Independence Corridor

[Third Strike]

14 hours ago, cltbwimob said:

They did build a new Texas Roadhouse, but they shut the old one down and moved, so they don’t have 2 open in the same shopping center.  I really am curious as to why they felt the need to build a new one.

The Matthews Township Parkway bridge will be replaced when Independence gets widened again in 2022. The new bridge will be more aligned north where it will cut through the old Texas Roadhouse. 

[Scribe]

On 12/22/2019 at 2:59 AM, Third Strike said:

The Matthews Township Parkway bridge will be replaced when Independence gets widened again in 2022. The new bridge will be more aligned north where it will cut through the old Texas Roadhouse. 

This is part of the same phase of 74 widening that includes Sardis Rd North being bridged over 74 and connecting to NorthEast PKWY (new road)
Like the old Texas Roadhouse, that Mattress Firm store is a goner also!

project site https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Pages/default.aspx

PDF of Aerial Map 1 https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Documents/AerialMap1.pdf

PDF of Aerial Map 2 https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Documents/AerialMap2.pdf

Edited December 23, 2019 by Scribe

[KJHburg]

down the Independence corridor and Meridian Place project with Edge City brewery and shops and new apartments along Monroe (MoRa area)  New Starbucks at Rama and Independence and the Gold building needs no introduction. 

New Lidl store on Monroe. 

 

[Third Strike]

From the “Charlotte over the years” Facebook group:

[Nick2]

On 4/4/2020 at 12:59 PM, Third Strike said:

From the “Charlotte over the years” Facebook group:

It's a great group. I wonder how many UP members are on it.

[t_money]

On 12/23/2019 at 1:15 PM, Scribe said:

This is part of the same phase of 74 widening that includes Sardis Rd North being bridged over 74 and connecting to NorthEast PKWY (new road)
Like the old Texas Roadhouse, that Mattress Firm store is a goner also!

project site https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Pages/default.aspx

PDF of Aerial Map 1 https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Documents/AerialMap1.pdf

PDF of Aerial Map 2 https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Documents/AerialMap2.pdf

Will there eventually be no lights from uptown to 485? Is that the general goal?

[tozmervo]

3 hours ago, t_money said:

Will there eventually be no lights from uptown to 485? Is that the general goal?

Yes, but more broadly no lights on 74 from Wilmington to Murphy. (I see you, speed trap in Andrews.)

[t_money]

On 4/21/2020 at 12:09 PM, tozmervo said:

Yes, but more broadly no lights on 74 from Wilmington to Murphy. (I see you, speed trap in Andrews.)

Too bad it can't be I-x74 (insert whatever number would be an extension of I74) from where it turns north at Rockingham. Could have just made an interstate with frontage roads rather than those weird turn lanes on the edges.

[KJHburg]

I love this building with its gold.  It is an oldie but a goodie the Gold building on Independence.   (and it is very affordable office space and everyone in Charlotte knows of this building) 

[videtur quam contuor]

Someplace in the recesses of my memory synapses the Carolina Caribbean Corporation, developer of Beech Mountain, Carolina Shores and other resorts had offices in that gold building. 1970-ish.

[KJHburg]

Rolling up Independence today and new townhomes have popped up on edge of Elizabeth by Independence Blvd. 

any news on the old Vanadore building which has been tagged repeatedly now. 

still like the Gold building on Independence.  It is a Charlotte landmark. 

[Third Strike]

12 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Rolling up Independence today and new townhomes have popped up on edge of Elizabeth by Independence Blvd. 

any news on the old Vanadore building which has been tagged repeatedly now. 

still like the Gold building on Independence.  It is a Charlotte landmark. 

I found this, in regards to the Independence Building:

https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/0oVcqtpyDDkWkdJ7Zr902wz-ccqCVw6XnQ0TnOvGIT4/document.pdf

[KJHburg]

^^ Ervin Company was the largest homebuilder in Charlotte for many years and this was their HQ building.  Glad to see it being renovated and hope this proposal gets off the ground. 

