NCDOT signs contract for new Charlotte railway
station as major development gets under way
North Carolina Construction News
Crowder Construction Co. has inked a deal with the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for
the $48.6M Charlotte Gateway Station, the beginning of
an overall multi-stage development with an as yet unde-
termined (but massive) construction value.

The current work includes construction of the platform,
structures and roadbed for track to the planned station.

The project was scheduled to begin July 9 and expected
to be finished by April 2022, NCDOT officials said.

The hub will serve Amtrak, the Charlotte Area Transit
System and intercity bus services, taxis and ride-sharing
companies. City crews will construct the station building under a
separate contract to be issued later this year or early in
2019, with planned completion of the initial phase by
2022. Together, the station and infrastructure compo-
nents have an estimated overall value of $75 to $80 mil-
lion, but there are significant additional
projects/developments in planning – which will depend
on private sector participation to complete.

The overall multi-modal station will consolidate public
transit and intercity transportation modes at Trade and
Graham streets in Uptown Charlotte, the city says.

There are several elements to the overall plan includ-
ing (as reported on Charlotte’s website):
The South Block
The South Block is intended to accommodate local
and intercity bus bays and services, integrated in a mixed-
use development. Buses would enter the facility via Third
St. and exit the facility onto Fourth St.

• 8,000 sq. ft. customer amenity area
• six to 10 bus bays
• 14,000 sq. ft. of potential retail space
• 200 residential units on levels two through eight
• 850-900 parking spaces on six levels of a parking deck
• Greenway access
The North Block
The North Block is intended to accommodate a private
development building, possibly a hotel with retail on the
ground floor. Wilkes Place, located between Trade and
Fifth streets, could serve as on-street drop-off lanes.

• 380,000 sq. ft. hotel (10-12 floors) with retail on the
ground floor
• 400 parking spaces on three levels of subsurface or
podium parking
• Greenway access
The city indicates it has started the process of seeking
private sector partners for Main Block, North and South
Blocks, and reminder of the district. It doesn’t project the
overall project value.

The Main Block
The Main Block, at the intersection of South Graham
and Trade streets, can accommodate the station building
as well as large scale private development and repre-
sents the "focal point" of the Station District, featuring
iconic architectural elements; and high-density mixed-use
development integrated with the multi-modal station.

Under existing zoning criteria, the Main Block could ac-
commodate: • 27,000 sq. ft. passenger rail building
• 850,000 sq. ft. private commercial development
• 900 parking spaces on four levels of subsurface park-
ing (200 reserved for rail customers)
• Greenway access
The North Carolina Construction News — Summer 2018 — 9