Ask Us: What’s the latest on Knox-Overton K-8 project?
Published 12:48 pm Monday, January 17, 2022
- JON C. LAKEY/SALISBURY POST Overton Elementary School
Editor’s note: Ask Us is a weekly feature published online Mondays and in print on Tuesdays. We’ll seek to answer your questions about items or trends in Rowan County. Have a question? Email it to askus@salisburypost.com.
A reader asked if there is any news on the combined Knox-Overton K-8 school being planned by Rowan-Salisbury Schools.
RSS Chief Operations Officer Anthony Vann said the project is still in the design phase after the district resumed it and last updated the Board of Education in September. Vann said he expects to have an update for the school board in a few weeks. Vann said there should be new information during his update.
The project has a cost estimate of about $55 million and would combine Knox and Overton in a new 155,000-square-foot facility built in the area between the two existing schools — currently a football field and track. During the September update, RSS projected summer 2024 as the completion date.
The project was put on hold when the Rowan County Board of Commissions froze the funding for the project during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing economic uncertainty, but the commissioners freed the capital money last year.
What is the large industrial site off I-85 in Kannapolis?
A reader wanted to know what is being built at the large site off Interstate 85 and visible from Old Concord Road in Kannapolis.
Kannpolis city staff said the question is mostly likely referring to the Metro 63 Logistics Center.
The Post reported on the site in July. It is a 755,927-square-foot project on a 94-acre piece of property near I-85 exit 63 and is being built as a speculative investment by developer Trammell Crow Company.
The site does not have a company confirmed to be moving into the facility. It will be built to house a wide variety of logistics users. It will include a cross-dock configuration maximizing the number of inbound-outbound doors in the facility, 190 truck courts, 172 trailer drops, 490 parking spaces and 10 acres of auxiliary parking for additional trailers and cars.
There will be an access point on Lane Road. August is the project’s projected completion date.
How does Rowan compare to surrounding counties on vaccination?
A reader asked how Rowan County compares to neighboring counties on vaccination rate and compared to the state.
On Friday, Rowan County had the lowest vaccination rate out of all neighboring counties, with the exception of Stanly County, which ties with Rowan at a full vaccination rate of 43%. There was no COVID-19 data update Monday because of the holiday.
Rowan County is among the least-vaccinated counties in the state, which has an average full vaccination rate of 59%. Some counties still have significantly lower vaccination rates than Rowan.
Hoke County has the lowest full vaccination rate in the state — only 33%. Several counties have more than 70% vaccination rate. Orange County sits at 75%, Dare at 74% and Wake County at 71%. Durham County comes close, at 69%.
Here is a list of all Rowan County’s neighbors broken down by full vaccination rate:
• Rowan County: 43%
• Davie County: 56%
• Cabarrus County: 53%
• Iredell County: 51%
• Davidson County: 47%
• Stanly County: 43%