A ceremony in uptown Charlotte on Friday marked a Juneteenth celebration with the opening of a newly renovated space aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and creativity.
City Council representatives and former Mayor Harvey B. Gantt joined community leaders to cut a blue ribbon for SparkHouse, an entrepreneurship and creative lab. Mayor Pro Tem James Mitchell said the timing of the opening underscores a broader message about access.
“Opening the space on Juneteenth… is not coincident, its a declaration that opportunity, ownership, and entrepreneurship can be accessible to everyone in this great city we call Charlotte,” Mitchell said.
The event also featured spoken word poetry and remarks from children reflecting on what the building could represent for their futures.
The 20,000-square-foot facility dates back to the 1920s, when it was built during segregation. It later housed the architectural firm of Gantt, Charlotte’s first African American mayor. William McNeely, who oversees Do Greater Charlotte and led the renovation effort, said the project aims to honor that history while creating new opportunities.
“It’s a pretty historical building that was built in 1921,” McNeely said. "And so there were times, there were things that were happening at that time in 1921 where, you know, people in our community were moving in different areas to get support and opportunity, and we just want to honor that as well.”
SparkHouse is part of a broader effort by Do Greater Charlotte to expand access to resources, including a creative tech lab in west Charlotte that supports children in the community.
The $5 million renovation effort was supported by the city of Charlotte and private partners, including Wells Fargo. The space is expected to serve between 5,000 and 10,000 people each year, with a focus on those ages 16 to 24.
Inside the building, former mayor Gantt reflected on the project’s significance and the persistence of McNeely to open the space amid political tension.
“In the middle of this, some things happened at the national level and all kinds of crazy things that people had made promises about funding a wonderful space like this,” Gantt said. "We're starting to drift away because of certain things happening nationally. I don't need to elaborate on that for you, but he kept saying, ‘Mr. Gant, we're going to get in the building, and he did.’”
Gantt said McNeely’s vision for the building resonates with him.
“He talked about vision and entrepreneurship, and we are going to bring young people into this space, and they're gonna walk out, and I thought about Darryl Williams and all the other architects who did that years ago with me,” Gantt said. "How appropriate that would be, how appropriate that would be that this remained the space that encouraged entrepreneurship.”
A 2014 study led by Harvard researcher Raj Chetty ranked Charlotte last among the nation’s largest cities for economic mobility. A more recent report places the city 38th out of 50. Local leaders have pointed to initiatives such as the mayor’s racial equity efforts as helping drive improvement.
Dr. Alexandra Arrington, who leads the Money Magnet Club focused on financial literacy for youth, said spaces like SparkHouse can help create pathways for the next generation.
“This is an amazing opportunity for us to tell the kids we work with, ‘Hey, here’s what’s next,’” Arrington said. “Not only can you learn final literary with Money Magnets Club, but your next steps are full and bright, and there’s a space and a place you can continue that learning and grow at.”
Arrington said entrepreneurship can play a key role in expanding opportunity, particularly for young people.
“The role that entrepreneurship can play and help to create economic opportunities, and particularly for youth, where there is so much less it seems like to do, where there are such engagement opportunities that are being missed for younger people, ” Arrington said. "I think this is going to be a really great opportunity for them to find their space and find their community.”
