Charlotte Off Topic

[grodney]

19 hours ago, Crucial_Infra said:

By way of nothing but some days I just randomly think of the photoshop @Tyrone Wiggum made of the Crying Jordan Waterfall skyscraper and LOL. So crucial. Please post it again Tyrone so the world can see it once more and so I can save it on my phone for a periodic pickup. Thank you. 

 

Edit:  All credit to Tyrone, of course.  I just wanted to get it into the hands of the people who need it....as fast as possible.

Edited July 1, 2019 by grodney

[tozmervo]

Don't eff with natural gas, yall.

[nakers2]

 I couldn’t think of any better place to ask this, but with the earthquakes happening in Southern California just got me thinking: Could Charlotte handle a 7.0ish quake? 

I know North Carolina has had some earthquakes before, and Charleston had a 6.7, roughly equivalent to the quake in California had tonite, back in the 1800’s. I remember feeling the quake in 2011 (I was in Boone, still in High School, at the time a brand new steel structure) and remember seeing pictures on the news of people evacuating buildings in Uptown and across the east coast. I’ve felt a few tremors since then, including a 3.1, also in Boone around the middle of the night, both the 2011 and that one were scary in their own right. It’s an indescribable feeling that video can’t really quantify, I imagine that the damage would be widespread, but would we see massive collapses of major buildings (notably mid rise/stick built) or would the damage be mostly to plumbing and possibly foundation cracking? Are earthquakes even considered in building code here? 

 

[videtur quam contuor]

My insurance agent, and any other, will tell you this is an earthquake zone, though the risk is low comparatively. Earthquake loss is not covered without an additional rider and coverage is limited and doubtful anyone has it on residential property though major commercial and office buildings, dunno. I was in a 6.5 in San Fernando Valley, Ca. at about 6 am and it is nothing I want to live through again, thus my move to Charlotte. Loose façades, brick veneers collapsing, cornices and other building elements shaken loose were the most common damage. A freeway overpass collapsed and a VA hospital walls and ceiling also fell among many damaged structures. LA has MANNy swimming pools and they had cracks and leaks. Plumbing, as you mention, particularly in low rise building as the pipes and fixtures appear to be connected to the building but in fact move with the ground and out of phase with the building itself thus so many leaking toilets afterward. Recall a new building site and the waste pipes sticking out of the ground waiting for the structure. When the structure is completed the pipes connect through appropriate openings in the floors and continue to be connected to the soil beneath as the primary support. Building shakes one way, pipes another way. In some quakes the soil semi-liquifies making everything worse.

I defer to the engineer and architect who can answer about code and best practice in building for this area. Anyone who has lived through an experience such as mine will testify.

I. Was. Shook.

[KJHburg]

^^^^ that drawing came up when I posted a photo of a Chinese high rise that had a waterfall on the side it is under the Duke tower thread somewhere when we were guessing the design of the tower.   and yes that tower design was Classic!

Page 24 of the Duke Metro tower thread.

Tyrone Wiggum

•  
•  

Posted July 24, 2018

  On 7/23/2018 at 8:29 PM, KJHburg said:

Found a design for new Duke Energy Tower that pays homage to its hydro-electric roots.   China copies our stuff lets copy this but taller.

And, since it's going to be a North Carolina tower in Charlotte:

 

•  4
•  1
•  23

You, Hunted, tozmervo and 25 others reacted to this

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

as for earthquake insurance I have the rider on my personal home as it is on a tall crawl space.  It cost me about $150 or so extra a year.  Small potatoes compared to what a loss would be.  The great Charleston earthquake of 1886 was 7.0 or so.  Historical accounts told of every brick fireplace tumbling in Mecklenburg county due the wide area shaking that occurs with east coast earthquakes.  I would highly recommend an earthquake rider if you live here.  Look what that VA earthquake did in the DC area caused many foundation problems at homes in northern VA and was even felt in uptown Charlotte high rises.  

https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-august-31-1886-magnitude-7-earthquake-rocks-charleston-south-carolina

[nakers2]

13 hours ago, KJHburg said:

as for earthquake insurance I have the rider on my personal home as it is on a tall crawl space.  It cost me about $150 or so extra a year.  Small potatoes compared to what a loss would be.  The great Charleston earthquake of 1886 was 7.0 or so.  Historical accounts told of every brick fireplace tumbling in Mecklenburg county due the wide area shaking that occurs with east coast earthquakes.  I would highly recommend an earthquake rider if you live here.  Look what that VA earthquake did in the DC area caused many foundation problems at homes in northern VA and was even felt in uptown Charlotte high rises.  

