Update on Hwy 321 construction between Blowing Rock and Lenoir

(This article is copied with permission from Scott Nicholson of the Mountain Times)

Sections of U.S. 321 will be closed Mondays
Motorists traveling off the mountain toward Lenoir and Hickory will need to steer clear of U.S. 321 on Monday nights.
The N.C. Department of Transportation is adding another closure to help with blasting for the widening project. The additional closure will be on Monday nights between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., beginning on June 1.
The regular closures, taking place from from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, will continue, though NCDOT engineer Lee Hammer said the Monday-night closings may reduce the number of Tuesday closings as crews will be able to blast and remove larger sections of rock with the expanded window of time.
“The one good thing about this is they should be able to pull off a much larger blast, which should move the project along faster,” Hammer said.
The complete project is already more than half a year late. The $64 million widening of a 6.6-mile section from Caldwell County to Blackberry Road was due to be completed by Aug. 15, 2008. It is currently about 80 percent complete, according to Hammer. He anticipates the Monday-night closing will remain in place for at least several months.
The detour from the Boone area follows U.S. 421 to Wilkes County and then detours west on N.C. 18 to Lenoir, reconnecting with U.S. 321.
The third phase of the road widening, originally scheduled to start in 2008, was delayed because of a lack of funds. The right-of-way acquisition is under way in Blowing Rock, with the contract scheduled to be granted in October 2010.
The U.S. 321 widening through the Green Park historic district will be a narrower four-laned highway with no median, while the route near the town of Blowing Rock will include sidewalks, medians and other amenities.
The right-of-way acquisition is under way in Blowing Rock for the third phase of the widening, with the contract scheduled to be granted in October 2010. Pettyjohn said the right-of-way purchases had stalled due to lack of funding.
The route will run from Blackberry Road to Possum Hollow Road near the Tanger Outlet Shoppes on the Parkway. The final 4.3-mile section of the widening project through the town will cost about $46 million.

 

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Tour of Green Homes in Boone, NC - Part 1

Boone has a wonderful NAHB Green Building Committee. I'm so thrilled to see people in this area coming together to make something happen. I'm just trying to keep up with everything that they're doing. Now, more than ever, it's relevant to the real estate industry. They have a great website with a blog, local resources, and upcoming events. A fun event to check out if you're in the area is Green Drinks at Boone Saloon every first and third Thursdays at 5:30. It's an informal laid back gathering for anyone interested to network and brainstorm.

Often times before Green Drinks, the group will hold walk through's of homes that are built in the area with "green" elements. I finished my EcoBroker designation recently and am currently facing the "now what stage" of my green journey. Seeing actual elements discussed in class put into practice really helped solidify some otherwise abstract concepts.

The beautiful home located just outside of Boone features in floor radiant heating throughout. When the home is finished, the heat will be tied into solar hot water collectors. One thing that I think is really unique is that both the floor and trim were salvaged from trees that were cleared off of the lot. Some of the furniture, if it wasn't already second hand, was also made from reclaimed wood. Other aspects were dual flush toilets, energy star appliances, rain gardens and no V.O.C paint. These are just a few highlights. Next time I'm at a walk through I'll be sure to take better notes so that I can elaborate.

The project is working to get classified as a NC Healthy Built Home. If you're not familiar with that certification it is a unique program. The way it works is that there is an extensive checklist made up of all different building practices and you can pick and choose which ones you want to use. The final product is scored by a point system. There are 4 different levels of certification: certified, bronze, silver and gold. (I hope I've explained that right. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

" A Healthy Built Home is a comfortable, healthy and affordable home that reduces energy and water usage and protects the environment. Building materials and processes are selected to reduce pollution and the waste of natural resources both during the manufacturing and construction phases and throughout the life of the home." -NC Healthy Built Homes Website

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Affordable Condos in Boone, NC

Well I've never been one to blog listings but I feel compelled to put the Riverstone Condos that our Company has listed out to the universe. The condos are located just outside of Boone on Hwy 421. They are great for a small family, second home or for ASU students. Phase I is already sold out and the builders are about to break ground on Phase II. They are currently pre-selling them and the projected completion is August of this year. There are two different floor plans to choose from but all units are 2 bedroom -  2 bath. .

Riverstone Condos are now the most affordable in Boone, in a price from 149K to 179K.  And it's not just the price that makes them attractive. They look terrific, inside and out. I was amazed when I toured them.  Upgrades to granite and hardwood floors are also available. If you've been looking to invest or buy a condo instead of renting while your son or daughter are at Appalachian State, this looks like a good option. 

Here are a few pictures but I've got plenty more and would be glad to send them to you.

Feel free to contact me with any further questions.

In addition, There is Riverstone Townhomes which are 3 bedroom 3 bath.

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Main Living Area

More Blue Ridge Parkway Delays

Well I'm sorry to report that the completion date for the Goshen Bridge is moved back to June 1st. The bridge which is located between Boone and Blowing Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway has caused travelers to detour  since early 2008. The previous completion date was this past December but construction was delayed due to the weather as well as a change in the original plans.

Hopefully they won't have to push the date back any further. It really does throw a wrench in everyone's travels. I know for me if I'm driving from Blowing Rock out to 421 towards Wilkesboro, the detour tacks on an extra 15 minutes and extra traffic when it used to be so easy just to hop on the parkway and get to 421 without ever having to hit Boone. The construction also adds to the already congested of traffic in Boone as well. On a more positive Note, the contractors have worked diligently to keep the historical integrity of the bridge intact so it should be a real treat when it's done.

