Houston-based developer Hines has scooped up The Design Center in Charlotte's South End, paying $170 million for the three-building adaptive reuse complex that stretches across a full block of former textile mills. The 239,000 square foot property sits along Camden Road near the Lynx Blue Line and has become one of South End's most recognizable clusters of retail and showrooms. The deal brings an institutional owner into a district long associated with design showrooms and busy street-level restaurants.
According to Charlotte Business Journal, Hines paid $170 million for the 239,000 square foot Design Center, which the outlet reports is fully leased to a mix of design showrooms and national retailers, including Patagonia and Abercrombie & Fitch. The publication also notes that this is Hines' latest sizable local pickup after several other acquisitions across the Charlotte region in recent years.
Historic mill turned retail backbone for South End
The Design Center is made up of three brick mill buildings and a prominent water tower that have been converted over the past two decades into showrooms, restaurants and smaller retail spaces. As detailed by South End Charlotte, the property at 101 West Worthington Avenue has long been a go-to hub for interior designers and independent merchants. Under Asana Partners, the complex was repositioned to pull in national brands while still keeping a lineup of local tenants ahead of the sale to Hines.
Hines' growing Charlotte playbook
Hines has been quietly broadening its Charlotte-area presence beyond traditional office towers. In April 2024 the firm bought Blu South, a build-to-rent community near Pineville, according to CoStar News. Then in October 2025 it announced the acquisition of Birkdale Village in Huntersville, per The Charlotte Observer. Taken together, those purchases show Hines leaning into neighborhood retail and residential assets across the metro.
What the South End deal means on the ground
With the Design Center reported as fully leased, tenants are not expected to see immediate storefront shakeups. Institutional buyers typically start by tightening operations, planning capital improvements and working on tenant experience rather than rushing to clear out a full roster. Recent market research points to solid retail conditions in Charlotte, and Colliers' first quarter 2026 retail report highlights steady demand across the metro, which helps explain why this South End flagship attracted a major investor. For the designers and small retailers that give the complex its character, new ownership could translate into more consistent upkeep and broader marketing muscle, although it can also bring tougher rent and lease negotiations.
The transaction was first reported by Charlotte Business Journal. This story will be updated as Hines or Asana Partners share details on management plans or potential upgrades at the Design Center.
