The Encore SouthPark Ushers in Gracious Southern Hospitality

The bustling SouthPark neighborhood in Charlotte, N.C., offered developer Woodfield Investments a ready market of renters, with its proximity to Fortune 500 corporations and absence of quality apartment buildings when the company began planning a mid-level rental building.

Besides jobs, the area also offered a thriving retail district and outdoor amphitheater for the Charlotte Symphony’s summer home (hence the reason for “Encore” in the building’s name). But before it could start, Woodfield had to convince those in the area, including a swim and tennis club, that it would be a good neighbor. It did so by committing $150,000 to area improvements.

To enable the project to fit in aesthetically with surrounding buildings and the city’s traditional look, architects at The Housing Studio chose a brick façade, paver-lined driveway, and porte-cochere entrance. The choice of amenities, finishes, and color palette were selected with a 45-plus age demographic with high-paying jobs that prefers to rent in mind.

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With their healthy incomes, residents were expected to desire a high degree of quality, extras that connote resort-style living, and personalized customer service. Public spaces offer popular amenities such as a lobby with fireplace and coffee bar, lounge with media room, demonstration kitchen, fitness center, and sauna, steam, and massage rooms near an outdoor pool.

The apartment units continue this attention to luxury living with many features not usually found in rentals—among them, walnut floors, quartz countertops, soaking tubs, wine coolers, and balconies. The building also includes one guest suite. And, as has become almost de rigueur, pets are welcome.

One lesson learned: This area’s older, wealthier occupant pool desires large units—unlike millennials, who are willing to forsake some square footage in units for bigger shared spaces. Here, large, the 1,800-square-foot apartments are 100% leased.