of space being planned, built, and reimagined reflects the future of work, living, and hospitality and will strengthen Center City’s position as a regionally significant center for commerce, premier visitor destination, and series of neighborhoods.

Center City has several distinct locations that will be transformational for Charlotte’s development pattern and economy.

The sites will attract institutional investors and major employers across multiple development cycles and in a variety of sectors. Center City has three unrivaled development opportunities that encompass more than 40 contiguous acres in and near the Central Activity District.

Contains Atrium Health / Wake Forest Medical School and Health & Innovation District

Active construction site for the medical school broke ground in 2023. The project is delivering in June 2025 with the medical school’s first class.

Large assemblages by multiple owners including Levine Properties and Mecklenburg County

Vision and conceptual development in 2024.

Charlotte’s CO-LAB and Do Greater’s Creative Lab Uptown Entrepreneurial Centers deliver in 2025.

Rezoned for mixed-use development and marketing efforts underway. Blume Studios opened in 2024 with its first exhibit in a transformed industrial warehouse.

Center City across multiple development cycles

This informational graphic is intended to illustrate office, retail, residential, and hotel development since the Great Recession in and around Uptown, South End, and Midtown.

Completed during the most recent development cycle (2010 – present)

Announced with a forecasted groundbreaking by 2026

Under construction

Announced and planned

Reimagined – modernizations and conversions

Reimagining Center City

The global pandemic caused seismic shifts and accelerated trends in work rhythms and space utilization, which created opportunities and challenges for downtowns. Charlotte Center City is leveraging these disruptions as a transformative opportunity to reimagine vintage assets with office conversions leading to a more balanced real estate portfolio between work, live, and play experiences. Center City’s evolution into a more vibrant and resilient Central Activity District is also being bolstered by the modernization of the Charlotte region’s largest sports venues.

The amount of public and private investment in more than a dozen highlighted assets being reimagined with modernizations and conversions is more than $ 1.7+ billion and will enable Center City to be a national leader.

Work

101 Independence

$43+ million with lobby renovations, upfitted workspaces, and Monarch Market

201 N. Tryon

An office tower with a planned repositioning, including a reimagined ground floor with new lobby café and lounge, façade and terrace, and amenity floor

One South

$13+ million with modern spec suites, renovated lobby, and hospitality-leaning amenity floor

CO-LAB

A former school reimagined into an entrepreneurial and innovative space with access to University expertise

550 South

An office tower with planned renovations to include an overhauled lobby, new amenity floor, and modern spec suites

An existing arts and cultural asset being reimagined with new dance studios, housing for

and

Creative Lab Uptown

An office space reimagined into a hub for entrepreneurship, digital creativity, and workforce development for young adults

Bank of America Stadium has been a special place for our Panthers, and now Charlotte FC, fans for nearly 30 years. While Bank of America Stadium has solid infrastructure, investments are needed to ensure that our decades-old venue continues to deliver the best experience for our players, fans, and community."

Photo courtesy of Morris Adjmi Architects

Photo by Gresham Smith

Photo courtesy of Cousins Properties

Photo courtesy of Tepper Sports & Entertainment

Photo courtesy of Gensler

Kristi Coleman

Work

North Carolina is #2 in CNBC’s 2024 Top States for Business rankings.

125,000+ people are estimated to work in Center City each day, and CoworkingCafe ranks the city as the #7 "Biggest Boomtown in the United States."

has

Powered by Center City’s vibrant commercial hub and the region’s diversified sectors, Charlotte is one of the top metros for economic growth in the nation with 9.8% GDP growth since 2022.

Center City is a compelling destination optimized for the employee experience, career advancement, and business innovation with its mix of employers in their personalized workspaces alongside hotels and shops, restaurants and bars, schools and universities, homes and parks, arts and cultural institutions, and sports and music venues.

Capital markets and sector-leading employers continue to invest in Center City, creating collaborative, flexible, and commuteworthy spaces that bring teams together and facilitate direct engagement with customers. These elevated work encounters enriched with neighborhood experiences foster unexpected knowledge exchanges, creating opportunities and ideas that may otherwise remain undiscovered.

Uptown is home to the headquarters of four Fortune 500 companies

The Charlotte region is home to 1,000+ international businesses attracting over $2 billion in capital since 2022.

Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Nov 2024

Businesses are thoughtfully accelerating return-to-work initiatives, balancing directives with innovative strategies to optimize their built spaces. Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, organizations are prioritizing work environments tailored to the specific needs of each business unit. By designing spaces with flexibility at their core, they are preparing for inevitable future changes while creating functional and inviting environments. This intentional design is essential for supporting return-tooffice strategies and driving optimal outcomes."

David Longo Founder, Chairman, and CEO

TTX Company looks forward to contributing to the vibrancy of South End and welcoming new top talent to join our existing team in a truly dynamic and state-of-the-art location."

