Shovels finally hit the dirt Thursday in east Charlotte, where a $20 million economic development hub focused on the city’s Latino community is now officially underway. The project promises workforce training, small-business support and a rotating pop-up marketplace, all in one place. Organizers say the idea is simple but ambitious: put key services under a single roof so residents can land better-paying jobs and grow their businesses, while city and corporate partners help bring the long-vacant Albemarle Road site back to life.
As reported by Charlotte Business Journal, the Latin American Chamber of Commerce-led project, called Spark Centro, held its ceremonial groundbreaking on May 14, with Karla Cruz among those addressing the crowd. The outlet notes the hub will center on a roughly 40,000-square-foot building, and organizers now expect the project to be delivered in 2027.
What Spark Centro Will House
According to Spark Centro, the facility is planned as a one-stop shop for economic mobility. Programs will include entrepreneurship coaching, a large convening hall for job fairs and recruitment events, Shop La Plaza, a rotating marketplace for local vendors and dedicated initiatives for healthcare and STEM workforce development. Organizers say the layout is being designed so employers, training partners and residents can connect in one walkable location instead of bouncing between offices across the city.
Funding and Partners
The chamber is working toward a $20 million fundraising target, with both public and private money on the table. The City of Charlotte lists Spark Centro as one of its Business Opportunity Hub recipients within the Corridors of Opportunity program. As reported by The Charlotte Observer, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Truist have already committed grants in the six-figure to seven-figure range, and organizers say combined corporate and public contributions have reached roughly $5.5 million.
Timeline and Site
Spark Centro materials indicate the group has closed on a nearly 9-acre parcel at 8805 E. W.T. Harris Blvd., which will serve as the future home of the hub. Coverage of the May 14 ceremony suggests organizers now expect construction delivery in 2027, according to Charlotte Business Journal. Published figures for the building’s size have not been perfectly aligned so far, with the site listing roughly 34,000 square feet while some reporting cites larger numbers.
Why It Matters For East Charlotte
Organizers and city officials say the hub is tailored to a corridor where incomes lag even as Latino population growth has surged. More than 170,000 people in Mecklenburg County identify as Latino, representing about 15% of the population, and some Albemarle Road neighborhoods report median household incomes near $35,000, according to The Charlotte Observer. The City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity playbook specifically highlights the need for in-language small-business support and workforce connections for the Albemarle and Central Avenue corridor, which Spark Centro is expected to help deliver.
Manuel Rey, Spark Centro’s president and CEO, who was appointed to the role last year, has been overseeing the project and told reporters that turning the hub from a site plan into real programs will take sustained collaboration among nonprofits, employers and banks, according to WFAE. Organizers say fundraising and partner recruitment will run in parallel with construction, so the building can open its doors already stocked with workforce and entrepreneurship offerings rather than starting from scratch on day one.
