Lively, walkable master-planned community southeast of Charlotte
The Village of Lake Park is a master-planned community about 17 miles southeast of downtown Charlotte. Established in the early 1990s, it was designed to promote neighborly interaction, reduce traffic and encourage walking. Tree-lined paths connect cul-de-sacs to gazebos, playgrounds and the Town Center under the steady presence of the community clock tower. “It’s like the Disney World of perfect communities,” says Danielle Edwards, a Broker and Realtor at RE/MAX Executive Carolinas who sells in Lake Park. “It’s like living on vacation. It has literally everything. It’s a master-planned community with townhomes, smaller homes, bigger homes, a pool with a swim team, events, Food Truck Fridays and a mini-downtown. It’s its own little bubble; when you exit the bubble, you’ve got everything you could ever possibly need.” Lake Park borders the suburban town of Indian Trail within Union County. “Indian Trail is very industrial with a highway and a bunch of strip malls, but when you come out of it, Lake Park is like out of a picture book. It’s a great place to get value outside the Charlotte city limits,” Edwards says.
Lake Park’s single-family homes and townhouses
Lake Park’s walkable layout embodies “New Urbanism,” a style of community planning also known as the “village concept.” Front porches are close to the sidewalk, making it easy for neighbors sitting in rocking chairs to chat with passersby. Rows of one and two-story homes line cul-de-sacs. Colonial-style New Traditional homes featuring gabled roofs and shutters are a common sight. “They’re older homes built 20-plus years ago,” Edwards says. Prices range from about $310,000 to $530,000, plus a monthly HOA fee of about $8. Townhouses typically have brick or vinyl exteriors and cost between $280,000 and $400,000, plus monthly HOA fees of about $300.
Top-rated public and private schools in Union County
Students in Lake Park may attend Union County Public Schools, rated A overall and ranked third best school district in North Carolina, according to Niche. Poplin Elementary and Porter Ridge Middle are both rated A. Porter Ridge High is rated A-minus and offers an Air Force JROTC program. Nearby private options include A-minus-rated Metrolina Christian Academy for all grade levels, and B-rated Union Prep Academy at Indian Trail for elementary and middle schoolers.
Family-friendly recreation in and around Lake Park
The community has over 60 acres of outdoor common space connected by paved paths in addition to several playgrounds and courts for basketball and tennis. There are five parks in Lake Park; Fred Kirby Park is one of the biggest with its baseball diamond and multi-use football and soccer fields.
To access the community’s pools, residents can purchase memberships for the season or pay the day rate. Lake Park has dog parks, community gardens and more than 10 ponds for fishing. A dance school, soccer complex, roller skating rink and an ice-skating rink are all directly outside the community. These amenities are destinations for families who live outside the area. “People will travel from an hour away to come for activities for their kids; to me, that’s a huge win,” Edwards says.
Shopping and dining in Lake Park Town Center and along U.S. Route 74
Town Center is home to a collection of small businesses and offices, where residents can walk to appointments with a financial advisor, a realtor or a veterinarian. Puerto Vallarta is a convenient, laid-back lunch spot, serving chimichangas and fajitas in an indoor dining area and under umbrellas on the patio. Directly outside Lake Park, U.S. Route 74 is lined with supermarkets like Walmart Supercenter and Lidl, along with other options for entertainment and errands, from an escape room to coffee shops to the DMV.
The social scene at Lake Park
Lake Park’s clubs, organizations and events encourage neighbors to meet one another. “Lake Park is a good place to live if you want to know your neighbors, and not a good place if you don’t want to know your neighbors,” Edwards says. Residents aged 55 and older can join a social group called Sages, and the garden club meets at Lake Park Community Center. Events throughout the year include the Kite Festival and Fall Fest. From May through October, Food Truck Friday brings new cuisines and live music to Meeting Street.
Lake Park offers local mobility and regional connectivity
Residents can get around Lake Park by walking, biking or riding golf carts. Major highways keep drivers well-connected to the Charlotte metro area. The community is situated between U.S. Route 74, which takes drivers northwest to downtown Charlotte, and the Monroe Expressway, a toll road that heads southeast toward Marshville.
Access to Interstate 485, which loops around Charlotte, is just a few miles northwest. “You’re four traffic lights from 485, our big highway,” Edwards says. “The area used to have nothing a couple years ago; now everything is a five-minute drive away, including groceries.” Hospital care at Atrium Health Union West is less than 5 miles away, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport is about 30 miles away.
