Lynx Blue Line (South Corridor)

[ChiefJoJo]

"We're going to get through this," she said, "and we're going to get it open and I think history is going to be very kind to us."

I agree with this comment. In the grand scheme of things, I think the budget issues will ultimately only be a bump in the road for a successful project.

[nowensone]

^^I would think that is due to the culture of cost overruns and miscalculation that is even greater at the federal level. Or perhaps other transit projects that have received federal funding are more overbudget than CATS' is.

[monsoon]

^^I would think that is due to the culture of cost overruns and miscalculation that is even greater at the federal level. Or perhaps other transit projects that have received federal funding are more overbudget than CATS' is.

Indeed. Congress is currently withholding funding from the approved and underconstruction light rail line in Seattle for cost overruns. Remember it's not the FTA that doles out the money, it is the US congress and if reports are true about the amount that CATS has blown then it will trigger a similar review of the South LRT.

It is interesting how willing some are in the goverment here to dismiss $22M as nothing significant.

[revitalize]

OK, somebody with a camera and some free time - i saw a picture that needs to be taken on my ride up South Blvd. into work this morning... I think it was just north of Sharon Lakes rd., there is a brand new restaurant with a big sign out front that says "LIGHT RAIL FAMILY RESTAURANT" - I saw it and had to laugh out loud. What a neat "sign" that Light Rail is on its way and going to make an impact.

[MZT]

They may have just gotten the sign, but there was a write-up in the Observer about their intent to be the first business to tie-in.

[Mobuchu]

I know the owners, they used to own the Manhatten Deli's on S. Tryon at Westinghouse and in Matthews. I actually ate lunch there today, will post a pic later.

[Mobuchu]

OK, somebody with a camera and some free time - i saw a picture that needs to be taken on my ride up South Blvd. into work this morning... I think it was just north of Sharon Lakes rd., there is a brand new restaurant with a big sign out front that says "LIGHT RAIL FAMILY RESTAURANT" - I saw it and had to laugh out loud. What a neat "sign" that Light Rail is on its way and going to make an impact.

[A2]

^^^That really looks like the Flamingo from that angle. Decent food. Kind of like a Skyland Diner.

A2

[cha]

yea i was thinkin the same thing

[Mobuchu]

I think it was the Flamingo.

[Miesian Corners]

I want a light rail family.

[dubone]

I believe Mr. Tober has one. But DSS has it on their radar.

[Charlotte_native]

Chalk up another project along this line -- new South Boulevard & Ideal Way project finally announced!

[atlrvr]

It was announced yesterday that the Garden Parkway would cost well over $1B dollars to build, a price increase of more than DOUBLE in just a few months.....anyone have a theory as to why this doesn't make the headlines every single day in the local news?

Oh, and the first phase will cost $410M, for only 6 miles....so, we are paying 50% more per mile to build roads over LRT that increases sprawl vs. encouraging density.....great....

[uptownliving]

^^ I saw those numbers for the Garden Parkway in the paper this morning and was blown away. Now I would be willing to bet that project will be delayed and the final cost we pay will be more than the $1 Billion.

[ChiefJoJo]

Here's the link. It's good to see that the developers are stepping down the height as it approaches the single family neighborhoods. If this can be executed successfully, I bet it will be a model project for others to follow on the east side of South Blvd.

[Charlotte_native]

Here's the link. It's good to see that the developers are stepping down the height as it approaches the single family neighborhoods. If this can be executed successfully, I bet it will be a model project for others to follow on the east side of South Blvd.

They also are required to do so by the city. I don't think it is all goodwill, but it is good design, IMO. The city requires certain building height buffers, I can't recall the exact ratio, but it was explained to me by the person with the city, Tracey Finch, that is quoted today in the article about this. I think it was something like for every 100' you move away from the closest single family your building can go up 10'.

