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Volume J!tH; Number Two
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
September 6, 1977
The Van Landingham Estate:
Will It Be Sold And/Or Torn Down?
Front view of the
Van Landingham Estate.
'(Caro Una Journal photo by Donna Stafford)
By Steve Bass
The estate of Ralph Van Landingham
at the Plaza remains an oasis amidst the
concrete and lookalike houses of the city.
Van Landingham, a prominent textile
executive and investment broker until his
death in 1970, was interested in unusual
foliage and in UNCC. His home,
according to Dr. William Britt, Vice
Chancellor for Development, remains,
“one of the showcases in North Carolina,
a truly beautiful complex.”
In his will, filed in 1969 and
executed in 1970 upon his death. Van
Landingham left his estate to the
University. He. hoped his estate would be
used as a home for UNCC chancellors,
and as a center of University social
gatherings. “Unfortunately,- when the
University took rwer the estate.
Chancellor Colvard already had a home,
and so the home sat unused. The
University thus decided to sell the
property to a suitable buyer ” said
Britt.“In no way is the University
decision a violation of the expressed
desires of Mr. Van Landingham. In the
will. Van Landingham stated that the
University would he totally in charge of
what happened to the estate ” said Britt.
“The home is a beautiful complex,
built in 1915 vintage style. The
University has placed considerable money
intr) maintenance of the home. „ Current
estimates run between $15,000-$30,000
to upgrade the plumbing, electrical
facilities and general repair work. The
gardens are in magnificent shape. Dr.
Herbert Heckenblinkcr has used tlie trust
fund Van Landingham established to
maintain the gardens,” said Britt
“Currently, the University has leased
the home to the Charlotte Council of
Garden Clubs for its use. The University
maintains the right, to use the. home
under this arrangement. However we are
still open to viable bids for the property.
We had made a conditional sale based on
a favorable rezoning decision. The sale
collapsed when the request was turned
down.”
Britt said the conditional sale was
made to a group hoping to build high rise
apartments for the elderly. “If, and when
the University sells the property, we will
sell the entire property, and no attempt
will be made to influence the use of the
property. Since the Van Landingham
Glen has been established on campus,
with many of the cuttings and replants
from the estate, the gardens may be
displaced. I don’t believe when we sell the
property, we will have any right to tell
people how they can use the property.”
The University Development Office is
handling bids for the property, while
retaining the advice of a local realtor.
“We get several bids per month in on the
property, and currently the brightest
prospect is the Charlotte Council of
Garden Clubs who is leasing the property.
If they can come up with the asking price
($100,000) then we will likely sell the
property,” said Britt.
The five acres which make up the
Van Landingham estate will be featured
in an article next week in the Carolina
Journal.
Side view of the house showing some of the famous gardens tended by UNCC s Dr. Herbert Heckenblinker.
(Carolina Journal photo by Donna Stafford)
Parking Deck To Open Next Month;
Reflects *Upward, Not Outward* Philosophy
(Carolina Journal photo by Jack Green)
By Pat Griendling
The new parking deck will be open
for use sometime between October 1 and
October L5. Many are hoping that it will
alleviate our parking problems on campus,
others are more cynical.
To try to clear up some of the
confusion, Jerry Hudson, Director of
Safety and Security, discussed the reasons
for the new deck and the advantages to
the students. “Our parking problem
began with the Cone Center addition,
explained Hudson, “It took up too much
parking space. We knew we would need
additional parking space. Two problem
areas are the dorm parking and between
the Cone Center and the gym. Since there
was no area to extend outward, we had
no alternative except to go up. It cost us
10 times as much to go up than out in the
pasture. The new 200 dorm parking
spaces we plan to pave cost us $400.00
per space. The deck cost us $2,000.00 per
space.”
Who will have the use of the new
parking deck? “The faculty.’ said
Hudson. “The area we received the most
grief about was the faculty parking near
the students. The faculty complained the
parking regulations were not being
enforced. So now we are going to gate off
B spaces. The opening of the gated area
will conesponds with the opening of the
parking deck. The gates will be at the
Southern end of the main parking lot.
This will provide 400 spaces for faculty.
The 212 parking spaces that the new deck
provides will also be gated off for faculty.
The only reason we chose to use the deck
for faculty is because it is easier to gate
off than any other parking area. If we
were to give the faculty the ideal place to
park, it wotdd be underneath where the
cars are protected. In order to enter gated
areas the purchase of a magnetic card is
required. The gate cards will cost S3.00.
One dollar will be returned when the card
is given back. The gate card also serves as
an ID card.
As far as student and visitor parking
goes,” Hudson said, “the old parking lot
for visitors will be 50 cents a day. No
more tokens for 25 cents. The visitor and
meter parking are for non-decaled cars.
The remainder of the lot is for students.
The upper Union lot will be on a first
come, first serve basis for those with no
gate card. We’re relocating parking near
the gym.”
For those who wonder why the
students are bearing the cost of the
parking deck when the faculty use it,
Hudson had this to say, “Faculty and
staff fees also went up. They’re bearing
the cost too. Actually we’re hoping for at
least, if not more, 20 per cent of the
deck’s cost to be financed by the
Conference Parking Revenue. Also, the
students raised traffic fees will go toward
200 new parking spaces near the dorms,
40 meters for students and we’re
subsidizing the bus service out of traffic
fees.”
The parking problem is far from
solved, but at least some relief is in sight, bus system last week
Losing for a deodorant commercial ? No, these
folks were among the first to ride UNCXJ’s new