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Relaxed lakeside living and thriving communities that maintain their small-town atmosphere draw new residents to York County. With easy access along I-77 and S.C. 49, residents have the best of both worlds – the charms and friendliness of small-town living combined with cultural, shopping and other attractions of a large city just across the state line. Families are drawn to the area by excellent employment opportunities with rapidly expanding industrial areas nearby, sporting events, a reputation for quality public schools and recreational opportunities on Lake Wylie and in nearby parks. York County is full of cultural activities that show the true beauty, character and history of the area. Anne Springs Close Greenway is a 2,300-acre protected natural area that includes camping sites and a reservoir that’s great for fishing. The Museum of York County features mounted African animals, tribal dress and art galleries, and Historic Brattonsville is a Revolutionary War battle site consisting of two dozen structures and extensive nature trails which served as the film site for Mel Gibson’s The Patriot. Baseball fans can go out to the ballpark at Knights Castle on Gold Hill Road at I-77 to see the AAA International League Charlotte Knights, affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. Next door to Knights Castle is the NBA Charlotte Bobcats Training Center. Paramount’s Carowinds theme park straddles the N.C./S.C. state line. The park offers summer season entertainment, roller coasters, a waterpark and other attractions to the young and young at heart, including the amusing opportunity to simultaneously place one foot in each state. Road improvements along I-77, S.C. highways 5 and 160 and other major thoroughfares continue to enhance York County’s business climate. Lake Wylie has long attracted residents to live on the water’s edge. Nevertheless, today many new communities are springing up near the lake. Off S.C. 274 south of S.C. 49, Autumn Cove offers homes from the $190s to $280s and nearby, Harpers Mill is a townhome community with units starting in the low $100s. North on S.C. 274, Mill Creek Falls offers homes between 2,500 and 3,800 square feet, priced from the $180s to the $300s. Fort Mill, a community once known for textiles and peach farming, is now rapidly becoming a business and residential magnet. Fort Mill takes its name from a colonial-era fort built by the British and a gristmill on nearby Steele Creek. Today the population of the town of Fort Mill is about 8,300 people – a number that is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. One neighborhood preserving small-town charm is The Village of Baxter, a 1,000-acre community developed by a company owned by the Close textile family of Springs Industries fame. The community has tried to create a neighborhood modeled after small Southern towns. Homes are set close to the street and include porches to encourage interaction among neighbors. New, valuable additions to the community include a $1.5-million community center that includes a pool, aerobics room and meeting rooms as well as a pre-school, a public elementary school, a branch of the York County Library and a YMCA. Another new development is Springfield, a Crescent Resources community off I-77 near the state line. Half of the development is dedicated to open space, with 123 acres specifically for trails and parks. The community of single-family homes and townhomes features classic architecture of neighborhoods of the past. Ready-to-customize homes start in the high $500s. Townhomes, which are 2,100 square feet or greater, include brick exteriors and courtyards and start in the low $400s. Villas, which are 3,300 square feet or more, start in the high $400s. More than half of the homes in Springfield will be located on Springfield Golf Course, which offers 18 holes of play. When it opens in 2007, the Family Swim and Tennis Center will provide swimming pools, tennis courts, and family activities and events for the neighborhood. With just 7,200 residents, the historic city of York has seen recent change through the downtown revitalization program, which put an emphasis back toward the center of the city with renovations like the reopening of the historic Sylvia Theater and the annual Summerfest, which brings more than 50,000 people downtown every August. West of I-77 is Rock Hill, the fourth-largest city in South Carolina with 60,000 residents. Rock Hill boasts new business parks, low unemployment and an abundance of new neighborhoods with something for everyone. Rock Hill’s downtown is a model for surrounding communities to redevelop their older Main Street districts and bring new business and residential development back to downtown. The Textile Corridor, which is a series of old mills marked for development, is still in the planning stage, but luxury townhomes, loft apartments and new restaurants and shops are recent additions to this area. Manchester Village is one such area that boasts retail shops and townhomes, which will only become more prosperous with the expansion of Dave Lyle Boulevard. While new developments are thriving, Winthrop University has been a Rock Hill landmark since 1895. Long known for its teacher preparation programs, Winthrop has also gained widespread recognition for its other courses of study. The university offers 37 undergraduate degrees, 25 graduate degrees and more than 100 programs of study. It is hailed in U.S. News and World Report as one of the 10 best public universities in the South. Rock Hill, Fort Mill and the surrounding areas are served by a variety of local medical practices and health-care services to fit anyone’s needs. Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill is a fully accredited hospital providing a full range of emergency, acute-care and specialty services. Piedmont's application to build a new 100-bed hospital in Fort Mill was approved in 2006 by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The $125 million facility will be located at the intersection of S.C. 160 and S.C. 21.
