The River District
Pioneering new approaches not previously seen in North Carolina or the southern states of the US
The River District is a 1,400-acre mixed-use, master-planned community that organically blends urban life with the allure of parks, trails, forests, river access and wide open spaces.
It is located next to Catawba River and minutes from vibrant uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
The River District is only the third built environment project in the US and the first in the Southeast to achieve One Planet Living Leadership recognition.
Crescent Communities is a nationally recognised market-leading real estate investor, developer, and operator of mixed-use communities.
The Crescent Communities team intentionally developed The River District using the One Planet Living framework as part of its development process. Its sustainable features will help protect the region’s natural environment and enhance the quality of life for residents by providing greater access to nature, reducing carbon footprints, and fostering a healthier, more connected community.
"By embedding sustainability and resident wellness into every aspect of the community – from preserving spaces to improving the lives of residents through creating connections and opportunities for lifelong learning – we are ensuring that The River District remains a model for future growth that prioritises both people and the planet."
Rainer Ficken
Senior Managing Director, The River District
"Crescent Communities is pioneering new conversations on so many subjects in North Carolina and across the South. The team has embraced One Planet Living as a vision and explored innovations and new business models while bringing their partners with them to show what can be done."
Nicole Lazarus
One Planet Living Technical Lead
"The Crescent Communities team has engaged deeply with One Planet Living from a very early stage in the development of The River District. We are absolutely delighted to see them now breaking ground and starting to make their exciting vision a reality. The team's partnerships are creative and innovative and are already setting precedents for green building in North Carolina."
Sue Riddlestone OBE
CEO and Co-founder, Bioregional
Action plan highlights ↓
Health and happiness The masterplan creates excellent provision for active travel, for enjoying the outdoors and for connecting with nature. Tree lined avenues and 30 parks encourage time outdoors and provide space for the extensive community programs. Heat wave risks and aspirations for clean air are addressed.
Equity and local economy River District is providing an exemplary approach to supporting affordable homes, both on and off site. They are creating opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned businesses and vocational opportunities for local young people. They are also supporting underserved local neighbourhoods.
Culture and community River District will have a Community Governance Strategy and Resident Engagement Strategy. The team are forging meaningful partnerships with Catawba Nation and with local historians and artists. There are imaginative, wide-ranging plans for embedding a sustainability culture into every aspect of River District.
Local and sustainable food The action plan addresses food growing opportunities on site, from individual homes to communal growing plots up to the centrepiece two-acre organic farm. The action plan is packed with ideas for engaging with residents on sustainable food choices. There is also a commitment to retailers and restaurateurs local sourcing.
Materials and products For construction materials, the project is piloting procurement approaches that are new to contractors in the south US, trialling baseline embodied carbon assessments and scope-limited targets. The City of Charlotte will build their first mass timber building at River District and a lending library for community residents will help initiate a sharing culture.
One Planet Living is our vision of a world where we can live happily within the Earth’s resources, and a straightforward framework to achieve this
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