Category / New Construction

by Leo Suarez

Change in Design for City Gateway

Rendering of City Gateway

Click for larger

City Gateway, the 10-story, energy-positive building planned for Kindley Street, is going through a bit of a design change. Peaking at the submitted Administrative Alternate for Design (AAD-24-17) on the city’s website, we can see some newer renderings for the building.

The change in materials and setback can be seen in these renderings compared to ones submitted back earlier in 2017.

Rendering of City Gateway

Click for larger

The AAD hints at City Gateway being part of a “phased development” along Kindley Street with “a future extension to MLK Jr. Blvd.” Kindley to MLK, I can’t quite see it. Perhaps a connection to the northbound on-ramp but I think the elevation difference presents a challenge.

We’ll see how that one turns out but speculate for yourself on Google Maps.

Back to the building, it’ll definitely be something unique and the expanded office space is always welcome.

Rendering of City Gateway

by Leo Suarez

Pic of the Week

Residence Inn in downtown Raleigh

The Residence Inn is now complete and open for business. While the new hotel’s grand opening should be next month, it won’t stop anyone from booking a room today.

The ground-floor restaurant is still a work-in-progress and the retail space at the corner of Lenoir and Salisbury Street is looking for a tenant. However, the rooftop bar, named Tenth and Terrace, is open with some pretty nice south and southeasterly views.

by Leo Suarez

Pic of the Week

Construction site of Boylan Flats on Boylan Avenue

Dirt is moving at the site of Boylan Flats, the five-story, 48-unit residential building along Boylan Avenue. (615 N Boylan) From what I’ve seen out there, this development is quieter than most with no released real estate info at this point in time. (and no approval drama either)

It’ll be interesting to see the layout of the building as this five-story building sits on a 0.23 acre site. Nearby, a developer wants to put a five-story boutique hotel on a 0.36 acre site which could fit nicely given that hotels have a two-to-one hotel room to parking ratio requirement.

Five stories may not sound so bad in this area of town.

by Leo Suarez

Boutique Hotel Planned for Peace Street Pending Rezoning Request

Corner of Boylan and Peace Street

At 615 West Peace Street, a request to rezone the property from 3 to 5 stories is working its way through the system. The developer wants to put a boutique hotel at the corner of Peace and Boylan.

At this point, only the request and information about the required meeting with nearby residents is posted on the city’s website. (see Z-017-17) I’m going to borrow some words from a regular commenter to the blog who was at that meeting.

In their initial pitch last night to neighbors, the developer promises a boutique hotel at that site but wants to exceed the NX-3-UG. The developer’s request came with no plans, elevations, or even design concepts to share. They have made no front-end investment in design services to sell their product but want neighbors to give their blessing to the zoning change to either 5 or 7 floors.

Thanks, John!

I kind of think that we have a wide gamut of proposed developments out there. Developers need a little salesmanship and need to do their homework regardless if they have a good idea or not. I really liked this article in the N&O comparing the pitches between 301 Hillsborough and 400 Hillsborough, both projects we’ve talked about on the blog.

You can see the reaction to a polished presentation versus the opposite.

It’s early on this project for Peace Street so we’ll see where it goes.

by Leo Suarez

Pic of the Week

Corner of Hillsborough Street and Glenwood Avenue

Corner of Hillsborough Street and Glenwood Avenue

Construction fencing is in place along Glenwood Avenue between Hillsborough and Morgan Street. That probably means demolition will take place soon to make way for construction on One Glenwood, the 10-story office building with ground-floor retail.

There’s also fencing along Morgan, across the street from the site, at the warehouse that used to house Shelton’s Furniture. Perhaps this site will also get demolished as well.

Construction fencing along Morgan Street

by Leo Suarez

Modern Townhomes, The Ware, Coming to Chavis Way, Stone’s Warehouse

Rendering of The Ware townhomes

Monarch Properties has announced plans, along with renderings, for their townhome project along Chavis Way. This is right next to all the work taking place at Stone’s Warehouse by Transfer Company.

The townhomes were designed by Raleigh architecture firm Clearscapes with front doors along Chavis Way and the greenway.

Work on the food hall has really picked up recently and they are landing some very promising tenants including Boulted, Jubala, Videri Chocolate, Saxapahaw General Store, Centro, and Gallo Pelon.

by Leo Suarez

First National Bank Announces Plans to Anchor 22-Story FNB Tower at 501 Fayetteville Street

Rendering of FNB Tower

Announced on Tuesday May 23, First National Bank will be the anchor tenant of FNB Tower, the former Charter Square north project that we have been tracking here on the blog. Jump straight to the press release for full details.

The key points to pull out from the release are:

  • 22-story development called FNB Tower
  • Ground-floor retail space
  • 240 residential units
  • First National Bank will occupy 40,000 of 150,000 square feet of space
  • LEED Platinum design building
  • Groundbreaking in December 2017, completion in Summer 2019

The Charter Square projects have gone through numerous changes but this feels like a solid enough update to instill confidence in seeing a crane set up on that site later this year.

This will be a good one to watch as this view from will drastically change. City Plaza is going to be one heck of an urban space in a few years!

Charter Square south tower completes construction

Click for larger, wider view.

by Leo Suarez

Rezoning Request for 400 Dawson Street Hints at Possible New Tower

Corner of Dawson and Davie Streets, May 2017.

Corner of Dawson and Davie Streets, May 2017.

A rezoning request has popped up for 404 and 406 South Dawson Street, the lots at the corner with Davie Street. The empty lot next to Crank Arm Brewing is currently used as parking but will definitely change as the rezoning request asks for a higher height limit.

The rezoning request is to raise the height limit on those properties from 4 to 12 stories. From our city’s development code, we have the following levels:

  • 3 stories / 50 Feet max
  • 4 stories / 62 feet max
  • 5 stories / 75 feet max
  • 7 stories / 90 feet max
  • 12 stories / 150 feet max
  • 20 stories / 250 feet max
  • 40 stores / 500 feet max

You can assume Empire Properties, the owner of the sites, want to do something in the 8-12 story range.

Location of rezoning request

Click for larger

The request contains brief minutes from a meeting of nearby property owners and only hints at discussions about a mix-use tower with ground-floor retail and office. It’s possible that residential may be included as well.

The submitted request also hints at being able to start on the project as early as 2018.

Corner of Dawson and Davie Streets, May 2017.

Corner of Dawson and Davie Streets, May 2017.

The Dillon, located nearby, will now be in good company if this Dawson-Davie tower is use for office. The real gap, I think at least, is to have a warehouse district hotel. That would be a nice feature for the growing district, one that also compliments the new Union Station.

The next steps, I believe, are to move it for approval by the Planning Commission in the next several months.