South Charlotte is roughly defined as that area from the SouthPark Business District going south to Mecklenburg and Union County border. Most homes in this area were built from 1960 - 2000 though there are some pockets in the area where there are newer neighborhoods. Additionally, we are seeing plenty of homes in the older neighborhoods being torn down with newer larger homes replacing them.
Much of the desire of South Charlotte stems from the fact that the lots are larger and homes are more affordable compared to similar neighborhoods that are closer to Uptown. On top of that, the area is convenient to most parts of Greater Charlotte. The area has plenty of restaurants and shopping, and there are lots of companies who have offices there. Additionally, most of the larger private schools are located in South Charlotte.
Here is a highlight of some of the best neighborhoods in South Charlotte.
SOUTHPARK
What Charlotteans refer to as SouthPark was originally the largest mall ever developed in the 1970’s on some of the Morrison family dairy property. The mall contains 177 luxury and other high-end stores. With the success of the mall came the development of other retail as well as office development by the Morrison descendants. Today, SouthPark is a thriving business district with one of Charlotte’s largest concentration of Class A office space along with all of the retail as well as residential homes which have sprung up. Its success has bled over to the surrounding neighborhoods due to their proximity to the SouthPark Business District.
Some of the more popular restaurants are Steak 48, Mizu, Toscana, The Palm, Ruth Chris’, Peppervine, Paco's Tacos & Tequila, Harpers, Cafe Monte, Lil Mamas, as well as a plethora of fast casual restaurants such as Yafo Kitchen, Sabor Latin Grille, and Rhino Market & Deli.
FOXCROFT
The neighborhood was initially developed in the mid 20th century on some of the land that was originally the Morrison family’s dairy farm - as was SouthPark Mall and much of the surrounding business district. With great examples of Classic Georgian and French Provincial styles, the neighborhood is known for its spacious lots ranging from ½ to 1 acre. Foxcroft Hill Swim & Racquet Club is located in the neighborhood on 11 acres. This provides a great central spot for residents to come together to build relationships and community. The public schools for which Foxcroft is zoned are some of the top-rated in the school system, and the neighborhood is close to several of the top-rated private schools as well. Located adjacent to the SouthPark Mall and Business District, there is plenty for Foxcroft neighbors to do including a wide variety of restaurants and shops. And Foxcroft is very convenient to Uptown for those who work in the center city. Prices in Foxcroft range currently from $1.1 million to $7 million.
BARCLAY DOWNS
Barclay Downs is a prestigious classically-designed neighborhood of approximately 450 single-family homes that range from charming starter homes from $700,000 to luxury estates valued at $2,000,000. The neighborhood was originally developed in the 1950s and '60s with the homes on larger lots along tree-lined streets. Located just north of SouthPark Mall, Barclay Downs is within an easy walking distance of award-winning schools, a regional library, a swim and tennis club and a variety of restaurants, retail, and offices.
COTSWOLD
The Cotswold area takes its name from the Cotswold Shopping Center which was built in 1963. It has been extensively renovated and renamed to Cotswold Village. The area contains a variety of home styles and price points. It is convenient to Uptown, the airport, and the SouthPark Business District and feeds into top-rated public schools. It is also convenient to many of the city’s top-rated private schools.
Prices in Cotswold range from the mid $400’s up to $3.4 million.
SHERWOOD FOREST
Sherwood Forest, located close to Cotswold is a peaceful and well-established neighborhood offering a serene lifestyle in Charlotte. Most of the homes are ranch-style and many are great examples of the mid-century modern style which has made a huge comeback in Charlotte. Much of the neighborhood feeds into top-rated public schools and is close to many of the private schools as well. Convenient to Uptown, the airport, and the Southark Business District, home prices range from $200,000 to just under $1 million.
STONEHAVEN
Originally developed in the 50s and 60s, the majority of the neighborhood contains both brick ranches and split level homes. Split levels have made a big comeback amongst buyers in recent years.
The neighborhood is located close to Uptown, Matthews, and SouthPark as well as several of the top-rated private schools. For recreation, the McAlpine Greenway is nearby which is part of the 70 mile Mecklenburg County Greenway system that contains a paved walking/running/biking trail. Rama Road Park and Boyce Park are also adjacent to Stonehaven. With 73 acres, Boyce Park contains miles of trails and a playground. Rama Swim & Racquet, Sardis Swim & Racquet, and the JCC offer cost-effective memberships. The JCC also includes an indoor pool as well as a full array of exercise options
Most homes are priced from $360,000 - $885,000.
LANSDOWNE
Built in the 1960’s-70’s, this charming neighborhood contains an impressive collection of mid-century modern homes as well as brick ranches. With wide tree-lined streets and sidewalks throughout the neighborhood, Lansdowne is ideal for taking long walks or bike rides. Located within the community is Lansdowne Elementary with it’s brand new campus that replaced the original buildings which had been constructed in the ‘60’s.
