Premier Lake Hickory Development Site with Established Campus Infrastructure – 23+ Acres, 3/4 mile of Lake Hickory shoreline.
This exceptionally rare 23-acre waterfront offering on Lake Hickory in Conover, NC combines development-ready scale with a proven operational footprint. Zoned PD, the property is currently utilized as a fully functioning Boys Academy campus, demonstrating the site’s capacity, infrastructure, and regulatory viability for large-scale residential, institutional, or hospitality uses.
The existing campus includes 12 buildings, featuring 35 bedrooms and 28 bathrooms, and is designed to accommodate approximately 65 overnight residents and up to 140 daytime occupants. Supporting facilities include a central dining hall, residential and administrative structures, a publicly operating zipline with dedicated facilities, a floating dock, a beach area, and a graveled 3/4+ mile walking trail around lake, all of which underscore the property’s adaptability and immediate functional value.
From a developer’s perspective, this property offers a rare combination of:

Approximately 3/4 mile of Lake Hickory shoreline, suitable for possible future premium waterfront homesites

Contiguous 23+ acres with established internal circulation and utilities

Existing vertical improvements, allowing for adaptive reuse, income generation, or phased redevelopment

Proven operational history as both an academy campus and a short-term rental / Airbnb property

Catwaba County Planning staff could support this property being rezoned as Residential R-40. Currently, PD zoned, supporting luxury residential and estate-style waterfront development
The current Boys Academy use provides clear evidence of density tolerance, utility capacity, and access, significantly reducing unknowns for future redevelopment or repositioning. The site is well-suited for luxury lakefront estates, a private residential enclave, destination retreat, wellness or education-based reuse, or continuation of institutional operations.
Strategically located near Hickory, Mooresville, and the greater Charlotte region, this offering represents a high-barrier-to-entry waterfront asset with both near-term income potential and long-term development upside.
Large-scale Lake Hickory opportunities with this level of shoreline, zoning, and infrastructure are exceedingly rare.