First Ward is a community located within Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte Center City, also known as Uptown, consists of several different neighborhoods. One of these neighborhoods is First Ward. This neighborhood is directly to the east of where Trade and Tryon intersect. Although it was once named one of the most dangerous areas in the city of Charlotte, a HUD HOPE VI grant has recently breathed new life into First Ward.
This grant has made it one of the most desirable communities in the city. The uptown campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is located here within the award-winning Center City Building. This building is just part of an urban village project. Other plans include a 4-acre park, 450,000 of office space, 250 hotel rooms, 2,700 residential units, 450,000 square feet of civic space, and 250,000 square feet of retail space.
Attractions already within First Ward include the Main Library, a children’s learning center called ImaginOn, the Levine Museum, and the Time Warner Cable Arena, which is the home of the Charlotte Hornets. A new condo project called Encore is being constructed on Tyron at 6th street in order to preserve and connect the old and the new. With many large business and banking centers nearby this is an ideal location for business professionals to live.
Schools in First Ward
Residents of First Ward attend the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. First Ward Elementary and Irwin Avenue Open Elementary are located nearby. Trinity Episcopal School is a private school located within Charlotte City Center. There are several colleges and universities located in this area, including Queens University of Charlotte, Johnson and Wales University, and Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Charlotte City Center is also home to two branches of the public library and Romare Bearden Park. This 5.4 acre park is located on Church Street and was opened in August of 2013.
First Ward Real Estate
With all of the positive changes for the community of First Ward in recent years, the real estate market here is on an upward trend, as is most of the city of Charlotte. Currently there are 9 properties for sale here, including houses, condos and townhomes. Prices range from $170k to $560k, with square footage between 600 and nearly 1,000. The median list price for all of the Center City community is $330k or $292 per square foot. In the last 90 days there have been 110 homes sold in this area.
