Airport construction to ‘shift to the airfield’
Plus: Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston won't run for another term; CMS board chair says assignment plan 'pretty close' to finished; Hot-button Ballantyne issues; Education podcast; Another bank failure
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CLT starts construction on new $1B runway to handle projected growth
Construction has started on the long-awaited fourth runway at the airport, west of the terminal and between two other runways. When complete, the runway and associated projects will reduce delays, airport officials say.
by Ted Reed
Construction of a fourth parallel runway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is underway, as the airport works to ensure its continued role as the Southeast’s second largest airport and American Airlines’ second largest hub.
Speaking to the city council last week, Aviation Director Haley Gentry said that with work on terminal expansion about half done, the focus of the airport’s expansion program “will start to shift to the airfield.”
“We have started construction,” Gentry said. “Trees are coming down. Grading is starting.”
The bulk of the cost of the $1 billion, 10,000-foot runway will be paid by the Federal Aviation Administration, which has approved the project but has not yet approved the funding. The airport has requested $450 million from the FAA, airport spokeswoman Lee Davis said.
So far, the city council has approved about $165 million in spending for the runway. It’s expected to open in 2027. Gentry said the fourth runway would help reduce delays, allowing planes to get more quickly to airport gates and reduce the use of fuel and airline crew time.
Key expenses approved by the city council include $66 million for program management by Airport ACE, an airport planner; $47 million for early grading by construction and tree clearing company ES Wagner and $25 million for runway engineering by RS&H.
Updates on other airport projects:
Main terminal: Terminal expansion is currently the most visible portion of the airport’s ongoing $3.5 billion improvement project. The $608 million terminal expansion is expected to be finished in 2025. “We’re halfway there,” Gentry told the council. “Just be patient with us.”
New security checkpoints: A key element is to provide more space for the Transportation Security Administration. Like most airports, Charlotte Douglas did not contemplate the existence of TSA when it opened, but the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks led to a new concept of airport security. This summer, Charlotte’s security Checkpoint B will be closed so that it can be modernized and expanded before the end of year holiday travel period.
Terminal A: The second phase of Terminal A’s expansion will allow the airport to open 10 additional gates in 2024. Many of the new gates will be used by Delta.
Record passenger numbers expected: Gentry said the airport expects to handle more passengers this year than the record 50.2 million who passed through in 2019. Both hub carrier American Airlines and other carriers, led by Delta, are seeking to expand in Charlotte. One sign of growth is that American last week announced that Charlotte’s nonstop Madrid service is slated to expand to year-round from seasonal. This summer, American will have 600 peak daily departures.
Gentry told the city council that next year, the airport’s CPE, or cost per enplaned passenger, will be $2.04, about a third higher than the current CPE but still the lowest for any major U.S. airport. The figure does not include costs associated with the planned new runway.
She said that the airport is in a strong financial position, with operating revenues expected to exceed expenditures. Revenue growth, she said, is being driven by parking: “People are staying longer in the parking lots.” Expenses are higher because of inflation and federal mandates on cybersecurity.
Ted Reed covers the airport and airlines for The Ledger. He is a former Miami Herald and Charlotte Observer reporter. His latest book is Kenny Riley and Black Union Labor Power in the Port of Charleston.
Today’s supporting sponsor is Landon A. Dunn, attorney-at-law in Matthews:
School board chair: school assignment plan needs ‘a few tweaks’ but is pretty close; says there are ‘amazing candidates’ to become next superintendent
The prospect of switching Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ assignment boundaries in south Charlotte has attracted hundreds of parents to meetings and inspired some spirited debates.
Although the latest plans affect 28 south Charlotte schools, CMS board chair Elyse Dashew tells us it isn’t the most intense school assignment debate she’s experienced in her nearly eight years on the school board. She recalls a meeting in 2016, when rumors of “forced busing” were emerging and a few thousand people packed into a meeting in Matthews.
As far as the current go-round, likening the intensity to a fever, “there have been some moments where we’re at 98.6, but not 103,” Dashew told The Ledger on Saturday.
A third and final draft is expected from CMS’ planning department the week of May 15, with a public hearing scheduled for May 23 and a school board vote June 6. Dashew says: “I think there are a few tweaks to get fixed, but we’re pretty close.”
