South Charlotte neighborhood pushes for historic designation for 1930s mansion

Residents of Stonehaven, off Sardis Road, say they fear 7,800 s.f. stone mansion will be demolished

The following article appeared in the December 1, 2023, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

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Providence Day says it has the 6.4-acre site under contract, but plans are unclear

The J.J. Akers House on Sardis Road is under contract to Providence Day School, and neighbors worry what will become of the site. (Photo courtesy of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission)

Residents in Charlotte’s Stonehaven neighborhood in south Charlotte are racing to get a 1930s stone mansion declared a historic landmark, ahead of plans by nearby Providence Day School to buy the property.

At a committee meeting of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission this week, residents who live off Sardis Road said they worried that Providence Day would knock down the house, which they say is historically significant.

“A lot of the neighbors and other concerned citizens have reached out to the Landmarks Commission because folks essentially believe that the property is slated for demolition by the new owner,” said Stewart Gray, the commission’s executive director, in an interview with The Ledger.

It’s unusual for people who don’t own a property to push for it to obtain historic landmark status.