SouthPark, Charlotte, NC

SouthPark is an area edge city in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its name is derived from the upscale SouthPark Mall, which opened on February 12, 1970.  At nearly 1.8 million square feet, SouthPark Mall is the largest shopping mall in Charlotte and all of North Carolina. The area is geographically centered at the intersection of Fairview Road and Sharon Road in the south central sector of the city, about six miles south of Uptown Charlotte. In addition to being home to the mall, SouthPark is also a residential area and one of the larger business districts in Charlotte. SouthPark is typical of the mixed-use developments found in many larger cities. Seventeen photographs of the area around South Park and Phillips Place, taken in the year 2000, are displayed as part of an exhibit on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Story website. The neighborhood was once a part of a 3,000-acre farm owned by former North Carolina Governor Cameron Morrison. Directly adjacent to SouthPark Mall is Morrison Boulevard, which connects SouthPark with the Barclay Downs neighborhood. As of 2010, SouthPark had a population of 16,549. The median household income for the area was $90,851.