Charlotte Pipe &Foundry redevelopment

[InSouthPark]

41 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

I would obviously complete due diligence, but hosting 24 developers over a period of 18 months seems like more than due diligence. It seems like plan A, and any other talks may be inconsequential, or plan B at best. That's my point. I imagine if the Panthers were aggressively involved, the city could be involved, too, and that doesn't seem to be the case at face value. 

To be honest, I think this is the "s*!t or get off the pot" time.  They aren't going to wait, it sounds, for Tepper to work a deal with the city for a stadium unless he is working on that behind closed doors.  So he might need to buy the site outright and hope to get a deal with the city later.  It's a gamble, but he has the money.  I wouldn't be surprised if he actually makes some money on selling the Rock Hill site.  They have to have their feasibility study on BoA by now.  I still don't see them adding 500mil to renovate BoA if this site comes available.  Will be in interesting off-season!

[UptownGottie]

Has there been any update with the sale of this land?  Now that it appears that the Practice Facility charade is over I wonder if Tepper is focusing his energy on trying to get this land?

[KJHburg]

Maybe now that the Rock Hill drama is over.  But I still wonder if he is in to renovating or build a whole new one.  What is the local appetite for taxpayers dollars for a new build vs renovation?  I don't know and Mr Tepper may not know either.  Does Charlotte Pipe and Foundry want to sell to just one person or multiple entities ?  I dont see how if the stadium is built inside the loop the land outside the loop is needed unless Mr Tepper wants to be a developer now.    Given the current economic state how will this go forward?  

[KJHburg]

the site from afar.  

[videtur quam contuor]

Has anyone here been to Oakboro lately and can say what is the progress on the Charlotte Pipe plant?

[ArchiCLT]

1 hour ago, tarhoosier said:

Has anyone here been to Oakboro lately and can say what is the progress on the Charlotte Pipe plant?

I'm an architect on the project. I believe the latest is that they hope to start a portion of their production lines later this spring, but don't expect any drawdown of Charlotte operations until the fall. That was my latest understanding, but it may have changed. I assume that it'll be several years before the site is "shovel-ready" for any new development.

[kermit]

Google Maps can be weird. "Burger King Arena"????

I am relieved the Coffee Cup is only temporarily closed, I enjoyed their breakfast.

Edited January 15, 2023 by kermit

[lit]

On 1/14/2023 at 6:43 PM, kermit said:

Google Maps can be weird. "Burger King Arena"????

I am relieved the Coffee Cup is only temporarily closed, I enjoyed their breakfast.

You should purchase the domain for BurgerKingArena.com if it's still available

[videtur quam contuor]

On 1/14/2023 at 6:43 PM, kermit said:

Google Maps can be weird. "Burger King Arena"????

I am relieved the Coffee Cup is only temporarily closed, I enjoyed their breakfast.

This is an A+++ edit

[videtur quam contuor]

Beautiful afternoon for a drive to Oakboro and a visit to Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. Spring was wearing her first new frock for this occasion and the green and pinks are fetching on the landscape.

Two facilities in this new area for the long time stalwart Charlotte firm. This on 8th street at the edge of Oakboro town and appears to be in operation. Lots of concrete and cast pipe on the property. Though the building is not so big and a foundry requires more than I see here. Sign says warehouse so I assume no manufacturing at this site. Nonetheless here it is. 

Gate was open though I did not enter.

 

Here is the main plant. Not complete but nearly so.

Another view. Note water tower in background on far side for pressure and supply.

There are two of these electric service centers

ect

Lighthouse Road side, main entry point. Man working to complete new rail connection.

Power from Badin Lake?

Power? Ventilation? Scrubbers? in foreground? calling @theronhobbs

 

No obvious security today though I chanced nothing. All photos from off property.

There will doubtless be fewer employees necessary at this new and efficient plant. Nonetheless the housing options may prove meager for those who wish to move for the job. Locust, Midland, Stanfield are available. 

50 minutes and 32 miles this Saturday midafternoon from intersection of Central and Plaza, FYI.

[videtur quam contuor]

 

Bonus!! Oakboro visit

General Store had goods on the sidewalk but I saw no customers though one might walk there.

"Stuff" for sale

I quite like this building and the color scheme. No sign, no name, nothing to indicate if it is a business.  Ice cream? Fabric store?  Classic southwestern service station architecture.

