“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood…Make big plans, aim high in hope and work.”
That quote from noted architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham captures the spirit behind The Pearl, an ambitious new health care innovation district which officially opened in June 2025. The 26-acre campus just outside uptown Charlotte brings together cutting-edge medical training facilities, innovative health care technology firms and the city’s first four-year medical school – a Charlotte campus for Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. It is also the headquarters of IRCAD North America, a France-based global network of advanced surgical training facilities offering the latest surgical techniques. IRCAD’s facility is expected to draw thousands of medical professionals from across the world annually.
While still under construction, officials estimate the development will eventually generate more than 5,500 on-site jobs, as well as more than 11,500 jobs in the Charlotte region. It will create an economic impact of $800 million annually. Organizers believe it will help advance health care research and innovation not only for Charlotte, but for the region and nation.
The Pearl is a joint project between Advocate Health (parent company of Atrium Health) and Wexford Science & Technology. While the Endowment has not funded construction of the Pearl campus, it has long supported Atrium Health. This summer, Advocate Health and its partners hosted the Endowment’s Board of Trustees and staff for a tour of the Pearl. Before the tour, Advocate Health CEO Gene Woods addressed the group, saying that he envisioned The Pearl as a place where doctors, researchers, students and entrepreneurs could come together, “hanging out here, drinking coffee upstairs, bumping into each other … we think that intersection is where innovation can happen.”
Upon completion, The Pearl will be a mixed-use development featuring education, retail, apartments, a hotel and an open community space. Organizers feel confident it will become a magnet for entrepreneurial activity, research and development that will reshape the economy of the Charlotte region.
“The district will be open, connected and inclusive,” said Collin Lane, Enterprise Senior Vice President with Atrium Health. “Talent is really the key here, and that is the true magnet that sets The Pearl apart. It’s what draws people here. It’s what grows here. And that’s all by design.”
“We are always interested in considering funding opportunities that accelerate innovation in the health care system,” said Lin Hollowell, director of the Endowment’s Health Care program area. “The Pearl is poised to be a driver of innovation for the Carolinas.”