[Third Strike]

Looks like the rest of the Coliseum Crossing Center has been bought out by Echo Park, besides the out-parcels:

https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/q9nZ6HqxNa9mXvzA2TqXChYKFyfRRpYELeU60UgJCEE/document.pdf

Since CATS is looking at whether the Silver Line should run on the north or south sides of Independence, I definitely think the north side should be heavily considered now. The north side has many parcels that are empty, or has old buildings that need to be demolished, and the Vanadore building could serve as a strong anchor for this area. 

[lit]

It looks like they’re building an Arby’s where the old Hooters was, between Sharon Amity and Idlewild. 

[TCLT]

New ABC store going in at Mora Point at Independence and Zeus St. Construction started and metal structure is already up.

[ertley]

2 hours ago, TCLT said:

New ABC store going in at Mora Point at Independence and Zeus St. Construction started and metal structure is already up.

I realize I don't know even 5% of what's going on, and what's necessary to understand it,  technically, in City of Charlotte planning, but this baffles me. If the Silver Line is still being considered for the south side of Independence at this point, the setback of that building seems needlessly close to the Independence right of way. I realize CATS can probably still manage to fit a dual track between the building and the roadway, but it would sure be a lot easier, in addition to allowing for a potential pedestrian path and bike trail along the track, if the building weren't so close. Maybe everyone's fine with tearing down this building in 10 years, in anticipation of an apartment building or mixed use structure, but that just seems needlessly wasteful.

When I was in Charlotte at Thanksgiving, my sister and I stopped there to get gas, and without my prompting--my sister is interested in design in general, but more domestic than urban, so I don't bring up city planning observations with her--she volunteered that she thinks this development is poorly conceived and underwhelming. I remember it because I have always thought the same thing.

The part farther south near Conference Drive seems better executed, but I cannot for the life of me understand why the buildings at the Idlewild and Monroe intersection are so far from the street and sidewalk. It's like a mid-range 1990s development, IMO. But again, maybe it's *all* temporary in anticipation of a future Conference Drive Lynx station. 

My hope is that CATS doesn't get persuaded to run all of the Silver Line north of Independence, for the paramount reason that the envisioned transformation of Monroe Road can't really happen without having readily available mass transit within a few blocks. For no other reason, the redevelopment of the Coliseum and Ovens complex, centered on a Lynx station, is sole justification for a south routing. But with two major TOD-UCs, at Coliseum and then Conference Drive, Monroe between them can absolutely flourish as a TOD-centric area, with that Oakhurst Commons functioning as an intermediate TOD-CC.  So, I'll just hope that wiser heads are prevailing and that I simply don't know the other 95%.

But Yay for an ABC store. Is there one at Cotswold?  

[sakami]

46 minutes ago, ertley said:

I realize I don't know even 5% of what's going on, and what's necessary to understand it,  technically, in City of Charlotte planning, but this baffles me. If the Silver Line is still being considered for the south side of Independence at this point, the setback of that building seems needlessly close to the Independence right of way. I realize CATS can probably still manage to fit a dual track between the building and the roadway, but it would sure be a lot easier, in addition to allowing for a potential pedestrian path and bike trail along the track, if the building weren't so close. Maybe everyone's fine with tearing down this building in 10 years, in anticipation of an apartment building or mixed use structure, but that just seems needlessly wasteful.

When I was in Charlotte at Thanksgiving, my sister and I stopped there to get gas, and without my prompting--my sister is interested in design in general, but more domestic than urban, so I don't bring up city planning observations with her--she volunteered that she thinks this development is poorly conceived and underwhelming. I remember it because I have always thought the same thing.

The part farther south near Conference Drive seems better executed, but I cannot for the life of me understand why the buildings at the Idlewild and Monroe intersection are so far from the street and sidewalk. It's like a mid-range 1990s development, IMO. But again, maybe it's *all* temporary in anticipation of a future Conference Drive Lynx station. 

My hope is that CATS doesn't get persuaded to run all of the Silver Line north of Independence, for the paramount reason that the envisioned transformation of Monroe Road can't really happen without having readily available mass transit within a few blocks. For no other reason, the redevelopment of the Coliseum and Ovens complex, centered on a Lynx station, is sole justification for a south routing. But with two major TOD-UCs, at Coliseum and then Conference Drive, Monroe between them can absolutely flourish as a TOD-centric area, with that Oakhurst Commons functioning as an intermediate TOD-CC.  So, I'll just hope that wiser heads are prevailing and that I simply don't know the other 95%.

