Cameron Village
Encyclopedia
Cameron Village was the first planned community
to be developed in Raleigh, North Carolina
. Development was started in 1947 when J.W. York and R.A Bryan bought 158 acres (0.64 km2) of undeveloped land two miles west of downtown Raleigh, near the North Carolina State University
campus. The "village" was to consist of a shopping center, apartments, and single family homes. The shopping center opened in 1949, and quickly became the premier shopping area in Raleigh. It is also considered the first shopping center to be built between Washington, D.C.
and Atlanta
. The shopping center is an open-air shopping mall, but unlike a strip mall
, the stores are divided into blocks
with some on two levels. Several parking decks were built in the 1960s, although most of these were removed in later renovations, to give a more open feel.
Cameron Village grew quickly, and by 1950 the community had 65 stores, a movie theater, more than 600 homes and apartments, and over 100 business/professional offices. Downtown Raleigh, which had been the primary shopping location in the Raleigh area, started to see a decline in business as consumers gravitated toward the convenient parking of Cameron Village.
In the 1970s, “The Underground,” a section located below the current location of The Fresh Market and the library that hosted popular restaurants and nightclubs like The Frog and Nightgown, The Pier and Déjà vu, opened. “The Underground” was short-lived, however; most establishments closed during the 1980s.
The shopping center is still a considered a premier location for business. The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter
, Rite Aid
, and a Wake County
Public Library branch serve as anchors. The shopping center has been expanded and renovated several times, including a restyling in the mid-1980s and another in the early 2000s. Today, Cameron Village has over 100 distinctive stores including over a dozen restaurants, boutiques, and the world's only two-story Chick-fil-A
.
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
to be developed in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Development was started in 1947 when J.W. York and R.A Bryan bought 158 acres (0.64 km2) of undeveloped land two miles west of downtown Raleigh, near the North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
campus. The "village" was to consist of a shopping center, apartments, and single family homes. The shopping center opened in 1949, and quickly became the premier shopping area in Raleigh. It is also considered the first shopping center to be built between Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The shopping center is an open-air shopping mall, but unlike a strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
, the stores are divided into blocks
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
with some on two levels. Several parking decks were built in the 1960s, although most of these were removed in later renovations, to give a more open feel.
Cameron Village grew quickly, and by 1950 the community had 65 stores, a movie theater, more than 600 homes and apartments, and over 100 business/professional offices. Downtown Raleigh, which had been the primary shopping location in the Raleigh area, started to see a decline in business as consumers gravitated toward the convenient parking of Cameron Village.
In the 1970s, “The Underground,” a section located below the current location of The Fresh Market and the library that hosted popular restaurants and nightclubs like The Frog and Nightgown, The Pier and Déjà vu, opened. “The Underground” was short-lived, however; most establishments closed during the 1980s.
The shopping center is still a considered a premier location for business. The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter is a chain of supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. , the chain operates 207 stores in eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.Harris Teeter is a...
, Rite Aid
Rite Aid
Rite Aid is a drugstore chain in the United States and a Fortune 500 company headquartered in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, near Camp Hill. Rite Aid is the largest drugstore chain on the East Coast and the third largest drugstore chain in the U.S....
, and a Wake County
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
Public Library branch serve as anchors. The shopping center has been expanded and renovated several times, including a restyling in the mid-1980s and another in the early 2000s. Today, Cameron Village has over 100 distinctive stores including over a dozen restaurants, boutiques, and the world's only two-story Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A |"fillet"]]) is a quick service restaurant chain headquartered in College Park, Georgia, United States, specializing in chicken entrées and is known for promoting the company founder's claims of Christian values. Long associated with the southern United States, where it has been a...
.