Fairview Castle Wall Failing - Perhaps Falling (Charlotte, Asheville: apartment complex, home)

[garth]

Did you guys see this article on the monsterous abomination on the side of 74A (Charlotte Highway)?

Huge retaining walls in Reynolds pose threat | citizen-times.com | Asheville Citizen-Times

Some sections are bulging, and deterioration could accelerate
with rain or snow, the report from Kessel Engineering Group said.

“Movement may be gradual or catastrophic in nature,”
the report said.

<snipped>

. . . builder Blythe Construction
has called the cracks “cosmetic.”

"Cosmetic" . . . ??? . . . he's got to be kidding. This is why some people don't like developers. It's 88' tall, it's buldging, it has 3" wide cracks in it, it's hovering directly over a four lane thoroughfare just 1 mile south of a high school and the developer calls it "cosmetic." That makes me sick. Nobody needs to be an engineer to know that the damage isn't right and is a threat to the public welfare.

Where is Blyth Construction going to be if that thing falls on a school bus of children? I would hope that it wouldn't happen, but if it does I would expect the principals and any people involved in shoddy construction would be sitting in their own 4x8 cell awaiting trial on multiple manslaughter charges. That's just my opinion.

It appears it's already breaking apart and is threatening to fall onto the roadway. The apartments it's supposed to support aren't even built yet. It looks like reason enough to me to disapprove the project and pull down the abomination.

In my little opinion, if someone has to modify the landscape in such an extensive and dramatic fasion in order to create a buildable pad, it shouldn't be built. The land is only doing what it wants to do, and doing what it has been doing for millions of years, which is sliding down into the valleys. That's why the hills are hills instead of mountains like they once were (in spite of being called "mountains" ).

Yet some people think they can overcome natural processes and then walk away leaving others to hold the bag or bear the consequences when their product fails , which includes the reasonable possibility of serious injury or even DEATH! In this case, the developer just got caught before he could finish, disappear and/or hide behind a new LLC. No one has been hurt . . . at least yet.

What do you think is going to happen? I'm afraid they're just going to approve a band aid and let things continue rather than realize that the location is inappropraite for the size and scope of the project.

[The Mule]

We have friends that have a view of that hillside and this abomination. We were looking at it from afar a couple of months ago wondering how well it was going to hold up and what is in its way if it fails.

I'm a cynic, so I think they will do something to mask the cracks and shore it up for a limited period of time, knowing it will need work later, slap each other on the back and call it a day. It is called a political solution to an engineering problem, and it is the prevalent approach, both in government and business.

On the bright side, they could go belly up and just abandon the thing so it can fall down on its own (and take everything beneath it with it).

I'm somewhere between a libertarian and an anarchist on most things, but in this case I would like to see them change any requirement from a completion bond to a "restoration bond." Assuming this stuff gets approved to begin with (and this one looks dumb to me, but it may be a political solution overriding an engineering recommendation), when the developer goes belly up, there needs to be a vehicle to either complete the project or restore the site to pre-construction condition, as best as possible. Obviously you can't restore mature trees that have been torn down, but some sort of restoration should be done.

Yes, it is punitive. Developers will hate it. But that may be a good thing all by itself.

[saucystargazer]

AMEN! I have driven by that thing everyday since it started construction and I couldn't believe it was even allowed to be built. Disgusting.
If that apartment complex is ever finished, are they suppose to put a light in at that intersection? I can't tell you home many times the construction workers have pulled out in front of me and caused me to slam on my brakes. They said its suppose to have 300 units when done. That area is already congested, talk about major headache if it ever does get completed.

[Asheville Native]

That thing is BUTT UGLY, and is a clear indicator of how the greedy developers really don't give a damn about the ugly they leave in their wake, as long as they leave with their pockets full.

[garth]

Looks like they added more info to the article. Here's the latest:

Huge retaining walls in Reynolds pose threat | citizen-times.com | Asheville Citizen-Times

Fifty-four cracks up to 3 inches wide opened in the past six months,

<snipped>

The engineering company recommended people stay clear of the walls until repairs can be made.

So how do we "stay clear of the walls?" Thousands of people drive directly underneath them each and every day.

DEDICATION

In the meantime, here's my dedication to the Great Wall of Fairview.

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM7-PYtXtJM

To quote Stevie Nicks . . .

Take it down,
If you climb a mountain and you turn around,
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills,
Well the landslide will bring it down.

[Slim Smith]

I don't know what they did with the wall. I haven't been by it in about a year but i build segmented walls for a living. The first time I saw the wall my heart sank and I felt sick. I build walls up to 45 feet high and know the dangers involved. That walls scares the hell out of me. I would not want to be the subcontractor who has to repair or take down the wall, that is much more dangerous than building it. Glad its not my company.

[Asheville Native]

It's gone.