By Paul T. Choate
Includes photo gallery below NCDOT land purchase lists.
June 18, 2012. The $66.4 million price tag on the widening of U.S. Highway 321 from Blackberry Road in Caldwell County to Shoppes on the Parkway in Blowing Rock does not tell the whole story of how much this project is really costing the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
According to Division 11 Right of Way Agent Deniel Miles, an estimated almost $26 million is being paid for easements and rights of way on 173 parcels of land along U.S. 321. This brings the total for the project to approximately $92 million.
Just taking into account the $66.4 million project cost, the 4.2 mile stretch of U.S. 321 widening works out to about $15.8 million per mile or almost $3,000 per foot. Adding in the almost $26 million for right of way, it works out to about $22 million per mile or about $4,150 per foot.
Miles said at present, almost $17 million has been settled on.
“That doesn’t included the ones we have filed on and it could be higher than that because of those amounts,” said Miles. “And some of those have settled and I don’t know what that amount is.”
Miles said the figure is still evolving, as some have pushed back against the NCDOT and filed claims to either attempt to keep their land or receive a higher dollar amount. She added that, for now, the almost $26 million appraisal is a close estimate.
Right of way land parcel acquisitions began in August of 2009. Some parcels may still need to be purchased, which also contributes to the fact that no dollar amounts are set in stone yet. Some parcels of equal size can vary greatly in how much they cost the NCDOT.
“It is tough to compare one parcel with another if they are the same size,” said Jerry Higgins, Division 11 Public Information Officer. “There may be different items on the parcels that affect the estimate, such as a house or etc.”
In fact, it’s not just front lawns and parking lots of area businesses that have been taken. Some houses have been demolished to make way for the new four-lane highway.
Construction began on widening U.S. 321 in January of 2012 after the project was awarded to Taylor & Murphy Construction Company Inc. of Asheville in December of 2011. Blasting operations were scheduled to begin in Blowing Rock on Wednesday, June 13.
Right of Way and Easements
The NCDOT’s Right of Way branch is in charge of all acquisitions of land parcels for right of way use for construction and maintenance on roads and highways. Also, in some cases, the NCDOT can obtain easements on property. In the case of an easement, the property owner remains free to use the property for any purpose that does interfere with the right of way or easement.
The amount of land needed for rights of way and easements varies depending on conditions.
“The right of way footage for eminent domain may depend on the area” said Higgins. “For example, in some cases, it could be 100 feet. In others, it could be guardrail to guardrail.”
For more information about the U.S. Highway 321 widening project, contact Division 11 Resident Engineer Doug Eller at 828-964-3260 or visit ncdot.gov/projects/blowingrock321.
For more information about the NCDOT Department of Right of Way, call 336-667-9114 or 919-733-1390.
To look up public records on land transfers in Watauga County, visit http://72.15.246.181/watauganc.
So who got paid?
Editor’s note: The following is a list of public records compiled from the Watauga County Register of Deeds regarding Department of Transportation land parcel acquisitions for the U.S. 321 widening project. This is an incomplete and evolving list, partially because some parcels were acquired from Caldwell County and because some acquisitions have not been settled yet.
Name | NCDOT Payment |
Christopher M. Estes | $750,000 |
Gregory H. Hampton | $771,500 |
Betty B. Wade | $21,500 |
Preston R. Taylor, Jr. | $51,500 |
Charles G. Pethel | $46,500 |
Jacqueline E. Roberts | $52,500 |
Tammy G. Hurley | $40,000 |
Rosemary Fowler | $108,500 |
Richard W. Gragg | $143,000 |
Carol B. Coffey | $100,500 |
Thomas J. McNamara | $717,000 |
Green Park Inn | $70,000 |
Christine S. Abernethy | $1,024,500 |
Frances W. Weant | $350,000 |
Everett H. Walker, Jr. | $65,000 |
Ransom Street LLC | $64,000 |
John F. Robinson | $195,000 |
Richard K. Chesnutt | $500,500 |
Billy B. Triplette | $101,500 |
Timothy W. Gentry | $350,500 |
Stonetree Development Inc. | $331,000 |
Eac Investments LLC | $2,500 |
Melisa L. Stripling | $258,000 |
Paul C. Gragg | $364,500 |
Hillary L. M. Rosenberg | $217,500 |
Deborah K. Buxton | $852,500 |
Gregorgy Landau | $625,000 |
Town of Blowing Rock | $392,000 |
Keith R. Biggers | $265,000 |
Dixie T. Vanderwerff | $325 |
Byron S. Cooke | $1,250 |
Blowing Rock ABC Board | $27,000 |
