Steve Freihon/Related-Oxford
New York, New York
Charlotte Hornets Novant Health Performance Center
A new Charlotte training and health-performance hub brings player development, sports medicine, and team operations together in one vertically integrated home for the Hornets.
Lead Contact
Project Details
Project Partners
Populous & Lincoln Property Group
Owner
Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Location
Charlotte, North Carolina
Completion Date
Area
160,000 ft²
Teams/League
Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
High-Performance Home Court for Year-Round Training
The Charlotte Hornets Novant Health Performance Center is a 160,000-square-foot NBA practice facility, sports medicine hub and team headquarters in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. The two-level performance center brings training, recovery, healthcare, broadcasting and business operations together in a unified home for the franchise.
A dedicated Novant Health zone provides player-focused healthcare, strength and conditioning, and on-court development spaces to help athletes reach and maintain peak performance over the long term. Above the training levels, approximately 35,000 square feet of administrative offices to accommodate more than 250 members of the Hornets’ business operations team in a single, connected workplace.
Integrated Structural and Façade Engineering for a Vertical Performance Hub
Thornton Tomasetti is providing structural design, façade engineering, façade access, acoustics and vibration, and protective design services for this highly integrated, vertically organized facility. The building steps up from a three-level parking podium to stacked training floors and office space, fitting a complex program on a tight urban block while maintaining clear circulation between player, medical and business zones.
Long-span framing supports the two full-size practice courts and performance training areas, with deflection and vibration control tuned to dynamic athlete loading and heavy equipment. Structural strategies coordinate closely with the building envelope, interior layouts and broadcast spaces to keep sightlines open and critical rooms quiet and stable.
Façade Performance, Acoustics and Protective Design for a Busy Urban Site
The building envelope is shaped and detailed to support extensive glazing at courts and offices while meeting performance targets for energy use, moisture control and acoustic separation in a mixed-use sports and medical environment. Façade systems balance transparency for fan and street views with the thermal and acoustic control required for training, treatment and media spaces.
Thornton Tomasetti’s acoustics and vibration team worked with the structural and façade groups to manage noise from the urban context, interior training activity and adjacent uses. Protective design measures are integrated into the architecture and site planning to support security requirements for a high-profile professional sports facility without compromising the fan- and player-facing experience.
“Purple Roof” Green Roof System for Stormwater and Brand Impact
Above the performance and office levels, a “purple roof” green roof assembly manages stormwater while aligning with the Hornets’ brand and the project’s sustainability goals. The roof system is engineered to support planting, rainwater harvesting infrastructure and maintenance access, all within the structural constraints of a vertically stacked program.
From street level and nearby vantage points, the roof becomes a visible sustainability feature that reinforces the team’s identity and showcases the performance center’s connection to its urban neighborhood.
Our Team
