TheBallantyner

News Oct 29, 2026 · 11550 N. Community House Rd. · 2 min read

Wegmans' first two weeks: 25,000 shoppers on day one, and the cookies won

The Rochester grocer says its October 14 Ballantyne debut was the biggest weekday opening in company history.

Two weeks after the doors opened, Wegmans has put numbers to the hype. The company says more than 25,000 customers came through its Ballantyne store on Wednesday, October 14, its largest weekday opening ever. People had camped in the parking lot the night before.

The 110,000-square-foot store at 11550 North Community House Road is the chain's first in Charlotte and its 115th overall, with about 450 full- and part-time employees under store manager Patrick McGuinness. It is also the first Wegmans with an outdoor seating area, reachable from inside the store and from the street.

Of the opening-week highlights the company shared, the in-store bakery led sales, with the Cookieland case, Ultimate Chocolate Chip and cut-out cookies, near the top of the list. The prepared-foods side (sushi, pizza, the Market Café) is the part most likely to change how the campus eats lunch.

Parking and traffic on Community House Road were the main complaint of week one. If you are going for groceries rather than the experience, weekday mornings have been the quiet window.

News Oct 31, 2026 · 11891 N. Community House Rd. · 2 min read

476 homes are coming to the 37 acres behind Wegmans

Northwood Ravin has started site work at 11891 N. Community House Road: stacked flats, a four-story midrise and 80 rental townhomes, with vertical construction after New Year's.

The dirt moving between North Community House Road, Upper Avenue and the I-485 outer loop is the next big piece of Ballantyne Reimagined. Northwood Ravin, the residential arm of the campus's owner, has begun site work on a 476-unit development across those 37 acres, a short walk from both Wegmans and The Bowl.

The plan mixes three kinds of housing at three price points: a two-story concrete building with 129 stacked flats, a four-story midrise wrapped around a parking deck with 267 apartments, and 80 build-to-rent townhomes. Residents will share a pool, fitness center, cold plunge, steam room and saunas, and the firm's longer goal is for everyone living on the campus to share amenities across projects.

Site work runs into early 2027, then the buildings go up all at once with staggered deliveries over 24 to 36 months. Foundation permits worth $3.2 million and $2.7 million were filed with the county on September 18 to keep the schedule tight.

Two more Northwood Ravin projects are in the pipeline: the 356-unit tower at 14180 Stream Way across from the Amp, and a possible conversion of the Rushmore One office building at 10840 Ballantyne Commons Parkway into 411 apartments and townhomes. The 2020 rezoning that governs all of it allows up to 2,000 apartments and 300 townhomes across the campus, so this is the middle of the story, not the end.

Also from the Business Journal this month: Daimler Truck Financial Services opened an $8 million headquarters at 13034 Ballantyne Corporate Place, 60,000 square feet on two floors, consolidating about 350 jobs from Detroit and Fort Worth.

News Oct 29, 2026 · Bryant Farms Rd. · 2 min read

Morrison YMCA: where the $42.5 million sale stands

The branch stays open through summer 2027. The Y says it ran a deficit in 2025 and faces more than $100 million in repairs across its system.

Four months after the YMCA of Greater Charlotte announced it would sell the Morrison Family YMCA to Moments of Hope Church for $42.5 million, not much has changed on the ground, and that is the point for members: the branch, its programs and camps stay open until the sale closes, which the Y expects in summer 2027.

What has changed is the Y's explanation. In a September 8 open letter, the organization said it operated at a significant deficit in 2025 and again this year, that revenue remains well below pre-pandemic levels, and that more than $100 million in facility repairs is still ahead. The Morrison offer was unsolicited; the property had not been listed for sale.

A portion of the proceeds is earmarked for South Charlotte: upgrades at Sara's YMCA in the heart of Ballantyne, expanded programming at the Hemby Program Center and continued investment at Brace Family YMCA. Morrison's advisory board and Y leadership say they will shape how the Y serves Ballantyne after the branch closes.

The "Save Morrison YMCA" coalition drew several hundred people to a July protest and has kept pressure on the board. For the next nine months, nothing changes for your membership; after that, the nearest full branch is Sara's on Ballantyne Commons Parkway.

News Oct 29, 2026 · Ardrey Kell High School · 1 min read

Ardrey Kell's new principal starts Monday

David LeGrand, currently at Rocky River High, takes over November 2. He is the school's third principal in three years.

Dr. Susan Wills's last day at Ardrey Kell High is Saturday, October 31. On Monday, November 2, David LeGrand, now principal of Rocky River High School in Mint Hill, becomes the school's third principal in as many years.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools named LeGrand on September 15, a month after Wills announced her retirement. Wills had been in the job since June 2025, when she replaced Jamie Brooks, who retired after a suspension the district never explained publicly. The turnover has been a sore point with parents, who told CMS in surveys last year that they wanted transparency and stability above all.