Brian Powers

Chief Human Resources Officer,

This new space will bring us together in a way that strengthens our company culture, while offering upgraded amenities and a modern environment designed to support our continued growth. Remaining in Uptown reflects our commitment to being part of Charlotte’s energetic community and providing a workspace that inspires and excites our team."

William Goldfield Director of Corporate Communications, Dole

Highlighted employer announcements in 2024

North Carolina is the second best state for business climate. Charlotte is the second best city for headquarters.

Site Selection Magazine ranked North Carolina and Charlotte as a leading state and city for businesses. The paramount factors for the ranking include talent, tax policy, affordability, economic incentives, quality of life, and workforce development.

Companies are bringing their teams together in Center City to drive innovation, mentor and empower their workforce, engage directly with customers and clients, and create a competitive advantage.

Uptown

Uptown has the Charlotte metro’s largest office space inventory with a range of options and amenities, variety of major employers, and large share of its Fortune 500 headquarters.

Uptown’s highly educated talent, supportive corporate ecosystem, robust transportation infrastructure, and mix of desirable social settings positions Charlotte’s center of commerce as a leading downtown destination for office site selection. Compared with peer central business districts, Class A office space in Uptown strikes a balance between availability and affordability.

South End

South End continues to grow as a destination for both Class-A office space and employers. The neighborhood has extended Center City’s central activity district with top-tier, hospitality-forward office space immersed within a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood. South End is one of only a handful of destinations that maintained positive absorption through the pandemic environment, and the availability rate is one of the lowest among Charlotte’s submarkets.

Photo

Living

Center City is home to more than 73,000 residents providing a consistent vibrancy to Charlotte region’s largest employment node, premiere arts and cultural district, and densest sports and concert hub.

This combination of people and assets linked together with grocery stores, gyms, restaurants, nightspots, and new housing has led to the continued growth of a diverse, young, and well-educated residential population. The collection of distinct neighborhoods filled with a wide range of housing choices are stitched together with walkable, bikeable, and convenient transit options. Center City’s apartments, student housing, and for sale homes offer choice for neighborhoods, homes, and commute preferences with the certainty of commute times to work or airport, sporting event or grocery store, or a night out with family and friends.

South End is such a special place, so it was really important to us that Linea be just as special. It's connected to The Line, literally by a skybridge, but also by this public plaza we’ve created ... that forms this open space with retail spilling out into it."

Kate Culver

Vice President of Residential Development, Portman

By the numbers

Center City has 73,000+ residents, with more moving here everyday

Left The Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA) in Uptown provides space for artists to

The median home price for the Charlotte metro area in 2023 was $414,500 Zillow

There are 31,800+ apartments in Center City, and the average market rent per unit is $1,950

180+ public and charter elementary, middle, and high schools in Charlotte as well as 120+ private schools, along with 400+ daycare centers and preschools

Photo courtesy of VAPA Center

Photo by Marcello Aquino

There are currently 10,000+ under construction and planned apartments in Uptown and South End with 2,000+ already delivered in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Kingston South End

Photo courtesy of Hawkins Press Photo courtesy of Everly

Photo courtesy of The Boulevard

Photo courtesy of Varick on 7th

Hospitality

Center City’s hotels are anchor establishments for the Charlotte region’s visitor and experiential economy.

The hotels in Center City continue their robust performance with business, group meetings, and leisure traveler growth. The number of visitors coming to experience Uptown and South End’s thriving sports, arts, culture, and culinary scenes increased and created the strongest demand growth among all of Charlotte’s submarkets.

With a full docket at the expanded Charlotte Convention Center and the increasing number of live sporting events and concerts in Uptown, Center City’s attractiveness will continue as a destination in the experience economy.

Uptown is poised to attract even more visitors with several hotel projects under construction and planned that will deliver more than 450 rooms by 2026. Marriott is constructing a 13-story, 208-room Moxy Hotel scheduled to open in Q1 2025.

KHP Capital Partners is converting the Johnston Building, a 100-year-old office building, into a 245-room hotel set to open in the summer of 2026. InterContinental is planning a 257-room hotel connected to the restoration of The Carolina Theatre. Construction on the theatre and new lobby will wrap in Q1 2025 with the hotel planned for later.

By the numbers

Center City hospitality sector performance for 2024

Top 10 days for the highest number of Uptown visits for 2024 all related to sporting events or concerts at Bank of America Stadium and Spectrum Center. During these peak days for Uptown, the number of visits was 100,000 more than the typical day in 2024. The wide range of events throughout the entire year attracted diverse audiences interested in the NFL Carolina Panthers, MLS Charlotte FC, NBA Charlotte Hornets, college football games, concerts, and festivals.

