About
The purpose of this blog is to promote interest and start conversations about downtown Raleigh. View the list of topics in the sidebar to see some of the things that are covered.
In the last decade, downtown Raleigh has woken up from a sleepy employment center to a neighborhood with attitude. The Monday to Friday working crowd are not the only ones walking the streets anymore. The area was a ghost town when five o’ clock hit and there was little interest by the city to encourage people to visit at night or on weekends. Only a few established businesses were keeping downtown breathing. Today, the story is different and the downtown pulse rate is rising. Glenwood South and Fayetteville Street are the centers of downtown’s activity. More people are moving here and more businesses are catering to visitors and residents.
As a growing city, Raleigh and her downtown are facing challenges. Transit, urban planning, and land use are new problems that we will face as the city grows. What will downtown’s role be in all of this? I am trying to follow Raleigh’s attempts at bringing back the urban center it once had in the early 1900′s. I am very interested in how downtown grows and how it will interact with the surrounding neighborhoods; some of them with very historic landmarks. Will Raleigh continue to support the suburban sprawl development that was so popular in the 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s that played a major factor in downtown’s lack of interest?
Along with discussion topics, I’ll highlight major events, new business openings, and big announcements that are downtown Raleigh related. The blog is also a way for me to practice my amateur hobby of photography and some photos will be showcased.
The blog is always changing. I have lots of ideas for what I want on this website and just like downtown, it is a work in progress. Please e-mail me with questions and feedback on absolutely anything. “RalCon” is my main project but you can get more content from me through my other social media channels listed below. Click on all the links and support all the local Raleigh websites.
Subscribe to The Raleigh Connoisseur through email.
Other ongoing projects outside of the blog include..
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Follow me on Twitter as well as two lists that I curate; DT Raleigh Eats and Triangle Area Food Trucks. These are a great way to get restaurant suggestions besides the long list on the website sidebar and find some specials for the day or upcoming events.
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Walking Tour |
The DT Raleigh walking tour is a two mile weave through downtown Raleigh. This self-guided tour will introduce you to the area and take you through the past and present. You can print out the map and text or download it to your phone for convenience.
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EV Charging Stations |
This project attempts to map out all the electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the area. See the locations of public charging stations on a map as well as contribute to the project in order to make Raleigh the most EV friendly city.
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Photography |
I like to call myself an amateur photographer and the bulk of my work is on Flickr. You can see my work, as well as lots of Raleigh photos at my Raleigh set on Flickr.
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LeoSuarez.com |
For even more Raleigh musings and general snark, follow my personal blog, the_side_project. The blog posts are short and straight to the point with videos, ideas, anything.