But Yay for an ABC store. Is there one at Cotswold?  

Yes there is one at Cotswold and another one on Independence just west of 51. It is huge!

[RANYC]

Took Independence from 277 to exit 245B earlier this morning.  Litter strewn along much of the route, with a build-up of trash at the exit ramp.  It just makes that part of Charlotte look so disgusting.  Can anything be done?  Is this inadvertent waste, or is the city really full of so many miscreants?

Edited December 30, 2020 by RANYC

[CLT2014]

28 minutes ago, RANYC said:

Took Independence from 277 to exit 245B earlier this morning.  Litter strewn along much of the route, with a build-up of trash at the exit ramp.  It just makes that part of Charlotte look so disgusting.  Can anything be done?  Is this inadvertent waste, or is the city really full of so many miscreants?

Roads managed by the DOT are basically a mess right now state wide. Less driving = less gas tax revenue and the DOT canceled their spring and fall litter removal initiatives. The NCDOT also just just a lost a suit in 2020 around the Map Act, hitting the agency with a $1 billion penalty to property owners. The NCDOT guiding mantra right now is "safety first" so litter removal went out the door. 

https://www.cbs17.com/news/driving-you-crazy/budget-impacts-from-covid-19-other-issues-lessens-ability-for-ncdot-to-pick-up-litter-on-roads/

https://abc11.com/nc-dot-interstate-40-north-carolina-covid-19/6316737/

Edited December 30, 2020 by CLT2014

[RANYC]

11 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

Roads managed by the DOT are basically a mess right now state wide. Less driving = less gas tax revenue and the DOT canceled their spring and fall litter removal initiatives. The NCDOT also just just a lost a suit in 2020 around the Map Act, hitting the agency with a $1 billion penalty to property owners. The NCDOT guiding mantra right now is "safety first" so litter removal went out the door. 

https://www.cbs17.com/news/driving-you-crazy/budget-impacts-from-covid-19-other-issues-lessens-ability-for-ncdot-to-pick-up-litter-on-roads/

https://abc11.com/nc-dot-interstate-40-north-carolina-covid-19/6316737/

Buy a Do Not Litter license plate?  Consider it done.  I wish I could do more.  I'm the guy who keeps garden gloves, litter stick, and trash bags in his car for extemporaneous clean-ups.  Yes, I'm insane.  Litter gets into water systems and wreaks havoc on birds (although this is winter so perhaps less of an issue).  Of course, I wouldn't dare engage in my clean-up antics along a thoroughfare like Independence or at exit ramps.  

50 years of litter pickup and prevention - Washington State Department of Ecology  Describes litter prevention strategies employed successfully in Washington State over the past 50 years.  

Highlights: Youth Jobs Program picking up litter...Strategic Placement of Garbage Cans with Lids, especially in areas seeing an uptick in pedestrian activity...Multi-Faceted/Multi-Media Campaigns targeting several demographics...online and app-based litter reporting tools...Intense educational initiatives...

[Norm2]

Looks like the Varnadore building caught on fire. One person was found in the building.

 

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/crews-battle-3-alarm-fire-historic-varnadore-building-east-charlotte/UV2ASV3F7RA4FJE2XPO2VDADPM/

Edited February 6, 2021 by norm21499

[Third Strike]

Good news for the Varnadore building. Also, there was a permit in Accela to grade the lot that is next to the Varnadore building, in between Wilshire and Woodland, for “future development”. Hopefully it’s a mixed-use development, in anticipation of the Silver Line. 
 

Also, since it looks like the Silver Line will be routed on the other side of Independence, I hope a pedestrian bridge is not only built here, but at various points along the corridor.

[Mgelbach]

Speaking of Varnadore, once it's remodeled it's going to have some amazing views

[Norm2]

2 hours ago, Mgelbach said:

Speaking of Varnadore, once it's remodeled it's going to have some amazing views

From this photo, it looks like the skyline stretches for almost two miles from the North end of Uptown to the Lowe's tower in South End.