Source: Dan Reynolds Photography / Getty
You know that tall abundant office building that sits off Independence Boulevard in east Charlotte? According to city councilman, the historic building will have new life in the next few weeks.
The Ervin Co.’s corporate building, later renamed after Jim Varnadore in 1992 was the first office tower built outside of uptown in the 1960s. This tower once housed real estate company offices.
WSOC-TV reports a new repurpose plan is in the work for the tower. Councilman Matt Newton said the development team behind the Varnadore building has closed on financing. Construction and interior demolition are expected to begin in the next few weeks. There is now security at the site after past break-ins.
“There is a lot of nostalgia with the building and I think the community has been disappointed to see it fall into disrepair,” Newton told WSOC.
Back in 2018 Council approved changes to the site. The new changes to the building include retail and office space in addition to a rooftop cafe or restaurant.
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“When you are standing on top of that building, there is nothing blocking your view beyond uptown Charlotte,” Carolyn Millen of the Eastway Park and Sheffield Park Neighborhood Association said. “It is beautiful.”
Also, another major change coming to east Charlotte residents will be happy to see. The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced they will begin removing dedicated bus-only lanes along Central Avenue between Eastway Drive near Eastland. Lanes will reopen to normal traffic use.
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The east Charlotte community was not fans of the dedicated bus lanes.
“I have had residents I have run into at the grocery store and I have heard loud and clear that opposition,” Councilmember Dimple Ajmera told WSOC.
News of the lane experiments conclusion was praised by most east Charlotte residents. They regularly contacted elected officials about their dislike for the lane changes. The city will re-mark the lanes over the next two to three weeks to go back to the previous lane patterns.
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