The River District Becomes First Community in the Southeast to Earn Prestigious Sustainability Designation

Crescent Communities' 1,400-acre master-planned development recognized as One Planet Living® Leader, joining just two other U.S. developments

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Crescent Communities, a nationally recognized market-leading real estate investor, developer, and operator of mixed-use communities, today announced that The River District, its 1,400-acre master-planned community in West Charlotte, has earned the designation of One Planet Living Leader. A rare distinction in development, The River District is only the third development in the U.S. and the first in the Southeast to achieve this honor.

Created in the United Kingdom in 2004 by Bioregional, One Planet Living (OPL) is a sustainability framework based on the idea that health, economy, climate, communities, and the natural world are deeply and fundamentally interconnected. It is built around ten core principles, each supported by detailed sustainability goals and guidance, with the ultimate vision of creating a world where everyone can lead healthy, fulfilling lives within the planet's ecological limits, all while preserving space for wildlife and natural ecosystems. The One Planet Living framework has been adopted by forward-thinking communities around the world, from mixed-use developments to eco-conscious urban projects in Australia, Canada, and Europe. By earning this designation, The River District aligns itself with a global movement redefining how developers balance growth with environmental responsibility.

The Crescent Communities team intentionally developed The River District using the OPL principles as part of its development process. Supporting the principles of OPL – which include design principles and decision-making during development to encourage active, social lives for residents and creating interactive spaces for all to enjoy – The River District will feature:

• Over 500 acres of preserved natural space and ample connected green space (greenways, trails, and parks) offering connections to nature; land management practices to improve biodiversity
• Purposeful partnerships with environmental education organizations
• A regenerative two-acre urban garden and on-site farmer to support local, sustainable food production
• Affordable and mixed-income housing
• Public access to the Catawba River and increased erosion control management measures
• Comprehensive biodiversity study conducted with environmental partners to measure overall health of wildlife in preserved areas and plan for reducing invasive, nonnative species
• Miles of walking and biking trails, dog parks, and riverfront accessibility offering connectivity throughout; EV charging stations
• Supporting mass timber construction to reduce carbon footprint

These sustainable features will both help protect the region's natural environment and enhance quality of life for residents by providing greater access to nature, reducing carbon footprints, and fostering a healthier, more connected community.

"Achieving the One Planet Living Leader designation reinforces Crescent Communities' commitment to setting a new standard for responsible development not just in the South, but across the country," said Rainer Ficken, Senior Managing Director of The River District. "As part of a globally recognized framework, this designation places The River District among an elite group of communities proving that large-scale development and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. By embedding sustainability and resident wellness into every aspect of the community – from preserving spaces to improving the lives of residents through creating connections and opportunities for lifelong learning – we are ensuring that The River District remains a model for future growth that prioritizes both people and the planet."

"Crescent Communities is pioneering new conversations on so many subjects in North Carolina and across the South," said Nicole Lazarus, Bioregional's One Planet Living Technical Lead. "The team has embraced One Planet Living as a vision and explored innovations and new business models while bringing their partners with them to show what can be done."

Added Sue Riddlestone OBE, CEO of Bioregional, "The Crescent Communities team has engaged deeply with One Planet Living from a very early stage in the development of The River District. We are absolutely delighted to see them now breaking ground and starting to make their exciting vision a reality. The partnerships the team has built are creative and innovative and are already setting precedents for green building in North Carolina."

Earlier this year, The River District broke ground on the first phase of single-family homes in its Westrow neighborhood. David Weekley Homes, DRB Homes, Saussy Burbank, and Toll Brothers will develop this first builder phase consisting of over 260 lots of a total potential of 2,300 single-family homes. The River District will also include up to 2,350 multifamily residential units, with a portion dedicated to mixed-income housing in partnership with local developer Laurel Street Residential. Crescent Communities has already begun construction on NOVEL River District, a 318-unit multifamily development under its Class A NOVEL brand which will feature world-class amenities, residential programming, and sleek and modern design. In addition to its residential offerings, The River District will include millions of square feet of retail, office, and mixed-use space.

Conceptualized through a thoughtful multi-year development process and nestled between the banks of the Catawba River and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, The River District will integrate the primary components of urban life – a connected network of homes, retail shops, restaurants, office buildings, schools, and public spaces – with the allure of the parks, trails, forests, river access, and open spaces abound in nature. For more information, visit www.theriverdistrict.com or follow the development on Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

Renderings of The River District are linked here.

About Crescent Communities:
Crescent Communities is a nationally recognized, market-leading real estate investor, developer, and operator of mixed-use "communities." We create high-quality, differentiated multifamily and commercial communities in many of the fastest growing markets in the United States. Since 1963, our development portfolio has included more than 86 multifamily communities and 25 million square feet of commercial space. Crescent Communities has offices in Charlotte, DC, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix. Our multifamily communities are branded NOVEL, RENDER and HARMON by Crescent Communities, our industrial developments are branded AXIAL by Crescent Communities, and our life science developments are branded THE YIELD by Crescent Communities.

For more information about One Planet Living, contact [email protected]. 

SOURCE Crescent Communities