Ronald Cambria | $82,000 |
Charles T. Sizer, Jr. | $56,550 |
Keith McDonald | $17,000 |
Henry P. Woodburn, III | $20,000 |
Arthur M. Skibbe, Jr. | $255,500 |
H.L. Trivette | $3,500 |
David L. Brown | $5,500 |
David G. Cox | $24,000 |
Linda F. Crucet | $72,000 |
Cliff Dweller Enterprises Inc. | $68,000 |
BR Watauga, LLC | $229,000 |
Thad L. McNulty | $18,750 |
UCB NC Properties Inc. | $15,500 |
Darrell Cain | $81,000 |
Phyllis C. Lester | $200,000 |
Donald B. Dunlap | $40,000 |
Dennis K. McDonald | $625,500 |
Betty M. Coffey | $10,000 |
Lewis P. Coffey | $3,000 |
M. Ellen Lloyd | $21,500 |
Thamena Hanna | $80,000 |
Carl Underwood | $120,000 |
HHC Co. Inc. | $1 |
Edward H. Robertson, III | $240,000 |
Other lists
Full list of parcel numbers and corresponding property owners in Watauga and Caldwell counties
Submitted by Jerry Higgins
PARCEL NO. |
PROPERTY OWNER |
10 | Hal G. Sigman |
10-A | Brian Bolick, et al |
011 | Burt M. Myers |
012 | Saint Marks Lutheran Church |
013 | Burt M. Myers |
014 | Wood Stone Estates |
015 | Mountain Air Land, LLC |
016 | George Poteat |
017 | Terry Britton |
018 | Sterling Trust Company |
018A | Sterling Trust Company |
019 | Paul F. Armbruster |
019A | Paul F. Armbruster |
020 | Elizabeth Free |
021 | John S. Craig |
21Z | (John W. Craig) John W. Craig Estate |
022 | David H. Armbruster, II |
024 | Cline Real Estate Investment, LLC |
025 | Benjamine D. Griffin |
026 | Randall Silver |
26Z | Randall Silver |
027 | Robert W. Sappenfield |
028 | John W. Craig |
031 | Patton Breon Reighard |
032 | Donald Favian Vincent |
035 | Dell B. Wilson |
036 | Neal C. Ford |
038 | Village Gate Development |
039 | Baxter-Norris Consturction, Inc., Et Al |
040 | Ann Moore |
40Z | Ann Moore |
041 | Anne H. Bernhardt, et al(combined w/42) |
046 | Lisa Sowards |
047 | Winterset, LTD |
048 | Blackberry Ridge Condominiums |
049 | Thad L. McNulty |
055 | Mary Briggs Shuford |
062 | Blowing Rock Country Club |
064 | Blowing Rock Attractions |
64Z | Blowing Rock Attractions |
065 | Blowing Rock Improvement |
65Z | Blowing Rock Improvement |
066 | Lee Oval Jaynes |
069 | ASU (Mariam C. Hayes) |
070 | Green Park Inn, Inc. (Ellaron) |
70Z | (Ellaron, LLC) Blowing Rock, LLC |
072 | HFMI Properties, Inc. |
075 | (Leon D. Terry, Sr.) Townes at Greenh |
075A | Denise B. Nowery |
75AZ | Robert K. & Denise B. Nowery |
076 | Blowing Rock Country Club |
077 | (Glenn R. Johnson) Walter Bovard |
078 | David Laughter |
079 | Jennie H. Grist |
080 | Thomas L. McNamare |
081 | Eva Conway |
082 | Christine Arney/Allen Miller |
083 | Cecil Stallard |
084 | Edward and Susan Robertson |
085 | Fairway Villas |
086 | Pinnacle Woods, Inc. |
087 | F. G. Harper |
088 | Fairway Properties & Investments |
090 | Caldwell Realty & Investment Co. |
093 | Gerald D. Sullivan |
095 | Patsy S. Ebert |
95Z | Patsy Ebert |
096 | Darrell Cain |
097 | William Franklin Mabry |
098 | Dixie T. Vanderwerff |
100 | Keith Rennie Biggers |
100Z | Keith Rennie Biggers |
101 | Blue View of Blowing Rock, Inc. |
102 | Robert J. Arey |
103 | John and Neal Orgain |
104 | Dennis W. Dagenhardt |
105 | F. G. Harper Trustees & Ford |
106 | Henry P. Woodburn, III |
106Z | Henry P. Woodburn, III |
107 | John F. Robinson |
107Z | John F. Robinson |
108 | Robert C. Abernethy |
108Z | Robert C. Abernethy |
109 | Medearis Properties, Lmtd. Partner |
110 | Frank M. Mongelluzzi |
111 | Willaim P. Furr |
113 | G. Andrew Metzger |
114 | Frances W. Weant |
115 | Timothy Worth Gentry |
116 | Church of God |
117 | Dennis K. McDonald |
118 | Beautiful View Investments, LLC |
119 | Louise C. Hemphill |
120 | Mak Property Management, LLC |
120Z | Mak Property Management, LLC |
121-A | The Hamptons of Blowing Rock |
121 | Capital Ideas, Inc. |
123 | Sandra J. Glover |
124 | H. H. C. Co., Inc. |
125 | Walter C. Deem, Jr. |
126 | Lewis Paul Coffey, etal. |
128 | D. Paul Coffey |
128Z | Carol Banner Coffey |
129 | Frank Mongelluzzi |
130 | Gregory H. Hampton |
130Z | Gregory H. Hampton |
131 | Stone Tree Development, Inc. |
131Z | Stone Tree Development, Inc. |
132 | Ransom Street, LLC |
132Z | Ransom Street, LLC |
133 | Richard K. Chestnut |
134 | Arthur M. Skibbe, Jr. |
135 | Milan Inc. |
136 | Rosemary Fowler |
137A | Paul Cabell Gragg |
137 | (Thomas L. Gragg, et al) Paul Cabell Gragg |
137Z | (Thomas L. Gragg, et al) Paul Cabell Gragg |
138 | Wilson E. Deal |
139 | Tammy Lea Greene |
140 | Jacqueline A. Roberts |
141 | Charles Glenn Pethel |
142 | Triplett & Houston |
142Z | Triplett & Houston |
143 | Charles T. Sizer |
144 | Betty Buckner Wade |
145 | Preston R. Taylor, Jr. |
146 | Everett H. Walker, Jr. |
147 | Melisa L. Stripling |
149 | Christopher M. Estes |
150 | OSF Real Estate, LLC |
151 | Keith McDonald |
152 | Hillary Lacy Major |
153 | David G. Cox |
