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Bungalowicide in Dilworth this morning


voyager12

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:shok: A crew took out a cute historic bungalow on Tremont this morning. 715 E. Tremont to be exact or it used to be at any rate. I live down the block and was shocked and did a double take when I noticed open space where a house was the day before. No notice had been posted and neighbors I talked to did not have any advance warning. This section of Dilworth is part of the "Historic District" and I can't believe they signed off on a complete demolition. My camera is broken or I would have taken pics of the murder scene. Its depressing. Oh dear. What if a Martha House is built on the lot? There goes the neighborhood :w00t: I may have to go to the DCDA meeting on Wednesday and find out how this happened. Could the owners have gone rogue and just decided to wipe the house out and ignore ordinances? I hope they get nailed with substantial fines if so.
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But Buffy needs lots of closets for her mass produced designer clothes and Buzz needs a placee for his beemer. 1920s bungalows don't meet this requirement.

Dilworth is entering the phase of over the top gentrification. It's really a shame as it is becoming as bland and boring as white bread.

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From what I can tell all that was left was shards. Perhaps it was structurally unsound but it looked in fine shape to me. It may not have been the nicest house on the block but it fit in just fine. I hope what is rebuilt does adhere to neighboring styles, hopefully it has gone through the review process. I don't see how a Mcmansion or an oversized house could get by being built in a Historic District.

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Well considering that is was bought by a contractor for $245k last year, I think it would be safe to assume a house in the $800k-$900k range for the numbers to work for new construction.....I will say that the city had the house listed as 52% physically depreciated in 2003, which typically means there a few major structural problems.

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yeah, I'm guessing it probably wasn't "repairable" structurally, therefore the developer is building a new house. Hopefully the new construction will be in line with the Historic District guidelines...this is all you can hope for at this point.

This is from charmeck.org:

NEW CONSTRUCTION

New construction in local historic districts has an obligation to blend in with the historic character and scale of the

historic district in which it is located. Designs for infill projects and other new construction within designated local

historic districts must be designed with the surroundings in mind. The Historic District Commission will not specify

a particular architectural style or design for new construction projects. The scale, mass and size of a building are

often far more important than the decorative details applied. However, well designed stylistic and decorative

elements, as well as building materials and landscaping, can give new construction projects the attributes

necessary to blend in with the district, while creating a distinctive character for the building. New construction

projects in local historic districts must be appropriate to the context of their surroundings.

The Historic District Commission will review the building details for all new construction as part of their evaluation

of new construction project proposals.

ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WILL BE EVALUATED FOR COMPATIBILITY BY THE FOLLOWING

CRITERIA:

1. Size (the relationship of the project to its site)

2. Scale (the relationship of the building to those around it)

3. Massing (the relationship of the building's various parts to each other)

4. Fenestration (the placement, style and materials of windows and doors)

5. Rhythm (the relationship of fenestration, recesses and projections)

6. Setback (in relation to setback of immediate surroundings)

7. Materials (proper historic materials or approved substitutes)

8. Context (the overall relationship of the project to its surroundings)

9. Landscaping (as a tool to soften and blend the project with the district)

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But Buffy needs lots of closets for her mass produced designer clothes and Buzz needs a placee for his beemer. 1920s bungalows don't meet this requirement.

Speaking as a "Buffy", some of us do appreciate 1920s bungalows. At least I do. We chose this neighborhood specifically for its architecture and history. We also chose it for the tree lined streets and relative walkability. Yes, I actually walk to the grocery store! :P

I'm sad that house was destroyed. I've noticed more and more construction trucks on the street. What's really bad is people tear down the old houses only to build a psuedo-McMansion that looks eerily similar to the house they destroyed... I don't get that. And with so many of the lots being small, people have to build up rather than out. So you end up with mutant faux bungalows.

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Additional info via Idilworth.org Community Message Board: " "DCDA Board Member: "Being in a historic district does not guarantee the preservation of a house, no matter how old it is. According to John Rogers at the HDC, a person merely needs to wait one year before a house can be demolished.