She added:
I think we’re getting close to the finish. And I think it's going to be a really strong finish. Every decision we make has so many uncomfortable trade-offs. That’s the nature of the work. But I think we're getting close to a solution that's going to be really good for the kids.
Asked about the search for a new superintendent, Dashew said: “We’re getting some amazing candidates, some of whom are very happy in their jobs.”
She said the district is “poised to have a strong new leader. We’re being very thoughtful about what we need to do as a community to keep that superintendent here for the long-term. CMS is a good district that’s poised to return to being a great district.”
WFAE reported last week that CMS was conducting closed-door interviews with six candidates, with plans to narrow the field this week. School board member Summer Nunn told a community meeting in Ballantyne on Saturday that the board has so far been able to eliminate only two candidates. CMS is hoping to have a “visionary leader” announced by May 9.
Related Ledger articles:
“New CMS south Charlotte boundary draft maps revealed” (April 19)
“5 new hotspots in the CMS boundary maps” (🔒, April 21)
“Readers sound off on new CMS south Charlotte boundary draft maps” (🔒, April 26)
“The taboo argument in CMS boundary debate: ‘property values’” (🔒, April 28)
◼️ Olde Providence concerns: An article in The Charlotte Observer this morning examines the concerns of parents in the Olde Providence zone, who would shift from Myers Park to South Meck under the latest plans. Some parents say it would mean a 30-minute commute and that students could not walk or bike as they could to nearby Providence High. “Sending us 8 miles in a different direction to South Meck makes no sense,” one parent said.
➡️ Stick with The Charlotte Ledger for unparalleled coverage of the south Charlotte school boundary changes. We provide the latest news plus in-depth analysis. What should we be writing about? Let us know.
Officials give updates on hot-button Ballantyne issues: road widening, break-ins, 1,100-home rezoning
More than 200 residents packed into a meeting on Saturday to hear the latest on several hot-button topics in the Ballantyne area, from a controversial rezoning to a major road-widening that many neighbors oppose.
A quick recap, of the meeting, which was convened by City Council member Ed Driggs:
◼️ Widening of U.S. 521 (Johnston Road): The N.C. Department of Transportation is planning to widen U.S. 521 to six lanes between I-485 and the state line to reduce traffic congestion, but some residents oppose the plan. Others object to a possible design that would require them to turn right out of their neighborhoods and make a U-turn, instead of making a left turn onto U.S. 521, as they currently can. NCDOT engineer Brett Canipe said no decisions have been made.
He said the project is in a “preliminary design phase” and that NCDOT would consult with residents this summer, as with as with city officials. Asked by a woman in the audience if the project would be scrapped if 80% of residents oppose it, Canipe said: “We’ll definitely have that conversation.”
He told The Ledger afterward in an interview that no decisions have been made on whether to move the iconic Ballantyne monuments at the corner of U.S. 521 and Ballantyne Commons Parkway because of the project. Construction on the project is scheduled to start in 2028.
◼️ I-485 toll lanes: NCDOT is continuing work on adding toll lanes on I-485 between I-77 and Independence Boulevard, in addition to the free lanes that will remain. It is projected to be complete by early 2025.
◼️ Piper Glen rezoning: The crowd and Driggs largely panned a developer’s proposal to build 1,100 homes on 53 wooded acres between Elm Lane and Rea Road in the Piper Glen area. The Ledger reported last month that city staff expressed concerns about the project to developer RK Investments. Driggs told residents that he has been critical of the project and that when he first heard of it, he told the developer, “You can’t be serious.” (It’s unclear if he used the famous line from “Airplane!” — “Surely you can’t be serious.”) Driggs said Saturday: “I will do everything I can not to let something like this happen.” The statement received sustained applause.
◼️ Ballantyne break-ins: Following a string of break-ins in the Ballantyne area, Lt. David Georgion of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police urged residents to use deadbolts, have neighbors pick up papers and packages when out of town, keep doors and windows locked and use security and video systems. He also said: “We have active investigations, and we are working through those investigations and potential suspects and all that.”
