Category / Downtown Culture

by Leo Suarez

Bad Outdoor Seating or Bad Location?

Wilmoore Cafe's outdoor seating.

Now that we’re into the spring season, outdoor seating during the warmer hours is in high demand. Downtown Raleigh actually has a plentiful amount of outdoor seating options with some doing it better than others. That’s for another post but here I wanted to highlight an interesting seating situation.

Take a look at the photo above. (click for larger) It shows the outdoor seating balcony of the Wilmoore Cafe located on Wilmington Street. The seating is slightly overlooking the walkway that connects the Moore Square bus station to Wilmington Street in the middle of the block. From what I hear and the times I’ve been by, very little, if any, people are actually using this outdoor seating.

So I’ll back up and admit that when the Wilmoore Cafe first opened, I thought that this balcony here would be great outdoor seating. I still do and in fact, there is a lot of potential for all that space behind the buildings of Wilmington Street and under the Moore Square parking deck. So when I heard that a lot of people don’t end up sitting out here I started to wonder.

The photo I have posted here is not during work hours so bear with me.

The balcony at first glance seems to have everything that a great outdoor seating space should have. It’s small and cozy. There’s a bit of separation between yourself and the walkway but not too much that you feel detached. The tree cover adds a hint of nature to the setting. The area is also not empty during work hours as people walk through here all the time so there’s plenty of people watching opportunities. People attract more people to any public space.

There’s something about this part of the station that I really enjoy. I walk through it all the time. The more complex nature of steps and walkways that are completely away from the street makes it feel urban. It’s a very different place within our city. So could this be a part of the reason that this great balcony for morning coffee drinkers isn’t working?

Outdoor seating within the core of downtown is dominated by sidewalk seating. The Raleigh Times, Capital Club 16, The Big Easy, Vic’s, Tir Na Nog, and many more restaurants just place the tables and chairs on the sidewalks and people flock. What is it about the sidewalk that works so well?

To me, I think sitting on the sidewalk puts you right in the middle of the traffic, the sidewalk traffic that is. The people watching when sitting on the sidewalk is so much more enjoyable than being inside. I also think that we’re all just in love with what is going on up and down the streets. The vehicle traffic provides that background noise that makes things more comfortable. Ever been to a party with the music turned off?

So back to the Wilmoore Cafe balcony and the photo at the beginning of this post. Could people not be sitting here because it’s simply not the sidewalk? Maybe it’s too far from the street? Or perhaps nobody knows about it?

The area has some flaws however and they are shown in the photo. You can see several cars parked right underneath the parking deck and pedestrians have to weave through them. There used to be a fountain here. Does anyone know what happened to it, why it was removed? The lighting is also that ugly amber that makes you feel like you are under a highway. I think it’s these little things that could make a big difference if re-thought.

Like I said, I think there is a lot of potential for a great public space inside this block that has the Moore Square bus station. However, it needs a people friendly touch so that visitors stop and visit rather than pass through. Some of these things, I hope to see as part of the Moore Square bus station upgrade that is upcoming in the next few years. That may create more cozy balconies and alcoves for us humans to stop and relax in.

by Leo Suarez

Before and After, Alfred Williams and Company Building Makeover

Alfred Williams Building on Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh

One of the things that get me excited just as much as new shiny towers is when downtown spaces are reused in a creative way, especially the smaller buildings. Reusing a building before demolishing and building new, especially with so many lots available, will not grow our downtown at all.

The Alfred Williams Company gets a big Cheers! for its work on their building at 410 South Salisbury Street. The completed project is shown above with the previous building state shown below. (picture taken in January 2011)

The 143-year old company started in downtown Raleigh and is now back in town with it’s 50 strong workforce. The company works on the second floor of the building with hopes to lease out the ground floor.

Alfred Williams Building on Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh

by Leo Suarez

All About Downtown Raleigh FREE Wi-Fi and More


Click to see the full map.

Reading about New York City’s recent expansion of Wi-Fi in city parks made me start to think about what we have in terms of free connectivity to the internets while being outdoors.

As a refresher course for those that don’t know, there is free, public Wi-Fi in certain sections of downtown Raleigh. Take a look at the map above for the covered areas but simply put if you are standing outside and are around:

  • Nash Square and City Government Complex
  • Fayetteville Street
  • Wilmington Street
  • Raleigh Convention Center
  • Moore Square
  • City Market

you should be able to pick up the signal, labeled “Downtown Raleigh FREE WiFi”.

The City of Raleigh provides the Wi-Fi service and you can get more information about it here.

Now having the Wi-Fi is great and all but I’m curious to know how many people actually know about it. Walking the sidewalks of Fayetteville Street, there is no way to know that bandwidth is buzzing around you. I think for some visitors, it would be useful for them to know that they are in an area where there is free, public Wi-Fi.

In a subtle way, maybe it would be helpful to let people know of this service. I put this sign together really quickly to illustrate one possible idea.

The wireless symbols above the 100 indicate that this block has Wi-Fi. Signals on the blue wayfinding signs could also be added. There are lots of ways to go about doing this.

by Leo Suarez

Contemporary Art Museum Now Open

The Contemporary Art Museum in the warehouse district has now opened. CAM Raleigh has been covered in different places on the web and the best two reads out there are:

The cost to visit is $5 and the hours are listed below.

