Category / New Construction

by Leo Suarez

City Plaza Will Not Be Ready For Convention Center Opening

I sent off a couple e-mails about the current state of the City Plaza project. I thought it was a no-brainer that getting this plaza done at the same time as the opening of the Raleigh Convention Center and Marriot Hotel was important. The response I got was not so pleasant.

Leo,
Thanks for your inquiry. In the City Plaza, we are completing the negotiation of the easement with the owners of the Bank of America building – this should get us ready for a full funding, design approval and authorization to proceed at the last Council meeting in March or the first of April, Which completes construction in May of 2009. I have enclosed a rendering. Thanks

Daniel T. Douglas AICP
Division Manager
Raleigh Urban Design Center & Communications Group
Department of City Planning

By the way, the attached rendering has already been posted on the city’s website. Here are more for your viewing pleasure.

The convention center and hotel will be open September of this year. It looks like we’ll have a nice construction site in the middle of Fayetteville St. for eight months after this. Before you start getting all upset like I did, you may need to think consider some other factors.

The perfect scenario would have been for the plaza to be ready for all the new visitors, and current residents, to see and enjoy. It can be argued that first impressions are important and getting this thing done on time should have been something to fight for. But honestly, this is only eight months and we have booked some conventions through 2020. Fayetteville St. is not the only district downtown. There are plenty of other areas that will be ready to serve visitors in the mean time. It is also important to note that this is out of the city’s hands as the owners of One Hannover (BoA building) are the major player in this little project.

It is unfortunate that we have to wait even longer to do a drive or walk from one end of Fayetteville St. to the other. I would have preferred it to be ready for the September opening, but if eight more months is needed then I’ll deal with it.

by Leo Suarez

EnviroCon: AIA Creating New Headquarters Downtown

The American Institute of Architects, NC chapter, just wrapped up a design competition for their new headquarters to be located in downtown Raleigh. They are currently located in the old water tower on Morgan St. but will move in 2010 to their new location in Blount Street Commons.

View Larger Map

NewRaleigh has all the details about the competition and awards ceremony that took place last week. The N&O also has an article that talks about the building and its green, enviro-friendly features:

North Carolina’s architects hope to break ground this year on a headquarters in downtown Raleigh.

And naturally, being architects and all, they want to make a statement. In this case, a “welcome to the 21st century, carbon-neutral, energy-efficient, deep green” statement.

Initial sketches suggest plenty of windows to let in light and an overhanging roofline to shield the building from the sun.

A geothermal energy system, considered the most efficient way to heat and cool a building, will keep things comfortable inside, Frank Harmon said.

The goal is to create a building that uses at least 55 percent less energy than traditional styles when it opens in 2010.

Harmon thinks his company can easily meet that goal, along with the ultimate standard: creating a building that uses no energy derived from fossil fuels by 2030.

The efficiency goals that the AIA have set are bold and I support it 100%. I wish them luck in reaching them.

Click here for some renderings of the design.

by Leo Suarez

Convention Center Opening Date?


This may or may not be news to you but it is to me. I was not aware of an official opening date for the new convention center but it is posted on the Raleigh Convention website, shown in the pic above. Here are some details from the webpage.

Come September, be the center of attention at the new Raleigh Convention Center. Join tens of thousands of your friends and neighbors at the Raleigh Convention Center Grand Opening.

Just what are we celebrating? First, the new 500,000-square-foot convention center will be a state-of-the-art stunner. It will bring people from near and far to Raleigh where they’ll discover a dynamic downtown surrounding a rare array of convention attractions – the new center, the new Marriott City Center, the Sheraton Raleigh and the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

It looks like we have about 8 months to go. Click here for the rest.

Click here for old news on convention center bookings.

by Leo Suarez

Bloomsbury Throws Up A Brick

Here is a quick construction update on the first of two buildings at Bloomsbury Estates. The brick looks very nice and I think this condo building will stand apart from the rest of the ones going up downtown.



Sidetrack Brewpub is also coming along but at a snail’s pace. The bar is just now taking shape. Perhaps they are planning to open when the first of the BE residents move in. Who knows.

by Leo Suarez

CON-struction and D-struction

The early winter sunsets are really cutting into my weekday opportunities to go out and take pictures of things downtown. I really think pictures help to add more to the story but we’ve all got a life and a job to do. Anyway, today I have more quick news regarding construction downtown that may be worthy of a short golf clap.

  • Ann-Cabell Baum Anderson sends out a status e-mail about the West @ North tower in Glenwood South every now and then. I’m still waiting for some news on the retail going in on the bottom floor. Her recent update:

Exciting news… We are approaching topping-out!
The roof-level is being poured this week!
Also, large windows are being installed on the 5th through 7th floors and the exterior sheathing is now up to the 10th floor! Interior framing is up to the 8th floor and exterior framing is up to the 12th floor! West is well underway!

  • I jumped the gun too early this week and talked about 301 Hillsborough coming down. I thought it would be a slow process and parts of it would still stand for a month, maybe two but I was wrong. Half the building is gone and if this rate stays steady, the building will be leveled probably by the end of the day. Might be safe to assume all the debris will be hauled out before the end of the year. Enjoy your temporary new view, Dawson residents!
  • Big slabs of concrete are being brought to the site of the future “The Edison” project. Right now the parking deck for the block and RBC Plaza is being put together. Reminds me of how they put the 222 Glenwood deck together, like a Lego set, and if similar this thing will sneak up on you. Check the webcam for updates on that and RBC Plaza, which is now building the condo floors.