Fire destroys apartment building - Carolina Weekly Newspapers

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We take a very personal approachwith every patient and are committed to servingour community. Schedule an appointment withMetrolina Eye Associates today and discover howwe can achieve the best results for you and yourfamily.Stallings Professional Center4101 Campus Ridge RoadMatthews, NC 28105704.234.1930www.metrolinaeye.comPage 12 • Dec. 17-23, 2010 • South Charlotte WeeklyMelissa Game Shipley, MDPediatric Ophthalmology & Adult StrabismusNow Accepting New Patients!Metro Medical Center630 Comfort Lane, Ste. EMonroe, NC 28112704.289.5455NewsIndependence(continued from page 1)“assurance letters” as required by theFederal Relocation Act. The federal lawrequires governments to give propertyowners displaced by a road project at least90 days advance notice to move fromtheir property.Some property owners – particularlythose facing demolition of their houses orbuildings – thought they had only 90 daysto vacate once they got the letter, Burlesonsaid. But the state’s own deadline foracquiring the utility-related properties isJune 1.After state officials have acquired theproperty – either through a negotiatedsettlement or eminent domain – the ownersreceive a final 30-day notice to move,he said.According to planning documents, thestate won’t have to demolish many structureson most of the land it needs for theutility-line work. Those same documentsindicate nine houses, four buildings andlights and/or signs at 10 businesses willhave to go.But Burleson acknowledges the list isn’tcomplete – that more property owners willface some type of demolition work.The list doesn’t indicate the need fordemolition on the property of Richard andConstance Keffer, but Rick Parker, vicepresident of Keffer Automotive Group,doesn’t see how the state can avoid it.Parker points to the survey markings inthe middle of the front parking lot of Keffer’sadministrative office and body-andpaintshop at 4800 Independence Blvd.The closest marking can’t be much morethan 6 feet from the former show roomfront door, and the front parking lot lightsfall well within the survey markers.Parker points to a second building atthe south end of the Keffer property. Thesurvey markings appear to run under orright next to the front of that building.An appraiser already has toured thebody shop and office, Parker said, but he’snot heard the results. By cutting off thefront of the parking lot, the road projectwill “neuter” the property. “We won’t beable to use the property,” Parker said. “I’mnot going to let it remain standing – if Ican help it.”The survey markings appear to bisectthe showroom of the next business north,Auto City, at 4700 E. Independence Blvd.General Manager Benjamin Irkhin saidMonday, Dec. 13, that Auto City movedinto the space about a month ago, and heplans to keep selling cars there until thestate says he has to move.Burleson doesn’t disagree with Parker’sassessment of the Keffer property. A certifiedappraisal should reflect the loss invalue of the property, Burleson said. Thestate pays independent, certified appraisersto determine a fair value. The statewill try to negotiate a settlement, based onthe certified appraisal, and if a propertyRick Parker, vice president of Keffer AutomotiveGroup, stands between the survey marksindicating how much of Keffer’s praking lotthe state will need when it widens the nextsection of Independence Blvd. Keffer keeps itsoffices and paint-and-body shop at 4800 IndependenceBlvd.owner insists, he or she can take the caseto arbitration and then to court.Roughly 95 percent of cases are settledthrough negotiations or arbitration, savingthe state and the property owners thecost of going to court, Burleson said.In the coming project, the state willexpand Independence from six to eightlanes and extend two center, high-occupancylanes to Cityview Drive, just southof Conference Drive. State officials alsowill exercise a partial restriction on accessto Independence as far as Wallace Lane,Burleson said. That may mean that ashopping center with four driveways willbe reduced to two.The state is buying 15 to 20 feet of rightof way on both sides of Independenceand an additional 8 to 10 feet of permanentutility easement on the eastern side,Burleson said. Once construction crewsbegin moving utilities, the state will maintaindriver access to all businesses. Stateofficials are meeting with city staff andbusinesses in the area to work out details,including adding signs to let drivers knowthat businesses remain open.Of the 23 parcels the state already hasidentified the need for demolition, theowners are listed as:• House: Harvey M. and Jonell B.Thomas; Alejandro and Sandra Lopez;Zachary K. Duck; Paul E. Kerr Jr.; XouWeasah; Victor K. and Tina P. Chen;Evelyn H. Purr; Dorothy L. Marshall; andPaul J. and Thelma Bowers.• Building: Kenneth D. Sauder;Chatham Associates LP; Assent PropertyManagement LLC; and TKC XXIV LLC.• Lights: V.J.G.&S. Associates; HendrickAutomotive Group; R.I.M., M.JU.M.& A.A.M. Investment Corporations;MMR Holdings LLC; Assent PropertyManagement LLC; and IndependenceShops LLC.• Lights and sign: Cole CK Portfoliotwo LLC; Borough Land Limited Partnership;and Sidney & Jerome L. Levin.• Sign: Guy Properties.See a complete list of properties affectedby the utility relocation work online atwww.thecharlotteweekly.com.www.thecharlotteweekly.comFrank DeLoache/SCW photo