At the intersection of Dilworth, Myers Park, and Elizabeth sits one of Charlotte’s oldest African American neighborhoods. Cherry, named after the cherry trees that used to be in the hollow here, hasn’t seen much turnover in home ownership in the past. Recently some homes have sold, and there are new construction homes being built by Saussy Burbank that are arousing some outside interest in Cherry.
Local legend has it that Cherry was developed as a servants community servicing the large homes in Myers Park starting in 1912. The neighborhood is much older than that. It appears based on records that it was mostly laborers, not servants that first settled in Cherry. Servants came after 1912.
In 1891, the first plat map of the neighborhood was filed by John Springs Myers. Myers owned the cotton fields that covered much of the area until it developed into modern day Charlotte. Myers helped the African American population of the area to have schools, churches, parks, helped with financing, provided rental homes, and provided modern conveniences of the time.
Homes in Cherry are mostly single family and duplexes. There are Victorian homes as well as bungalows and cottages. Most have wooden siding, shingle siding, or brick. Many of the original homes are in need of extensive cosmetic and structural work on the exteriors and interiors. It is rare that original homes come up for sale and when they do, they go quickly.
Cherry is home to many structures that have great features like multiple fireplaces and large front porches. Mature trees line the streets here as grand as in Dilworth and Myers Park.
Cherry is also extremely convenient. Uptown is within walking distance. The Metropolitan Midtown (the Met) is just across the street. The Met has many options for shopping, groceries and dining. Linear Park and The Greenway are at The Met as well. Inside Cherry is Cherry Park so there is no lack of parkland to enjoy.
Gentrification and appreciation are coming to Cherry. New construction homes in the style of the original homes are being built along Main Street and a few other streets in the heart of Cherry. It won’t be long before the reasonably priced original homes are a thing of the past. You can snap up a fixer-upper between $100,000 and $300,000 if you move fast. If you want a new construction home in Cherry, be prepared to pay between $596,105 and $849,900.
If you are interested in a home in Cherry, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. Click here to see listings in Cherry on our website.