SouthPark is the most abused neighborhood name in Charlotte

Developers, realtors and other businesses tend to give themselves a little more leeway in their marketing copy. It’s common to latch on to the name of a nearby popular area to get a little cred.

Nowhere is this more noticeable than in south Charlotte with the SouthPark name.

The NoDa name comes close. The area just northeast of the center city has a bunch of small neighborhoods with amorphous borders, but businesses tend to use the NoDa name to encompass them all. Even the original NoDa Brewing location is in Optimist Park.

But places trying to glom on to the SouthPark name put all of that to shame.

Here are a few examples.

The SouthPark Swim & Tennis Club is not really in SouthPark. It used to be called Huntingtowne Farms Swim & Tennis Club.

Fitness Connection on South Boulevard. Definitely not SouthPark.

Sorry, Forest Hill Church, you’re close, but not SouthPark.

Red Rocks is Cotswold, not SouthPark.

Curious about the official boundaries of SouthPark?

The map is from the SouthPark Association of Neighborhoods.

Does it really matter?

Neighborhoods are such an emotional topic because they’re closely tied to property values.

Being within a popular neighborhood’s boundaries can make a meaningful difference in how much you can sell for. Newcomers often flock to name-brand areas. Neighborhoods across Charlotte are now trying to build equity in their own names.

[Agenda story: As east and west Charlotte grow, more neighborhoods trying to make a name]

For customer-facing businesses, the dynamic is a little different. They’re trying to signal to their potential clientele that they’re upscale or desirable.

The issue for homeowners comes when businesses use a name that doesn’t match up with the surrounding homes. In the cases above, the SouthPark name gets the boost in awareness and goodwill, rather than Huntingtowne Farms or Cotswold or Starmount.