154 | 8180 Valley Blvd., LLC. |
155 | Gregory Landay |
156 | Phyllis C. Lester |
157 | Douglas Dwight Icenhour |
158 | New River Falls Property Owners’ |
159 | UCB North Carolina Properties |
160 | Richard W. Gragg |
161A | Town of Blowing Rock |
161-B | Deborah Keyes Buxton |
161AZ | Town of Blowing Rock |
161-BZ | Deborah Keyes Buxton |
162 | Town of Blowing Rock ABC |
164 | Brothers In Arms, LLC |
165 | Charming Inns of Blowing Rock |
166 | Christian Science Society |
168 | Ronald Cambria |
168A | Byron Stone Cooke |
169 | Keith McDonald |
170 | Frank Mongelluzzi |
171 | Intermediate Real Estate, LLC |
172 | Gregory H. Hampton |
174 | Town of Blowing Rock |
175 | Thamena Hanna |
176 | Richard W. Gragg |
177 | David L. Brown |
178 | Gregory Landay |
181 | Blowing Rock Community Art |
182 | Michael E. Filipski, et al |
183 | Donald B. Dunlap |
184 | Suzanne S. Miller |
186 | Larry Edwin Mull |
187 | BR Watauga LLC |
189 | Cliff Dwellers Enterprises, Inc. |
190 | RSK, LLC |
191 | Jeremiah G. Sumnter |
193 | Margaret Ellen Lloyd |
194 | Cliff Dwellers Enterprises, Inc. |
195 | Tanawha, LLC |
197 | (Susie W. Underwood) Carl Underwood |
198 | S. Owen Coffey Trustee |
200 | EAC investments, LLC |
List of parcels and payments requested for both Watauga and Caldwell counties
Submitted by Jerry Higgins
WBS Element | Parcel | Date Payment was Requested | Amount of Payment for Property Acquired |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 901 | 09/24/2004 | $534,100.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 182 | 06/29/2011 | $72,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 178 | 12/15/2010 | $155,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 177 | 06/02/2011 | $5,100.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 176 | 12/22/2009 | $18,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 174 | 01/13/2011 | $378,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 172 | 10/19/2009 | $600,600.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 169 | 04/11/2011 | $17,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 168A | 03/04/2011 | $1,250.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 168 | 03/24/2011 | $82,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 165 | 05/31/2011 | $23,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 162 | 03/03/2011 | $26,750.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 161B | 11/19/2010 | $851,850.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 161A | 12/20/2010 | $126,750.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 160 | 06/24/2011 | $125,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 155 | 01/06/2011 | $471,950.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 153 | 06/14/2011 | $24,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 152 | 11/29/2010 | $585,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 149 | 08/21/2009 | $750,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 147 | 10/07/2010 | $257,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 146 | 06/08/2010 | $65,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 145 | 10/30/2009 | $51,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 144 | 11/03/2009 | $21,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 143 | 03/29/2011 | $56,450.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 141 | 11/05/2009 | $46,400.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 140 | 11/13/2009 | $52,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 139 | 11/13/2009 | $38,200.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 138 | 03/01/2011 | $263,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 137A | 10/14/2010 | $6,650.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 137 | 10/07/2010 | $357,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 136 | 11/30/2009 | $108,450.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 135 | 03/15/2010 | $37,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 134 | 04/28/2011 | $251,100.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 133 | 07/14/2010 | $495,650.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 132 | 05/12/2010 | $63,700.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 131 | 08/04/2010 | $330,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 130 | 01/11/2010 | $146,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 129 | 03/07/2011 | $235,650.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 128 | 04/06/2010 | $89,050.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 126 | 03/25/2010 | $10,950.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 120Z | 04/05/2011 | $20,075.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 119 | 04/11/2011 | $124,560.