Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[tozmervo]

13 minutes ago, kermit said:

FREE BEER* to the first UPer to snap a photo of a test vehicle North of the new service yard.

(* I'll pay out when I return to Charlotte in mid July)

Trainspotting. Hopefully ends up happier than the film.

[kermit]

2 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Trainspotting. Hopefully ends up happier than the film.

"It's sh1te being a Charlottean! We're the lowest of the low. The scum of the fudgeing Earth! The most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization. Some hate Yankees. I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are COLONIZED by wankers. Can't even find a decent culture to be colonized BY. We're ruled by effete assholes. It's a sh1te state of affairs to be in"

(sorry, couldn't resist -- forgive the autocensor of the actual language)

Edited April 11, 2017 by kermit

[KJHburg]

UNC Charlotte light rail Blue line extension video. It moves a little fast but slows at stations from this month. 

 

[kermit]

^ Thanks!

Gezzz all that empty space adjacent to Parkwood station kills me (half of the old intermodal yard, it looks like a runway in the video). Its not easily developable given its surrounded by active tracks but gezzz.

Is it possible that CATS is keeping it in its back pocket for more vehicle storage and maintenance if new lines ever open?

[Popsickle]

5 hours ago, kermit said:

^ Thanks!

Gezzz all that empty space adjacent to Parkwood station kills me (half of the old intermodal yard, it looks like a runway in the video). Its not easily developable given its surrounded by active tracks but gezzz.

Is it possible that CATS is keeping it in its back pocket for more vehicle storage and maintenance if new lines ever open?

I was under the impression that CATs was building a maintenance and storage facility Southwest of BoA Stadium. But yeah, that is a lot of land that "could" be developed, I'm curious as to who or what you would build on an old rail site like that, active tracks and all but what chemicals could have been spilled there. 

 

But yeah, awesome video!!!

Edited April 15, 2017 by Popsickle
Video comment

[caterpillar2]

Just my opinion, but it is predominantly industrial. With the exception of a couple of stops and UNCC, there is a void of population except for those working in the industrial areas. It would have been so much wiser to go north through Huntersville, Cornelius. Davidson, and Mooresville where the populations exist. Nevertheless, I hope that a miracle makes the areas adjacent to the tracks blossom. Congrats NoDa and UNCC. Please use the rail. They will need your business.

[nmundo]

Last night while driving dow Tryon near the U City Blvd station I noticed the signals on the tracks where running (both red.) The ones further up were not on yet though. Hopefully we'll start seeing some trains rolling soon since signaling seems to be going up now.

[kermit]

I am probably reading too much into this tiny tweet but I think we may hear something about an opening date shortly:

 

 

[tozmervo]

I've heard November floating around from a couple of people, though I don't know the reliability of that. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to open on the 10-year anniversary of the Blue Line grand opening, which was November 24, 2007.

[jednc]

31 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

I've heard November floating around from a couple of people, though I don't know the reliability of that. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to open on the 10-year anniversary of the Blue Line grand opening, which was November 24, 2007.

I was on that first train on Nov. 24th just behind the mayor as he drove it South from uptown for the first time.

[KJHburg]

Here is the McCullough station in the University area and the JW Clay Blvd station and parking garage today. At McCullough two single office buildings will be razed for a new 5 story apartment complex. New retail is going in by the JW Clay station including a Blaze Pizza. 

[Niner National]

I was a little disappointed when I drove by last week that the new retail at JW Clay is inward oriented. They didn't give the street front much / any consideration. It is better than the buildings that were once there, but not by a lot. At least it's new retail though. The other buildings were empty.

[NCMike1990]

6 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I've heard November floating around from a couple of people, though I don't know the reliability of that. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to open on the 10-year anniversary of the Blue Line grand opening, which was November 24, 2007.

Yeah I never really read too much into the "March 2018" opening. I believe it was more of a deadline to be met. My thinking is if everything goes smoothly as far as the additional work and testing that's left, then they'll open in November, which would be the 10-year anniversary. It would be symbolic to have it open at that time. So I think November is a reasonable time that we can expect it to open to the public. We'll see what happens...

