Lake Wylie SC Real
Estate
Lake Wylie...just south of Charlotte,
it is a lake we share with South Carolina as it starts in the
southwest corner of Mecklenburg
County and extends across the S.C. state line into York County
and northward into Gaston
County. The lake was
created
he lake was created in 1904 and named for Dr. W. Gill Wylie, who helped persuade
his patient, J.B. “Buck” Duke, to dam the
Catawba River to generate hydroelectric power. The shoreline
goes for 327 miles...smaller than Lake Norman, but by no means, small!
Today,
the residents of this area have come together in lieu of a city government to
preserve and improve the vacation atmosphere that comes with living on the lake.
The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce has been a strong force in this
unincorporated area, rallying to bring businesses to the area, regulate growth
and acquire government dollars for infrastructure improvements.
One such improvement is
the widening of N.C./S.C. Hwy 49 and the
Buster
Boyd Bridge.
The commute from Lake
Wylie to
Charlotte
along N.C. 49 has long been a popular but congested route, and residents
celebrated the opening of the four-lane thoroughfare in the summer of 2005.
It is now a breeze to roll into Charlotte. From the Bridge, it will take you 15
minutes to the Charlotte Douglas Airport, and 30 minutes to uptown Charlotte NC.
On the NC side of Lake
Wylie
is McDowell
Park, located on N.C. 49 (on the right) just as you
approach the bridge. The park offers a sweeping view of some of the most scenic
areas of Lake
Wylie accessible by car. The 1,108-acre,
county-operated nature preserve offers hiking, camping and a nature center with
educational programs for kids and adults, plus paddle boat rental.
On the Fourth of July,
Lake
Wylie
is a very popular place to see a great display of fireworks! Boats assemble near
the bridge and those without boats go to nearby lake hugging restaurants watch
the show from there.
Camp
Thunderbird,
a YMCA-operated summer environmental camp, attracts children from far and wide
as it offers lake access for water activities, but also horses. The camp is
located right next to the River Hills Golf Course Community. An extensive gated
community with a beautiful golf course, many lake front homes, full clubhouse,
community gardens, tennis courts, pools, the works!
Tega Cay, another
established upscale lakeside community, is off I-77 and Gold Hill Road on a peninsula of Lake Wylie
in South Carolina.
The neighborhood was begun in the 1970s and was originally modeled after a
Polynesian resort. It includes a 27-hole golf course and marina.
The Mecklenburg side of
the lake is seeing major growth through the development of the
Palisades, the Sanctuary and Berewick. Endorsed by Audubon
International for maintaining the natural beauty of the land, the Sanctuary is
spread out over
1,300 acres near
McDowell
Park. The development
features lots ranging from two to more than 13 acres. Twenty miles of nature
trails traverse through the community, which also offers 200 acres of natural
areas. The Camp is the Sanctuary’s lakefront community center with swimming
pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, kids’ room, playground, picnic areas and
boating center. Homesites at the Sanctuary range from $300,000 to $2 million,
and 20 million-dollar homes are available.
Berewick covers 1,050
acres in southwest Charlotte
and is a mixed development of offices, shops and multifamily housing in its town
center. The Berewick neighborhood prices run from about $200K -$500K. This
community has two pools, clubhouse and other amenities are on the way...when
completed, the neighborhood will have its own elementary school, ball park and
dog park. This neighborhood is less than 20 minutes to uptown Charlotte NC, and
under 15 minutes to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
South of N.C. 49, the Palisades is a 1,500-acre development with a Nicklaus
Design championship golf course, country club, equestrian center, soccer complex
and trails. Homes at the Palisades
range from the $300s to more than $2 million.
At
the intersection of N.C. 49 and N.C. 160, RiverGate is a brand new (2007)Home
Depot, Super Target, grocery store and plenty of other shops and restaurants.
Located a mere 20 minutes
from Charlotte, The Landing offers a peaceful atmosphere of nature and
waterfront living in addition to its walking trails and park. The Shoppes at the
Landing is a mixed-use development of retail and townhomes.
There is plenty of new
construction on Gaston
County’s
Belmont
peninsula, including Reflection Pointe, a waterfront development that features a
clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, trails and boat slips.
Daniel
Stowe Botanical Garden is located on 450 acres on South New Hope Road
in Gaston
County. The property is the former home
of Daniel Stowe, a textile businessman who gave the property, along with $14
million, to establish an endowment to develop the garden. Currently, 110 acres
have been developed, but operators have plans to develop the entire property
into one of the premier gardens of its kind in the country. The garden features
a grand, 13,500-square-foot visitors’ pavilion and themed gardens filled with
plants that thrive in Piedmont soil and weather, accented with a dozen sparkling
fountains and canals. The garden is open seven days a week.