Category / New Construction

by Leo Suarez

Bridge Replacement Projects On Capital Blvd

Capital Blvd is getting a little planning love from NCDOT. The bridge over Peace Street and the Wade Avenue flyover are in pretty bad shape. Both are on the books for an upgrade. From the NCDOT’s project page:

The bridge on Capital Boulevard over Peace Street (Bridge No. 227) was built in 1948 and has a sufficiency rating of 42.9 out of a possible 100. The bridge on Capital Boulevard at Wade Avenue was built in 1954, has a sufficiency rating of 34.1, and is posted with a weight limit. Both bridges are structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. While the existing bridges are still adequate to support traffic, they are nearing the end of their design lives and need to be replaced in a timely manner.

I’d like to thank the NCDOT for wanting to upgrade our “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete” infrastructure.

The project is in collaboration with the city’s Capital Blvd Corridor study which is still ongoing. This fall, expect a public workshop on the bridge replacement.

Capital Blvd Corridor Study via RaleighNC.gov

by Leo Suarez

First Presbyterian Church Building For The Future

If you haven’t noticed already, the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Morgan and Salisbury Streets has leveled their education center and construction is underway for the replacement. Why the need to destroy such an old and historic building? The good people of the church tell us why right on their site:

The main driver behind this ambitious construction and renovation project was the deteriorating condition of our “Old Education Building,” the part of our property that housed our library and some Sunday School classrooms. After a period of neglect, the building reached an unsafe state a few years ago. We no longer ventured into some of its scarier sections. Our Building and Grounds Committee raised a concern several years ago that portions of the building were subject to being condemned by the city and constituted a hazard.

Not only is the education building being replaced but the sanctuary is being heavily renovated as well. The sanctuary has been up since 1900 but the congregation goes back as far as 1818, meeting in buildings either on or around Capitol Square until the present day building was erected. While the present day capitol building was being constructed, the North Carolina Supreme Court used to hold meetings in the church’s session house from 1831-1840.

The renovation and design work was done by Frank Harmon Architect PA. Some may recognize that name as they are the firm that designed the NCAIA building that is now being built on Peace Street. The firm has designed a master plan for the church and their complex along Salisbury Street. From this press release:

According to Frank Harmon, FAIA, his firm is working on a plan that will unite the different elements of the campus, provide open green space within the campus, introduce principles of environmentally sustainability, and improve the property’s accessibility, which features a five-foot grade change.

The project will also involve replacing the current two-story educational building with a three-story structure (including basement), The new building will feature such “green” elements as a vegetated roof, an abundance of natural light and ventilation through atria and window placement, a geothermal heating/cooling system (or ground source heat pumps), and rainwater collection cisterns. Materials used will be locally available and, wherever possible, recycled.

Expect all the renovation and construction to be complete around Summer 2012. You can also catch a small rendering of the new building on Frank Harmon’s website.

by Leo Suarez

Rising Steel All Over Downtown Raleigh

This is a small gallery showing construction around downtown Raleigh. Click the photos for a larger image.


The Justice Center appears to be topped off and is taking shape into the Raleigh Skyline.


A family poses for a portrait in front of the globe, a part of the upcoming Nature Research Center, now being pieced together.


The new AIA headquarters is being built on Peace Street.

by Leo Suarez

Rendering Bonus, Green Square and SECU Tower


click for a larger gallery of renderings.

Sure Green Square is nothing new and we’ve been watching construction on this baby for over two years now. But the overlooked SECU tower, a separate project from Green Square is starting to rise out of the ground so renderings help give us a nice look at the future.

Enjoy some of these renderings of the SECU tower, now under construction, as well as some more of Green Square that you may not have seen already. Click on the image above for a gallery.

Thanks to Tom at preVision and O’Brien/Atkins Associates, PA for the wonderful renderings.

(reading RalCon in an e-mail? See the gallery on the site, go here)

by Leo Suarez

195 Apartments Coming To Glenwood South

600 St. Mary’s, as its called in the site plan, is a new development planned for Glenwood South. The site plan shows a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom units in a multi-level, depending on what corner you are standing, building. The plan has renderings from each side and the building style mimics that of The Tucker apartments nearby.

The residential units wrap an interior parking deck with entrances on Gaston and Johnson Streets. St. Mary’s will have all apartment frontages and the back of this building will face north behind the gas station and other shops along Peace Street. For a map visual, click here.

There isn’t anything breathtaking about it but it’s a step in the right direction in terms of what downtown needs. In short, the building has good urban form and is built right up to the sidewalk. Also, the parking deck is wrapped and is hidden from view from the outside.

The most interesting part in the site plan are the Live/Work units on the ground floor. They appear to have tall ceilings and I’m hoping the intent is for people to move in and build lofts. I found this example of one and I would imagine a Raleigh entrepreneur would feel right at home here.

Dive into the site plan and explore the new development yourself.