Lancaster County begins just south of the red-hot Ballantyne development in south Charlotte and ends deep in rural South Carolina. This is a place of great contrasts – of historic gold mines, ancient Indian settlements and small textile towns on one hand and budding business parks, bedroom communities and Charlotte commuters on the other. The arrival of several thousand new residents in the last decade is bringing rapid change, particularly in the county’s northern “neck” near Charlotte. In fact, about 14,000 residential permits have been approved for northern Lancaster County. The development of new roads, including the I-485 outerbelt, and the widening of S.C. 160 to four lanes is encouraging the growth. So are Lancaster county officials. When work began a decade ago on Ballantyne, Lancaster leaders rezoned land and installed utilities that would welcome growth here, too. Their foresight paid off with Bailes Ridge, four miles south of Ballantyne on S.C. 160. The $200 million development eventually will have about 2 million square feet of office space, a neighborhood park, and shops and services around a village center. Developers are attracted to Lancaster County’s less expensive cost of land and lower taxes, which has resulted in the boom in corporate office projects here, particularly along S.C. 160. Crosland, one of Charlotte’s biggest developers, also saw the potential of northern Lancaster County and in 2001 began 521 Corporate Center, a 67-acre office park on U.S. 521 that will employ thousands of white-collar workers. Clearly, settlers from the north are rewriting the Lancaster County story – again. The first time occurred in the mid-1700s. Scots-Irish settlers spilling out of Pennsylvania and Virginia found fertile places to build new homes in Lancaster County. The county’s first settlement was called the Waxhaws, named for an Indian tribe. Gold fever struck first in nearby Cabarrus County, but Lancaster County produced its own wealth during America’s first true gold rush. The Haile Gold Mine near Kershaw opened around 1830 and became the most productive gold mine east of the Mississippi before closing for good during World War II. Lancaster County’s next wealth came from textiles, starting in the early 1900s. Leroy Springs, principal founder of Springs Industries, built a dam along the Catawba River in 1905 to power his mills and the towns of Chester and Lancaster. Springs Industries has maintained its status as the county’s largest employer. Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land is spread out over 1,200 acres with 10 lakes. The community will feature an 18-hole golf course as well as a 35,000-square-foot clubhouse with a fitness center, pool and indoor track. Single-family homes and villas range from around $170,000 to $343,000. Two other new subdivisions, Legacy Park and BridgeHampton, eventually will be home for about 3,000 people. Realtors say that homebuyers are drawn by the community schools, low taxes and easy commute to south Charlotte. Legacy Park offers single-family homes from the $160s to $300,000 and features an indoor/outdoor recreation center, pool, tennis courts and fishing ponds. With tree-lined streets and sidewalks, BridgeHampton features homes from the $400s to the $600s. The community offers a clubhouse with a fitness center; pools; tennis, volleyball and basketball courts; and a playground. In 2001, York Technical College, based in Rock Hill, opened the Kershaw-Heath Springs satellite campus in Lancaster County. The campus offers technology, business and general education courses for area residents. The county’s rural setting and low cost of living within close proximity to Charlotte makes Lancaster County an appealing area for growth. Other features contributing to Lancaster County’s economic and residential growth are the constant upgrades to sewer, water and natural gas services to enhance citizens’ living and encourage future growth. How should Lancaster County grow over the next decade? A recent survey of residents found that their top three priorities for a healthy community include good schools, strong families and economic growth. Judging from the changes taking place near Charlotte, the county is well on its way to reaching those goals.
