Downtown in the News

CONCORD, N.C. (CharlotteFive) – The moment you first enter Havana Carolina Restaurant & Bar, it’s as if you’ve been transported to Cuba. From the oversized Cuban flags that welcome you to each carefully chosen pop of culture that’s spread throughout the area, the restaurant immediately promises an authentic Cuban experience without ever having to leave Concord. And, it’s this “Cuban Paradise” atmosphere that draws people from the Charlotte area and beyond.

CONCORD, N.C. (CharlotteFive) – While Charlotte is a place where there’s always something fun to do, it’s surrounded by a variety of charming cities that have their own aesthetic and pockets of excitement that can be a breath of fresh air for those who live in the city.

One of HGTV’s most charming small-town downtowns in America is about a 30-minute drive from Charlotte’s city center in Concord, an area that has locally-owned businesses, a street art scene and more. (Cabarrus County is also known for its NASCAR roots, of course. Plus, Concord is the hometown of the Avett Brothers.)

If you’d like to spend an afternoon enjoying a new area, here are five things to do in Concord for less than $50 a day:

CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) – Progress continues on the three residential and mixed-use Novi properties that will enhance Downtown Concord as a destination for what the city calls “high-performance living, dining, and entertainment.”

This is the first new construction we’ve seen for a while in downtown where it’s new residential mixed use project going up in downtown Concord,” said Concord Economic Development Manager Joseph Beasley. “We want people to know that downtown Concord is open for business, and that pedestrian foot traffic is accessible on Market Street while that is closed.”

CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) – The Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) honored the City of Concord with the Destination Visionary Award on Thursday, December 2 during their annual Celebrate Cabarrus and Golden Helmet Awards event.

The Golden Helmet Awards honor those who make memorable experiences for visitors through exceptional customer service and go beyond the call of duty to wow guests and strengthen our destination’s reputation.

City of Concord Mayor Pro Tem Terry Crawford, and City Manager Lloyd Payne, accepted the award on behalf of Council and the city.

CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) – The City of Concord is one of the nation’s top “boomtowns” according to a new study released by SmartAsset. Concord tied New Braunfels, TX for the No. 14 spot with a score of 89.83 and is the highest ranked city in North Carolina.

The study by SmartAsset looked at data from the 500 largest cities in the U.S. to identify the nation’s fastest growing cities or “boomtowns.” The study scored cities based on seven metrics: population change, unemployment rate, change in unemployment rate, GDP growth rate, business growth, housing growth and change in household income.

Concord’s ranking by SmartAsset follows news of the city breaking into North Carolina’s Top 10 most populous cities for the first time following the release of the latest U.S. census data.

CONCORD, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – City leaders and developers in Concord put shovel to ground Thursday and launched work on three new apartment buildings. The Novi Flats, Novi Rise, and Novi Lofts are expected to bring more than 500 people to downtown Concord.

The buildings include 304 units and 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Together, the projects bring more than $70 million in private investment to the city. The three buildings are part of 10 developments currently in the works in Downtown Concord.

Concord Mayor Bill Dusch says now that Concord has several new major developments underway, he hopes the city can stand apart from downtown Charlotte.

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) – From Cabarrus County: A milestone has arrived for one of the most anticipated downtown Concord projects in recent years. The 250,000-square-foot Cabarrus County Courthouse expansion/renovation project is celebrating the placement of the final steel beam.

Cabarrus County Government invites Courthouse workers, elected officials, local businesses and organizations and the community to join in the two-day “topping off” celebration, July 6 and 7 on the front steps of the Government Center at 65 Church Street S.

CONCORD, N.C. (WCNC) – WalletHub recently ranked Concord, North Carolina in the top 25 fastest growing cities in the country. City leaders say that growth is accelerating.

About 25 miles north of the Queen City, they’re working to make Concord have its own identity, and not just be known as a suburb of Charlotte.

It still has historic charm, but downtown Concord is evolving.

“It’s truly amazing the amount of growth we’re seeing and we’re very fortunate. And we know that,” Steve Osbourne, the Director of Planning and Neighborhood Development for the City of Concord said.