Davidson Mayor John Woods (left) and Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte cut a ribbon to open the new intersection Friday. With them are other town officials and developers of the Antiquity Cornelius project behind them. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

One-by-one a police utility vehicle, a fire truck, a vintage car and the Mayor of Cornelius on a bicycle made their way across the railroad tracks at N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue Friday afternoon, christening a new intersection that the mayor said ultimately could transform downtown Cornelius. Read the full story

View west toward the N.C. 115/ Catawba Avenue intersection during construction this winter. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

The Town of Cornelius and Antiquity Cornelius developer Venture Properties will cut a ribbon Friday afternoon to formally christen and open the long-awaited entrance to Antiquity in downtown Cornelius. The 2 p.m. ceremony is at N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue.
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View from atop Cornelius Town Hall shows the intersection of N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue (foreground). That's the Antiquity development at upper left. (Doug Barrick photo)

Map shows detours for N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue. Click to enlarge. Download a PDF below.

The new entrance to the Antiquity Cornelius development in downtown Cornelius is expected to open in late April, but utility work beginning next week means the existing intersection will have to close before it can open fully. N.C. 115 will be closed at Catawba Avenue Tuesday, March 16, through Thursday, March 25.

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A waxing moon sets over the covered bridge leading to the Antiquity neighborhood on South Street shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net photo)

See previous photos of the day, CLICK HERE> Find out how to submit a photo of the day below. Read the full story

Workers lay fresh asphalt at the intersection of N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue in downtown Cornelius this week. (David Boraks photo)

Workers this week are building new turn lanes and reconfiguring the intersection of N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue in Cornelius as they move closer to completion of the Catawba extension. But Cornelius officials say it could late March or early April before the extension is open for traffic across the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and into the Antiquity Cornelius development. Read the full story

Catawba Avenue extension is near completion on the east side of the railroad tracks, off N.C. 115 in Cornelius. (David Boraks photo)

Cornelius officials say a major reconstruction of the main downtown intersection, at Catawba Avenue and N.C. 115, could by completed by Jan. 1.  The work is extending Catawba Avenue east across the railroad tracks and into Antiquity Cornelius, a 128-acre development that eventually could include 1,000 homes as well as offices and shops. Read the full story

A Super Sod truck heads back north on South Street, passing cars in the school drop-off line, after turning around Friday.

Why was an 18-wheeler turning around in the driveway of Davidson Elementary School during peak drop-off time Friday? The incident backed up dozens of cars and buses queued to deliver students around 8:50 a.m.

The truck was one of at least two carrying lawn turf that used South Street Friday morning to reach the Antiquity Cornelius development just across the town line. That’s in violation of an agreement between Cornelius, Davidson and Antiquity’s developer that promises South Street won’t be used as a construction entrance for the mixed-use development. Read the full story

Zion Street is closed at Field Street in Cornelius for work on the new intersection. Work this week will also close N.C. 115. (David Boraks photo)

Main Street/N.C. 115 just north of Catawba Avenue in Cornelius will be one lane only today and tomorrow and completely closed overnight Tuesday for utility work. The town of Cornelius said a state utility crew will be working on storm water drains between Mulberry and Legion streets. Read the full story