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 118 | 06/09/2011 | $208,225.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 115 | 08/06/2010 | $343,850.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 114 | 05/05/2010 | $350,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 113 | 06/17/2011 | $315,225.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 110 | 03/07/2011 | $1,538,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 108 | 05/14/2010 | $979,200.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 107 | 07/14/2010 | $195,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 106 | 04/28/2011 | $20,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 103 | 06/23/2011 | $291,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 102 | 04/28/2011 | $4,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 101 | 04/29/2011 | $5,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 100 | 01/18/2011 | $262,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 098 | 03/04/2011 | $325.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 095 | 11/19/2010 | $664,825.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 093 | 04/05/2011 | $37,750.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 082 | 10/19/2010 | $251,240.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 081 | 02/08/2011 | $155,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 080 | 03/23/2010 | $716,700.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 079 | 10/11/2010 | $100,100.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 078 | 03/24/2011 | $193,550.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 077 | 04/13/2010 | $215,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 075A | 05/07/2010 | $404,250.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 075 | 02/05/2010 | $201,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 072 | 07/02/2010 | $340,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 070 | 05/04/2010 | $69,800.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 069 | 07/15/2010 | $280,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 066 | 05/21/2010 | $133,800.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 065 | 04/08/2010 | $16,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 064 | 05/18/2010 | $263,325.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 055 | 09/28/2010 | $7,750.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 055 | 02/08/2011 | $19,750.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 048 | 08/02/2010 | $329,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 047 | 08/02/2010 | $2,250.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 041 | 03/21/2011 | $67,200.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 040 | 05/06/2010 | $24,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 039 | 06/14/2011 | $15,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 036 | 08/09/2010 | $25,900.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 032 | 08/23/2010 | $70,350.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 031 | 07/02/2010 | $180,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 028 | 06/10/2010 | $60,450.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 027 | 12/03/2010 | $180,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 026 | 06/18/2010 | $71,550.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 025 | 11/09/2010 | $125,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 024 | 03/17/2010 | $90,950.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 022 | 03/03/2010 | $257,700.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 021 | 06/08/2010 | $100,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 020 | 03/03/2010 | $28,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 019A | 07/23/2010 | $135,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 019 | 07/23/2010 | $106,100.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 018A | 08/02/2010 | $57,300.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 018 | 08/02/2010 | $98,600.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 017 | 06/23/2010 | $175,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 016 | 06/02/2011 | $432,050.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 015 | 08/23/2010 | $179,000.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 014 | 08/23/2010 | $255,700.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 013 | 03/25/2011 | $170,950.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 012 | 05/12/2010 | $5,225.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 011 | 03/24/2011 | $22,500.00 |
34402.2.6 | R-2237C 010 | 06/04/2010 | $1,100.00 |
TOTAL | $19,829,775.00 |
Photo Gallery
Photos by Maria Richardson
[nggallery id=75]
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