October 26

266,000

Concert for Carolina,

Charlotte Hornets vs Miami Heat (Home Opener) October 19

258,000

Morgan Wallen: One Night at a Time Tour

June 1

210,000 George Strait & Chris Stapleton December 7

198,000 ACC Championship Game: SMU Mustangs vs Clemson Tigers, Charlotte Hornets vs Cleveland Cavaliers

October 18

245,000 Morgan Wallen: One Night at a Time Tour September 7 235,000 Duke Mayo Classic: NC State Wolfpack vs Tennessee Volunteers April 27

220,000 Kenny Chesney: Sun Goes Down Tour with Zac Brown Band

July 10

198,000

2024 Copa America: Semifinals Uruguay vs Colombia August 17

186,000 Carolina Panthers vs New York Jets (Preseason), Charlotte Pride Festival February 24

184,000 Charlotte FC vs New York City FC (Home Opener)

More than 82,000 people attended the Concert for Carolina at Bank of America Stadium on October 26th.

Mobility

Charlotte’s transportation infrastructure investments converge in Center City creating opportunities for people to access dynamic economic, social, and cultural experiences.

Unmatched mobility options link Charlotte region’s largest employment node, densest neighborhoods, most compact arts and cultural cluster, and largest sport and concert hub. The various modes of transportation serve to connect people with new opportunities, shared experiences, and other people.

Walking and biking in Center City.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the seventh-busiest airport in the world, is located approximately 5 miles from Uptown

Very walkable: Most errands can be accomplished on foot

Excellent transit: Most trips are convenient for transit

transit: Many nearby public transportation options

Bikeable: Some bike infrastructure

Center City is at the nexus of the region’s road and transit network and all of the neighborhoods throughout Uptown and South End are very walkable.

The Gold Line Streetcar serves a 4-mile route through Center City with 17 stops connecting three university campuses and Novant Health, one of two major medical centers, to the center of commerce for the Charlotte region.

The Blue Line is 18.9 miles long and operates from I-485 at South Boulevard through Center City to UNC Charlotte’s main campus in University City. With 26 stations, including 11 park and ride locations, the Blue Line provides a congestion-free commute with consistent travel times.

Scooter and electric assist bike share options make it fun to travel throughout South End, Uptown, and Midtown, with over 14.5 miles of protected bike lanes, the Rail Trail, and greenways.

Bearden Park is in Uptown next to Truist Field offering events, waterfalls, and pathways.

Photo by Marcello Aquino

Photo by Kyo H. Nam

Romare

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world.

Located only 5 miles from Charlotte’s central activity district, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) provides unparalleled connectivity and service with nation-leading stats for nonstop destinations and on-time departures. Domestic fares at CLT align with large or fast growing markets like San Francisco, New York, Houston, and Dallas.

In 2023, CLT broke ground on its fourth parallel runway as part of its $3.1 billion Destination CLT portfolio. The airport’s current capacity is 72 departures and 72 arrivals during peak hours. The new runway will be commissioned in 2027 and projected to increase peak-hour arrivals and departures of 100+ by 2033.

The new 10,000-foot-long and 150-foot-wide runway is a key part of Destination CLT, a decade-long renovation and expansion plan. The plan also includes a $600 million overhaul of the main terminal lobby, expected delivery in 2025, and a 10-gate expansion of Concourse A that opened in 2024.

7th

busiest airport in the world for arrivals and departures

4th

Nonstop flights, including 39 international destinations and three U.S. territories

1,400

Top 5

For on-time departures and ranked the most efficient large airport in the U.S. Charlotte

118,000

People travel to, from, and through Charlotte Douglas each day

Charlotte

Photo by Myles Gelbach

Photo by Jack VanderToll via CLTtoday

Getting around

On the horizon in Center City

New South End Light Rail Stop

A new station for the Blue Line will be located between the New Bern and East/West Boulevard stations. The City approved a $1.9-million contract to plan and design the new station. The new stop will fill a critical gap and provide needed pedestrian connectivity in the neighborhood.

Rail Trail Pedestrian Bridge

This critical piece of infrastructure will fill a gap in the South End and Uptown Rail Trail, seamlessly connecting from the Brooklyn Village Station area of Uptown, across I-277 to the Carson Street Station area of South End. The bridge is scheduled to open in 2028.

Silver Line

The Silver Line is a proposed 29-mile, 29-station light rail project from the City of Belmont in Gaston County, through Center City and the town of Matthews, and into Union County.

Charlotte Gateway Station

This signature multimodal station will consolidate public transit and intercity transportation modes in Uptown. The station will anchor the larger Gateway District development, which will be a mixed-use development of retail, residential, commercial, and dining spaces. Phase 1 of the project, a $86.4 million Amtrak station with tracks, platforms, and signals was completed in 2022. Amtrak’s three intercity routes connect Charlotte to New Orleans, Atlanta, Raleigh, Washington D.C., and New York City. Currently, passengers board just north of Uptown, but when Gateway Station is complete in the next few years trains will be delivering passengers into Uptown.