From the heights of Crowders Mountain to the banks of the Catawba River, Gaston County offers a small-town atmosphere with close proximity to Charlotte. Located just west of Mecklenburg County, Gaston has traditionally lacked much of the growth of other counties, in part due to the limited access to Charlotte, as the Catawba River separates the two. However, a recent surge in real estate suggests that Gaston County will see significant changes in the next few years. The recent completion of the western loop of I-485, connecting Gaston County to southwest Charlotte, is making Gaston County particularly appealing. One of Gaston’s fastest-growing areas is the town of Belmont. With a rich history that begins with the building of the Southern Railway track in the 1870s, Belmont offers a quaint, peaceful setting within only 12 miles of Charlotte. Belmont streets are lined with lilac, magnolia and dogwood trees, as well as its charming architecture. With a fountain, gazebo, playground, track and playing fields, Stowe Park in downtown Belmont is the site of special events hosted by the city including Concerts in the Park and Movies in the Park series. This community with just over 9,000 residents is home to a number of textile manufacturers and features small cottage houses along with dozens of new developments. Areas along Lake Wylie, the Catawba River and Mountain Island Lake have seen considerable growth as affordable waterfront property is quickly snatched up. The rich history of Belmont is best known through Belmont Abbey College. Founded in 1876 by Benedictine monks, this private, liberal arts college is the only Catholic college in the southeast. Its cathedral is featured in the National Register of Historic Places. Another interesting characteristic of Belmont is the Belmont Drive-In Theater, one of the last of a dying breed. For more than 50 years, the drive-in has been entertaining residents in the region with blockbuster films. North of Belmont is Mount Holly, another up-and-coming area in Gaston County. With about 10,000 residents, this community is seeing new growth similar to that of Belmont. StoneWater, a new development on Mountain Island Lake, provides a natural setting for its residents as well as quick access to the excitement of Charlotte. This Crescent Resources community features a swim and tennis club, park with a playground, boat slips and walking trails. Homes at StoneWater range from the high $300s to over $1 million. Once only developed along its southeastern sections, the city of Gastonia has seen a number of new developments arise amidst its older homes. West of Belmont along I-85, the tiny town of McAdenville offers a unique experience during the holidays. A mill town with about 700 residents, McAdenville began its Christmas tradition in 1956 when the local men’s club decided to decorate the trees around the town’s community center with Christmas lights. Townspeople quickly followed, adorning their own trees with lights. Today, the tradition has evolved into more than 450,000 lights on 400 live trees ranging from four feet to 80 feet in height. During the month of December, visitors drive their cars through the town to view the amazing Christmas display, particularly around the town’s small lake, where a fountain shoots water 75 feet into the air. It is estimated that around 600,000 visitors come to view the lights each season, pumping an estimated $12 million into the local economy. Another boon to McAdenville’s economy is a new development of Saussy Burbank homes called McAdenville Village. About 189 neo-traditional-style homes are being built on lots formerly occupied by mill houses. The development is expected to double McAdenville’s population. With about 70,000 residents, the city of Gastonia is becoming a popular spot for development. Affordability is one of Gastonia’s greatest draws. Compared to neighborhoods in Myers Park and Dilworth, it offers charming colonial, Tudor and traditional homes for a fraction of the price. In northeast Gastonia along the established neighborhoods of Modena Street, two developments are integrating the heritage of old neighborhoods with the thrill of new ones. Modeling the architecture of Dilworth, Sundance Village is a 250-home subdivision that appeals to moderate-income homebuyers. Additionally, the 33-home subdivision of Vinales offers similar incentives less than a mile away from Sundance Village. Both developments feature sidewalks and walking trails, and Sundance Village will include a playground and community swimming pool. In addition to its reasonably priced real estate, Gaston County also offers numerous natural areas that a more urban landscape lacks. One such attribute is the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden on South New Hope Road in Belmont, which features a number of landscaped gardens with distinct themes, as well as a visitors’ center. With 158,000 square feet of planting beds, the Garden is undergoing long-term development as part of its 450-acre Master Plan. Just across the Catawba River from Belmont, the U.S. National Whitewater Center provides 300 acres of recreation. An Olympic-caliber training site, the center features an artificial river with adaptable rapids for different levels of paddlers. Also part of the center are climbing facilities, trails for biking and hiking, and a 37-acre island for camping. About 20 minutes west of Belmont, Crowders Mountain State Park makes a great day trip. The park covers 3,000 acres and includes 12 miles of hiking trails that lead to Crowders Mountain and Kings Pinnacle. It is also a popular spot for rock climbing. Just across the state line from Crowders Mountain State Park, Kings Mountain National Military Park and Kings Mountain State Park add another 10,000 acres of recreation. Kings Mountain was the site of a major Revolutionary War battle that is considered one of the turning points in the war. The military park includes a 1.5 mile trail with historic markers and a half-hour film depicting the events of the battle. Along with Kings Mountain State Park, the two parks offer 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. Kings Mountain State Park also includes a 116-site campground that is open year-round.
Once sleepy and rural, Union County – southeast of Charlotte – today is the fastest-growing county in the metro area and the 19th-fastest-growing county in the nation. In fact, between 2000 and 2005, Union County grew by a whopping 31.6 percent. Today, Union County’s population is estimated at more than 163,000. The county has many thriving communities, including Monroe, the county seat, and an intriguing blend of past and present. It’s home to highly regarded Wingate University, a private institution, and the West Campus of South Piedmont Community College in a new location on Old Charlotte Highway. If you’re a Charlotte-area newcomer looking to live in Union, chances are you’re most interested in the western end of the county, along the county line close to Mecklenburg’s I-485 outerbelt. Growth has been so rapid in this area that the Union County school system has opened new elementary, middle and high schools in the area. With about 8,500 residents, Weddington is primarily residential and wealthy. The “town center” is Weddington Corners shopping center. Charlotte’s Siskey Family YMCA – on Weddington Road in Matthews, less than a mile from Union County – includes a pool and water park, jogging track and other amenities. Lake Forest Preserve in Weddington features homes starting at over 4,000 square feet and priced from the mid-$500s to the $700s. Most of Marvin’s 1,400 residents moved here for the country atmosphere and homes with acreage. But there’s new construction too; look along Marvin-Weddington Road and Joe Kerr Road. Marvin Creek offers luxury homes from the $400s to the $600s. From Marvin going south to Waxhaw and beyond is horse country, a great place to look for acreage if you want to keep and ride horses. Waxhaw takes its name from the Waxhaws, the Indian tribe that once inhabited the area. The town is known for its antiques, gift shops and galleries. Among Waxhaw’s new developments are Weddington Chase, with homes from $580,000 to $750,000; Quellin, with homes starting in the $330s up to $600,000; and The Reserve, with homes from the $300s to the $500s. Wesley Chapel, at N.C. 84 and Potter Road between Weddington and Monroe, incorporated in 1998 around a century-old community. With 3,400 residents, it has a historic Methodist church site, an elementary school and lots of rolling green countryside. Champion Forest features homes from $425,000 to the $500s, and homes at Lindenwood range from the $300s to $420,000. On N.C. 75 between Waxhaw and Monroe, Mineral Springs is known for the Queens Cup Steeplechase in April, which brings 20,000 people to Brooklandwood. Stallings abuts the Mecklenburg County line along the U.S. 74 corridor. A quiet bedroom community of 3,900, the town has been growing fast, attracting residents who like its small-town image but also the quick travel time, via the outerbelt/Independence Boulevard to Charlotte and beyond. Indian Trail, which began as an outpost along an Indian trading trail, is also growing fast. With 16,500 residents, Indian Trail is implementing its Downtown Vision Plan for a pedestrian-friendly town center with shops, restaurants and residential units. For new homes, check out Colton Ridge, with homes in the high $200s. Lake Park, a subdivision off Unionville-Indian Trail Road that incorporated, is an example of “new urbanism,” or using design to help foster a feeling of community. In this village of about 2,600 residents, you’ll find townhomes and single-family homes, festivals, a shopping center and a private Christian school. Hemby Bridge, a community of 1,700 that strives to retain some of its rural tradition, adjoins Mecklenburg east of U.S. 74 along Secrest Short Cut Road. Unionville, which also honors its rural roots, is north of Monroe on U.S. 601. County seat Monroe, formed in 1844 and named for President James Monroe, is an intriguing blend of past and present, with its lovely old restored buildings downtown and its bustling shopping strip, airport and industrial parks. It’s the county’s largest city, with more than 30,000 people. Bridgewater and Old Gate are new developments with homes from the $300s to $450,000. One of Union County’s gems is 1,050-acre Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw. The park surrounds a 350-acre trophy bass lake – one of three trophy bass lakes in North Carolina. Cane Creek also includes seven miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding, boat rentals, ball fields and playgrounds.
