Concord, NC (pop. 105,000) commissioned Benchmark to prepare a Downtown Urban Design Plan and final Master Plan document in 2016 and an update in 2021. Concord is on the northern border of Charlotte, NC and is home to several large tourism draws including the Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, Concord Mills Mall, and Great Wolf Lodge. Concord is also the home of Carolina’s Medical Center and an array of related medical facilities serving the northern Charlotte metro area. In addition, Concord continues to grow its economy with industrial and distribution facilities being developed in its International Business Park and at its burgeoning commercial airport.
Both plans recommended catalytic public infrastructure investments in the streetscape, parking and an outdoor venues, to leverage private development for “opportunity sites” in downtown. The recommended public investments included return on investment projections in order to establish a clear framework for public and private investment in the city’s thriving downtown.
Implementation Status
- $47m Completed since 2016
- $32m Private Sector Investment
- $15m Public Sector Investment
- 87 Residential Units
- Cabarrus Center by Flywheel
- 600 Space County-Owned Deck
- $205m+ Underway
- 300 Apartments & 22,000+ Commercial SF
- County Courthouse Expansion
- Union Streetscape Underway
