What to know about South Park: A look at the area where a Charlotte fire broke out

The South Park area, where a massive fire broke out Thursday morning, is one of Charlotte’s most popular and growing neighborhoods.

Located just six miles outside uptown Charlotte, much of the luxurious area is built on suburban land with neighborhood streets connected to several main roads, like Sharon Avenue and Fairview Road.

South Park is also home to one of the most popular malls in the region, several apartment complexes, offices, and restaurants, with more redevelopment coming to the area soon.

But it wasn’t always as sprawling as it is now.

South Park by the numbers

According to Charlotte-based Cedar Management Group, about 18,000 people live in South Park. The HOA management company says 51% of residents are homeowners and 36% are renters. The average home value in South Park is $654,871, up 3.3% over the past year, according to Zillow.

Decades of growth

Even though the area is booming with new businesses, it also carries a lot of history.

In 2015, The Charlotte Observer reported about the 50 years of South Park history showcased by a public accounting firm in the area since the 1970s.

“Nobody thinks of SouthPark as particularly historic, but you walk around and look at those photos, and this place has changed a lot in the last 40 years,” Tim Whitmire, who worked at Dixon Hughes Goodman, told the Observer then.

South Park used to be a farm owned by then-North Carolina Gov. Cameron Morrison, the Observer previously reported.

SouthPark Mall, in 1970, opened with three department stores anchored by Belk, Sears, and Ivey’s. Since then, it’s grown into one of the most popular malls in the region, with over 150 stores and restaurants.

Room for development

In March, the Observer reported that Charlotte City Council members approved a rezoning petition to bring more than 700 apartments, two dozen townhomes, and retail to South Park. The project will also include an open street concept allowing for easier walking to nearby amenities.

This isn’t the only new plan for redevelopment in the area. More stores, restaurants, and a new hotel will soon be coming to South Park.

This story was originally published May 19, 2023 at 6:00 AM.

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription