Center City, Charlotte

Charlotte Center City (also known as Uptown) is the central area of Charlotte, North Carolina and sits within the I-277 loop. The area is split into four neighborhoods (Wards) by the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets. Including everything one might be looking for in a downtown city atmosphere, from the headquarters of Fortune 500 companies like Bank of America, Duke Energy, and Wells Fargo, to the great sporting arenas of the south like Bank of America Stadium – home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Time Warner Cable Arena – home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, BB&T Ballpark – home of the International League’s Charlotte Knights, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

 

This Center City neighborhood is housed directly to the east of the intersection of Trade and Tryon. It is the quadrant bounded by North Tryon on the northwest and East Trade on the southwest. Current attractions include: The Main Library, the Spirit Square portion of the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, ImaginOn Children’s Learning Center, Levine Museum of the New South, the Spectrum Center (Hornets arena), and more.

 

Located directly to the south of the intersection of Trade and Tryon. It is the quadrant bounded by South Tryon on the northwest and East Trade on the northeast. Second Ward is the location of Charlotte’s “Government District” and is the site of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Today, this area housed a variety of draws from the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art+Culture, The Victorian Gothic style St. Peter’s Catholic Church, and The Green, a downtown mini-park, to the EpiCentre (a mixed-use entertainment and retail complex, the Charlotte Convention Center).

 

Third Ward lies directly to the west of the intersection of Trade and Tryon. It is the quadrant bounded by South Tryon on the southeast and West Trade on the northeast. Third Ward is the location of the Knight Theatre, the Mint Museum, and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Center City’s Third Ward is a diverse area and home to the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium. Gateway Village in Third Ward is one of the state’s largest mixed-use developments with 1,500,000 square feet of offices, shops, restaurants, and over 500 housing units. BB&T Ballpark opened in 2014 directly across the street is the beautiful Romare Bearden Park and is the home of the Charlotte Knights.

 

Fourth Ward lies directly to the north of the intersection of Trade and Tryon. It is the quadrant bounded by North Tryon on the southeast and West Trade on the southwest. The historic Fourth Ward neighborhood artfully blends restored 100-plus-year-old Victorian homes, with luxury condominiums, urban apartments, parks and businesses. This collection of quaint and charming meets urban contemporary offers a residential experience that has made Fourth Ward a premier uptown community. The Fourth Ward also houses some fantastic culinary experiences with restaurants like Alexander Michael’s Restaurant and Tavern, the McNinch House Restaurant, and the Capital Grille. The Fourth Ward is also home to Charlotte’s arts and entertainment district, featuring the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and Discovery Place.

 

East Boulevard serves as the main thoroughfare through the Dilworth neighborhood. East Boulevard is lined with restaurants, offices and shops, many of which are located in renovated homes giving it a classic look with a charming appeal. Dilworth’s shopping experience is mostly boutique due to the in-home feel, but includes everything one might need from the larger chain grocery stores like Harris Teeter, gift shops like the Paper Skyscraper and Cottage Chic, to the phenomenal restaurant scene with staples like 300 East, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, Copper, 131 Main, Ed’s Tavern, and the more recently established but very popular Bakersfield.