From vacant Charlotte site to thriving hub. Check out Vanguard’s new campus

After a ready-made site for business sat vacant for several years in the university area, it only took three days for Vanguard workers in Charlotte to pack up and move in.

The suburban Philadelphia-based wealth management company celebrated the opening of its 700,000 square-foot facility on Tuesday at 2405 Governor Hunt Road. Vanguard moved into the newly built 91-acre campus after managed health insurance company Centene abandoned its $1 billion plan to locate there in 2022.

“We didn’t want to spread it out over too many weeks because the crew was excited to get over and see their new home,” said Jennifer Manry, Vanguard’s principal of corporate systems and Charlotte site co-lead.

Vanguard purchased the site for $117 million in April, according to Mecklenburg County records. The moving costs were not disclosed, but additional investments were made for video conference capabilities and other projects.

The company consolidated its Charlotte operations and employees at the new campus. Vanguard chose the university area and the region because of its access to talented workers and colleges, Manry said.

Vanguard takes over from Centene

St. Louis-based Centene detailed plans in 2020 to build its East Coast headquarters at the same location.

It was supposed to bring more than 3,000 jobs to the area. But a number of factors forced the company to abandon the move, including employees’ desire to work from home, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

After the site became vacant, Vanguard took advantage of the opportunity. In April 2024, the company announced the purchase of the site. It presented an opportunity for Vanguard to save time on construction by having a building already established to met the needs of its workers.

“When we looked at what might be available, this one appealed to us, because it’s a phenomenal facility,” Manry said. “It was very well on its way to being done.”

Vanguard employees will work on a hybrid schedule — coming into the office three days a week and working remotely the other two.

Vanguard came to Charlotte 28 years ago, and now employs 2,700 people in the region. They previously worked out of five buildings, four of which were in the Water Ridge Office Park, near Charlotte’s airport in the Eagle Lake neighborhood. It’s about a 30-minute drive from the new location. The other building was about a mile and a half away from Water Ridge, Manry said.

“Splitting them among five buildings made it hard and a little bit difficult to feel part of the community,” she said. “Now we have everyone under one roof, which gives us a really great sense of togetherness.”

Some of the features of the new campus include natural lights from large glass windows, private quiet spaces, collaboration areas, walking trails, outdoor spaces, a fitness facility and a cafeteria dining area with 400 seats.

Vanguard is using half of the 91 acres and doesn’t have immediate plans to expand, according to Manry. At this time, Vanguard does not have plans to bring other companies to the campus.

“But it’s amazing that we have the ability to grow, if we want to, onto the campus right here in our backyard,” she said.

More on Vanguard

Vanguard was founded in 1975 and is marking its 50th anniversary this year. The company offers investment, advice and retirement services to tens of millions of clients around the world.

The company employs 20,000 people in 16 offices worldwide.

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