Drawing of new intersection plan

Cornelius has torn down the former police headquarters downtown, in part to clear the way for a major overhaul of the N.C. 115/Catawba Avenue intersection.

The demolition also would remove an eyesore and make the corner site “more marketable,” along with other town-owned land along N.C. 115 in front of the Food Lion grocery store, Cornelius Town Manager Anthony Roberts said.

The intersection is being rebuilt as part of a long-delayed plan to create a new entrance to the 128-acre Antiquity Cornelius mixed-use development off N.C. 115. Right now, with construction continuing, the main access to the residential side of the project is via South Street in Davidson. Town officials and residents in Davidson have been watching for signs of progress on the Cornelius entrance, and the matter became an issue in the 2007 mayor and town board election. 

The old Cornelius police headquarters, at N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue, was demolished this week. (David Boraks)

ROAD WORK COMING

Plans call for Catawba Avenue to be extended across the railroad tracks, and crossing gates, islands and turn lanes added.

Erosion control work has already begun on the project side of the new intersection, along Zion Avenue, which parallels N.C. 115. Once final permits are issued in the next week or so, construction crews are expected to begin re-configuring Zion, said Marc Frye, project manager for Antiquity’s developer, Venture Properties.

Antiquity has obtained nearly all the permissions it needs to begin work on the N.C. 115 side, but Mr. Frye said that work would not begin for another 45 to 60 days.  The plan is to re-align Zion Avenue first, to provide a bypass in case it’s needed during work on 115 and Catawba, he said.

Mr. Frye said he hopes the intersection will be completed this summer. “We are shooting for mid-summer, subject to weather and no major incidents,” he said. It’s a bit difficult to determine, he said, in part because the utilities under the major intersection are “spaghetti,” and workers could run into delays re-routing those services.

MIXED-USE PROJECT

Antiquity which lies across the railroad tracks, eventually will include at least 700 homes, townhomes and apartments, plus  shops and offices. Some of the housing has been built, and homes are now occupied. And Cornelius last year approved the commercial side of the development, though no buildings have been erected yet.

In a 2004 agreement with Davidson, Cornelius agreed to rebuild the Catawba/115 intersection to create a new main entrance to the planned development. The agreement stipulated that new rail crossing was supposed to be in place by Sept. 30, 2006, or Davidson would have the right to keep South Street closed.

But Cornelius and the developer have had trouble getting permits for the work from a long list of agencies and property owners, including N.C. Department of Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and others.

With most of the permits now in hand, the intersection work is set to begin, starting with Zion Avenue, Mr. Roberts said.

“They should be in a position to start that right away, as soon as the weather dries out,” he said.

He said the police department demolition was needed to make way for the work. “With the turning lane and imporvements, they’ll probably need to encroach on that property,” he said. So the town decided to tear it down.

The town of Cornelius has no immediate plans for the site, though clearing the lot could make it more attractive to potential developers. “We have no plans, no short-term plans, to build anything on the site,” he said. “We’ll just clear the site, grass it over, and wait to see how we can market it.”

DAVIDSON OFFICIALS EAGER

Davidson Mayor John Woods, was a town commissioner at the time of the 2004 agreement with Cornelius. He said this week he understands the delays in completing the Antiquity entrance but he’s glad it is close to becoming a reality, and he said it’s a key to the success of the Antiquity project.

“We continue in close communication with Cornelius officials and, although the connection is behind its originally scheduled completion, we have noted that Cornelius and the developer have been working diligently with the highway and railroad folks to complete the work,” Mayor Woods said. “Needless to say, pulling these parties together, not to mention the economy issues, has been slow in happening.”

We are confident in Cornelius’ and the developer’s abilities to complete this connection. … We certainly hope that completing the front entrance as agreed will allay concerns that the South Street connection become the only or preferred entrance to the neighborhood,” he said.

RELATED COVERAGE

Jan.8, 2008, “In the news: Antiquity plan OK’d”

Jan. 6, 2008, “Deal close for Antiquity entrance.”

July 20, 2007, “With South Street opening soon, residents raise old concerns.”

January 2007, Design for reconfigured N.C. 115/Catawba Avenue intersection, provided to Town of Davidson