Category / Planning DT Raleigh

by Leo Suarez

What Is The Future of Capital Boulevard?

About two weeks ago, I attended a workshop at Bobby Murray Chevrolet about Capital Boulevard and what the future has in store for this road. City of Raleigh Planning Director Mitchell Silver mentioned that during the city’s Big Ideas workshop in April of 2008, more people complained about Capital Boulevard then any other area of the city. There was definitely evidence of this because the dealership was full of people and opinions on this day.

The workshop split everyone into tables and each one was assigned a facilitator. The facilitator lead the group through a discussion about the study area, shown above. With an enormous map out on the table, we talked about the what we envisioned for the corridor. A briefing book, which can be seen here, was also provided and there is some good history and statistics in there.

Capital Boulevard is important to downtown Raleigh because it is one of the major arteries that moves people in and out, from the neighborhoods and suburbs of the city. There is also a great redevelopment opportunity here to handle Raleigh’s growth and re-invigorate some blighted areas.

The comments and discussion at my table were mostly about transit options in the future Capital Boulevard. I really enjoyed talking about this topic since most of my feedback would be based on this. My idea, at a high level anyway, is to create a corridor that gives people alternatives to the typical mode of travel in Raleigh; driving a car.

The map above shows the current zoning of the area, mostly industrial. (colored in purple) Looking at the history section of the briefing book, Capital Boulevard was planned to support Raleigh’s growth in industry along the rail lines. Here’s a quote from the N&O dated October 27th, 1955:

The project serves to create industrial sites and “should represent an added desirable feature in the development of local industries, employment and service to all citizens.”

So now that 55 years have gone by, how desirable is that area now?

A Multi-modal Corridor

Our group all agreed that Capital Boulevard was dominated by car travel and that the current bus service was a very poor experience. We also agreed that the greenway that runs through the area is an important asset to keep in future developments but was the only safe place to walk or bike. With all kinds of different transit options, I think Capital Boulevard should be redesigned to accommodate feet, rubber, and tracks.

A smarter plan for moving people up and down the corridor is to have walkable greenways, protected bikeways, and unobtrusive roads for cars and rail. It will take some finesse to lay out all these modes of travel efficiently but if done correctly, it could really help the future of Raleigh and perhaps provide an example for other developments to go by.

There are many ways to get around any city and I believe that if all modes are treated equally, people will use them all. If Capital Boulevard could provide us with a way to walk, bike, ride, and drive then it will give us all a choice in how we want to move ourselves through a part of Raleigh. Having that alternative mode of transit, yes walking is transit too, is so important for a city that is trying to grow up.

If you have any comments about the study area, please let the Project Manager, Trisha Hasch, know about them. The planning stages are going on right now so let them know what you think. Send an e-mail to trisha.hasch@raleighnc.gov

by Leo Suarez

Morgan Two-way Conversion Is A Block Short

The Morgan Street two-way conversion seems to be finished; from Dawson Street all the way to the roundabout on Hillsborough Street. But I’ve noticed, and at one point assumed, that this conversion should or would include the section between Dawson and McDowell. See the map.

Drivers on McDowell Street might appreciate the left turn option and 4 lanes heading east seems like more then enough room.

by Leo Suarez

Sprucing Up Capital Boulevard

Capital Boulevard is a very important artery to downtown Raleigh. The way I see it, the corridor can either grow in two directions; for cars or for people. Building it for cars means more lanes and more of the suburban style growth that you see north of I-440. The other is to build a truly mixed use corridor with mass transit and walkable, livable communities. The city is holding a public workshop to talk about the future of this area. The city writes:

The City of Raleigh will hold a public workshop on the Capital Boulevard Corridor Study on Thursday, June 24, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the new vehicle showroom at the Bobby Murray Chevrolet dealership located at 1820 Capital Blvd. Registration and check-in begins at 6 p.m. and light refreshments will be served.

I encourage anyone who is interested to attend and show support for smart growth along Capital Boulevard.

by Leo Suarez

Failed Outdoor Seating Plans Re-visited

I’m not reporting any plans for outdoor seating currently but just bringing up plans that never came to be. Outdoor seating is probably a subject that I could talk about for hours and there are some great opportunities for more in downtown Raleigh.

On a gorgeous day this weekend, I walked up Glenwood South and was reminded of old plans that never came to be. Some of you may remember the news of the parking spaces in front of the building with Sushi Blues and Zely & Ritz that were to become outdoor seating areas. It has been almost two years now and if you look at the picture above, I think we can say that those plans were ditched.

All I heard is that the building’s fire code would not allow them to create the outdoor restaurant space without a hefty renovation. I have not verified this with anyone so take it with a grain of salt. But going with it, it is obvious that the building was never designed with intentions of outdoor seating in mind so it’s a shame we missed this opportunity. I’m all for less parking spaces and more people spaces.

The optimist in me says that one day it could happen. If this property, being on a prime location in Glenwood South, continues to be filled with people and lots of foot traffic then the owners are going to see those empty cars taking up space as a complete waste.