◼️ Ballantyne Reimagined: Northwood Office president John Barton provided an update on the huge Ballantyne Reimagined project, parts of which are set to open soon. A new stream park — with slides and a climbing wall, grassy areas, a water feature with fountains, tables and chairs, a covered patio area and hammocks — is not officially open, but residents have started using it. An amphitheater called “The Amp” will open in the fall, with concerts scheduled.
The company expects announcements of new retail tenants in the next few weeks, and the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery on the site is expected to open in early 2024. (Barton said OMB “is very popular in South End” and that “the owner is married to a German woman. … This is not some synthetic thing. This is real.”) The project will also have a greenway connection. “You’ll be able to get on your bike at the brewery,” he said, before trailing off to audience laughter, then adding that bikers could make it to uptown on the greenway system. A 26-story apartment building is expected to open in the fall of 2024. Construction of future phases would depend on market conditions, Barton said: “We’re probably not going to be building any office anytime soon.” —TM
🎧 New podcast episode: Making schools better
Ross Danis had a long career in education — as a teacher, principal and university dean. But he might be best known in the Charlotte area for his work through MeckEd, a Charlotte nonprofit dedicated to ensuring access to opportunity for all children.
In the latest episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Danis discusses education — his views of how the system needs to transform to help all children succeed. He shares his experience supporting innovative and creative education reform ideas around the country, including in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
The Charlotte Ledger Podcast — which features brain-nourishing and insightful weekly interviews with Charlotte leaders in businesses, nonprofits and other fields — is also available on podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and Google Podcasts. We release new episodes on Fridays. Most are under 25 minutes.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events: SouthPark music and food, Huntersville library festival
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
THURSDAY: SouthPark After Five & Wells Fargo Tee Off Event, 5-10 p.m., Symphony Park. Live music, food trucks & drinks, & hands-on art experiences are coming to Symphony Park at SouthPark After Five on May 4. Enjoy free live music and caricature art starting at 5pm! Stay for the Wells Fargo Tee Off Event to see Yacht Rock Revue from 6-10pm. This event is FREE from 5-6pm, and the Wells Fargo Tee Off Event, beginning at 6pm, is ticketed. This event series will continue every Thursday through June 1st. $25.
SATURDAY: Around the World in 21 Branches, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., North County Regional Library, Huntersville. Fun-filled festival featuring NYT bestselling author Megan Miranda, a community mural painting with De'Neer tha Great, DIY screen printing, scavenger hunt, herbaceous demos with master gardeners, virtual reality experience of new Main Library and so much more. The event is presented by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation and sponsored by Lowe’s. Free.
◼️ Check out the full Ledger events board.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
Braxton Winston to leave City Council: Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston announced that he will not run for another term on the City Council this year as he focuses on running for N.C. labor commissioner in 2024. Winston, who became widely known for his role in the protests over the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in 2016, has been one of the most progressive members of the council since being elected in 2017. (WFAE)
Dan Bishop running for attorney general? Scuttlebutt in Raleigh is that Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop of Charlotte is considering leaving Congress to run for N.C. attorney general next year, according to “multiple” unnamed sources cited by lobbyists on the “Do Politics Better” podcast. Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, is running for governor. (Longleaf Politics)
City budget incoming: City Manager Marcus Jones plans to release the city’s proposed budget for 2023-24, including a recommended tax rate.
UNC Charlotte memorial: UNC Charlotte dedicated a memorial on Friday to the students killed and injured in a campus shooting four years ago. The 25-foot memorial features 1,440 LED lights that will change as people touch and interact with the sculpture. Two students were killed in the April 30, 2019, shooting. (WFAE)
Another bank failure: Federal regulators said they seized First Republic Bank this morning, in the third major bank failure since March and the largest since 2008. Almost all of its assets will be sold to JPMorgan Chase. Charlotte-based Bank of America was among the big banks invited to bid on First Republic’s assets. (Yahoo Finance)
Taking stock
Unless you are a day trader, checking your stocks daily is unhealthy. So how about weekly? How local stocks of note fared last week (through Friday’s close), and year to date:
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Contributing photographer/videographer: Kevin Young, The 5 and 2 Project