WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC-Cavalier Apartments Demolished
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By Steve Crump - bio l email
CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
Call it photo op, political statement, and public demolition all rolled into to one. County commission chair Jennifer Roberts handling the controls of a bull dozer, at the Cavalier apartments for one simple reason."To take down the apartments so that we have different results with flooding." Roberts said.
Flooding that's caused a multitude of problems at both the Doral and Cavalier. Last summer, it forced so many folks out their units that even today there are clear signs that some families never claimed their belongings.
Removing these buildings from a troublesome flood plane comes as a welcome relief to members of the Charlotte Fire Department.
Deputy Chief Jeff Dulin adds,"the Charlotte fire department has rescued over a thousand people from these two locations during flood emergencies."
Knowing these buildings will soon be leveled, Mecklenburg County which now owns the property is going into a different kind of recycling.
Building materials from this site which includes dozens of widows and doors are expected to soon show up on the shelves of the habitat restore, according to Dave Cannan of Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services.
"So habitat can sell material that can be reused. So it's not going into our landfill and those funds can be used to build habitat for humanity homes." Cannan said.
But removing apartment homes here creates the goal of a greenway free from future flooding.
Commissioner Roberts adds this thought. "This you can not build anymore. Done ? It's done. It's green space we hope forever."
Federal money from FEMA is helping pay for the demolition.
The county is applying for a Fema grant for the Doral Apartment complex just across Briar Creek from the Cavalier to also be demolished.
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