https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-august-31-1886-magnitude-7-earthquake-rocks-charleston-south-carolina

Good info to know. We lived in California when I was very young. Don't remember any quakes, but my dad spent many late nights at his computer, and he said in the silence of the night it was not uncommon at all to feel small quakes. According to my mom we had one that knocked some pictures loose, nothing more than that though. The first one I felt in Boone was the 5.8 that hit in VA. Because of the soil makeup, and since the mountains effectively "sway", and the fact my school was built on landfill and only one year old at the time, there was some *minor* damage to the foundation. I just recall packing up as the lunch bell rang, it was not uncommon for the floor to move as people walked, but the bouncing was severe, and I thought that there was about to be a failure. 

The second was at home, I was staying over at my parent's home over a break in college. I don't recall what I was doing up so late, but I was laying in the guest room (brother's old room, not really relevant, but I'm a master of exposition) and I must've been reading something because it was dead silent, and suddenly there was a brief shaking that I was able to confirm pretty quickly was an earthquake via the USGS. The difference between the two was noticeable. The 2011 on was definitely more of a rolling, wavy feeling quake, the second I can best describe as the feeling you get when you push a table across a hardwood floor, but on a macro scale. I firmly believe it was the catalyst for the settling of my parent's front porch. I will say though, as much flak as wooden structures take, their relative flexibility helps tremendously in seismic events. 

[Tyrone Wiggum]

NM I see a bunch of people beat me to the punch

Edited July 8, 2019 by Tyrone Wiggum
double posting

[tozmervo]

Seismic design isn't non-existent in the area, but it isn't significant. If you go down 74 toward the coast it starts to make a much bigger impact on building design. The code also takes into account site-specific geological and soil testing - so if your site is particularly "good" you may be required to do less seismic design work. The code also assigns "risk categories" to different building types, so more critical buildings have more stringent design requirements. Category I has agricultural and small storage facilities. Category IV includes emergency response buildings, shelters, control towers, and other utility infrastructure.

[videtur quam contuor]

I believe this was discussed two or so years ago and Toz mentioned about seismic design for the most critical structures such as hospitals and so on and lowest requirements for structures with minimal risk for human occupation. His post above strikes my memory of that previous discussion. 

[JFerreira91]

Hey folks. My sister is turning 15 today and I'd like to giver her and my parents a nice day out in Charlotte, but google isn't helping me much. Since I don't live there I figured you could help me find an activity they can do maybe over the weekend.

I've checked and there's two Knights game on Friday and Saturday, and prices aren't bad when I change to GBP(£). That's an option that sounds viable.

I know about Carowinds, but they've been there and my dad isn't much of a rollercoaster guy.

Any ideas?

[davidclt]

1 hour ago, JFerreira91 said:

Hey folks. My sister is turning 15 today and I'd like to giver her and my parents a nice day out in Charlotte, but google isn't helping me much. Since I don't live there I figured you could help me find an activity they can do maybe over the weekend.

I've checked and there's two Knights game on Friday and Saturday, and prices aren't bad when I change to GBP(£). That's an option that sounds viable.

I know about Carowinds, but they've been there and my dad isn't much of a rollercoaster guy.

Any ideas?

I am sure others will have better suggestions but these leap to mind:
Start the day with breakfast at Yolk
Next, wander down College to MLK Blvd. across to the NASCAR Hall of Fame or down Tryon St. to  The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art 
Then grab a quick bite for lunch at Fuel Pizza followed by dessert at Amélie’s Uptown
After that, head to the US National Whitewater Center for an afternoon of outdoor fun (grab a quick shower)
Finish the evening with a nice dinner at Dressler's Restaurant

You don't want to know how I schlepped my kids through your fair city. Suffice it to say we got our money's worth out of The London Pass.

Edited July 11, 2019 by davidclt

[grodney]

1 hour ago, JFerreira91 said:

Hey folks. My sister is turning 15 today and I'd like to giver her and my parents a nice day out in Charlotte, but google isn't helping me much. Since I don't live there I figured you could help me find an activity they can do maybe over the weekend.

I've checked and there's two Knights game on Friday and Saturday, and prices aren't bad when I change to GBP(£). That's an option that sounds viable.

I know about Carowinds, but they've been there and my dad isn't much of a rollercoaster guy.

Any ideas?

Without knowing what they like and don't like.......

