Village District

Village District

Location	Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Opening date	1949
Developer	J.W. York and R.A Bryan
Management	York Properties
Owner	Brookmont Corporation
Website	[1]

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 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 on two levels and within several different buildings. Several parking decks were built in the 1960s to accommodate the increased demand for parking, 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, 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 fled the cluttered downtown area in favor of the convenient parking at Cameron Village. The shopping center has been renovated several times over the years, and is still a considered a premier location for business. It currently has over 100 shops and restaurants. The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, Rite Aid, and a Wake County Public Library branch serve as anchors.

External links

• History of Cameron Village