The service station here is active with vehicles in the bays. No gas, just mechanic work (I guess).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_Cola. Royal Crown Cola was a regional knock-off of Coca Cola and found mostly in the American South. 

[Madison Parkitect]

3 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_Cola. Royal Crown Cola was a regional knock-off of Coca Cola and found mostly in the American South. 

 

An improvement on Coca-Cola, you mean. Give RC its proper due.

[ArchiCLT]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:54 PM, tarhoosier said:

Beautiful afternoon for a drive to Oakboro and a visit to Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. Spring was wearing her first new frock for this occasion and the green and pinks are fetching on the landscape.

Two facilities in this new area for the long time stalwart Charlotte firm. This on 8th street at the edge of Oakboro town and appears to be in operation. Lots of concrete and cast pipe on the property. Though the building is not so big and a foundry requires more than I see here. Sign says warehouse so I assume no manufacturing at this site. Nonetheless here it is. 

Gate was open though I did not enter.

 

Here is the main plant. Not complete but nearly so.

Another view. Note water tower in background on far side for pressure and supply.

There are two of these electric service centers

ect

Lighthouse Road side, main entry point. Man working to complete new rail connection.

Power from Badin Lake?

Power? Ventilation? Scrubbers? in foreground? calling @theronhobbs

 

No obvious security today though I chanced nothing. All photos from off property.

There will doubtless be fewer employees necessary at this new and efficient plant. Nonetheless the housing options may prove meager for those who wish to move for the job. Locust, Midland, Stanfield are available. 

50 minutes and 32 miles this Saturday midafternoon from intersection of Central and Plaza, FYI.

Great photos. To answer a couple points, yes, they purchased and expanded a warehouse at 424 W 8th Street. Warehouse only. Concrete Pipe & Precast is next door at 20047 Silver Road. CP&F (not to be confused with CP&P) is a separate company and doesn't manufacture concrete. Founded in 1901, CP&F is the nation's top maker of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings, with 7 plants around the US. One of their plastics locations is in nearby Monroe. https://www.charlottepipe.com/plant_locations.aspx

Limited production has already begun at the Foundry, on certain days. To answer your questions, what you noticed around the Foundry are large dust collectors. There are also several fume collectors.

Google finally updated their imagery of this area a few weeks ago, taken in early November.

[videtur quam contuor]

Thank you @theronhobbs. When searching maps to locate the destination I noticed the street address you provide, 20047 Silver, appears to be a street address from Charlotte. With a number that high what else could it be? Who would have thought Charlotte street addresses extended that far?

[ArchiCLT]

13 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Thank you @theronhobbs. When searching maps to locate the destination I noticed the street address you provide, 20047 Silver, appears to be a street address from Charlotte. With a number that high what else could it be? Who would have thought Charlotte street addresses extended that far?

Not sure how you found a Charlotte address. Google Maps shows 20047 Silver Road, Oakboro, NC 28129 as Concrete Pipe & Precast. It's my first screenshot above.

[videtur quam contuor]

20047 means a LOOOOOONG way from the meridian dividing point. What street address originator could invoke such a number?

For mail and emergency response the zip and town or PO location exist. The street number is somewhat sequential, thus my comment.

Edit: Oakboro photos have more likes today than Charlotte Pipe.  What kind of urban site is this?

Edited March 13, 2023 by tarhoosier

[lit]

On 3/11/2023 at 5:13 PM, tarhoosier said:

 

Bonus!! Oakboro visit

General Store had goods on the sidewalk but I saw no customers though one might walk there.

"Stuff" for sale

I quite like this building and the color scheme. No sign, no name, nothing to indicate if it is a business.  Ice cream? Fabric store?  Classic southwestern service station architecture.

The service station here is active with vehicles in the bays. No gas, just mechanic work (I guess).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_Cola. Royal Crown Cola was a regional knock-off of Coca Cola and found mostly in the American South. 

Don't forget the 4th Friday of the Month is the Oakboro Cruise-In!

[KJHburg]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:54 PM, tarhoosier said:

 

There will doubtless be fewer employees necessary at this new and efficient plant. Nonetheless the housing options may prove meager for those who wish to move for the job. Locust, Midland, Stanfield are available. 

50 minutes and 32 miles this Saturday midafternoon from intersection of Central and Plaza, FYI.

I met one of their employees a couple of years ago and this was anticipated.  He was buying a home in Locust not too far away.  He seemed to indicate many employees already lived in that area or were moving.   I think it will employ about the same if not more people.  

