Lynx Blue Line (South Corridor)

[dubone]

Yeah, but the project that the city cut to put the bridge back in is not going to be funded now through the SCIP bonds, as it was (I believe) included in future bonds in the budget.

[MZT]

Check out the cable being strung near the CATS maintenance facility... getting closer now to being able to power up a LRV!

[CLTfanatic]

Time for a new picture update.

[monsoon]

It would be great if we had a schedule for when they plan to test the trainset.

[Mobuchu]

.....

[Mobuchu]

Time for a new picture update.

Since I had the day off....

They have the lines pulled from Clanton to Tremont, they were just reaching Tremont when I started.

South from Tremont

Remount

South from Remount

North at Remount

The old plant is just about leveled and they are making good progress

Looking north from New Bern. They are finishing up on the electrical conduit for the platform. The same is finished for the Scaleybark station.

South from New Bern toward the VMF

VMF

[revitalize]

ohhhhhhhhhh man. That is soooooo great. Really startin' to look like the real deal! thnx for the photos!

[A2]

^^^^SWEET PICS MO ! ^^^^

A2

[reverbandwhiskey]

Great photos!

What are they building on the old plant site next to the silos?

I feel sorry for whoever moves there if it is apartments or condos. Not exactly the best neighborhood.

[dubone]

Guess what, Reverb (you should read more Urbanplanet ), those silos are going to be torn down! It is currently an asphalt plant right next to the transit tracks near the Remount/South Blvd intersection. On the east side of the tracks, HHHunt will be building an apartment complex on the old Bonded Distribution site. On the west side of the tracks, where you can see the equipment in Mo's photos, Citiline will be building a mixed use condominium development. I believe the asphalt plant is already decommissioned and those silos will be removed in short order.

[reverbandwhiskey]

Guess what, Reverb (you should read more Urbanplanet ), those silos are going to be torn down! It is currently an asphalt plant right next to the transit tracks near the Remount/South Blvd intersection. On the east side of the tracks, HHHunt will be building an apartment complex on the old Bonded Distribution site. On the west side of the tracks, where you can see the equipment in Mo's photos, Citiline will be building a mixed use condominium development. I believe the asphalt plant is already decommissioned and those silos will be removed in short order.

Will Condo buyers want to live that close to a really sketchy section of ghetto housing?

[dubone]

Are you referring to your house?

Actually, there is more that will continue to come to this area. In the CATS South Line public meeting a couple months ago, we got the lowdown on some significant projects that will come all along the line between Scaleybark and Tremont. The success of 3030 South has convinced developers to move south of South End in into the New Bern area.

The draw of the transit line is overcoming some of the downward pulls of crime and low income housing nearby.

[revitalize]

Off on a tangent, a bit, but...today I overheard a funny conversation between a father and his young son while sitting outside of Reid's near 7th Street:

son: "Daddy where is the train"

dad: "There's no train yet. Those are just the train tracks being built, son"

son: "well, is it a fake train?"

dad: "No....no... its a real train, what is it....light rail, i think they call it"

son: "oh"

I had to chuckle. dunno why. Thought I'd share it with UP.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Are you referring to your house?

Actually, there is more that will continue to come to this area. In the CATS South Line public meeting a couple months ago, we got the lowdown on some significant projects that will come all along the line between Scaleybark and Tremont. The success of 3030 South has convinced developers to move south of South End in into the New Bern area.

The draw of the transit line is overcoming some of the downward pulls of crime and low income housing nearby.

Reverb has a point. That Remount Rd public housing is really bad and is one of the worst neighborhoods in Charlotte, and this almost backs right up to it. Are there any plans to redevelop that garbage specifically? I drove by that a few days ago, and it was pretty scary even during the day.

[dubone]

For a decade's worth of rapid growth and revitalization of First Ward, the most dangerous neighborhood and public housing was only maybe 50 feet away.

The public housing along Remount is pretty ugly and nasty, but will not stop revitalization efforts along the transit corridor.

Also, the ugly housing you see on the north side of Remount as you head toward 77 is not actually public housing. It is low rent (maybe section 8) housing with a private ownership and a long term lease. I believe that the city is looking at ways to mitigate that, though.

[monsoon]

Is all of that housing on Remount public housing? Something makes me think some of it is low rent privately owned apartments.

[dubone]

Yes (I just wrote this ), the ugly housing on north west of the Tryon/Remount intersection is privately owned. But they might be using some federal grants for section 8 or other similar credits.

