Legacy Union (former Charlotte Observer redevelopment)

[CLTProductions]

Oh I didn't even think about those factors. Hmm. Either way this will be fun to watch. The observer sites permit is $3.5 mil, the other site is $740k

[urbanlover568]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

 

Assuming that includes industrial brownfield remediation (and probably asbestos remediation), it actually doesn't seem like that much for a building that big.

I think the observer themselves said the entire parcels will be demolished. Buildings too old and has too much interior damage to be salvaged. 

[CLTProductions]

12 minutes ago, mpretori said:

I think the observer themselves said the entire parcels will be demolished. Buildings too old and has too much interior damage to be salvaged. 

Yeah we know that. It's all coming down. He just means that the price on those permits includes those activities in taking all those buildings down. 

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, mpretori said:

I think the observer themselves said the entire parcels will be demolished. Buildings too old and has too much interior damage to be salvaged. 

If there's asbestos in the building in any form, it has to be disposed of properly before the building can be knocked down. Insulation, floor tile, ceiling tile, etc - it would have to be encapsulated and sent for special disposal.

[elrodvt]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

If there's asbestos in the building in any form, it has to be disposed of properly before the building can be knocked down. Insulation, floor tile, ceiling tile, etc - it would have to be encapsulated and sent for special disposal.

Can't the legislature just say Asbestos in the air is ok and give us all masks akin to the Duke Coal Ash legislation? ;-)

Edited May 31, 2016 by elrodvt

[urbanlover568]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

If there's asbestos in the building in any form, it has to be disposed of properly before the building can be knocked down. Insulation, floor tile, ceiling tile, etc - it would have to be encapsulated and sent for special disposal.

oh. That's understandable. I cant wait to drive down stonewall and see nothing but construction. 

[GeauxCLT]

On May 31, 2016 at 10:38 AM, Jayvee said:

Here we go: $4.2 million in demo permits issued for the entire site. Wow that's a lot. 

Just got a notice from my parking garage that Church St between Hill and Stonewall will be closed this Saturday from 6am-6pm for a "crane lift at the old Charlotte Observer property." They really aren't wasting any time. 

[DMann]

Anyone think they will eliminate the tunnel under Church Street and flatten it?

[CLTProductions]

5 minutes ago, DMann said:

Anyone think they will eliminate the tunnel under Church Street and flatten it?

I was wondering about this too. I would think they must have some way for people to get from one side of the site to the other without disrupting traffic on Church. Really only leaves a few ways, pedestrian bridge over the street or re-use the tunnels, or both.

[Deleted.]

I just can't wait to hear the specs now! Will construction of the site begin or are they just demolishing the buildings and then waiting? 

[Guest]

Just now, Piedmont767 said:

I just can't wait to hear the specs now! Will construction of the site begin or are they just demolishing the buildings and then waiting? 

Construction can't begin until the plans are submitted to the planning department, plans are approved, and permits are issued. These items could take 3-6 months easily, then utilities would need upgrading and moving, not to mention demoing and grading the entire site is going to take forever. I wouldn't bet on this breaking ground in 2016, maybe not even mid 2017.

[Deleted.]

17 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Construction can't begin until the plans are submitted to the planning department, plans are approved, and permits are issued. These items could take 3-6 months easily, then utilities would need upgrading and moving, not to mention demoing and grading the entire site is going to take forever. I wouldn't bet on this breaking ground in 2016, maybe not even mid 2017.

Yes, thank you. I know that. What I meant was are they just demolishing the buildings and sitting on the land or going to demolish the buildings and start construction when permits are issued? 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Piedmont767 said:

Yes, thank you. I know that. What I meant was are they just demolishing the buildings and sitting on the land or going to demolish the buildings and start construction when permits are issued? 

I mean... they won't sit on the land forever. Though if they demo'd, did soil reclamation, graded and did utility work, they could probably sell at a couple million dollar profit. That said, Lincoln Harris is a land development company, and they are well financed. They will do something, they aren't just going to sit on it, I would expect them to break ground on some sort of phase of this project by the end of 2017.

[tozmervo]

We could really use some more surface parking. Maybe they could do that.

[elrodvt]

 

9 hours ago, Jayvee said:

I was wondering about this too. I would think they must have some way for people to get from one side of the site to the other without disrupting traffic on Church. Really only leaves a few ways, pedestrian bridge over the street or re-use the tunnels, or both.

