Construction is now moving full tilt on the upcoming NOVEL River District. It's the first apartment complex slated to welcome tenants in 2025 at the highly-anticipated River District — a 1,400-acre master-plan community in west Charlotte.

Located astride the Catawba River, one of the many allures of the River District is the theme of luxury city life blended in harmony with the beauty of nature.

Keep an eye for newly-installed 13 bird boxes across The River District for native bird species. | Photo via Luquire

Crescent Communities leads the project. The real estate developer announced a partnership with Carolina Raptor Center, Catawba Lands Conservancy, and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation to highlight the ongoing commitment for habitat and wildlife preservation in the city's most ambitious residential project since The Bowl at Ballantyne.

"People are open to this idea of bringing habitat back to their yards," said Alden Picard, conservation coordinator with the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. Picard noted untouched land and conservation easements currently form a tenuous ring around the site where dozens of families are expected to soon move. He hopes conservation is possible by connecting these habitats. "Coexistence is absolutely possible."

River District residents and guests may be able to glimpse natural sites like herons hunting for fish. | Photo by CLTtoday

Don't expect a concrete jungle when the ribbon is cut on the River District. The teams supporting this community aim to preserve more than 180 species of animals, insects, and birds + 217 plant species native to the Piedmont ecosystem. Instead, future residents can hope to see a blossoming garden or a heron hunting for fish on the banks of the Catawba — all within a short drive to Uptown or Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

"It's a whole paradigm shift from the traditional way we think and develop and live to a new age way to live with wildlife," continued Picard. "The wildlife is still there and they'll come back given the opportunity. I really do think it's catching on."