Matthews, NC Commercial Real Estate - Retail & Office Space

Matthews Commercial Real Estate

  • Traffic IconUS-74 & I-485 Interchange
  • Zoning IconCommunity Shopping Centers
  • Vacancy IconHistoric Downtown Storefronts

Description

Matthews is a town in southeastern Mecklenburg County, bordered by Charlotte, Mint Hill and Stallings, with Uptown Charlotte 11 miles to the northwest. Zoning is handled by the Town of Matthews Planning Department under the town's Unified Development Ordinance, in effect since 2014 and now being rewritten to match the 2024 Envision Matthews plan, while building permits come from Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement. Commercially, Matthews combines shopping centers along US-74 and Matthews Township Parkway (NC-51), Novant Health Matthews Medical Center, Harris Teeter's corporate headquarters, office space such as Crews Business Park, and a historic downtown on North Trade Street.

Commercial Real Estate Market Trends

Brokerages do not publish a separate commercial market report for Matthews, so public projects and planning changes are the better guide. On the corridor leading into Matthews, NCDOT plans to widen Independence Boulevard between I-277 and I-485, with construction expected by 2027; WCCB reported in October 2025 that hundreds of residential and commercial property owners could be forced to sell land for the project. NCDOT is also planning to widen approximately 6.5 miles of East John Street and Old Monroe Road, starting at Trade Street, through Matthews, Stallings and Indian Trail. And the town's rewrite of its Unified Development Ordinance under the 2024 Envision Matthews plan will set the rules for future redevelopment.

Commute & Logistics

U.S. Route 74 is the main highway through Matthews. NC-51 runs through the northern part of town on the Matthews Township Parkway bypass, which has an interchange with US-74, and I-485 crosses the southern part, with exits at Lawyers Road (Exit 47), Idlewild Road (Exit 49), US-74 (Exit 51) and East John Street (Exit 52). The I-485 and US-74 interchange is the key truck connection. For commuters, the CATS 64X Independence Boulevard Express bus runs between Center City and John Street and Ames Road in Matthews. For rail, CATS recommended in May 2025 that only a segment of the LYNX Silver Line be built, from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Bojangles Coliseum, and said extensions east toward Matthews would fall outside its Transit System Plan funding window.

Business Climate & Economy

The Matthews Chamber of Commerce, at 352 East Charles Street, represents the local business community. Harris Teeter is based in Matthews and kept its headquarters there after its 2014 sale to Kroger, and Novant Health Matthews Medical Center is on Matthews Township Parkway. Family Dollar was headquartered in Matthews, but its headquarters operations moved to Chesapeake, Virginia, after Dollar Tree acquired it in 2015, so lists that still show a Family Dollar headquarters in Matthews are out of date. The town's retail base is organized around shopping centers such as Sycamore Commons on Northeast Parkway and Matthews Corners, just off US-74 at Matthews Township Parkway.

Key Commercial Nodes

Matthews' commercial property sits in a handful of established centers and corridors:

  • Sycamore Commons — InvenTrust shopping center on Northeast Pkwy
  • Matthews Corners — shopping center off US-74 at Matthews Township Pkwy (NC-51)
  • Downtown Matthews — Matthews Commercial Historic District on N. Trade St
  • Novant Health Matthews Medical Center — medical center on Matthews Township Pkwy
  • Crews Business Park — office park on Sam Newell Rd
  • Harris Teeter headquarters — corporate headquarters in Matthews

Leasing & Purchasing in Matthews

I'm Yubeen Choi, a bilingual English and Korean commercial broker with eXp Realty. In Matthews, zoning questions go to the Town of Matthews Planning Department and building permits to Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, and because the town is rewriting its Unified Development Ordinance to match the 2024 Envision Matthews plan, I check the status of that rewrite before a client plans an up-fit or redevelopment. Storefronts on North Trade Street sit in the National Register-listed Matthews Commercial Historic District, which I factor into renovation plans. For sites on Independence Boulevard or East John Street, I review NCDOT's widening plans before a long lease or purchase, since widening projects can require land from property owners along the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

Matthews has shopping-center retail such as Sycamore Commons on Northeast Parkway and Matthews Corners near US-74, office space such as Crews Business Park on Sam Newell Road, storefronts in the Matthews Commercial Historic District on North Trade Street, and healthcare facilities including Novant Health Matthews Medical Center.

The Town of Matthews Planning Department administers zoning under the town's Unified Development Ordinance, which is being rewritten to match the 2024 Envision Matthews plan. Building permits are issued by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement.

Rates vary by property class, size, and lease structure, such as NNN versus gross. I can pull current comparable lease rates for your target size and use.

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14045 Ballantyne Corporate Pl #500, Charlotte, NC 28277

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