Optimist Park
It was built up around the turn of the century beyond the northern rim of Charlotte's nineteenth century boundary. Although the area was distinctly suburban in location and well served by streetcars, it was not built as a middle- and upper-income "streetcar suburb" like the contemporaneous neighborhoods of Dilworth, Elizabeth, Wesley Heights or Wilmore, among others. The Belmont-Villa Heights-Optimist Park area was Charlotte's first entirely working-class suburban district. Today this community is experiencing a rebirth as housing in the center city is ballooning in price, people are moving into this community and refurbishing homes. Many are anticipating the future light rail expansion and are buying in hopes of this area becoming the next SouthEnd.

Location

This neighborhood is adjacent to the Uptown. It is located along the Northwest border of Uptown Charlotte. It it sandwiched by North Davidson to the East and the Norfolk Southern Railway to the West.

Walking Distance to: Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Cordelia Park (basketball court, trails, playground and recently refurbished pool facility)

Planned future expansion of the light rail system currently shows stops along North Davidson at 16th and 27th Streets.