Eastland Park
Eastland Park
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is designing a new ~4.5 acre urban park in East Charlotte, on the site of the Eastland Yards development and former Eastland Mall. The project is moving into the final design and permitting phase, with plans to begin construction in Spring 2025. The updated Eastland Park concept plan is posted below. The overall design approach and amenities within the park are a direct result of input received to date from residents. We appreciate everyone who have provided input on this site and/or attended our Public Meetings on April 22nd and May 20th, 2023! Provide your contact information below to receive project updates.
Design will continue through early 2025, with a goal of starting construction in Spring 2025 and completion in Late 2026.
Through the Mecklenburg County 1% for the Arts Ordinance, Park and Recreation is also partnering with the Arts & Science Council (ASC) to select professional artists or teams of artists for a public art opportunity for Eastland Park. ASC is seeking artists with a demonstrated record of integrating artwork into architectural settings, while responding to specific site history and community input. The selected artist/s will be asked to create a public artwork that can serve as a unique, integrated design feature of Eastland Park. This artwork should demonstrate themes of history, fitness, and strengthening community. Artwork created for this project should be able to address multiple needs, constructed of durable materials, and designed in coordination with ASC, Mecklenburg County staff, and the project design consultants. More information about the ASC Call to Artists can be found, here: https://artsandscience.org/calls-to-artists/
Eastland Park Public Meeting #2
Drop-In Public Meetings
You’re invited to help design and activate your new Eastland Park.
Pare Por Nuestra Reunion Publica
Está invitado a ayudar a diseñar y activar su nuevo Eastland Park.
Meeting Goal: Review potential park design concepts based on feedback from the first public meeting.
Eastland Park Site Plan Update (November 2024):
Mecklenburg County is excited to share the updated site plan for the park, which includes the Eastland “rising sun” logo incorporated into the park’s splashpad in partnership with CharlotteEAST. The “rising sun” graphic honors the site’s past and provides an iconic image that reflects East Charlotte’s history. The updated park concept includes two lawn areas (one artificial and one natural turf with terraced seating), walking trails, covered picnic and performance areas, a restroom, playground with hillside play, sprayground, a multi-purpose court area (that can accommodate basketball, futsal, and hockey), skateable elements, fenced dog lounge, seating, and landscaping. Adjacent to the park is a parcel for future private development. You can download a pdf of this graphic below in the Documents Section.
Note that these exhibits are for illustrative purposes and the final design may change based on site and budget constraints.
Park Splashpad:
Zooming into the core of the park, you can see the central splashpad organized around the Eastland "rising sun" logo (area #12). Alfred Kloke (1922-1997) was responsible for Eastland Mall’s elaborate and futuristic design. Kloke also designed Eastland’s iconic signs. The signs depict an abstract sun/face, with puffed-up cheeks, as if the sun were in the act of blowing air. The sun’s corona resembles a ring of leaves. More information about the history of the Eastland Mall signs can be found, here: http://landmarkscommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Eastland-Mall-SR.pdf
Playground:
The park's playground is organized around three tiered levels, with hillside play, swings, climbing structures, slides, spinning elements, and a hammock grove.
Architecture:
Site History
Eastland Mall was a prominent destination in East Charlotte at Central Avenue and North Sharon Amity Road that included a million square feet of retail space, four anchor stores, and a skating rink from 1975 to the mid-1990s. After the Mall's decline, it closed in 2010. The City of Charlotte bought the 80-acre property in 2012 and demolished the mall in 2013. In 2016, the city sold 11 acres of the site to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for a K-8 partial magnet school. After years of evaluating development proposals for the remainder of the site, the City selected Crosland Southeast as the Master Developer for the site in 2018.
More informtation: https://www.charlottemagazine.com/a-look-inside-the-past-and-future-of-eastland/
Eastland Yards Development
The redvelopment of the ~80 acre Eastland Mall site in East Charlotte is being led by Crosland Southeast in partnership with the City of Charlotte. Potential uses for the site include residential, office, retail, hotel, and sports and community facilities. The site was rezoned (2020-027) from B-1S(CD), CC, MUDD-O, B-1 (CD) to MUDD-O, MX-2(INNOV) with 5-year vested rights, and included a committment to provide a minimum of 2 acres for a public park on the site. The first phase of development is expected to open in 2024. More information: https://www.envisioneastland.com/
Eastland Park Site
Additional questions? Contact:
Katie Lloyd, Senior Planner
Katie.Lloyd@MeckNC.gov or 980-266-0691