[BobbyRobert]

Any news on the rumored Marsh properties redevelopment along Poindexter? They don't appear to be reducing occupancy levels.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...e=%2BPoindexter

[Norm2]

I currently live in Marsh Properties apartment complex along poidexter (will be moving to pineville this weekend.....yuck!) but they have not formally anounced anything to anyone within the complex. I am also sure that if they were to redevelop ALL of their land, that I am sure that they would do it in phases considering how vast their property is and how many people live there. My best bet though is that they will redevelop the brick cottages first if they were ever to do anything. By the way I know this is the wrong thread for this but im too lazy to look for the right threat.....the CMC Children's Hospital topping out ceremony will be held this saturday. The building is topped out at 12 floors.

[atlrvr]

Yep...if you are adjacent to single family, you have a base maximum height of 40', with this going up 10' per 100' of lateral distance, to a maximum 120'.

So, if a property is 300' from single family zoning, they could have a maximum height of 70'.

I haven't heard anything new on the Marsh site. My guess is they are waiting to see how the whole transit-oriented developments shake out. They are a pretty conservative company, so they won't be leading the way.

[Charlotte_native]

Yep...if you are adjacent to single family, you have a base maximum height of 40', with this going up 10' per 100' of lateral distance, to a maximum 120'.

So, if a property is 300' from single family zoning, they could have a maximum height of 70'.

I haven't heard anything new on the Marsh site. My guess is they are waiting to see how the whole transit-oriented developments shake out. They are a pretty conservative company, so they won't be leading the way.

Gracias for that confirmation and clarification!

As for Marsh, I think they own all of their properties free-and-clear or at least close. Doubtful they will be very motivated for some time. The good part of that, though, is affordable rental units in the area.

[nyxmike]

What is this about? Republicans on the City Council and the County Commissioners want to cut light rail funding and try and repeal the sales tax that funds transit. I hate when people try and do things for their own selfish political reasons:

County GOP calls for light rail cuts...

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/loc...437&SecID=2

[MZT]

I wouldn't necessarily be against a revote of the transit tax. But it should be about two years after the south line is completed, so that people can see what they've paid for. (I kinda think CATS should back off the timetable for the other lines right now anyway, and rebuild credibility.)

Even so, I think a rewording of the initiative would be better than attempting repeal. If not light rail, then apply the money towards bus pullouts and synchonized lights... something average motorists could support, and we could still keep the additional funds within the "transit" realm, as was approved by the NC Legislature.

But this is all grandstanding right now. The Democrats on the County Board will not allow a revote onto the ballot. Maybe the John Locke Foundation or the Rhino will lead the charge for 50,000 signatures, but that would ve very expensive.

[monsoon]

This is what I mentioned several days ago. CATS has screwed up, the Mayor, City Manager, and Head of CATS are making excuses for each other, a different story is being told every day, and the public is getting really pissed off in the process. They are handing their critics all the ammunition they need to shoot down the rest of the system.

If the city wants to fix this perception then they will very publically shoot Tober and/or Syfert, explain clearly what happened, why it won't happen again, and try to move on. Last time Tober screwed up and the schedule slipped by more than 1/2 year as a result, the Mayor said then there would be no more mistakes on "his watch". Now it seems it has happened again (3rd time really) and he doesn't seem to be willing to do anything about it either. Maybe that is because he gave Tober a big award for the defective parking deck construction earlier in the year.

If Tober had not screwed it up, this wouldn't even be on the local GOP's radar screen.

[uptownliving]

CATS Cheif Ron Tober, Charlotte City Manager Pam Syfert, and Charlotte City Attorney laid out in an hour long presentation chock full of details how CATS got to where it is today at the City Council Meeting on Monday night. It was televised on Chanel 16 and will be available for replay shortly on charmeck.org. It was not covered well by the media...they only covered the drama part of it where the city council members wished they had been better informed. They didn't cover the actual details of what lead us to the current budget overruns.

After hearing the presentation it was very clear to me that Tober only screwed up in his communications with Council. None of the council members ever questioned what he did...or why he did it...they only questioned why Tober didnt keep them fully abreast of the situation.

CATS staff met with the FTA yesterday and today to hammer out the details on a revised estimate for the South Line. We should know in a couple days if FTA will sign off on it.