HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Some plan a trip to Birkdale Village, others get there by chance.
“I was looking for a Sephora for my mom to return something,” Tiffany Moses said. “So, I just put it in the search, and it brought me here. And I was like, ‘What is this?’”
Moses just moved to the area from New York, and her quick trip to the Huntersville store turned into a day of walking, watching and relaxing.
“I wanted to return my stuff and go home, but I said, ‘You know, let’s sit down and chill out,’” Moses said. “It’s very mellow.”
While her self-made tour of Birkdale Village was happenstance, a group of about 50 architects and city officials from across the country made it a priority during their visit to Charlotte.
An overhead shot shows the mixed-used aspects of Birkdale Village.
Each year, the Congress for New Urbanism chooses a new city to spotlight, specifically for its urban developments that center around walkability. The organization says the following about the greater Charlotte area.
Charlotte is a city that is on the move, aggressively working to address economic mobility and affordable housing with public-private partnerships and new regulatory tools. With the recent adoption of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, CNU 31’s host city is ready for implementation and action – one of the great skills of New Urbanists.
Congress for New Urbanism
Birkdale Village was seen a prime example.
“We were asked across the country, I’ve got this piece of property,” architect Michael Dunning said. “Can you come master-plan it? We want to Birkdale it.”
Dunning was one of the original architects who helped design Birkdale village, starting back in 1997.
“We had never done this before, because very few other folks have done it before,” Dunning described. “There was no map, no guidebook.”
Two years into a transformation, Birkdale Village is now being looked at as a blueprint for a successful mixed-use development.
“To already be recognized and be a part of this amazing organization is really an honor and testament to our team and the success that they’ve had here at Birkdale Village,” said Cayley Mullen, North American Properties’ vice president of marketing.
North American Properties took over the space off Sam Furr Road in 2020, revamping its essence. Within the last three years, it has redeveloped store fronts, added green space and signed 20 new tenants.
“If this was available in my neighborhood, I would be here every day,” Moses said. “This is cool.”
