Located minutes from the city’s bustling center city area, Myers Park is one of most sought-after neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been so for decades.
"Myers Park is located near the heart of the Queen City. […] It’s just a charming, charming area," said Cynthia Wiley of Engel & Völkers South Charlotte.
"From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s a very beautiful, traditional, tree-lined neighborhood," said Reed Jackson, managing partner at Ivester Jackson Distinctive Properties/Christie’s International Real Estate.
Buyers from Charlotte and elsewhere are drawn to the neighborhood’s picturesque character as well as its excellent schools. "Myers Park is accessible to everything," said Matthew Alexander of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, adding that rather than being a collection of cloistered cul-de-sacs, the neighborhood is prized as much for its accessibility and walkability as for its beauty.
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Boundaries
Myers Park is located just south of Center City, Charlotte’s downtown area. It is bordered to the east by Providence Road, Sharon Lane to the south, Runnymede Lane and Park Road to the west, and Queens Road to the north.
Price Range
Single-family homes in Myers Park can start at $425,000, but at that price, buyers should expect to find a relatively small, older property in need of significant renovations. The median price for homes currently on the market is $1.192 million, Ms. Wiley said. In April, Ms. Wiley said, a home on an exceptionally large corner lot with amenities including an expansive, well-appointed kitchen, library, and exquisite millwork sold for $4.7 million.
Within the condominium and townhome market, Mr. Alexander said the highest sale in the past two years was a 3,176-square-foot condominium that sold for just over $1.5 million.
He noted that, amid Charlotte’s booming development, new construction condominiums are being listed at higher and higher prices: a 5-bedroom penthouse currently on the market is listed at $3.5 million.
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Housing Stock
Myers Park’s appealing architecture makes it especially attractive to buyers. Homes date as far back as the 1920s, Mr. Jackson said, adding that traditional homes featuring Cape Cod, Colonial Georgian, and Tudor influences are common. Overall, he said, homes in Myers Park have undergone considerable customization and remodeling in recent years, but have maintained their traditional aesthetics.
Although there is a Myers Park Historic District, owners have the freedom to do whatever renovations or reconstruction they wish.
"Lots of smaller houses were replaced by larger homes," Mr. Alexander said. Newly constructed homes tend to be between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet, he added.
Since space is at a premium in this established neighborhood, Ms. Wiley said, owners have begun to build taller custom homes in order to maximize the space available; she noted a trend of modern and Mediterranean styles among these newer homes.
The area has also seen increased development for mid-rise condominiums. Mr. Alexander noted that most of these newer condominiums offer desirable amenities, although the scale is on the small size due to the high land value in Myers Park. Luxury condominiums generally offer a gym, pool and covered parking. Even smaller, more private developments increasingly offer concierge services according to Mr. Jackson.
What Makes it Unique
Curb appeal and proximity to the Queen City’s Uptown area make Myers Park particularly sought-after by buyers.
"The location itself is the biggest driving factor," behind the neighborhood’s appeal, Mr. Alexander said. Myers Park offers residents a great quality of life, Ms. Wiley said, highlighting its elegant homes on tree-lined streets with quick access to the business and banking centers in the downtown area of the city. Residents "really enjoy being able to live, work and play" without enduring a long commute, she said.
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Luxury Amenities
Myers Park is about a five-minute-drive to other hot spots like SouthPark, a neighborhood that offers "great shopping and a plethora of great restaurants," Mr. Jackson said. Stores in SouthPark include Burberry, David Yurman, Tiffany & Co., and Louis Vuitton, as well as the state’s only Neiman Marcus.
Numerous excellent restaurants line Providence Road, just a five-minute drive north of Myers Park. Aix en Provence serves elegant Provençal and Mediterranean fare, and Napa on Providence offers rustic and casual Napa Valley-inspired contemporary American cuisine. Nearby Rocksalt focuses on sustainable seafood and seasonal fare.
The neighborhood’s excellent schools are commonly cited as one of its greatest assets. The highly rated Selwyn Elementary School and Myers Park High School are both public schools located nearby, as is Alexander Graham Middle School. Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte Latin School, and Providence Day School are all exceptional private schools serving grades K–12, as well.
The Myers Park Country Club is one of the oldest, most established clubs in Charlotte, as is the Charlotte Country Club, which is also located nearby.
The Southern Comfort Gallery in Myers Park was founded by Chandra Johnson, the wife of NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson; the couple owns a home in nearby Foxcroft.
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Who Lives There
Due to its proximity to the business and financial centers of Charlotte, Myers Park is popular among bankers, doctors and lawyers. According to Mr. Jackson, roughly half of buyers are local families, many of whom are drawn to the neighborhood for its excellent schools. He added that many out-of-state buyers are relocating for jobs in Charlotte’s booming financial, corporate, and entrepreneurial sectors—often from Washington D.C., Florida and California.
Ms. Wiley pointed out that Charlotte’s infrastructure hasn’t grown as quickly as its population, prompting buyers relocating to Charlotte to choose Myers Park to avoid lengthy commutes. Interestingly, Charlotte’s rapid growth has made it attractive to both millennials and retirees.
Notable Residents
Republican congressman Richard Hudson grew up in the area and attended Myers Park High School.
NASCAR driver Landon Cassill sold a home in the neighborhood last year.
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Outlook
"Charlotte as a whole is still enjoying a seller’s market," Ms. Wiley said, noting that with so many buyers relocating to the area, there simply isn’t enough inventory to meet demands; "it takes a bit longer to sell in the luxury market [than in the more mainstream market], but it’s still a seller’s market."
In the luxury market, "inventory is starting to build up, but Charlotte’s growing so fast," Mr. Alexander said. "It’s been a seller’s market for quite some time, but the market is starting to soften with regard to overall pricing," he said. Nonetheless, he said, "prices have climbed considerably over the past five years."
"When we came out of the recession," Mr. Jackson said, "Myers Park was one of the first areas to start percolating again. It’s always going to have timeless appeal."
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