In this particular case, the HDC had approved a demolition of only about three quarters of the house. Not the entire structure. The HDC has sent out zoning inspectors to see what exactly happened". Neighbor :"Based on my e-mail exchange with Wanda Birmingham of the City of Charlotte, they were not aware that this full demolition was occurring. When she learned of it happening, she went out and took pictures. I am not clear what the repurcussions of this are."

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I know a lady that lives in Dilworth and wanted to know if all the high rise condos going on on the edge of Dilworth will cause her proprty to decrease.

I beleive the revival of South End and condos on Morehead ST. area will only increase here property value in Dilworth.

She is all for the new Lowe's store on South Blvd.

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It is so funny how people think urbanization will hurt property values. I guess that happens if there isn't demand, and if it causes a demographic shift that leads to an unstable social fabric in the community. But I think that neither of those two is an issue in Dilworth.

Teardowns, though, could hurt the neighborhood, as if it loses its historic charm, it will lose out on the unique demand it has experienced in the last decade.

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I agree that Kenilworth and Scott should and will be dense midrise projects eventually. I suppose, though that it is still wise to renovate the houses if it means higher rent in the short term and higher purchase price by the larger developers in the long term.

What is happening in Myer's Park should be stopped. They ought to ask the city to create a new kind of district for that area. Maybe it could be less restrictive than the historic district, but more restrictive than current rules.

Dilworth is lucky to have the historic district rules protecting it.

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I think the quote that Myers Park is becoming Ballentyne is laughable. If a person buys a house, they should choose what they want to do with it. It is their lot/house and even if it is in a historic district and "repercussions" for tearing down the house are absurd.

Funny you said this earlier about teardowns....

I don't support tear downs, but that isn't the best looking bungalow. I would regret a huge oversized house that dosen't match the 'hood. Hopefully it will complement the houses in the area.

I am glad you are laughing, but if you decide to buy into a historic district, then you agree to the terms and restrictions that are on a deed. I am often amused at people who don't bother to read or understand all of the terms and contitions that come with purchasing a piece of property then, because they didn't do their homework, say it is unfair. Its a typical failure to take responsibity for one's own actions.

Myers Park BTW is not a historic district and that is why it is being converted to a haven for Ballentyne McMansions. The original 1920s and 1930s homes there are not big enough for the current residents buying there and thus are being torn down and replaced by monster houses that are out of character for the design of the neighborhood. This is mostly being done by people who have moved in and have no roots to the community. There is another thread here on this subject and I recommend reading through it to understand the basis for my earlier comment. Then if you still think it is laughable, you might want to give some reasons why.

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The whole point of historic districts is to maintain the original feel of the neighborhood. When you buy a home in an HD you are becoming part of a committment to maintaing the integrity of that community. So, you are not allowed to do "whatever you want" and people who do break the covenant, contractors or homebuyers should face penalties. I am going to the DCDA meeting on Wedneday and will hopefully get a good idea of what really happened on Tremont.

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Its also a shame that there are no historic protections at all in Myers Park. Its Charlotte's marquee neighborhood and it boggles my mind that the houses that line QRW could be knocked down at any time. Myers Park is becoming more similar to Ballantyne especially along Maryland, Jameston,Princeton, and Hassel Place to name just a few. The oversized Mcmansions next to the traditional homes look ridiculous and out of place. If the DCDA or the City are not more vigilant in Dilworth the same thing could occur through lax enforcement and complacency, even with the HD designation and that would be sad.

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Myers Park is becoming more similar to Ballantyne especially along Maryland, Jameston,Princeton, and Hassel Place to name just a few.

Actually those streets are in Myers Park Manor, not Myers Park. But its a difference that most people don't know. And I am not sure about Hassel Place as that is behind Park Rd. shopping center. I lived on that street in 1981.

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