by Leo Suarez

Thoughts On City Plaza

I want to get some reader feedback on this one. Maybe it is just me but I do not see as much chatter on this subject. Construction has started and a year from now Fayetteville St. will be complete. City Plaza could be the heart of the street from a pedestrian perspective.

With four retail spaces and some art work, this area should be a huge draw for those passing by. I think outdoor seating is very much needed here as this area has the potential for the best people watching in downtown.

It is unfortunate that it was not completed when the convention center opened. However looking at the big picture, when finished, it will add to the “cool” factor of Fayetteville St. After the construction is over, the next priority is having businesses playing with night and weekend hours.

What kind of things do you want to be in the retail spaces in City Plaza?


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11 Comments

  1. Sorry, the cutbacks have made this another failure. I will bet ANYONE. This Plaza will look nothing like the original rendering (let me guess, they will be paving it, another grey ugly elephant on “F” Street). The retail huts roofs look awful. The “One” fountain will be laughable.

    My question. We went from $21M to $16M to $14M (what happened to the other $2M? Instead of doing it right, they keep cutting back (I can imagine the ugly tables and chairs that will be purchased for this area).

  3. I, for one, am glad that the city cut back here. In tough economic times, it means that more taxpayer dollars will be leftover for essential goods and services.

    And, in spite of the cutbacks, I think City Plaza will do a great job a serving its purpose: acting as a gathering area for parades, concerts, markets or just everyday foot traffic.

    I have to second David on the French Bakery idea for one of the pavilions – yum!

    Also, I think there should eventually be a ticket office for various shows in Raleigh: everything at Progress Energy, Walnut Creek and the RBC Center, etc. That area might not get enough traffic to support such a booth yet, but hopefully it will a few years down the line.

  4. I agree with Randy-this is another example of Raleigh aiming for the bottom and settling for the mundane and boring. This thing died when Plensa split.

  5. I agree with Randy. The cutbacks are pathetic (sorry, some of you are wrong – the cutbacks were made long before the financial crisis – $21M was the original figure and I heard the reasons for the reduction – Council members Isley and that dark haired woman with glasses made no sense what-so-ever – another project that will be half-assed backward)

    Also, the retail needs a coffee shop (Caribou Coffee – that Starbucks in Marriott is a joke, no seating – awful layout).

    All the retail must be focused on the convention goers and weekend citizens. If these close before midnight, they will be a failure. Watch, they will not be airconditioned – must have seating inside each location?

  7. Ok, so it’s not going to be $21 million worth of amazingness. I still think that the City Plaza will draw a crowd, mostly from young professionals who are tired of Glenwood and Moore Square.

    Hopefully they will still be able to build an appealing product even with the cuts.

  9. I am still trying to figure whether the city wants this to be a plaza or a street. If they keep it open to traffic except for special events, then I think it is a total waste of money. If they open it only for parades then I think it has some promise. (By the way, I am amazed how important the city thinks a two block extension for parades is.)

    Whatever it is, I am sure to be disappointed compared to the mostly private funded Plensa/Goodknight Plaza. I hope Durham kicks our ass with a great Plensa work.

  10. As an outsider, City Plaza may not live up to the expectations of the locals or live up to what Raleigh more than deserves but it is still an improvement from the current condition of the space and will generate more revenue for this part of the city in more ways than one , so I say celebrate!

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