They could go to lunch at Benny Pennello's for Charlotte's largest slice of pizza, then walk up the street to PopBar which has amazing frozen gelatto on a stick, dipped and topped.  Lenny Boy brewing if your parents are into beer, and your sister can get a flight of kombucha.  McGill Rose Garden on N Davidson just north of uptown is pretty amazing (but they often close for private weddings, etc.) and Birdsong Brewing is right next door.  Long shot but if they dig old-school arcade games and pinball in a semi-scary-but-harmless setting, Abari game bar is good to hit right when they open if you have minors with you.  RocketFizz is a throwback candy store right in uptown, and a trip to either the Hornets or Panthers team shop is always fun. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by grodney

[JFerreira91]

27 minutes ago, davidclt said:

I am sure others will have better suggestions but these leap to mind:
Start the day with breakfast at Yolk
Next, wander down College to MLK Blvd. across to the NASCAR Hall of Fame or down Tryon St. to  The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art 
Then grab a quick bite for lunch at Fuel Pizza followed by dessert at Amélie’s Uptown
After that, head to the US National Whitewater Center for an afternoon of outdoor fun (grab a quick shower)
Finish the evening with a nice dinner at Dressler's Restaurant

You don't want to know how I schlepped my kids through your fair city. Suffice it to say we got our money's worth out of The London Pass.

Thanks for this. I've been living in London for about 4 years now and I still don't know 20% of the city. It's just too big.

21 minutes ago, grodney said:

Without knowing what they like and don't like.......

They could go to lunch at Benny Pennello's for Charlotte's largest slice of pizza, then walk up the street to PopBar which has amazing frozen gelatto on a stick, dipped and topped.  Lenny Boy brewing if your parents are into beer, and your sister can get a flight of kombucha.  McGill Rose Garden on N Davidson just north of uptown is pretty amazing (but they often close for private weddings, etc.) and Birdsong Brewing is right next door.  Long shot but if they dig old-school arcade games and pinball in a semi-scary-but-harmless setting, Abari game bar is good to hit right when they open if you have minors with you.  RocketFizz is a throwback candy store right in uptown, and a trip to either the Hornets or Panthers team shop is always fun. 

Thanks. This seems like a plan I can do when I go back to Charlotte in September.

[tozmervo]

3 hours ago, JFerreira91 said:

Hey folks. My sister is turning 15 today and I'd like to giver her and my parents a nice day out in Charlotte, but google isn't helping me much. Since I don't live there I figured you could help me find an activity they can do maybe over the weekend.

I've checked and there's two Knights game on Friday and Saturday, and prices aren't bad when I change to GBP(£). That's an option that sounds viable.

I know about Carowinds, but they've been there and my dad isn't much of a rollercoaster guy.

Any ideas?

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens has an exhibit of grandiflora going on right now. https://www.dsbg.org/

Hello Dolly is playing at Belk Theater

Yes, God! is playing at Visulite. https://www.charlottecultureguide.com/event/424652/robyn-oladies-charlotte-douglas-present-yes-god

River Jam Saturday night at the USNWC. Whitewater & other activities during the day then chill out on the banks at night to hear some tunes. (Definitely get rafting reservations for sure.) https://usnwc.org/

[elrodvt]

They could go to one of those lovely cigar bars.

[JFerreira91]

1 hour ago, elrodvt said:

They could go to one of those lovely cigar bars.

My dad would love it, but something more teenager-oriented will do the treat. I may end up getting them the tickets for the Baseball game. I forgot to mention she recently had an operation so she can't do any jump/run/scream activity for a few months. 

[jednc]

I have a lazy question to ask... Does anyone know a crane count in uptown/midtown/Southend? Basically, how many cranes would be visible from one location around uptown?

[UrbanCharlotte]

2 minutes ago, jednc said:

I have a lazy question to ask... Does anyone know a crane count in uptown/midtown/Southend? Basically, how many cranes would be visible from one location around uptown?

 

[jednc]

3 hours ago, UrbanCharlotte said:

 

Thank you! I forgot this existed.

[UrbanCharlotte]

Didn't realize there was a building taller than BoA in North Carolina... 

[Tyrone Wiggum]

7 minutes ago, UrbanCharlotte said:

Didn't realize there was a building taller than BoA in North Carolina... 

[Tyrone Wiggum]

@UrbanCharlotte Happy now?

 

[UrbanCharlotte]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Wiggum said:

@UrbanCharlotte Happy now?

 

Lol. I had to make it right. 

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by UrbanCharlotte

[15895]

 

 

^ more like by 2021.

 

Also doesn’t take into account all the Amtrak trains which are pretty cheap to take within the DC region.