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Closed Tues
Sat, Sun: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
First and third Friday of the month open until 9 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Day

by Leo Suarez

No Raleigh Wide Open This Year, Fine. Try Something New.

For the parents out there, you’ve got some time to think of a way to tell your kids that there won’t be any water ball fun in downtown now that the city has decided to drop Raleigh Wide Open this year. The economy is to blame on this one, and they feel the money is better worth saving then spending. The news might sound bad but I feel there is a positive way to look at this. Downtown Raleigh has a little breathing room and maybe an opportunity to offer something new.

If you are a downtown regular, especially on the weekends, the Spring and Fall can be quite hectic. Downtown is pretty event driven, in my opinion, with visitors brought in by large events, drowning out the local crowd. Some months, it’s weekend after weekend of street closings, crowds, music, and food. The old man in me sometimes gets tired of it all and just wants to relax.

How can downtown Raleigh create its own identity if it’s constantly catering to so many different groups?

I do believe in variety though and that downtown should have something for all. The last five years of Raleigh Wide Opens have hopefully convinced enough people that downtown is a place to visit every now and than, that there is something for you to be a part of.

But maybe with First Fridays, Raleigh Wide Open, Hopscotch, Beerfest, the 3 or 4 marathons, Bikefest, the home tour, SparkCon, Artsplosure, 4 or 5 parades combined with all the other things happening at the convention center and the amphitheater each and every year, should we care that we lost one event?

I’d be shocked to hear that nothing else that happens in downtown can’t cover anyone’s sadness over Raleigh Wide Open being dropped.

Keep enjoying downtown, but do something different this year.

by Leo Suarez

Happy Birthday City Plaza!

On October 24th, 2009, City Plaza was officially opened during Raleigh Wide Open 4. The open space towards the southern end of Fayetteville Street was called downtown Raleigh’s living room and for one year today it has served a unique purpose for downtown.

City Plaza has hosted a plethora of events from music and art festivals to the downtown Farmer’s Market and Winterfest. The plaza is a great gathering place in the core of the city and with the scenic Fayetteville Street view, it’s one of the best places to host an event in an urban area.

City Plaza is also about the pedestrian first. The plaza has fluid interaction with cars and people because of the flush street and sidewalks. It is easier to move around when on foot because there are no curbs, signs, or parked cars in the space. The fountain, the numerous tables and chairs, and lots of seating around the planted bushes and flowers makes it very inviting, open, and uncrowded.

The pavilions in the plaza also make it a destination. The four shops have been open for some time now and soon a fifth will open in the One Bank of America Plaza tower.

City Plaza is one of the most urban places in the city. here’s to many more years of hanging out there!

by Leo Suarez

Suds and Speculation: Your Third Place In Downtown Raleigh

Landmark Tavern
Landmark Tavern by abbyladybug, on Flickr

Suds and Speculation posts are ideas I come up with, usually while drinking and socializing with friends or people I meet. The posts also use real data leading to some idea, or dream, that we can speculate on for downtown Raleigh.

Where is your third place? Not sure what I’m talking about? Actually I’m referring to the concept of everyone’s social environments throughout their lives. Our “first place” is generally our home, followed by our “second place” being where we work. But the term “third place” refers to where we spend time outside of home and work to get our social fix. One of the things that downtown Raleigh naturally offers are unique places for anyone to call their own.

Coffee shops, museums, bars, barbershops, they all play a role as someone’s third place. It’s where you go to see familiar faces or to be in a comfortable environment. The concept is huge in downtown Raleigh and was mentioned extensively in the 2009 Retail Market Analysis. (link to the pdf) These types of spots are all over the place.

The report mentions that the “third place” in downtown is important to residents and those that live in the surrounding neighborhoods. I think that is true for nearby residents but the ease of parking in downtown at night and on weekends allows anyone living further out to access their third place rather easily.

While barbershops have been an established “third place” in downtown Raleigh for some time now, a growing number of coffee shops now have longer hours and are drawing in more people. The increase in the number of bars in downtown has also created regulars crowds and bar owners that can expect business outside of the weekend. The regulars crowd is diverse and fits that third place description.

One thing that downtown Raleigh still needs is for third place options that are free. The easiest one that comes to mind is a library with public space accessible at most hours of the day. Grabbing a drink at a bar isn’t always on my mind and I don’t drink coffee so more options for third places would really raise the bar for residents and frequent visitors.

A bookstore would work also. I could see myself visiting enough times and buying enough books that they wouldn’t mind if I stayed in and read inside their lounge area. Just hide the power plugs and no one will mooch the space.

Being outside could be a third place to some. Moore and Nash Square are nice outdoor areas to be around. City Plaza on Fayetteville Street is also a great urban setting to stop and enjoy the scenery. The weather could ruin things though and you don’t get that “familiar faces” environment that shops and food places give you.

My third place is Landmark Tavern. It’s the default place to go whenever I can’t decide where I want to spend my time. In my head, I always compare it to Publicans in J. R. Moehringer’s The Tender Bar. (great book if bar culture interests you)

I think this social, third place concept is something that downtown leaders should recognize very heavily because it is a unique offering when attracting new business to downtown. The suburbs have “free” parking but downtown has people, that you can interact with outside of work and your car.

More on this topic below.

Raleigh DLA: Find Your Third Place In Downtown Raleigh