Like most South Charlotte neighborhoods, Lansdowne is convenient to Uptown South Park, Matthews, and the airport. The back gate to Providence Day School is also in the neighborhood making it an ideal spot for Providence Day families. Most of the lots in Lansdowne are quite large ranging from 0.5 - 1 acres. There have been a great deal of teardowns in recent years with older homes being replaced with homes worth $2.5 million or more.
Prices for the original homes range from $600k - $1 million.
STARMOUNT
Located south of SouthEnd off South Boulevard, Starmount is the largest neighborhood in South Charlotte with over 1,400 homes. Mostly built in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Starmount has become popular with younger buyers who want to be close to SouthEnd and/or Uptown but cannot afford to live in the neighborhoods closer in along South Boulevard.
The neighborhood park is called Starclaire Park Club. The park has a pool with swim lessons for children, a concession stand, sand volleyball courts, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a gazebo. Starclaire Park hosts special events such as family grill nights, holiday parties, fundraisers, and a ladies night.
Home prices in Starmount range from $300,000 -$600,000
BEVERLY WOODS
Located along Sharon Road, Beverly Woods is known for its proximity to SouthPark. The homes were built in the 1950’s along streets lined with mature oak trees. The lots are generous and home prices are more affordable than closer-in neighborhoods like Madison Park This neighborhood has become very popular with first and second time home buyers. It has a very close sense of community and an active homeowners association although joining the association is voluntary. The predominance of homes are brick ranches and split levels.
Home prices range from $450,000 - 875,000.
MONTIBELLO
Being adjacent to Carmel Country Club, with over 500 homes, Montibello has catapulted into becoming one of the most desirable neighborhoods in South Charlotte. Montibello was built in phases with the earliest homes built in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, and the newest phase built in the mid-80s. Offering lots of mature landscaping and trees, the neighborhood has a great feel. It has a very close sense of community and walkers abound through the Montibello streets. The neighborhood is very close to its public schools as well as several of the top rated private schools in the city. Homes do not stay long on the market here. It is located 10 minutes from South Park and 25 minutes to Uptown as well as the airport.
Most home prices range from $850,000 - $1,600,000 while homes located along one of Carmel Country Club’ golf courses start at around $4,500,000.
PROVIDENCE PLANTATION
Providence Plantation is one of South Charlotte’s most popular neighborhoods. Approximately 700 single family homes are located within Providence Plantation with most of these built on large wooded lots. The original section of the neighborhood was built in the mid-1970’s. Subsequent phases were built in the 1980’s and up to the mid 1990’s. You will see lots of trees and mature landscaping when driving through the neighborhood. Most of the homes are two-story brick in the Georgian or Transitional styles. Because of the undulating terrain in some areas, there are also a fair number of homes with walk-out basements.
Providence Plantation has its own swim and tennis club which residents can join for a fee. In addition to the pool and six tennis courts, there is an outdoor playground, basketball court and clubhouse. The neighborhood is known for having a close sense of community partly due to the existence of the club. Other activities that contribute to that sense of community are block/street parties, neighborhood parties, and neighborhood supper clubs where participants dine with one group of neighbors for a year then change groups. These are just a few examples of why many Providence Plantation residents move within the neighborhood when they are wanting a larger, or even a smaller, home.
Like most of South Charlotte, the neighborhood is convenient to many parts of Charlotte including Uptown, SouthPark, the airport, and Matthews. It is also close to several of the private schools. However, Providence Plantation is further south than the other neighborhoods that we have highlighted, so the drive times to all but I-485 and Matthews will be longer. There is an exit off I-485 being built on Weddington Road which will offer residents a quicker alternative to getting to the beltway.
Most home prices range from $600,000 to $1,550,000.
BALLANTYNE
Originally 2000 acres of farmland acquired by their grandfather, the Harris/Bissell family began developing the property in the early 1990’s after the location of 485’s southern section was announced. Until The River District began development in 2022, Ballantyne was the largest master planned development in Charlotte. After buying out his brother-in-law, Smokey Bissell named the project Ballantyne in honor of his great aunt. Consisting of retail, office, and residential, residents can truly work, shop, and live in the area. Ballantyne is home to Ballantyne Country Club with its golf course developed by the legendary Reece Jones.
Ballantyne is located about 20 minutes from the SouthPark area, 20 minutes from the airport, and 45 minutes from Uptown.
THE RIVER DISTRICT
Located just west of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport of 1400 acres, The River District is currently being developed on the largest undeveloped plot of land in the city limits of Charlotte.
Once fully developed, the area will become the second largest office market with 8.8 million square feet of office space. There will be approximately 2,300 homes, 2,300 apartments for rent, 1,000 hotel rooms, 200 retirement units, and 500,000 square feet of retail space.
Conveniently located to many parts of the Greater Charlotte area, The River District town center and some of the homes will be available sometime in 2025. For more information, check out their website: https://www.theriverdistrict.com/
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