While SouthPark and Ballantyne are two large landmarks in south Charlotte, they are not its sum and total. Real estate listings for south Charlotte span areas 4, 5 and 6.
Aside from SouthPark, there are numerous other shopping options. The recently renovated Cotswold Village Shops has Books-A-Million, Stein Mart, and Ten Thousand Villages, among others.
Neighborhoods near Park Road Shopping Center include Madison Park and Collins Park, established neighborhoods featuring 1950s brick ranches and tall trees.
Farther out Providence Road at N.C. 51 is the Arboretum, a massive shopping center with movie theaters, restaurants, a supermarket, Barnes & Noble and The Gap among its attractions. The Arboretum area has also become a center for service-oriented businesses such as banks, insurance, real estate and medical offices.
Rea Road at Ballantyne Commons treats shoppers and diners to a variety of interests at Stonecrest. This center was developed to attract area soccer moms, and many shops are child-focused.
Heading west on N.C. 51 toward Pineville, you pass a multitude of shopping centers including Carmel Commons, Tower Place and McMullen Creek. As you pass under I-485, you’ll come to the two-story Carolina Place Mall and The Centrum, a shopping center that includes Pier 1 Imports, Home Depot and Petsmart. Allow yourself plenty of time when shopping in this area on the weekends, as N.C. 51 is known for its Saturday traffic jams.
This side of town also includes a variety of recreational options. The Harris YMCA, near SouthPark, and the Siskey YMCA in Matthews are family favorites. Both feature huge fitness centers, special programs for children, playing fields and water parks. The Mecklenburg Aquatic Club on Providence Road is another option for swimming, offering lessons and team competition.
McAlpine Creek Greenway, Charlotte’s oldest, has 8.9 miles of trails that are being upgraded and refurbished. The Park and Recreation Department is currently planning the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, which will eventually traverse 15 miles through the heart of Charlotte from Cordelia Park in north Charlotte to the N.C./S.C. state line. Sections of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway have already been constructed, and the entire 15-mile trek will be completed within the next decade.
In addition to the greenways, there are several county parks that south Charlotte residents enjoy. Park Road Park has several tennis courts, basketball courts, playground equipment, baseball fields and an 11-acre lake. It’s a popular place for group outings. McAlpine Creek Park on Monroe Road also has a lake, walking and biking trails, and Ray’s Fetching Meadow, an off-leash dog park that was recently refurbished. Col. Francis Beatty Park on Weddington Road features a 20-acre lake, mountain biking trails and athletic facilities.
As is true throughout the Charlotte region, south Charlotte has something to offer for everyone when it comes to places of worship. You don’t have to live here long to hear about Calvary Church on Pineville-Matthews Road at Rea Road. Its soaring glass windows and pink stucco exterior are visible from miles away due to its hilltop setting. In contrast to this modern church is the centuries-old Providence Presbyterian Church south of I-485, whose historic cemetery has caused new roads to be rerouted.
South Charlotte is also home to Shalom Park on Providence Road, the center of Charlotte’s Jewish community. It includes Temple Beth El, a mainstream Reform synagogue; Temple Israel, a Conservative Jewish congregation and Charlotte’s oldest synagogue; and many Jewish organizations, including the Carolina Agency for Jewish Education and the Jewish Community Center.
South Charlotte is also served by branches of the city’s largest hospitals on either end of Pineville-Matthews Road. Carolinas HealthCare System’s CMC-Pineville is at the western end and is surrounded by numerous satellite offices of Charlotte medical clinics. To the east is Presbyterian Hospital Matthews.
You’ll find many of Charlotte’s private schools in the southern part of town. There are a number of options, including Charlotte Country Day, Charlotte Latin, Providence Day School, Charlotte Catholic High School and Charlotte Christian School.
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