River Hills, on S.C. 49, is one of the most established neighborhoods in the area, with
luxury homes ranging from a
condominium to a
single family home worth well over $2 million. The neighborhood of cedar and cypress-framed single-family homes includes a
gated entry, tree-lined streets, an 18-hole
golf course, tennis courts and a covered-slip
marina.
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 in
new construction 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 for sale 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. Home sites at the
Sanctuary are ranging from $300,000 to $2 million, and 20 million-dollar for existing and
new homes.
Berewick covers 1,050 acres in southwest
Charlotte and is a mixed development of
offices, shops and
multifamily housing in its town center, with
single-family home nearby.
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
luxury homes worth more than $2 million. At the intersection of N.C. 49 and N.C. 160,
River Gate will be
home to a
Home Depot, Super Target, grocery store and other shops and restaurants. Located a mere 20 minutes from
Charlotte, The Landing offers a peaceful atmosphere of nature and
waterfront (lakefront, water front) or
waterview (lakeview, water view) living in addition to its walking trails and park. The
Shoppes at the
Landing is a mixed-use development of
retail, condos, townhouses and
townhomes.
There is plenty of
new construction on
Gaston County’s
Belmont peninsula, including
new homes in
Reflection Pointe, a
waterfront development that features a clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, trails and
boat slips.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.
On the
Mecklenburg County side of
Lake Wylie is
McDowell Park, located on
N.C. 49. 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.
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.
Distinct seasonal changes not only enhance the
Lake Wylie area's beauty, but also allow for recreation to be an integral part of the
Lake Wylie lifestyle. On the Fourth of July,
Lake Wylie is a popular place to see a patriotic display of fireworks.
Boats assemble near the bridge and landlubbers park their cars nearby to see the colorful display. During Christmas,
boaters decorate their rigs with lights and wreaths for the annual Christmas boat parade. The leisure and excitement of
lakeside living, a small-town atmosphere and convenient proximity to regional
commercial and cultural centers make
Lake Wylie the perfect setting to live and do business.
If you plan to go
boating or skiing, check the safety regulations imposed by the
Lake Wylie Marine Commission. Among other things, the rules require a third person aboard each
boat pulling a skier (the third person serves as an observer) and set restrictions on blood-alcohol content for
water skiers.
Many educational options are available to children in
Lake Wylie area. There are
public schools that are free, and private schools that don't receive funding from the state and charge tuition. Additionally, there are charter schools - liberated from some of the traditional school regulations, and magnet schools that have a particular focus, such as art or technology. Camp Thunderbird, a YMCA-operated summer environmental camp, attracts hundreds of school-age children for fun and learning.
There are several religious institutions in and around
Lake Wylie and
Charlotte area. The birthplace of
Billy Graham,
Charlotte was and still is locally known as the "The City of Churches." In recent decades,
Judaism has thrived in
Charlotte and the
Carolinas. Over the past 10 years, the
Jewish population of the
Charlotte region including
Lake Wylie has grown by at least a one-third to an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 individuals.
Charlotte workers who like to get away from the bustle of in-town life after a long day at work might want to consider the resort like lifestyle found in the Lake Wylie area, which 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 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 move sparked a wave of textile manufacturing in Mecklenburg, Gaston and York counties.
