Savona Mill, Lakewood Trolley, Greenway

[DCtransplant]

Seems like Savona Mill redevelopment isn't dead yet. Community meeting tonight with the owner and K&L Gates. Hoping to have rezoning complete by December. Just signed on Viva Raw as a tenant to move all of their production and a storefront to the site. Talk of event venues as well, but nothing solid - had some conceptual artwork from cluck design but I wasnt quick enough to get a picture.

Also actively working with ncdot and CSX for the right of way for the Lakewood trolley. They've got the no. 85 car in storage and it looks in great shape. Have 3 other old trolleys as well that are in need of some serious restoration work.

Everything moving slower than everyone would like, but the owner has accumulated all 23 acres and seems to be in it for the long haul.

[DCtransplant]

Community rezoning meeting was last Wednesday. Well attended and no opposition. New expected date for official rezoning with city council is February or March. Seems they've had a lot of back and forth based on traffic study.

[QClifer]

I went to the meeting and couldn’t believe some of the questions.  Maybe they are always like that stupid at these meetings.   I did enjoy the developers answers to some of them.  Took all he had to hold back from telling 2 people to shut up I thought.   The older residents/community presidents are on his side and the councilman Dr Harlow are for the rezoning.  It’ll get pushed through and hopefully the property values continue to rise around there!!

[tozmervo]

9 hours ago, QClifer said:

I went to the meeting and couldn’t believe some of the questions.  Maybe they are always like that stupid at these meetings.   I did enjoy the developers answers to some of them.  Took all he had to hold back from telling 2 people to shut up I thought.   The older residents/community presidents are on his side and the councilman Dr Harlow are for the rezoning.  It’ll get pushed through and hopefully the property values continue to rise around there!!

 

[Fred Stiening]

Those tracks were part of the Piedmont and Northern Railroad, an electrified interurban railroad owned and operated by Duke Power.  There was a passenger station and freight Depot in the area West of Graham Street.  The underpass under the NS tracks is currently a pedestrian walkway connecting BofA stadium with parking.  The line ran to Gastonia and is being considered as one route for the possible future light rail lne to the airport.

When phase 2 of the Gold Line is finished, the replica street cars used today will be replaced by higher capacity, faster cars similar to those in use on the blue line.   That may free them up for this use.   Car 85 and the replica cars cannot be used in regular service on the blue line because they lack the centralized computer control systems and are too slow.   The tracks down by Atherton Mill where the cars were originally stored have been removed.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Fred Stiening
Added more detail

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Fred Stiening said:

Those tracks were part of the Piedmont and Northern Railroad, an electrified interurban railroad owned and operated by Duke Power.  There was a passenger station and freight Depot in the area West of Graham Street.  The underpass under the NS tracks is currently a pedestrian walkway connecting BofA stadium with parking.  The line ran to Gastonia and is being considered as one route for the possible future light rail lne to the airport.

When phase 2 of the Gold Line is finished, the replica street cars used today will be replaced by higher capacity, faster cars similar to those in use on the blue line.   That may free them up for this use.   Car 85 and the replica cars cannot be used in regular service on the blue line because they lack the centralized computer control systems and are too slow.   The tracks down by Atherton Mill where the cars were originally stored have been removed.

Thanks for the post Fred, welcome to Urban Planet!

[DCtransplant]

Probably the only 2016 rezoning application that is still open... But at least there are signs of life!

[kermit]

On 6/9/2019 at 7:08 PM, DCtransplant said:

Probably the only 2016 rezoning application that is still open... But at least there are signs of life!

more signs of life:

 

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by kermit

[QClifer]

Great news for the westside. Tons of new construction homes being built over there. 

[a2theb]

What has been the holdup with Savona Mill? I feel like Blue Blaze has gotten kind've screwed on Savona Mill taking so long

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, a2theb said:

What has been the holdup with Savona Mill? I feel like Blue Blaze has gotten kind've screwed on Savona Mill taking so long

Being a complicated old building being redeveloped by someone who specializes in small less complicated buildings. 

[tozmervo]

 

[videtur quam contuor]

That is the old trolley from Greece that ran the Piraeus-Athens line. Piraeus is the port for Athens. It sat in the Atherton barn with 85 for years. It occasionally was pushed onto the track where the light rail is now in the later 90's as a display. It sat out there during a Greek festival or two and for wedding party photos as I recall. It has (had) mechanical brakes, not hydraulic and would NEVER operate on a passenger line. In other words one had to be a he-man's he-man to muscle the brake lever on the car.