Passenger and High-Speed Rail

Charlotte’s passenger rail plans with the Red Line between Uptown and Iredell County advanced with the City of Charlotte’s purchase of the commuter rail tracks and land from Norfolk Southern Corp. in September 2024 for $91 million. Federal funding was allocated for high-speed rail corridor development in the Southeast involving North Carolina, including Charlotte to Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

The

Outdoors

Charlotte is an urban playground where outdoor adventure and neighborhoods blend seamlessly.

Abundant outdoor access due to the city’s growing greenway system and top-tier outdoor assets helped land the city at #2 on the Clever Real Estate 2024 Most Desirable Cities to Live.

Greenways

The 70+ miles of developed greenway trails in Mecklenburg County is one of the most unique outdoor experiences in Charlotte. The 26-mile Cross Charlotte Trail runs from the South Carolina-North Carolina state line through Center City past NoDa’s Cordelia Park. The next phases of the Cross Charlotte Trail will extend and connect the greenway north of Center City near the Cabarrus County line. Along the route, there are numerous parks, wetlands, educational opportunities, and community gathering spots. There is also an abundance of singletrack bypass areas, bike parks, and the BYT (Backyard Trails), for mountain biking or trail running.

Wilmore Centennial Park

This recently opened 1.4-acre park in South End features a large open lawn area facing Uptown, areas for art displays, sitting areas, and variety of outdoor spaces for gathering and leisure activities. In 2024, Movies in the Park attracted families from the neighborhood and Charlotte region for free children’s activities and music.

McColl Park

This will be a new park situated at the bustling intersection of Trade and Tryon in Uptown.

With a central location and thoughtful design, McColl Park will be a vibrant, beautiful, and functional gathering place for residents and visitors alike, offering a space to celebrate history, inspire the future, and honor Hugh McColl, the visionary who has played a significant role in shaping Charlotte.

Photo by Marcello Aquino

Rendering courtesy of Hood Design Studio

Photo by Bryan Miller

Opposite Left McColl Park in Uptown will open in the summer of 2025.

Opposite Right As part of Charlotte SHOUT!, Daybreaker, took over First Ward Park with yoga and a dance party with artists, aerialists, fire spinners, and breakdance artists. Above Inner Peaks South End has sculpted surfaces by Walltopia reaching 40 feet high.

*Charlotte Center City Partners; Condé Nast; USA Today, 2024

Experience

The unmatched assets in Center City offers dynamic experiences, which draws visitors, talent, and investment.

The mosaic of cultures, people, and places creates experiences in Uptown and South End that generate emotional connectivity, spark transformation, and unlock opportunities in the unfolding experience economy.

Uptown is the only place in the Charlotte region that has sporting events, cultural entertainment, festivals, large events, and city skyline energy in one walkable destination and urban neighborhood. Visitors, residents, and a workforce from near and far feel the magnetism and hustle of Charlotte’s center of commerce humming by day and the passion for favorite sports teams and cultural performances at night.

South End is a neighborhood where retro mixes with contemporary, historical bumps up against trendy, and art intersects commerce.

The vibrant, walkable neighborhood along the Blue Line on the edge of Uptown is lined with culinary experiences showcasing local and worldly flavors, homegrown breweries and coffee shops, and art galleries and murals on every corner. The diverse retail experiences from local boutiques to top national retailers are coupled with a mix of the Charlotte region’s employers.

Photo by Grant Baldwin Photography Photo

Right

Blume Studios, located in the Iron District, is a nationally acclaimed destination with major immersive experiences from around the world and locally created multi-media events and shows. Left

Charlotte SHOUT!, the region’s premier arts and culture festival, features more than 300 installations, performances, events, and activations over 17 days in Center City.

Nine years ago, our restaurant journey began in Uptown with the opening of Sea Level NC on 5th Street. Since then, we've expanded with five additional locations across the greater Charlotte area. Now, we're thrilled to return to the heart of the city for our seventh restaurant. We believe that a location at the iconic intersection of Trade and Tryon is the perfect way to showcase our Ace No. 3 brand."

Paul Manley Partner, High Tide Hospitality Group

Photo by Marcello Aquino

Photo by Grant Baldwin Photography

Photo

The richness of experiences in this dense neighborhood happen in retail shops, restaurants and bars, night spots, breweries and coffee shops, fitness classes, artisan galleries, and on the Rail Trail.

South End’s vibe is defined by its people-first adaptive reuse of industrial properties filled with local and national retail coupled with new housing and top-tier office.