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WARREN & ASSOCIATES Major regional economic drivers that could impact housing and employment in the Planning Area are summarized below and shown on Map 2. 2.1 Downtown Charlotte Located 13.5 miles southwest of Harrisburg, downtown Charlotte is the region's primary employment and entertainment center. Tryon Street, which becomes NC -49 north of Charlotte, provides a direct link between Harrisburg and downtown. Estimates indicate that the current workforce is 65,000, including approximately 60,500 office jobs. Bank of America has its headquarters downtown, and Wachovia, now part of Wells Fargo, has a large presence. Other major employers include Duke Energy, The Charlotte Observer, and government facilities such as the Federal Reserve Bank and the City of Charlotte. There are numerous entertainment and recreation facilities in downtown Charlotte. Two professional sporting teams have facilities; Bank of America Stadium is home to the Carolina Panthers NFL team and Time Warner Cable Arena hosts the NBA Charlotte Bobcats. Numerous museums and theaters are also located downtown, including the new cultural arts campus on South Tryon Street. 2.2 University Research Park University Research Park (URP) occupies three quadrants of the I- 85/Harris Boulevard interchange, less than five miles southwest of Harrisburg and one mile west of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC -C). URP emerged in the 1970s and 1980s and now contains more than 10.5 million square feet of office, research, and industrial space. Over the past ten years, URP's size has plateaued, with fewer land sales and new buildings. Key highlights over the past decade have included new or expanded facilities for Wachovia and TIAA -CREF 2.3 University of North Carolina at Charlotte The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC -C), located five miles southwest of Harrisburg, is the fourth largest university in the 17- institution University of North Carolina System. Founded in 1946, UNC -C has a current enrollment of 24,700 students, including 19,700 undergraduates. UNC -C has seven professional colleges and offers 18 doctoral programs, 63 master's degree programs, and 90 bachelor degrees. Ranked by US News & World Report as one of the "Nation's Top 10 Up and Coming Universities," UNC -C is expected to have an enrollment of 35,000 by 2020. In 2010, UNC -C plans to open a 100,000- square -foot classroom and office building in Downtown Charlotte, at the corner of Ninth and Brevard streets. The building will offer classes in architecture and business. March 2010 APPENDIX D: HALUP MARKET ANALYSIS 3 AUGUST 2010 Attachment number 2 G -1 Page 412 University Research Park