[Desert Power]

Just saw the most ridiculous thing ever with Lynx.  I was walking along the rail line to work and was next to the CTC/Epicenter station.  There was a Southbound and Northbound train passing by.  The Southbound train slowed down, but didn't stop at all.  There were well over a dozen people waiting, confused, as it continued down to 3rd Street.

[tozmervo]

4 minutes ago, Desert Power said:

Just saw the most ridiculous thing ever with Lynx.  I was walking along the rail line to work and was next to the CTC/Epicenter station.  There was a Southbound and Northbound train passing by.  The Southbound train slowed down, but didn't stop at all.  There were well over a dozen people waiting, confused, as it continued down to 3rd Street.

This time of day it might have been going out of service as they wind down from 10-minute rush hour service.

[AuLukey]

Just my opinion, but it is predominantly industrial. With the exception of a couple of stops and UNCC, there is a void of population except for those working in the industrial areas. It would have been so much wiser to go north through Huntersville, Cornelius. Davidson, and Mooresville where the populations exist. Nevertheless, I hope that a miracle makes the areas adjacent to the tracks blossom. Congrats NoDa and UNCC. Please use the rail. They will need your business.

I'm not sure if you realize the number of people that work and live in University. It is the metro's second largest employment hub (behind Uptown) and, on its own, has a larger residential population (171,000 according to University City Partners) than all of the northern towns (D.C.H.M.) combined (111,038 as of 2013.) Many would say those towns are much more dense, but I'd beg to differ. Overall, the square mileage of the northern towns combined is ~63 square miles. I can't get an exact bead on the physical size of UC, but I can't image it is too much larger--depending on the boundaries that UCP is declaring for its stats. Given the swaths of three or four-story multifamily developments within a half-mile of Tryon, I'd confidently say that the areas around the UC stops are far more dense.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while it would not seem as though the stops in UC have that large of a population that would use them, they do. Many people have this ill-perceived need to belittle UC... which is why I rant. The empty space directly around the light rail stops will fill in. That's exactly the reason they chose the spots they chose for stations. There wouldn't be any sense in placing it in areas that have no room to grow.

[caterpillar2]

13 hours ago, AuLukey said:

 

I'm not sure if you realize the number of people that work and live in University. It is the metro's second largest employment hub (behind Uptown) and, on its own, has a larger residential population (171,000 according to University City Partners) than all of the northern towns (D.C.H.M.) combined (111,038 as of 2013.) Many would say those towns are much more dense, but I'd beg to differ. Overall, the square mileage of the northern towns combined is ~63 square miles. I can't get an exact bead on the physical size of UC, but I can't image it is too much larger--depending on the boundaries that UCP is declaring for its stats. Given the swaths of three or four-story multifamily developments within a half-mile of Tryon, I'd confidently say that the areas around the UC stops are far more dense.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while it would not seem as though the stops in UC have that large of a population that would use them, they do. Many people have this ill-perceived need to belittle UC... which is why I rant. The empty space directly around the light rail stops will fill in. That's exactly the reason they chose the spots they chose for stations. There wouldn't be any sense in placing it in areas that have no room to grow.

 

Good luck with your projection.

[KJHburg]

Had some time to kill in the University area today here are the final three stations: UNCC Main, JW Clay with garage and the McCullough station where 2 one story office buildings will be razed for new 5 story apartment building with retail on ground.  1 end of the line literally 2. UNCC main station on campus 3. JW Clay station 4. McCullough 

[Matthew.Brendan]

[videtur quam contuor]

Do these stations, or the others, or the cars themselves have an anti-tagging paint or some  other such protection?

[Niner National]

Saw this by the railroad bridge over N. Tryon a few minutes ago.

[archiham04]

^Took me a second to catch the significance.