This is just one example where the city can act in favor of the comprehensive plan and do away with the parking requirements for a business in downtown. It was most likely, at one point, the city code that drove the kind of front door parking that is here now If owners in this building decide to do away with the spaces then the city should help make it happen.

by Leo Suarez

Bigger, Bolder Signs In Downtown

I finally made it through the Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s analysis and strategy report on retail, read the whole thing here, and there are lots of topics to go over. I thought their recommendations on signage was something I hadn’t thought of since I can’t view downtown through a first-time visitors’ eyes. The report suggests:

If the Downtown core is to become a truly alluring and exciting visitor destination, one that, for example, beckons conventioneers to head northward on Fayetteville Street, the City Council will need to be willing to accept bolder, more dynamic signage appropriate to this goal, as recommend in the Comprehensive Plan. Indeed, this will be critical to the fate of Fayetteville Street as a retail location, which rests partly on its ability to lure conference attendees and daytime workers from its southern end.

The report mentions that the 100 block of Fayetteville Streeet is not as active as the higher ones and that signs could attract visitors from the convention center and hotels down towards it. I always thought the grand capitol building standing right at the end in plain sight was reason enough for people to walk all the way down but maybe not. On a walk yesterday I made a point to look out for the signage along Fayetteville Street to see what our current situation is like.

From a pedestrian view, Fayetteville Street does lack some signage. As you walk down the street, it is a mystery as to what the next shop may be. I think some may still like this approach, it would be like exploring the street to see what it can offer you. However, with signs coming out over the sidewalks, a pedestrian could view many options and possibly make a better decision on where to go.


A pedestrian looking down the street here can’t see much.

It’s kind of like the difference between ordering the buffet or ordering off the menu. At a buffet, most new people look around to see what is available then decide what to eat. A menu shows you everything available easily, then you decide what you want. Signs that can be easily seen by pedestrians can be the “menu” along Fayetteville Street.

But presenting this “menu” is probably the real touchy part of this conversation. They definitely don’t make signs like they used to (see the Mecca picture) and in my opinion, you’ll hear a big outcry against anything that’s too bright and bold. If left unchecked, a busy street would be overwhelmed with large, bright signs competing with each other to get your attention. So we need to reach a balance here. At the bottom of the Downtown Raleigh section of the comprehensive plan are some suggested guidelines for signage: (page 49)

Signage should be compatible in scale, style, and composition with the building or storefront design as a whole.

Diverse graphic solutions are encouraged to help create the sense of uniqueness and discovery found in an urban, mixed-use environment.

All mechanical and electrical mechanisms should be concealed.

Signs should not obscure a building’s important architectural features, particularly in the case of historic buildings.

Signs should be constructed with durable materials and quality manufacturing.

Sign bands above transom and on awnings are preferred signage locations.

Only the business name, street address, building name, and logo should be on an awning or canopy. The lettering should not exceed 40 percent of the awning area.

Illuminated signs should avoid the colors red, yellow, and green when adjacent to a signal controlled vehicular intersection.

Allowed sign types: channel letter signs, silhouette signs (reverse channel), individualized letter signs, projecting signs, canopy/marquee signs, logo signs, awning signs, and interior window signs.

Discouraged sign types: signs constructed of paper, cardboard, styrofoam-typematerials, formed plastic, injected molded plastic, or other such materials that do not provide a sense of permanence or quality; signs attached with suction cups or tape; signs constructed of luminous vacuum-formed plastic letters; signs with smoke-emitting components. Changeable copy signs are prohibited.

I’m sure these guidelines can be interpreted in many ways. Too restrictive? You be the judge.

I believe that word of mouth is still more powerful then an attractive sign that lures someone in but thinking about new visitors to downtown, proper signage is important for Fayetteville Street. New visitors may feel more comfortable knowing about all the options in downtown and it only helps to land repeat visits in the future.

by Leo Suarez

Baseball In Downtown, Devereux Meadow Meets Progress In Raleigh


Courtesy of the North Carolina State Archives

It’s no secret but most people don’t know about the baseball stadium that once stood near downtown. That’s right, at one point in time, minor league sluggers were blasting home runs onto what would eventually become Capital Blvd. The ballpark once sat in the area highlighted in the map below and this is where I’d like to focus the conversation today.


Click image for wider view.

Raleigh’s Team
The Raleigh Capitals once played at Devereux Meadow Ballpark which was located along present day Peace Street between West Street and Capital Blvd. The stadium was built in 1938 and baseball had its up and downs here until the site was cleared in 1979. In the name of “progress”, the area was then used for city services, a parking lot for waste disposal vehicles really. I want to highlight two articles I found that mention the stadium meeting the wrecking ball, written around that time.

Sentiment Surrounds Wrecking Of Park – The Time-News June 27, 1979.

Wrecker’s Ball Puts End To Ballpark – The Tuscaloosa News June 27th, 1979.


Courtesy of the North Carolina State Archives

What is there now?
The area today contains few offices or very little of anything representing density or urbanity. The city has been using the lots for parking waste services trucks and other utility vehicles. A few businesses reside off West Street in “off the beaten path” office space with very little car and pedestrian traffic on West Street.

