11 Comments

1. 

   Super pumped for this.

2. 

   Any idea on why it’s taken so long to get progress here? It’s looked like this picture for at least 4 months – http://dtraleigh.com/2014/11/pic-week-24/. The only time it has been utilized was Bluegrass Fest.

   I’m all about the parklets and have seen them do great things in a city like San Francisco. Extension of the sidewalk, restaurant tables, bike racks, etc. Endless possibilities. However, I don’t want our first go at it to be a waste. I don’t want it to look like a construction zone. Additionally, the kickstarter pointed out that it was $2500 a year in fees. This parklet has wasted at least 6 months of that money on nothing.

   I hope it looks like the picture soon. I also hope to see some more in a space that could be better utilized and has more purpose.

3. 

   I have tried to buy in, but I’m not a fan of these parklets. Would rather see that time, money and energy go into permanent improvements at existing parks and perhaps adding new ones.

4. 

   aye aye aye…. @Tico…. HOW is it that people cannot accept that this was privately funded, that the city had nothing to do with this, and that zero tax dollars were used in making this happen? Sick & tired of hearing the empty complaints. It’s a sweet new addition to our already awesome city. Much kudos to Pam @ Deco for organizing this and getting the funds in place. You want more work done on the city parks? Talk to the city government.

5. 

   @ Jake

   I do understand your point of the funds coming from private funding and I am grateful. However, the actual parking space/s where these are going where put there by everyone’s tax money and is now being taking away. Please know that I am not against these Park-lets, it just important to point out that these spots would not even exist without previous tax money…That’s all! :-)

6. 

   @Jake
   I accept this is coming from private funds. Just stating my opinion that these funds and this energy could be better utilized. I personally find these parklets to sound and look cool on paper but very awkward in real world use. I do however think it will assist in leading to better and more permanent urban play spaces in dtr.

7. 

   I am great with it being privately funded. I’m just saying the private funds are being wasted on a half finished project. I don’t think it’s a sweet new addition if it looks like a construction zone for 6 months. I walk by it every morning on the way to work and it looks more or less like this picture – http://dtraleigh.com/2014/11/pic-week-24/

   I hope that changes and I hope they start working on it soon.

   It might be interesting to see if Death & Taxes(across the street) or another restaurant will invest in a parklet for the purpose of seating. One of the best pizza places in San Francisco has one outside of their restaurant and it adds a lot to their take out restaurant – http://rebargroup.org/tonys-pizza-napoletana-parklet/

8. 

   Hey, I’m all for less street parking anyway. There is an ample amount of parking in the decks downtown. On the weekend most are free. Street parking makes it less safe for pedestrians and clogs up the already narrow downtown roads. It would be nice to see the parklet idea take off all around downtown.

   I admit the West side of downtown has much less parking deck options than the Fayetteville St area.

9. 

   @Bob, imagine a DT with less street parking, more bike lanes and larger sidewalks for foot traffic and street life.
   Taking the argument for maximizing street parking to its logical conclusion does nothing more than bolster a non-walking environment. Business owners and individuals who always want parking immediately in front of businesses are basically saying that they are fine with the idea that people just drive to a business, patronize it and then drive away from it. They are afraid that, without that parking, the business will fail and neither the owner nor the customer will be happy.
   This process is what people know…it’s familiar, but it’s not the only way. When people park centrally and walk to businesses past other businesses (much like they do in a mall), more businesses and services get exposure to potential customers. When we then repurpose the available facilities that used to house a limited number of privately owned (and rather large) cars to make walking and biking more accessible, we add even more exposure to those businesses. The time is now to start thinking about this dynamic as DT Raleigh continues to pump residents into its core. These new residents are primed to be the bread and butter customer of DT businesses and their accommodation should be given much higher priority.
   These parklets are a terrific first step in changing the facility conversation away from “only cars” to a more balanced and multimodal model.

10. 

    ^^^ I could not agree more!

11. 

    The parklet needs an upgrade program in place for continued modality improvements, such as a bike lane warning light system, seasonal flora that will enhance street-level aesthetics, and perhaps, as in a parklet I saw in Ormond Beach, a rotating aquatic feature which could be adapted to allow swimming during the hot summer months.

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