Why you'd want to live in Ballantyne

Once secluded in South Charlotte, decades of growth have given this now-booming metropolis a taste of city life with suburban curb appeal. In the mid-1990s, Johnny Harris, grandson of former North Carolina governor Cameron Morrison, had a vision for the vast hunting preserve he and his siblings had inherited. After acquiring more acreage, Johnny and his brother Cameron Harris sold their shares of the land to their brother-in-law “Smoky” Bissell, who dreamed of creating the ultimate corporate park. Thanks to Bissell’s shrewd eye for development, what was once a secluded section of South Charlotte has blossomed into a suburban metropolis—all within about two decades. In Ballantyne, beautiful modern homes and stately retail complexes have proven magnets for residents who crave big-time amenities outside the city’s constant hustle and bustle. via charlottesgotalot.com