Looks like we’ve got a new district. The area at the southern side of downtown Raleigh, including our convention center, performing arts center, and amphitheater, is now named the Fourth Ward Entertainment District. The district includes everything from South to Cabarrus Street and from Dawson to Wilmington Street. (see map below) With the help and guidance from community members, the process to create the branding was inclusive and led to the creation of the visual elements that you see in the signs that are already placed around the district. More branding elements are sure to come as the area is poised to change over the next few years.
While not directly referenced, I assume this move came from the suggestions from the Fayetteville Street portion of the Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy doc that we’ve been working with post-COVID. This seems to make sense as the southern end of Fayetteville Street is, and I hate to say it, a bit of a dead zone. That is unless there is an event going on. We might as well acknowledge that the streets around all these large venues have very little natural street life. The events are great and as a participant, it can be hugely welcoming. As a resident though, I just don’t expect much else from that area.
Maybe the right move is to separate the Fourth Ward Entertainment District as its own labeled thing and simply drop Fayetteville Street as a distinct district altogether. Just let Fayetteville Street be. Its northern end, which is the more lively stretch, can draw naturally from the businesses and activity to the east and west of it. This is essentially what the planning doc suggests in this map.
On the Fourth Ward itself, the story of this neighborhood can be read at the website below:
There is also an exhibit about the Fourth Ward at the performing arts center now but I’m not sure if it’s permanent. (it should be) I’m sure we’ll see more references to the district as we watch the Red Hat Amphitheater, the Omni Hotel, and the convention center expansion come together.
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