As an example of the possibilities and for photos it is a good choice. It is attractive, in good aesthetic condition and plenty of wood inside. It is also quite small with limited passenger space. This is for press purposes, I am sure.

[Charlotte411]

5 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

That is the old trolley from Greece that ran the Piraeus-Athens line. Piraeus is the port for Athens. It sat in the Atherton barn with 85 for years. It occasionally was pushed onto the track where the light rail is now in the later 90's as a display. It sat out there during a Greek festival or two and for wedding party photos as I recall. It has (had) mechanical brakes, not hydraulic and would NEVER operate on a passenger line. In other words one had to be a he-man's he-man to muscle the brake lever on the car.

As an example of the possibilities and for photos it is a good choice. It is attractive, in good aesthetic condition and plenty of wood inside. It is also quite small with limited passenger space. This is for press purposes, I am sure.

Car 1 ran for several years by generator and also via catenary wire (as shown below) on the South Blvd. (Norfolk Southern) corridor along with 85. It was put on display at Atherton Market after light rail began running.  

 

[videtur quam contuor]

You educate me. I was at trolley 2001-2008 and it sat that time, and had the characteristics I described above. I was a motorman from 2001-2004 when the #85 closed for light rail construction. The small frame building seen on the right of your photo above  was prior to my time in 2001. This must have been before my time and my educators misled me about that previous time.   The catenary wire was installed  maybe forty feet  (or so) outside, ( and no further) and then  into the barn. I worked this #85 there may times and recall it quite well. The generator was not to operate inside the building, thus the short distance of wire. The wire further out to Tremont and onto the main line was set for the Gomaco replicars that ran 2008-2009 for weekend tourist service which I also worked with CATS personnel.

Tell me more about this #1 running. This is news to me.

 

Here is Dan Morrill writing about Car #1

http://www.cmhpf.org/essays/trolley1.html

Edited September 14, 2019 by tarhoosier

[kermit]

The trolley is (sorta) on the track.

(Open streets!)

 

Seversville park (which is not this)  is a seriously underrated asset.

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by kermit

[Desert Power]

^That whole greenway/park area is very nice

[Bikeguy]

^ it'll be even better when it's extened to Lakewood Ave..& Rozzelles Ferry Rd. 

[DH17]

20 minutes ago, Desert Power said:

^That whole greenway/park area is very nice

Can't agree more. Lovely walking/running area for those of us on the west side of Uptown/FreeMoreWest

[videtur quam contuor]

Look at that big black steel wheel at the front of the Car #1. 3-4 feet across. That is the brake. What did I tell you girly men.

[KJHburg]

Greenway in full construction no photos.  Here are a couple of the Portman owned Savona Mill to be redeveloped.  Consider these some before photos.  this is an exciting project 600 apartments and whole lot of creative office space. 

Savona Mill

[JacksonH]

2 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Greenway in full construction no photos.  Here are a couple of the Portman owned Savona Mill to be redeveloped.  Consider these some before photos.  this is an exciting project 600 apartments and whole lot of creative office space. 

Savona Mill

 

 

I'm happy the mill is being saved and repurposed but disappointed the original plan fell through to have artisans and crafts people working there and selling their crafts, and restaurants and an old trolley to get there from Uptown.  That would have been so cool, so very unique and great for tourism.

[Third Strike]

1 hour ago, JacksonH said:

I'm happy the mill is being saved and repurposed but disappointed the original plan fell through to have artisans and crafts people working there and selling their crafts, and restaurants and an old trolley to get there from Uptown.  That would have been so cool, so very unique and great for tourism.

Did the trolley plan fall through? That’s disappointing if that’s the case. Hopefully the city/CATS preserves this corridor in the future for a Gold Line spur. 

[JacksonH]

Just now, Third Strike said:

Did the trolley plan fall through? That’s disappointing if that’s the case. Hopefully the city/CATS preserves this corridor in the future for a Gold Line spur. 

I don't know whether the trolley plan fell through, but with the entertainment/education aspect of Savona mill being discarded, I doubt there would be much interest in taking old trolley rides because the trolley no longer has a fun destination.

[Blue_Devil]

2 hours ago, JacksonH said:

I'm happy the mill is being saved and repurposed but disappointed the original plan fell through to have artisans and crafts people working there and selling their crafts, and restaurants and an old trolley to get there from Uptown.  That would have been so cool, so very unique and great for tourism.

They are still proposing the Trolley in the marketing materials, along with retail.