The Uptown building that once housed Duke Energy Corp.'s headquarters is coming down. A re-imagined hub for living, retail, and business will take its place.

Duke Energy sold its headquarters building at 526 S. Church St. to Asana Partners in Dec. 2022. Asana, SK+I Architecture, and MRP Properties will transform the block into "Brooklyn and Church" — a revitalization featuring 440+ apartments, 50,000+ sqft of retail space, and a pedestrian plaza.

Developers hope "Brooklyn and Church" will become a destination for sports fans and city visitors. | Rendering via SK+I Architecture

When the original structure was erected in Oct. 1975, Duke Energy, formerly Duke Power, employed nearly 12,000 people, provided a drive-up window for customers to pay bills + used the lobby as an appliance showroom.

Duke Power merged with Houston-based PanEnergy to form Duke Energy in 1997. 13 years later, the company established its new headquarters at 550 S. Tryon St. — now owned by Wells Fargo. The company has since moved to a new office, allowing for the sale of the building in 2022.

Duke Energy's former headquarters, now vacant, has signage detailing its future look. | Photo by CLTtoday

Who's funding the redevelopment project? The project will be privately financed, according to the Charlotte Business Journal. Firms involved on the project hope city and county leaders approve tax incentives for the conversion in the future — a pitch originally met with criticism in April 2024.

The building's redevelopment is something Uptown needs, as office vacancies remain around 23% following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development is expected to start later this year. Demolition is expected to take four to five months with construction anticipated through 2026.