Third Ward today is the most diverse of the city's four original quadrants. It includes a sports and entertainment area is focused on Bank of America Stadium and its environs. North and west of the stadium is a residential neighborhood of single-family homes, apartments and condominiums, reinvigorated in the early 1980s with new investment and construction.

Anchoring the west side of Third Ward is Bank of America's new 1.5 million square foot mixed use complex called Gateway Village. This innovative complex combines technology-oriented office space, over 500 new residential units, a public park, shops and restaurants. Gateway Village is attracting attention nationwide for creative positioning of a mixed-use development in an urban setting.

With this unique anchor on its western edge, development in Third Ward is expected to fill in moving eastward on Trade Street toward The Square. A new commuter rail station and hub for the city's mass transit system will be built on West Trade Street. In addition, a new sports and entertainment arena and a new AAA baseball stadium are planned for the area as well.

Not all that long ago, such a future would have been unimaginable. By the late 1970s, Third Ward characteristics included dilapidated and rundown homes, a large scrapyard and crime- and drug-filled streets. But residents like the late Dr. Mildred Baxter Davis refused to give up and let their neighborhood die. As founder and long-time president of The Committee to Restore and Preserve Third Ward, Dr. Davis worked tirelessly with city officials and private-sector leaders to ensure the ultimate restoration of the area.

Helpful links:
Check our Third Ward's web site!