[QCxpat]

On 4/24/2017 at 6:40 PM, AuLukey said:

 

I'm not sure if you realize the number of people that work and live in University. It is the metro's second largest employment hub (behind Uptown) and, on its own, has a larger residential population (171,000 according to University City Partners) than all of the northern towns (D.C.H.M.) combined (111,038 as of 2013.) Many would say those towns are much more dense, but I'd beg to differ. Overall, the square mileage of the northern towns combined is ~63 square miles. I can't get an exact bead on the physical size of UC, but I can't image it is too much larger--depending on the boundaries that UCP is declaring for its stats. Given the swaths of three or four-story multifamily developments within a half-mile of Tryon, I'd confidently say that the areas around the UC stops are far more dense.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while it would not seem as though the stops in UC have that large of a population that would use them, they do. Many people have this ill-perceived need to belittle UC... which is why I rant. The empty space directly around the light rail stops will fill in. That's exactly the reason they chose the spots they chose for stations. There wouldn't be any sense in placing it in areas that have no room to grow.

 

What are the largest employment nodes in Charlotte and how do they rank?  For example, what's the size and rank order for (1) Center City, (2) University City and UC Research Park, (3) South Park and Phillips Place area, (4) Ballantyne, (5) Novant Presbyterian Health Care and Carolinas Medical Center - Mercy area, (6) Carolinas Medical Center - Blythe Blvd. area, (7) Arrowood Rd. - Westinghouse Blvd. Industrial Parks area, (8) Charlotte Douglas International Airport, (9) South End, (10) NoDa, (11) MoRA?  (N.B.: I haven't tried to put these in any particular order; off the top of my head and not a comprehensive list of Charlotte's major employment centers).  Thank you.

Edited May 2, 2017 by QCxpat

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, QCxpat said:

What are the largest employment nodes in Charlotte and how do they rank?  For example, what's the rank order for (1) Center City, (2) University City and UC Research Park, (3) South Park and Phillips Place area, (4) Ballantyne, (5) Novant Presbyterian Health Care and Carolinas Medical Center - Mercy area, (6) Carolinas Medical Center - Blythe Blvd. area, (7) Arrowood Rd. - Westinghouse Blvd. Industrial Parks area, (8) Charlotte Douglas International Airport, (9) South End, (10) NoDa, (11) MoRA?  (N.B.: I haven't tried to put these in any particular order; off the top of my head and not a comprehensive list of Charlotte's major employment centers).  Thank you.

I dunno about employement nodes, but if commercial Sq Footage is any indication as of 2Q 2016

1. CBD – 22M
2. Airport – 13M
3. Midtown – 8.6M (includes CMC, Novant, and SouthEnd)
4. Highway 51 – 8.6M (Includes Ballantyne)
5. University – 8.3M
6. Southpark – 5.7M (doesn't include Capitol Towers I don't think)
7. Northeast/I-77 – 5.5M
8. East Charlotte – 4M
9. Crown Point – 3M
10. Northwest Charlotte 1.4M
11. Park Road – 1.2M

Edited May 2, 2017 by Guest

[kermit]

2 hours ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

I dunno about employement nodes, but if commercial Sq Footage is any indication as of 2Q 2016

1. CBD – 22M
2. Airport – 13M
3. Midtown – 8.6M (includes CMC, Novant, and SouthEnd)
4. Highway 51 – 8.6M (Includes Ballantyne)
5. University – 8.3M
6. Southpark – 5.7M (doesn't include Capitol Towers I don't think)
7. Northeast/I-77 – 5.5M
8. East Charlotte – 4M
9. Crown Point – 3M
10. Northwest Charlotte 1.4M
11. Park Road – 1.2M

Don't the CBRE etc. reports omit owner-occupied space (e.g. not leasable)? If so that would add at least 2 million square feet in UC from the WacFirstWells CIC building (about 10,000 employees?). I also wonder how they count hospitals (I bet not at all).

The Census Bureau County Business Pattern web site allows look ups of employment by zip code. If I didn't have a long to do list today I would handle it.....

EDIT: Those sources do omit government space so UNCC buildings would add another 3,000ish employees (and 25,000 students) to U City figures

Edited May 2, 2017 by kermit