[ArchiCLT]

13 hours ago, KJHburg said:

I met one of their employees a couple of years ago and this was anticipated.  He was buying a home in Locust not too far away.  He seemed to indicate many employees already lived in that area or were moving.   I think it will employ about the same if not more people.  

This is correct. A majority of their employees already reside east of Charlotte. I'm not aware of their current numbers, but the Foundry will employ just over 500 people over 3 shifts, and I believe this does not include the detached Office building.

[KJHburg]

well the new Charlotte Pipe and Foundry plant in Oakboro is up and running.  It looks great and the architect is on this board good job!

Inside Charlotte Pipe's $460M plant that replaced uptown foundry - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

""Charlotte Pipe recently opened the complex, represented a $460 million investment, at a 700-acre site in the Oakboro area. The move brings an end to Charlotte Pipe’s more than 100-year run in uptown Charlotte, where its longtime foundry sits off South Clarkson Street.  

Vitner called the Charlotte Pipe relocation a win-win for the company and city. Charlotte Pipe gets the larger site and new facility it needs, while the uptown land is now more valuable for other uses, he said.

Charlotte Pipe hired CBRE last year to market its 55.5-acre uptown site, which has been named The Iron District. Hardison said the company and CBRE are still evaluating the best uses for the uptown site. Charlotte Pipe has a few minor operations winding down at the uptown location but is almost entirely moved out. Charlotte Pipe still has its headquarters on Randolph Road.

Michael Smith, president and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners, said the property’s redevelopment is an unmatched opportunity because of its size and location. It has the potential to be a major mixed-use development connected to uptown and South End, he added.""

The Iron District (irondistrictcharlotte.com)

[Norm2]

Iron District is a pretty cool name. Kinda funny that Iron District is right by the Gold District 

[Windsurfer]

7 hours ago, norm21499 said:

Iron District is a pretty cool name. Kinda funny that Iron District is right by the Gold District 

Not to mention the St. Catherine gold mine was actually on the property.

[go_vertical]

How long should we expect soil remediation on the Uptown location to take?  It's a big site and I imagine with as long as they were there the condition of the property is pretty bad.

[videtur quam contuor]

Your occasional reminder that the original location for Clt Pipe was South Boulevard between Park and Renssalaer. Electric substation and rail line at rear for power and shipping. There is an historic marker on the sidewalk now that marks the approximate spot. Other industrial sites along the rail line we now celebrate are extant though CPF is not.

[11 HouseBZ]

On 10/27/2023 at 5:00 AM, Windsurfer said:

Not to mention the St. Catherine gold mine was actually on the property.

Hear me out.

Many, many of us here and elsewhere have mentioned how Charlotte needs to have a museum dedicated to the extensive gold history that greatly influenced the growth and development of our fair city.  Could this be our last opportunity to do such with a combined underground portion leftover from that time?

Now, I know to save any portion will take an enormous amount of planning and money. But maybe the majority of the museum could be above or slightly below ground level. Then, if the cost to "restore" the shafts is too high, maybe instead sink a reinforced elevator shaft or two down that intersects a few of the remaining tunnels. Those tunnels then could be lit up within so you can see down through them from the elevators windows as a guide discusses various parts of the history of the mines/ gold. There can be many restored historic/remade mining pieces placed in situ for visitors to visualize the conditions of the mines.

Perhaps closer to the surface above the historic tunnels is a interactive mock / realistic tunnel visitors can walk through. To carrying this idea further, a good bit of the museum's pathways from exhibit to exhibit could be made to look like these mock mine tunnels giving the visitors a feel for what it be like being underground for extended periods (this part would have to necessarily be underground for obvious cost reasons).

IDK, the details could be filled in later. But could this be the time to secure this concept and bring it to fruition? Certainly this would be a better way to anchor the names of these 2 new neighborhoods than a measly little sign that's says "here lies the site of the former St Catherine mine under this 6 story parking deck"? Plus give at least one more reason to bring visitors to our city?

This is a concept I've latched onto pretty hard since I first heard it mentioned by one of you on this site. Though I'm not in either of these fields, my mom is the one who got me interested in geology and mining. She's an alumna of Colorado School of Mines. Personally I'd love to take her to this future museum and watch her geek out. 

What are y'allsthoughts on whether this could actually happen?