University City Report (PDF) - Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

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©PatrickSchneiderPhoto.com almost doubled in that timeframe, the influx of new residents has been staggering. University City has also grown dramatically, as more and more people have flocked to the fringe city. Like these citizens, many companies from across the globe have made University City home. The Queen City is the country’s second-largest banking center behind New York City, and two of the world’s financial giants have a large presence in the University area. On any given day Wells Fargo has roughly 14,000 employees coming and going in its Customer Information Center (CIC) if support staff, trainees and visitors are included in the count. The facility was built in 1995 and has grown to 2 million square feet in size. The campus is home to the bulk of the bank’s information technology and customer support units, and while many call center employees call the CIC home, plenty of senior executives work within its walls as well. Nearby, TIAA-CREF boasts an impressive workplace of its own. Headquartered in New York City, the financial services firm is one of the nation’s leading retirement providers. Its University City campus opened in 2000 and today houses around 2,500 employees. The operation is one of the firm’s largest, proving that University City has become a haven for large financial institution facilities. Other companies contribute to the financial industry as well. URP neighbor IBM, though known primarily for its technological prowess, now provides support for local mortgage industry clients. And financial firms aren’t the only ones with operations in the area; Convergys and AT&T Communications also have facilities close-by. Industry also has an international flavor in University City, as many foreign-owned firms have moved in. The largest is AREVA, which has more than 700 employees in University City. Based in France and headquartered in Paris, the company prides itself on supplying low-carbon energy solutions to North America. Since AREVA is the largest engineering firm in town, most of the local staff is engaged in engineering for its nuclear energy business. Two Swedish firms have gone as far as to place their North American operations in University City: Electrolux, an appliance maker, and The Husqvarna Group, which manufactures outdoor power products. These recent developments have stamped University City as a thriving market for employers from near and far, even as the global economy has suffered through a number of ups and downs over the last decade. Business is booming in University City as industry stalwarts have remained and new companies have arrived. In fact, for many years local commuters converged on the center city of Charlotte, aiming toward the cluster of skyscrapers in the distance before beginning their workdays. Now many University City residents are sticking closer to home as their fringe city provides plenty of employment opportunities. Others are still making the commute, but now the skyline of uptown is in their rearview mirrors instead. An Abundance of Alternatives for a Healthy Lifestyle When it comes to health and fitness, University City stands strongly on its own two legs. With an award-winning hospital, numerous fitness options and plenty of green space, health-conscious citizens have countless ways to continue their active lifestyles. A community’s health needs start with the availability of world-class health care. Since Carolinas Medical Center-University serves as one of the anchors for University City’s “town square” (the intersection of W.T. Harris Boulevard and North Tryon Street), that need is definitely 6 University City Report
satisfied. The hospital, which opened as University Memorial Hospital in the mid-1980s, is by far the largest in the university area, and also serves northern Mecklenburg County and southwestern Cabarrus County. Serving a wide group of patients is one thing, though; providing those patients with award-winning service is another. J.D. Power and Associates has named CMC-University a “Distinguished Hospital” and also recognized the hospital’s maternity center for “Outstanding Patient Experience” for three years running. Aside from its first-class service, CMC-University also offers a wide range of surgical specialties, ranging from orthopedics to urology. With more than 8,700 surgical procedures performed annually, patients receive not only expert care but also a wide breadth of care. Adjacent medical offices only strengthen CMC-University, as does being affiliated with one of the strongest health care systems in the Southeast. But what makes the hospital even more impressive is the fact that it promotes health and wellness beyond its own doors. Partnering with the University City YMCA and organizing the LiveWell Carolinas! Program ©PatrickSchneiderPhoto.com in Northlake Mall, CMC-University is involved in the community in an effort to keep residents educated and informed. Of course, many Americans exercise daily with the hope of avoiding a trip to the hospital altogether. Enter the University City YMCA, which offers more than just a typical fitness center filled with cardio equipment. The facility also has an outdoor water park, an indoor pool, a sports fields and an indoor track. Personal health coaching is also available, be it fitness assessments, diet consultations or personal training sessions. Adults and children alike can choose from a wide variety of group exercise classes, such as yoga, dance or water aerobics, or play traditional team sports like basketball, soccer and flag-football. If you’re the type that strictly prefers the great outdoors, then there are plenty of options in University City that supply open space and fresh air. Together Clark’s Creek and Mallard Creek Greenways make up the longest stretch of Mecklenburg County’s greenways, providing more than seven miles of trails. Those seven miles offer various backdrops for athletic endeavors, such as university neighborhoods, University Research Park (URP) and a mature floodplain forest. But that’s just one option for the outdoor enthusiast. The Toby Creek Greenway not only links up with the previous two greenways but also connects with the UNC Charlotte campus, which offers fitness trails and bike paths of its own. Nearby Ribbon Walk Nature Preserves is a 188-acre urban forest with three miles of hiking trails. Regional and community parks are located throughout University City’s neighborhoods. And University City Report 7
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University City Report (PDF) - Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

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