Expect LeGrand to spend November meeting the PTSO, boosters and department chairs. We will note the first community meeting date when the school posts it.

News Oct 29, 2026 · 14180 Stream Way · 1 min read

Next up at The Bowl: a 356-unit tower across from the Amp

Northwood Ravin's plan for 14180 Stream Way adds ground-floor retail and 686 podium parking spaces.

The city approved a land-development plan on July 23 for Northwood Ravin's next residential tower at 14180 Stream Way, across the street from the TD Amp and next to Stream Park. The plan calls for up to 356 apartments, more than 22,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a parking podium of up to 686 spaces.

It would be the third high-rise at The Bowl after Oro Ballantyne (26 stories, 356 units) and Towerview. It is also only one of three Northwood Ravin projects moving on the campus; see this week's story on the 476-unit development behind Wegmans for the full pipeline.

Do Oct 29, 2026 · TD Amp Ballantyne, 11115 Upper Ave. · 2 min read

Ice skating returns to The Bowl November 21, and the holiday calendar is out

The TD Amp turns into a rink through January 10. Jingle Bowl, the Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular and a December market follow.

The amphitheater's concert season ended with Trampled by Turtles on October 17; its next act is ice. The rink at The Bowl returns for a second winter on Saturday, November 21 and runs through Sunday, January 10. Tickets are $20 and include skate rental; sessions are one hour. Weekend hours run 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and weekday sessions start November 23 from 4 to 9 p.m. The rink closes in bad weather, with tickets rescheduled or refunded.

Opening day doubles as the Jingle Bowl, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 21. The Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular follows on Friday, November 27 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and a campus Holiday Market is set for Wednesday, December 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Last year the rink raised money on site for Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors in Need, which provides food assistance to families connected to the 11 Ballantyne-area public schools; expect the same this winter.

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery's Christmas Market, the German-style Weihnachtsmarkt that ran four weekends from the Friday after Thanksgiving last year at both the LoSo and Bowl Street locations, has already taken 2026 vendor applications. Dates have not been posted yet; we will add them as soon as OMB does.

Do Oct 29, 2026 · Across Ballantyne · 3 min read

This week and next: a Halloween 5K, a 40,000-meal pack, run club at OMB

Nine things on the Ballantyne calendar between Thursday and the start of ice skating.

1. Thu Oct 29 · 6:30 p.m.
   Ballantyne Running Club at OMBOlde Mecklenburg Brewery, 15025 Bowl St.Every Thursday. 1-, 3- and 6-mile options, all paces, no sign-up. Beer after.
2. Sat Oct 31 · 9–11 a.m.
   Taco Dash 5KCabo Fish Taco, 11611 N. Community House Rd.Halloween-morning race through Ballantyne's Backyard, then tacos, beer and music. $0–$40; $25 for campus tenants and residents through the goBallantyne app. Benefits programs that train and employ people with developmental disabilities. Details →
3. Wed Nov 4 · 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
   Pack-A-Thon: 40,000 mealsSimmons Building, 13840 Ballantyne Corporate Pl.Northwood Office and Feed the Hunger pack meal kits for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Open to campus tenants and residents; register in the goBallantyne app. Free Revival Coffee and ice cream 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Details →
4. Wed Nov 4
   Culinary Dropout opens15220 Bowl St.Rooftop bar, live music Thu–Sat. Part of opening-day sales goes to Levine Children's.
5. Thu Nov 6 · 7–9 p.m.
   Harvest Beer Dinner at OMB Ballantyne15025 Bowl St.Four courses, each paired with an OMB beer. Limited tickets.
6. Sat Nov 7 (check)
   Bowl Street Pop-Up MarketThe BowlThe monthly first-Saturday market has run April through November. November is the last one of the season; confirm the date on The Bowl's calendar.
7. Wed Nov 11 · noon
   Rotary Club Veterans Day LuncheonBallantyne campusRegister through goBallantyne.
8. Wed Nov 18 · 5:30 p.m.
   Ballantyne Book ClubBallantyne campusThis month's pick is Morgan Housel's "The Art of Spending Money."
9. Sat Nov 21 · 11 a.m.
   Jingle Bowl and ice skating opening dayTD Amp Ballantyne, 11115 Upper Ave.The rink runs through January 10. $20 with skate rental. Details →

Golf note: Ballantyne Country Club's calendar is members-only, so we do not list it here. If you are a member and want an event shared, send it to the desk.