Jayvee,  yeah, heaven help us if a single road has traffic disruption. Haha, I know you weren't going there but I have to start a little rant on it 

IMHO, one thing this city needs a lot more of is traffic disruption (calming) along streets where there are a lot of pedestrians. If what we think is going into that site materializes I would hope people will be crossing that street all the time.

I understand that quite a number of garages open onto Church at 5 pm but not every street can be a race track out of Charlotte to SC. This street has a lot of pedestrian traffic crossing to the park , to the quarter, and between the duke buildings. Not to mention all the new apartments. Things change and it's the start of another good residential street if we can slow it down even more! The focus on cars as the priority has to stop. Maybe they can make it 1 lane each direction and have it all dumped back to Trade somehow and funneled out that way? Nothing much between 3rd and Trade but garages. 

This is from someone who has to drive on Church to get out of my garage and does value that quick exit to 277! 

[CLTProductions]

8 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

 

Jayvee,  yeah, heaven help us if a single road has traffic disruption. Haha, I know you weren't going there but I have to start a little rant on it 

IMHO, one thing this city needs a lot more of is traffic disruption (calming) along streets where there are a lot of pedestrians. If what we think is going into that site materializes I would hope people will be crossing that street all the time.

I understand that quite a number of garages open onto Church at 5 pm but not every street can be a race track out of Charlotte to SC. This street has a lot of pedestrian traffic crossing to the park , to the quarter, and between the duke buildings. Not to mention all the new apartments. Things change and it's the start of another good residential street if we can slow it down even more! The focus on cars as the priority has to stop. Maybe they can make it 1 lane each direction and have it all dumped back to Trade somehow and funneled out that way? Nothing much between 3rd and Trade but garages. 

This is from someone who has to drive on Church to get out of my garage and does value that quick exit to 277! 

While I COMPLETELY agree that we need to stop bending to cars, Church is a bit of a stand out in that it's such a major artery. What I was more getting at though is that I'd prefer it be a crossing thats not at street level so that as a pedestrian, I don't need to wait, I can just cross without looking.

[elrodvt]

Just now, Jayvee said:

While I COMPLETELY agree that we need to stop bending to cars, Church is a bit of a stand out in that it's such a major artery. What I was more getting at though is that I'd prefer it be a crossing thats not at street level so that as a pedestrian, I don't need to wait, I can just cross without looking.

I knew what you meant thus the haha. But, I've been a lot of places where you hardly need to look to cross. The traffic has to be a lot slower there with very frequent crosswalks with true pedestrian row. I get the artery issue but tough figure it out. I'm hoping you're not looking to replicate upstreet mall or whatever that godawful thing is called haha. People on the street is what we need. They'll breed like cockroaches. ;-)

[CLTProductions]

11 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

I knew what you meant thus the haha. But, I've been a lot of places where you hardly need to look to cross. The traffic has to be a lot slower there with very frequent crosswalks with true pedestrian row. I get the artery issue but tough figure it out. I'm hoping you're not looking to replicate upstreet mall or whatever that godawful thing is called haha. People on the street is what we need. They'll breed like cockroaches. ;-)

My god no. Just looking for a PED bridge at maximum. But yeah I agree slowing down cars is key. Crossing at Brevard Court has gotten much better as drivers are becoming trained to just stop and slow down knowing people will likely be in the intersection.

[urbanlover568]

7 hours ago, tozmervo said:

We could really use some more surface parking. Maybe they could do that.

Be careful what you joke about. Could become a reality or they tear it down and sell because of the economy. 

[urbanlover568]

Drove by this site Monday and saw heavy personal presence in and around the building. Lots of construction workers. 

[CLTProductions]

Demo has begun on the western site. 

[HopHead]

Pictures, or it didn't really happen...

[JRNYP2C]

Looking through the mesh fence today and noticed that the trees and shrubs are being taken down and dug up.  The corner of Tryon & Hill St. does not look the same.  And to be honest, the tall, scrawny tree on the corner of Tryon & Stonewall could have come down a few years ago.

[SentioVenia]

^^Yup, and making a difficult intersection for driving even tougher.  This is where Cam Newton had his car accident.  I drive across Tryon on Hill every day and the construction fencing has cut down the sight lines even more.  Be careful out there, people. 

[GeauxCLT]