The Rise of Greenway-Oriented Development: Charlotte’s Urban District Market
Using a greenway to your advantage and what it can add to your property.
This is part one of a five-part series on greenway-oriented development.
There's a sort of high I get from discovering new pockets of my city. Just when I think I’ve seen everything Charlotte has to offer, I find yet another destination to add to my ever-growing list of favorites. The Urban District Market, along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, is a stunning adaptive reuse project that embraces the paved mixed-use trail, with a bustling food hall and local favorite restaurant housed in former textile mill buildings. The development hosts dazzling neon lights, colorful patios, and a wide selection of foodie-friendly options.
As an urban enthusiast, I find this property interesting for a very different reason– the greenway that cuts straight through the middle of it. On a recent visit, I made a point to not just tour the site but to experience it as an everyday trail user might, wandering a greenway surrounded by towering pines one minute, then rounding a bend to encounter a lively streetscape. I was flanked by vibrantly painted porches with a rustic touch, children laughing in a small play area, and the chatter of the lunchtime rush. A wooden footbridge above the greenway provided a crossing for visitors, without hindering runners or bikers. Rarely do I encounter a property that feels this fresh.
Rather than clear-cutting nature or expanding outward, developers can integrate new mixed-use construction seamlessly alongside existing greenways and trails, known as greenway-oriented development (GOD). By using the pre-existing greenway as a central anchor, the Urban District Market cultivates connectivity to adjoining neighborhoods like NoDa, Villa Heights, and Optimist Park. This allows more visitors to use the greenway to access the vibrant spaces created by the Urban District Market.
Instead of just developing along a greenway, GOD is set apart because it embraces the greenway as an asset to the property rather than a mere adjacent amenity. Using the greenway to their advantage through events like run clubs, and taking advantage of it as a part of the built environment makes the greenway feel like part of the experience.
From an environmentalist perspective, properties like this ensure that greenways are being used often and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Rather than always being on the move, users can spend more time in nature. Of course, it’s important to make sure that greenways don’t turn into sidewalks over time when similar developments crop up, but the Urban District Market balances this incredibly well.
While each neighborhood's needs will differ, this balance of economic growth and natural preservation is sure to inspire more trail-oriented developments in the years ahead. Rather than push outward into new sprawl, we're witnessing the potential to energize existing urban spaces while expanding accessibility to parks and outdoor experiences. For greenway advocates and mixed-use developers alike, that's a truly groundbreaking opportunity to trail-blaze into smarter growth for us all.
Sonia Birla is a student at UNC Charlotte majoring in Finance, Geography, and International Studies. She is the James Hardie Fellow for Urban Development Spring 2024.