Metrocology was retained to prepare a conceptual master plan for the downtown area of Lowell. Exact boundaries of the planning area were determined together with an appointed Steering Committee, tasked with establishing the “footprint” for a prosperous downtown. Metrocology prepared a plan that would be mixed use, walkable, and dense enough to support a light rail transit stop. In doing so it was necessary to work closely with the NCDOT and County transportation planners to re-route truck traffic away from NC-7 which passes directly through downtown to allow for a pedestrian scaled Main Street to be designed.

The City of Lowell is located on the western side of metropolitan Charlotte just west of Charlotte’s airport, across the Catawba River in Gaston County. It’s location on I-85, one of only two major east-west corridors crossing the Catawba River, makes Lowell a prime location for development, especially industrial warehousing, and logistics. The City has two exits off the Interstate each leading directly into downtown.

Downtown Lowell has an established gridded street network. Development over the years has been slow, and the downtown has not developed what would be considered a traditional main street. Many vacant lots and a scattering of buildings pepper the central city area. A major rail corridor for Norfolk Southern Rail passes through the center of Lowell, connecting from central Charlotte on the way west through central Gastonia. Future transit is a consideration along the corridor and a station in Lowell is a possibility if the alignment is chosen by the Metropolitan Transit Authority.