Average age of commercial buildings
The age of commercial buildings generally reflects the development history of the county - Charlotte's oldest commercial districts are closer to the center city, while new commercial buildings continue to be built across the county. A decrease in average age in an area may indicate in-fill or redevelopment in an older district, or a large commercial center constructed on previously undeveloped land. Aging commercial structures may provide opportunities for rehabilitation, reuse and "greening" improvements to promote energy efficiency. In addition, since sewer, power and other infrastructure that serves commercial buildings is generally reflective of building age, local governments and developers can identify potential risks and make necessary improvements, especially as codes and standards are updated and improved over time.
Of the 5.9 million commercial buildings in the United States in 2018, about 25% were built after 2000. Newer buildings tend to be larger than older buildings. Buildings build between 1960 and 1999 accounted for more than 50% of both total number of buildings and of floorspace. Buildings built before 1960 represent 21% of buildings but only 17% of floorspace. In Mecklenburg County, the average age of commercial buildings has increased only marginally from 34 years in 2011 to 36 in 2020.
Commercial Size
Commercial Construction
Job Density
The year of construction for each commercial building is summed and divided by the total number of commercial buildings.
Source: Mecklenburg County Tax Parcels
| Resource | Learn More and Take Action |
|---|---|
| Charlotte Explorer | Learn about Charlotte, its operations and its changing landscape. |
| City of Charlotte Financial Programs | Charlotte offers geographically targeted financial programs to assist businesses to improve facades and security. |
| Business District Organization Program | City of Charlotte program to support business associations serving defined districts. |
| Commercial Building Stock | A look at the national commercial building stock and the attributes that drive commercial energy use. |
| Plan Review | Learn about the commercial plan review process. |
| Apply for a building permit | The process to improve property starts with a permit. |