Why you'd want to live in University City

Home to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and more than 20 regional offices for Fortune 500 companies, University City is essentially (but not officially) its own city. The neighborhood is named for The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The university and its lively student culture have brought fun pubs, dining hot spots and extensive retail to the area, as well as the LYNX Blue Line light rail extension which runs straight to Center City and offers quick and cheap trips uptown. On football Saturdays, crowds in Jerry Richardson Stadium cheer for the Charlotte 49ers. University City is also home to the University Research Park, one of the largest research parks in the state (University Executive Park, University Research Park and Innovation Park employ thousands), and the PNC Music Pavilion. IKEA opened a store in University City in 2009 - the first and still the only IKEA in the Carolinas. Nature lovers can spot birds and botanicals while hiking through Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve’s pine tree-shaded trails and paths.