Residents get first look at Exxon site plan

Residents Thursday got their first look at a developer’s plans for a multi-story mixed-use building on the site of Stowe’s Exxon, at South and Main streets. Owner Wayne Stowe has decided to retire and sell the property.

Read and comment on Davidson News & Notes.

Exxon station to be sold for development

C. Wayne Stowe, the owner of Stowe’s Exxon on South Main Street, has decide to quit the business and sell his property to a developer. Read more about his decision to get out of the auto-repair business and about the developers plans for what could be a showpiece building at a prime location downtown, on Davidson News & Notes, http://davidsonnews.net

DEATHS: Johnsie Howard Withers, 88

Mrs. Johnsie Howard Withers, 88, of South Street, died Sunday, Jan. 21, at Autumn Care Nursing Home.

A memorial service is planned Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m. at Lingle Chapel of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Raymer Funeral Home of Huntersville is handling arrangements.

Born August 7, 1918 in Mecklenburg County Mrs. Withers was a daughter of the late Clyde Howard and Minnie McConnell Howard.  She was a member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church, a graduate of Kings Business College and together with her husband, owner and operator of Withers Electric Company since the late 40’s.

Commentary: Infill is making me ill

Sometimes it seems like the South and Walnut neighborhood is under siege, as waves of developers come to roost on our doorsteps.

Yet another bright orange plastic fence now surrounds a cute brick bungalow one block down from us on Walnut Street. Bulldozers have poked gaping holes in its walls, and soon another piece of the neighborhood will be stripped of trees and grass down to the wet red clay that surrounds the old neighborhood now.

Bulldozers growl and beep, beep beep all day, pile drivers shake the ground, and lines of idling dump trucks haul dirt in and out. Maybe the fire department will burn another old home for practice. Welcome to the New Urbanist Planner’s process called Infill.

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Sewer construction to take 5 months

Residents of the South/Walnut neighborhood recently received a letter from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities notifying them that a new sewer line will be installed in the neighborhood between January and May of this year.

The project could create new construction traffic on neighborhood streets.

Got Whitewash? Walnut Grove Does.

While watching the Walnut Grove development site preparation, Robert noticed some clay-like substance in the boggy area that recently held apple trees in the gravel curve of Goodrum Street. Unlike most clay around here it was not red, but white. A curiosity, certainly, but not necessarily a discussion topic.

But then I read about Davidson’s whitewash pit in Ken Brotherton’s Lake Norman Piedmont History (vols 1 & 2). A founding director of the N. Mecklenburg Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Davidson planning and zoning board, and founder of Brotherton Realty Co, Ken Brotherton wrote many historical essays about the Lake Norman area. Originally from Lincoln County, Ken lived in Davidson for much of his life.

Developer, Cornelius describe progress on rail crossing, Davidson wants proof

Davidson officials have asked the town of Cornelius and developer Venture Properties to show whether they are making progress on planning and building a key railroad crossing that would affect traffic between the two towns.

Davidson Town Manager Leamon Brice made the request Monday in a meeting with Cornelius manager Anthony Roberts and representatives of the North Wilkesboro developer.

“I was afraid when I went that they had not been making earnest efforts. I think they have, but I want to see it,” Brice said in an interview Monday.

The proposed rail crossing is supposed to be the main entrance to Antiquity, The Village of Cornelius, a 1,000-unit residential and commercial development on vacant land east of the railroad tracks in downtown Cornelius.

Repeating History

My husband, Robert Lee, lived at 307 Goodrum St for nine years after he got out of school.  Jane and Gordon (the Peck’s) owned the cottage at the time; it is behind their house at the corner of Walnut and Goodrum.   The cottage is a little less than 600 sq ft, which is perfect little house in which to live while bacheloring it.

I attended a dinner party in the cottage one night back in 1996, long before Robert and I started dating.  He had cooked a meal using his solar oven rather than using the oven in the house.  (It was summer, and he was trying to keep the cooling costs down.)  He served Peruvian pork stew, butternut squash, and asparagus.  I grew up in a meat and potatoes family, so all of these foods were new to me.  Now, I love asparagus and butternut squash (by the way, one of our neighbors, Bryan (Readling), grows fabulous butternut squash…).

When Doug and Rea (the Wright’s) bought the house from the Peck’s, they decided to do some upgrading to the cottage.  So Robert bought the house across the street, which was fortuitously up for sale.  So for nine years, he has lived across the street from the cottage.  We’ve seen several single friends live in the cottage, and its latest stint was as Rea’s office. 

We’re about to renovate our house, and fortuitously, the cottage is once again available for rent.   So Robert is returning to his former abode, but this time with me and our four felines.  We’re getting adjusted, but we’ll be here during our renovation, keeping an eye on the neighborhood from the other side of the street. 

It’s cozy in the cottage, but there’s gladly room for friends and neighbors, so drop by and see us sometime!  (And bring some asparagus or other food that you think I shoud try!) 

Contra Dance at IB School

Last month, David wrote a post about the contra dance at the IB school.  We went and had a FABULOUS time.   What a talented group of contra dancers we have living among us here in Davidson…and what a perfect setting in which to whirl!  The old IB school gymnasium was filled with live music from a talented trio and people moved with great enthusiam across the floor. 

I had never contra danced before, and was nervous, but the lessons before the dance were easy to follow and there were so many experienced dancers that I was never lost for long.   There were probably 80 people that showed up, and while it was cold and dark outside, it was really warm and bright in the old gym behind the IB school.

So I was thrilled to discover that this was not a one-time event; Contra Dance Carolina plans to continue using the venue on a monthly basis.  The next dance is Friday, January 12 at Davidson IB Middle School, 251 South St.   If you’re not up to dancing, come listen to the music and watch your friends and neighbors having a grand time.

The dance class starts at 7:30; the dance itself starts at 7:45.  Admission was $7.    Hope to see you there!

Jetton Street closing planned

The town issued the following announcement this afternoon:

Jetton Street will be closed from the Exxon Station to Davidson Gateway Drive from January 8 until January 12. During that time, CMU (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities) will be installing a sewer line. Inclement weather may delay the reopening of the street while work continues. For more information please call Town Hall at 704-892-7591.