Scaleybark station

Location

The station is located in the median of South Boulevard at Whitton Street and is accessible by pedestrian crossing at intersection. The immediate area is currently in the midst of a redevelopment, spearheaded by Beacon Partners; which will transform the area into a 15 acre mixed-use development called LoSo Station. Nearby, several breweries and distilleries are located in the area.

Artwork

Furrow, completed in 2007, was created by Raleigh artist Thomas Sayre, are six disks each are 18 ft in height and weigh in at 11 tons each. Commissioned by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), as part of the CATS Art in Transit program, the shapes of the sculpture resembles that of a plow's disk harrows, and are located at the ends of the median approaching the platform. The materials utilized in the creation of the disks included 72 cubic yards of dirt excavated from the site of the I-485/South Boulevard station. The dirt was mixed with concrete tinted with iron oxide and applied to the steel discs in the Scaleybark parking lot. Each disc measures only 9 in in width, and have been engineered to withstand hurricane-force winds. Originally, Sayre's vision called for a 30 ft disk near Clanton Road and three additional disks, ranging between 12 ft to 16 ft in height at Scaleybark.

A canceled public art project for Scaleybark called for the restoration of the neighboring Queens Park Theater tower sign. To be created by New York City artist R.M. Fisher, the restored landmark was to have featured lighted panels at the base with backlighted paintings of long leaf pines, the North Carolina state tree. The project was eliminated in January 2005 due to escalating overall costs for the project as a whole.

History

The station officially opened for service on Saturday, November 24, 2007, and as part of its opening celebration fares were not collected. Regular service with fare collection commenced on Monday, November 26, 2007. Although it is named the Scaleybark station, it is actually located opposite Scaleybark Road across South Boulevard at its intersection with Old Pineville Road in a 70 ft wide median. It has side platforms, which sit on either side of the tracks, and a 315-space park and ride to the west across South Boulevard.

In 2019, the park and ride was temporarily relocated to a new location along Dewitt Lane, while the former lot location along Whitton Street was redeveloped as part of the LoSo Station mixed-use development. Beacon Partners, which is leading the 15 acre project, says that the park and ride will eventually be reincorporated.

Incidents and accidents

• November 11, 2007: A man was struck by a train during the LYNX testing phase near the junction of Old Pineville Road and South Boulevard, just south of the Scaleybark station. The incident marked the first fatality involving a LYNX train and a pedestrian.
• July 10, 2009: The Charlotte Flash Mob group boarded the 7:33 train headed to I-485 at this station and blew bubbles until exiting at the next stop, Woodlawn Station. Over 40 people attended and it received coverage, both online and print, in the next day's Charlotte Observer.

Station layout

The station consists of two side platforms and six covered waiting areas; other amenities include ticket vending machines, emergency call box, and bicycle racks. The station also features several art installations including Bas-reliefs entitled Hornbeam, by Alice Adams. Mexican Bingo motifs on both the pavers and shelters, by Leticia Huerta; and track fencing with sweetgum leaves, by Shaun Cassidy.

Two bus stands are located along southbound South boulevard, catercorner to the station at Whitton Street.

References

References

1. "Scaleybark Station". [[Charlotte Area Transit System]].
2. Esposito, Gina. (January 30, 2019). "Big development in works for Lower South End, near Scaleybark light rail station". [[WSOC-TV]].
3. Fahey, Ashley. (May 26, 2021). "Here's what's planned and underway after string of real estate deals near Lynx Scaleybark Station". [[American City Business Journals.
4. Maschal, Richard. (September 25, 2007). "Sculptures rise amid transit debate". The Charlotte Observer.
5. "BLE Artist Sayre". Charlotte Area Transit System.
6. Whitacre, Dianne. (September 9, 2004). "Light rail artists craft functional forms". The Charlotte Observer.
7. Whitacre, Dianne. (January 11, 2005). "Light rail: Higher prices, later arrival". The Charlotte Observer.
8. Harrison, Steve. (November 25, 2007). "Light rail, heavy traffic - Thousands wait in lines for a free ride on 1st day". The Charlotte Observer.
9. Whitacre, Dianne. (January 26, 2006). "Changes for drivers too: Median to split part of South Boulevard". The Charlotte Observer.
10. Smoot, Hannah. (April 12, 2022). "Scaleybark Park and Ride lot closed to CATS riders. These are the other options.". [[The Charlotte Observer]].
11. Bethea, April. (November 12, 2007). "LYNX train kills man". The Charlotte Observer.
12. . (July 11, 2009). "Flash mob blows bubbles to brighten commute". *The Charlotte Observer*.
13. "Scaleybark Station: Art in Transit". Charlotte Area Transit System.