The River District Unveils Plans for First Neighborhood School
Earlier this week, I took a closer look at why The River District could become Charlotte's next desirable neighborhood. Now, another major milestone has been announced for the master-planned community.
The River District has announced a partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) to bring a new 40-acre Berryhill Elementary School campus to the community. The project will replace the existing Berryhill School facility while creating a modern educational campus for families who will call The River District home.
Planned along Sadler Road, the new campus has been intentionally positioned to make it easier for students to safely walk or bike to school from surrounding neighborhoods. The location also reflects The River District's vision of creating a connected community where homes, schools, parks, and everyday destinations are thoughtfully integrated.
The school is expected to open initially as Berryhill Elementary, serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade. A future second phase is planned to expand the campus to include middle school grades, creating a future PreK-8 educational destination for River District families.
"This is an incredibly meaningful milestone for The River District and for West Charlotte," said Rainier Ficken, Senior Managing Director of The River District.
"A great community is built around the places where families live, gather, learn, and grow together. The addition of Berryhill Elementary School at The River District further establishes this as a fully realized, long-term community where residents can truly put down roots. The ability for children to safely walk or bike to school, and to learn in an environment surrounded by nature and outdoor experiences is something that makes this project uniquely special."
While the announcement marks an important milestone for The River District, it also represents another step in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' broader effort to modernize aging school facilities. According to the CMS Bond Program, the replacement campus will feature 54 classrooms and is currently progressing through the construction documents phase ahead of construction. Students are expected to begin attending the new school in August 2028.
The addition of a new elementary school marks another milestone as The River District continues evolving from a planned development into a growing community.