Homes Oct 31, 2026 · 28277 · 28226 · 1 min read

411 homes for sale across 28277 and 28226: what the feed says this week

Median asking price is $575,000 in 28277 and $650,000 in 28226. 24 listings are less than a week old.

The map above now runs on the live MLS feed. As of Saturday there are 411 active or coming-soon listings across the two zip codes: 272 in 28277 and 139 in 28226. Only four are flagged coming soon, which tells you most sellers who planned a fall launch are already on the market.

Prices split the way the geography does. Ballantyne proper (28277) has a median asking price of $575,000, with 131 homes under $500,000, most of them townhomes and condos near Johnston Road and the Blakeney and Ardrey Kell corridors. North of Pineville-Matthews Road (28226: Carmel, Raintree, Quail Hollow, Providence Plantation) the median is $650,000 and the top of the market runs to eight figures on Carmel Park Drive. Across both zips, 73 listings ask $1 million or more.

Two things stand out in the mix. First, new construction: 43 listings are 2025-or-newer builds, almost all townhomes from TRI Pointe, Mattamy and Hopper Communities around Ballantyne Commons, Ardrey Kell Road and Endhaven. Second, time on market: the median listing has been on the site about two months, which fits the balanced, slower market the monthly reports have described all year. 24 listings arrived in the past seven days.

Townhomes and condos make up 173 of the 403 homes, so if you are a first-time buyer priced out of the detached market, there is real choice here. Use the type and price filters on the map; every card links to photos and a showing request.

The weekly counts (new, pending, sold) come next, once we have two consecutive pulls to compare.

Eat Oct 29, 2026 · 15220 Bowl St. · 2 min read

Culinary Dropout opens at The Bowl on November 4

The two-story gastropub seats close to 300, puts a bar on the roof, and books live music three nights a week. Opening-day sales help Levine Children's.

The last big piece of The Bowl's first phase lands next Wednesday. Culinary Dropout, the comfort-food-and-cocktails concept from Sam Fox's Phoenix-based Fox Restaurant Concepts, opens November 4 at 15220 Bowl Street, a two-level space of roughly 9,000 square feet with seating for close to 300.

What sets it apart from the rest of the row: a rooftop patio, and a stage. The restaurant plans live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the same formula that has kept its South End location busy since 2023. Expect lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, a long cocktail list, local beer on tap and a menu built around dishes like 36-hour pork ribs and steak frites.

A portion of opening-day sales will go to Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital, so an early visit does some good.

Culinary Dropout and Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza are the final two tenants of The Bowl's 70,000-square-foot first phase, which Northwood says has been fully leased across 19 tenants since early this year. Mister O1, the Miami pizzeria known for its star-shaped pies, was also targeting a fall opening; no date has been posted yet.

Eat Oct 29, 2026 · 7828 Rea Rd. · 1 min read

Tap & Vine closes at Stonecrest after four years

The Rea Road wine bar is gone from the company's website. Quail Hollow and Indian Trail stay open.

Tap & Vine's Stonecrest at Piper Glen location, 7828 Rea Road, has closed for good after a four-year run. The restaurant was marked permanently closed in mid-October and no longer appears on the company's locations page; ownership has not given a reason or a last day.

The by-the-glass wine list and tapas menu continue at the Quail Hollow location on Park Road and in Indian Trail. The Stonecrest storefront, next to the Regal theater, is the second sizable restaurant space to open up in that center this year. We will track who takes it.

Eat Oct 29, 2026 · Across Ballantyne · 2 min read

Also on the plate: Reid's in the Quad, BrickTop's at Toringdon, Mister O1 still to come

The rest of the food and drink file for the week.

Reid's Fine Foods, the Charlotte-born specialty grocer, opened its Ballantyne store in April at 14015 Conlan Circle in the Ballantyne Quad, the former Duckworth's space. It is 6,500 square feet with seating for 110, a full-service restaurant and wine bar, a coffee and deli counter and an expanded butcher case. Reservations are on OpenTable, which makes it the rare grocery store you can book a table at.

BrickTop's is planning its second Charlotte restaurant at 3415 Toringdon Way, on the site of the former Red Robin, which has been demolished. No opening date yet.

Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza, the Miami pizzeria recommended in Florida's Michelin Guide, signed for The Bowl in February with a fall target. The star-shaped pie and 72-hour dough are the draw. As of this week there is no posted opening date; it and Culinary Dropout complete The Bowl's first phase.

Recurring: OMB Ballantyne runs half-price bottles on Wine Wednesdays, and the Harvest Beer Dinner on November 6 pairs four courses with four beers. Wegmans' Market Café and sushi bar are the new campus-lunch default; see this week's lead story for the opening numbers.