Living in SouthPark Charlotte
When it was first carved out in the 1960s, SouthPark was nothing but farmland. Today, it’s Charlotte’s second downtown, home to several Fortune 500 headquarters and one of the largest malls in the Southeast.
Fairview Road has become the Main Street of this new urban center and shopping mecca. SouthPark mall is the largest in the Carolinas and home to high-end retailers you won’t find anywhere within hundreds of miles — like Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Peloton and David Yurman. The neighborhood is also home to some of the city’s best restaurants, from Barrington’s to Dogwood Southern Table & Bar.
But there’s more to SouthPark than commercial activity. Tucked in the heart of south Charlotte, SouthPark also has more than a dozen tree-lined neighborhoods with stately homes, popular swim clubs and excellent school districts.
SouthPark will soon also have more of a walkable feel. The city of Charlotte is investing several million dollars in a program to build pedestrian-friendly amenities — including a “SouthPark Loop” that will get people all over the neighborhood without getting in a car.
Don’t look now, but this might just be the next “cool” neighborhood in Charlotte.
Vitals
Population: 9,742
Commute distance to Uptown: 15 minutes
Median age: 42
Median household income: $100,747
Median home sales price: $547,974
Average rent: $1,241
Things to do in SouthPark
Legion Brewing. SouthPark’s first brewery brings a bit of urban hipness to a suburban neighborhood. Legion Brewing was born in Plaza Midwood, but added some high-end dinner options for the different clientele. It’s the same old Juicy Jay IPA, though. Details.
Yafo Kitchen. This fast-casual Mediterranean street food restaurant has quickly become a Charlotte sensation. Definitely go for the shawarma bowls. Details.
Barrington’s. This tiny offering from Charlotte restaurateur legend Bruce Moffett can be hard to get into, so book your reservation well in advance. Go for the seared organic chicken. Details.
Symphony Park. When you’re done with an afternoon of shopping at SouthPark mall, head over to the pocket park next door. Every summer, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra brings an incredible experience to SouthPark in the form of “Pops in the Park.” Details.
SouthPark real estate
SouthPark’s real estate is made up of a coalition of around two dozen individual neighborhoods, including Foxcroft, Morrocroft, Barclay Downs and Beverly Woods. Each is made up of single-family homes ranging from 1960s-era mostly ranches and split-levels to large Tudor estates.
Cover image by Bz3rk [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