Whether you enjoy the fast track or a slower pace, Cabarrus County has something to suit your style. Located northeast of Charlotte, Cabarrus County is home to more than 150,000 people – and counting. The rolling hills and gently sloping pastures were primarily country tableaus not too long ago, but interest in this rich and varied county has brought new neighborhoods and new businesses to those hills and pastures. County commissioners and town planning officials are committed to ensuring that the growth doesn’t compromise the county’s heritage and beauty. Concord, the county seat, has a lovely downtown district. Beautifully restored Victorian homes, one-of-a-kind shops, eateries and coffeehouses grace the tree-lined streets. The historic Cabarrus County Courthouse and the Memorial Garden are certainly worth noting. There’s plenty more slow-paced fun, such as catching a movie at the historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, worshipping in the county’s oldest church (St. John’s in Mount Pleasant) or watching the Historic Bost Grist Mill at work. Are you looking for something to get your blood pumping? Take a walk on the wild side. Cabarrus County is a motorsports mecca, and Lowe’s Motor Speedway is the big kahuna. Home to NASCAR, the speedway holds major races in May and October. For smaller but no less exciting racing, check out the Concord Motorsport Park, which features an array of events throughout the year. When you’re not at the track, visit the racing shops and museums that are so plentiful in these parts. The town of Harrisburg boasts a number of these racing havens, including the Hendrick Motorsports Museum and 600 Racing facility, which manufactures Legends cars - the forerunners of NASCAR models. If you enjoy golf, Cabarrus County has that, too. Rocky River Golf Club at Concord, near the speedway, has been ranked among the area’s toughest public courses in the area. As proud as Cabarrus is of its go-go activity today, the county is also proud of its history. Cabarrus County was home to the nation’s first gold rush, which began when 12-year-old Conrad Reed discovered a hefty hunk of gold in Little Meadow Creek. At the Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site in Stanfield, visitors can walk trails and see open pits and shafts left by miners in their search for this precious material. They also can try their hand at panning. Another piece of Americana, minor-league baseball, is alive and well in Kannapolis, where the Kannapolis Intimidators, a single-A farm club of the Chicago White Sox, play ball at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. Fieldcrest Cannon, maker of sheets, towels, and other textiles, has left a huge legacy in Kannapolis. Among other things, the textile giant lent its name to Cannon Village, a restored Colonial-style village featuring antiques, outlet and specialty shops developed by a former Cannon Mills owner. The tree-lined streets and brick sidewalks of Cannon Village bring back a bygone era. A 9-foot bronze statue of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a textile museum are also part of the shopping center. Kannapolis is also the site of the North Carolina Research Campus, an ambitious project that is expected to transform this mill town into a center of biotechnology research. When completed, the 350-acre campus will encompass more than 100 biotechnology companies, 1 million square feet of office space, 350,000 square feet of retail and commercial space and about 700 residential units. Concord Mills, off I-85, is unforgettable. The complex features more than 200 outlets, specialty retailers, theme restaurants, a 24-screen theater, virtual-reality game centers and dozens of other entertainment venues. One of the tenants, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, features aquariums, waterfalls, trout streams and an indoor shooting range. A few miles away, the huge Philip Morris cigarette manufacturing plant recently underwent expansion. The facility, south of Concord, houses an impressive collection of American folk art that is open to visitors on organized tours. As the fourth-busiest airport in the state, Concord Regional Airport has spurred development, including business parks and housing, along the I-85/Poplar Tent Road area. Housing in this growing community can range from a grand old historic beauty on Concord’s Union Street, just a few blocks from downtown, to a new brick and vinyl home offered by Charlotte-based builders or national companies. New subdivisions are popping up along N.C. 73, Rocky River Road and N.C. 49. There are many more near Kannapolis. From stately, century-old homes to sprawling ranches and modern townhouses, the options in Cabarrus are nicely varied. You’ll find Cabarrus real estate listings in Area 11. Families living in Cabarrus will enjoy excellent local health-care and educational opportunities. Named in the nation’s top 100 hospitals for four consecutive years, NorthEast Medical Center continues to expand its state-of-the-art facility to provide quality health care to residents of Cabarrus and surrounding neighbors. Cabarrus County is served by two public school systems, Cabarrus County and the city of Kannapolis. Higher education opportunities abound as well. They include Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, which has a facility in western Cabarrus; the Cabarrus College of Health Sciences at NorthEast Medical Center; and Barber-Scotia College, a historically black, four-year liberal arts institution in Concord. |
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