However, the more important resource in this area is the Pigeon House Branch Creek that snakes through the Devereux Meadow site and hides underneath certain streets in downtown. Here’s an excellent blog post tracking the creek through the site. Last I checked, the creek was on the state’s list of impaired waterways and the city is trying to remedy this. One example of a fix has been the water garden at nearby Fred Fletcher park. I bet most readers have driven or walked through this area and never knew that a creek was flowing underneath.

The Future
As far as I know, there are no plans for Devereux Meadow at this moment. Ideas of a river walk have come up but nothing has materialized from that. It’s all talk at this point but that allows the online peanut gallery here to dream up ideas for this large piece of property on the edge of downtown.

More on that later….

by Leo Suarez

Hacking Meters: How To Use The New Pay Stations

So the new parking pay stations are coming, a topic we have touched on a couple of times, and they are actually pretty simple to use. Sometime in April, everyone will be required to drop off some loose change for that space out in front of CVS and the experience will be much easier. The city has some of the new parking pay stations set up along the Nash Square side of Hargett Street. Over the next two months, the rest of the 173 total parking meter swarm will be installed.

I’ve created this title, Hacking Meters, to talk about the pay station use and parking in downtown this year as a way to follow this re-addition of parking meters back into downtown. You might actually learn something. I’ll start out with some key links below for those that want additional reading.

  • City Demos New On-Street Parking Stations
  • Using Raleigh’s New Parking Meters

And now I can contribute by listing off the important things you need to know.

It’s really just a three step process. (click for larger)

  • Enforcement is from 8am to 5pm, Mon-Fri
  • Pay stations accept nickels, dimes, and quarters. Plastic options include Visa and Mastercard.
  • You can pre-pay for your spot starting at 6am and time won’t take effect until 8am
  • No receipts
  • Minimum amount you can charge is $1
  • You can pay in 15 minute increments
  • The green time zone signs will be replaced with blue metered signs with paying information
  • Maximum parking time allowed is the same as the currently allowed time on each block
  • There will be a two week grace period after the pay stations are installed and operating
  • Cars with handicap placards follow the same rules as everyone else except they can park for unlimited time, and will pay just the same
by Leo Suarez

Downtown Raleigh 2010 Wishlist

We did this last year so why not do it again. After reviewing the wishlist for 2009, some commented about things they would like to see in 2010. I have added the best and a few more to the list below.

Bookstore

A downtown bookstore has been mentioned on this blog and in many conversations I have. One of the larger stores like Barnes & Nobles or Borders could easily fill the retail spaces on Fayetteville Street. Right now, they would have to be located here because the high foot traffic justifies it. A partnership between them and the Raleigh City Museum or another museum would be a good idea. With their many resources, they could pull in lots of North Carolina based literature and photography related items that I think would be a big draw to its store and downtown.

A small, used bookstore located in the warehouse district or close to Moore Square would be good too. While thinking about this one I had an idea. Ten or so people need to get together and gather a couple thousand used books and start a bookstore with no building. In the beginning, it could start on First Fridays, setting up in spaces that would allow them. (and appreciate the added traffic and exposure) The upstairs lounge at Morning Times, the empty warehouse spaces along Martin Street, or a tent in Moore Square are all cool places to open up the bookstore one night at a time. If it is successful, the incentive for it to open more often is there with it maybe moving into its own space after the support has been proven. Think about it.

Raleigh Wide Open 5 on Hillsborough Street

Its not Downtown Raleigh Wide Open. With no big projects planned to be complete in downtown this year, I think that Raleigh Wide Open 5 should move to Hillsborough Street. They are projected to finish the construction in September but last I read, they are ahead of schedule. What better way to flood the streets, and stores, with people who need to see the street completed and come back to support the struggling businesses. NC State should open up the entire campus to handle the parking.

Bus Shelters

I once made a list of suggestions, that are a little on the cheaper side, in order to help people try transit. The idea was to make things more convenient and to improve the experience. Doing it the right way with trains and more buses is too costly and will take 185 years so we’ll have to take baby steps. Bus shelters for major stops in downtown would go a long way. This is for CAT and the R-Line. Waiting for a bus in July at 1:00pm is not fun especially when there is no place to sit. The bus shelters along a dead and buildingless Centennial Parkway should be moved to downtown. OK, I don’t mean to be drastic but Cameron Village has built bus shelters and the downtown stops deserve them too.

More jobs

One way for the area to recover from this bad economy is to create more jobs. That is obvious but in 2010, if the jobs come back to the triangle, there is a big opportunity for them to come to downtown. More jobs mean more leased office space and the more people in downtown can only help bring a variety of things.

Specialized retail

Its easy to say that we need/want more shops in downtown. What is not easy is to make this actually happen. Possibly the biggest wish on the list is for more unique shops to open in downtown. More boutique clothing stores or a shoe store would be great. Stitch has proven that this recipe can be successful so I’m hoping someone else takes a crack at it.