Revitalizing Charlotte’s Historic Lakeview Neighborhood

Leondra, a 43-year-old Charlotte native, loves nothing more than opening her Lakeview home to friends and family year round, especially around the holidays. However, her beloved home has fallen into disrepair, exacerbating difficulties her four children – all of whom live with disabilities – already face.

With the help of Lowe’s, Wells Fargo, Evolve, local partners and numerous in-kind sponsors, local nonprofit affiliate, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte will provide free essential home repairs for Leondra, as a part of Building a Healthy Neighborhood.

Building a Healthy Neighborhood is a collaborative partnership between Rebuilding Together, volunteers, neighbors, community leaders and local organizations to revitalize neighborhoods with safe, affordable, accessible homes and thriving community spaces. Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte has worked with more than 5,000 volunteers to repair over 200 homes since 2010. Leondra is one of 25 Lakeview neighbors receiving home repairs this week.

Lakeview, a historic neighborhood in Charlotte, was developed as an amusement park in the early 1900s and quickly became a popular tourist destination. In the 1930s, a nearby dam supporting the lake was damaged and caused Lakeview to flood. With limited resources to rebuild, the park was closed and redeveloped into a mill village for white workers. In the 1960s, Black families who were victims of an urban renewal program in uptown Charlotte were relocated to Lakeview. Subsequently, many white neighbors began relocating out of the neighborhood because of redlining.

Today, Lakeview is at risk of gentrification and neighbors, many of whom have lived in their homes for multiple generations, are at risk of displacement. Volunteers from Lowe’s, Rebuilding Together, local contractors and community members will provide essential health and safety repairs, including new roofs, updated plumbing, flooring installation, kitchen upgrades, window replacements, a wheelchair ramp and other accessibility modifications. Together, we will help ensure Lakeview neighbors can live safe and healthy in their homes for many years to come!