Did you know?...Energy Saving Tips

I'm working on finishing up my Ecobroker course this month so I thought I'd share some of the simple things that I'd never thought of. It's freezing cold here in Blowing Rock so I'm taking in all of the energy saving tips I can get to heat out house effectively.

Did you know that a comfortable humidity level in your home is around 50%. Because the water particles in the air actually conduct heat better,  it's more efficient to heat your home if you don't let it get too dry in the winter.

Did you know that heating and cooling a home accounts for almost half of the homes energy bills.

Did you know that dark colored houses conduct the suns heat while light colored houses actually reflect more of the heat away.

Did you know that a grass covered lawn is actually around 10 degrees cooler in the summer. On the other hand, planting plants too close to the house can actually trap heat and make the air around the house even warmer.

Did you know that placement is extremely important in regards to your appliances. Don't place your refrigerator next to anything that puts out heat, even a window.

Did you know that front loading washing machines use 1/3 of the water of other models. They also spin faster to dry the clothes more therefore resulting in much shorter drying time which also saves energy.

Did you know that self cleaning ovens are more insulated and therefore save energy resulting in lower utility bills.

Did you know that some of the "phantom" appliances that use energy even when they're turned off include your tv, vcr, cell phone chargers and really anything that has an internal clock, timer or memory.

These are just a few fun facts, I'll post again as I learn more.

Do you have any lesser known energy saving tips? Please feel free to comment.

Hwy 321 Construction Pictures...See the Progress for Yourself.

Road construction always seems to take forever, especially when it effects your commute directly.

In the case of bringing up the 4 lane from the bottom of the mountain in Lenoir all the way through Blowing Rock to Boone, they are taking on a truly monumental task that will make for a seamless commute if you're coming to our area from Charlotte or Hickory. If you see the construction on a regular basis, it's astounding to see the incredible work that's being done.

If I have my facts straight, the project was approved in 2004 and plans are for it to be completed by 2014. Portions are nearing completion up to Blackberry Road but the final phase into Blowing Rock has not yet been started.

The road will continue to be closed Tuesday and Thursdays from around 12PM-2PM so that the workers can do a controlled blast and then clean up the rubble. There are also intermittent delays throughout the day so account for extra time when traveling.

There really isn't a good detour if you're trying to get around the construction other than to come to Boone from the 421 (Wilkesboro) side. Sampson road and Globe road are options but they are hard to navigate and travel unless you have really good directions and 4WD.

The best advice I have if you're traveling, is to avoid the road all together during peak hours, be patient and realize that it takes a lot of time to move mountains.

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Blowing Rock and Boone NC - Warm Weather Adventures

I think it's finally safe to say that the warm weather is here to stay. After a relatively mild yet long winter I really appreciate every day as a gift. The trees are finally getting green as you look across the John's River Gorge, chirping birds wake you up in the morning, the air is warm but has just enough crispness to it to make you feel like you're really in the mountains. Everyone seems to breathe easier and relax into the beautiful six months of weather that we have ahead of us.

Appalachian State graduation was last weekend. That's right, the kids are out for the summer. I'm always surprised at how early the college kids get out of school, when the other schools in the area still have another month. Boone is hardly a ghost town though. In addition to the students that decide to stay through the summer, it's the time of year where we trade out students for out- of-towners. The normal congestion in the Downtown area in Boone and Blowing Rock does a little repreve in the few transition weeks before the real "summer season" hits. So....the next month is one of the very best times to plan a visit to the High Country.

There is so much going on in the next few months, I'll touch on a few key activities now and then come back and post some more later.

The Watauga County farmers market is heating up. While it's not at full force yet there are still some local vendors with pre-season goods. Stock up on potted plants, herbs and seeds. Now's the time to plant them yourself and enjoy them for the rest of the summer. You can check out the market every Saturday morning at Horn in the West off of 105 ext. in Boone.

Load up the kids, Tweetsie is finally open. The wild west theme park opens full time on May 23rd and is open on weekends up until then. Younger children will be excited about a "Day Out With Thomas". If you're not familiar, Thomas is a train engine first made famous in children's books and later in an animated series. The event takes place May 30th-June 8th and features storytelling, a 25 minute long ride with Thomas and getting to meet Sir. Topham Hatt in person. Who could ask for anything more?

The last quick thing I'll touch on is Boone's own Scream Time Zipline! I'm really excited about this. It's probably not a great idea seeing that I'm "expecting," but believe you me, come late Fall, I'll write a first hand account. I don't know of a better way to bag a thrill ride and a beautiful tour of the area in one punch. The check-in is out 421 towards Vilas. Click on the site for more specific directions. There are a variety of packages to choose from. The regular tour is 2 1/2 hours of zipline fun. Go to this link and check out the video to see what all of this is about.

That about wraps up my little teaser about some High Country happenings. There's so much more heating up that I'll have to get back to in later posts.

On a quick real estate note: The Boone - Blowing Rock real estate market held steady through the winter and is really starting to warm up as the sap rises. It's a great time to look whether you're looking for a vacation home, something for your child who's at school at ASU, or looking to relocate permanently to this amazing part of the world. There is so much on the market right now. Check out the Watauga, Avery, and Ashe County MLS SEARCH on my web site or contact me directly. I'd love to show you what's out there.