I have heard that the city is working with the owner to see if there are any possibilities for change.

[BobbyRobert]

Can anyone offer an opinion of the stretch of tracks just beyond Remount. (The Greystone / Hartford area -- between New Bern and Scalybark). The vehicle maintenance facility (vmf) seems like it will prevent much from happening along this stretch. If you look at housing prices in the areas just across S blvd from the vmf they seem to be the lowest in the corridor (although, to be fair, they are tiny and not so attractive). Is there something else going on here that I don't know about?

[dubone]

Well, 3030 South already took up quite a bit of land in the area, except where there are already viable and ongoing business operations. The one plot of land north of Clanton that was desparately in need of development is now underway for a new business, a Chickfila. While I'm not at all excited about that, at least it will provide continuity of operating businesses along that stretch, which is important for reducing blight.

Now the stretch of land between Clanton and Scaleybark has numerous blighted and rundown businesses. The land west of the tracks is being accummulated by the city, and will be sold as part of an bid that is already receiving interest nationally. There is virtual certainty that this land wil be developed.

As for the land east of the tracks, it remains to be seen as to whether those businesses will upfit or continue as is. I have a feeling that the crosland shopping center will be redeveloped by Crosland at some point in the next couple of years.

[monsoon]

Yes (I just wrote this ), the ugly housing on north west of the Tryon/Remount intersection is privately owned. But they might be using some federal grants for section 8 or other similar credits.

I have heard that the city is working with the owner to see if there are any possibilities for change.

Those asbesto's sided apartment buildings are left over from the old Camp Green military complex that used to run from there to Freedom Drive (prior to I-77). I am not sure they should be changed as they do offer one of the rare places for lower income people to live near the city. Like it or not, these will be the primary users of the LRT.

[dubone]

The city, through CHA, has been favoring methods of converting low income housing into more mixed income developments. The net effect is the same number of low rent units, but with the other units creating more density and quality to the overall development.

This may not happen in this case (it is likely that it will remain exactly as it is), but as land values increase, there may be opportunities to diversify the area. That would reduce the ghetto effect, and the perception of crime, as well increase density and ridership potential for the transit line.

The city has an interest both to increase their tax base, maintain affordable housing, and to not reduce the core ridership of low income workers. As a result, I suspect that the city would be looking to help the private owner pursue a redevelopment effort that would increase density but maintain the affordable housing component. But if the increase in tax value can be absorbed into the status quo, then it very well may remain exactly the same for years to come.

[monsoon]

If the city is going to involve itself in those kind of things, there are places much more in need than that complex on Remount Rd. They should start up on that big very similar complex on Statesville Ave near were Norris Avenue (30th street) intersects with it. Another big complex that needs this TLC is located on N. Tryon where Craighead crosses. The Remount Rd location ought to be way down the list as I don't think the crime and drug problem there is as nearly as bad as the two above examples.

[krazeeboi]

Reverb has a point. That Remount Rd public housing is really bad and is one of the worst neighborhoods in Charlotte, and this almost backs right up to it. Are there any plans to redevelop that garbage specifically? I drove by that a few days ago, and it was pretty scary even during the day.

That public housing project is certainly quite run down in appearance, but riding by there on a daily basis, I don't really see anything scary about it. But I think Tryon may serve as something of a buffer between that part of Remount and parts where the new construction is coming aboard. The public housing project probably won't last long, that's for sure. The city may want to look into razing the whole thing a building a HOPE IV project on the land or something.

[dubone]

The public housing, South Side Homes, is not really the one people are referring to, I don't believe. Those are down S Tryon, are are somewhat attractive. They are brick, and were recently renovated.

Here is what they look like:

The PRIVATE low income housing on Remount is barracks style buildings amidst a tundra-like landscape with what looks like asbestos siding and 1950s era colors. When I first moved to Charlotte, I drove past there and thought I might get shot by a stray bullet. I have long since gotten over that phobia, but I'm sure that those buildings evoke a similar fear in others.

What I heard from the city was casually that they were working with the owner to see if any change was possible, and whether they'd be either willing to sell or participate in a project to redevelop and revitalize their land.

Note again that the ownership of that land on Remount is PRIVATE. Here is the owner: WM D CORNWELL JR BROOKHILL LAND LLC

[MZT]

Wow. I am seriously surprised to learn those are privately owned. I would not think the rents from those would support private management. And yes, I do get the creeps just driving by them. Definately a "keep the windows rolled up and make no eye contact" area.