Warehouse Tour by dtraleigh, on Flickr
I had the pleasure of seeing the Dillon Erecting Shop this week as part of a tour led by NCDOT. This building may one day become Raleigh’s next train station. The link below is required reading for anyone interested in more train travel through Raleigh.
DOT: We got yer Raleigh rail transit right here … via Indyweek
Examples of sustainability in Raleigh are becoming easier and easier to spot these days. In a city filled with different government bodies, solar projects, hybrid cars, and rain collection systems are just a few examples of the things that all the government players in Raleigh have or will have in the coming years. The city, and all the way up to the federal government, are taking on green projects in downtown Raleigh.
In my opinion, the City of Raleigh has done a fantastic job of not just preaching sustainability but practicing it themselves. The LED city initiative, the developing Climate/Energy Action Plan and a handful of new LEED certified buildings are ways that they are walking the walk. Did you even know that the city recently hosted classes on installing solar heating and cooling systems? We’re also on a nice map along with other major cities for having plug-in stations for electric cars.
The list of green projects in downtown Raleigh keeps getting longer and longer. Solar projects are the ones I wanted to highlight in this post. There are a few interesting solar projects happening in downtown Raleigh worth noting. They are tough to notice without flying over the rooftops and seeing them for yourselves so keep an eye out for these if you’re ever up high on a balcony in downtown.
Terry Sanford Federal Building
Solar array under construction in October 2010 via Downtown Raleigh Digs
The federal building over on New Bern Avenue is now covered with solar cells, as you can see from the picture above taken in October 2010. Here’s a little PR for you:
Working with the Region IV GSA project team, we implemented a 560kW design utilizing 59,000 square feet of previously unused roof space for the solar array. The generated solar power is fed to a utility scale inverter which supplies the power to the building, reducing the building’s annual grid load by over 17%. In addition to developing a system that optimized performance and minimized costs we utilized ARRA approved “Made-in-the-USA” component.
The $3 million project was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Details about that spending are over at the GSA. This project will reduce the carbon dioxide count by 675 fewer tons each year.
Raleigh Convention Center
Raleigh Convention Center by dtraleigh, on Flickr
In November 2010, the city shook hands with FLS Energry/Powerworks to allow them to set up some solar cells on the roof of the convention center. The deal is that FLS would lease the space from the city for them to set up their solar gear. The energy generated would be sold to Progress Duke Energy. This is a nice partnership as the installation comes at no cost to the City of Raleigh and we can buy the array at a later time if needed.
The convention center occupies a city block in downtown. 60% of the roof will be covered in solar cells producing about 725,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 1300 tons, annually speaking of course.
If any readers have access to height, a window and a camera somewhere in downtown, photo submissions would be much appreciated to share with the community of the array on top of the convention center, which should be up there today.
Solid Waste Services Operations Center
It’s not exactly in downtown but this solar project is part of a new facility that will make clear some room. The City’s new Wilders Grove Solid Waste Services (SWS) Operations Center off New Bern Avenue just outside the beltline will replace the current headquarters that sits on Peace Street, at the site of the old Devereux Meadows Baseball Park. From the press release:
The City is planning a 50-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array at the administration building and a 25-kilowatt facility at a vehicle wash building at the Wilders Grove SWS Operations Center. These arrays are expected to provide a minimum of 12.5 percent of the two buildings’ energy use. The 50-kilowatt array will produce an estimated 69,055 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of five homes in North Carolina. The 25-kilowatt array is expected to produce an estimated 34,527 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is equal to the yearly energy use of 2.5 homes in North Carolina.
Not as much solar collecting power as the previous two examples but the new building will seek a LEED platinum rating, the highest out there, and not the city’s first time achieving platinum.
I’m sure the list will grow over the years as this catches on. I hope to see this momentum continue.
I recently read, “On The Grid” by Scott Huler, a local Raleigh Author who wanted to investigate the infrastructure that powered his home, ran it water and connected it to all the roads around the city. Any RalCon readers who may be infrastructure geeks will enjoy this book as Huler traces the infrastructure in Raleigh from source to destination. About a month ago, Huler was on WUNC’s The State of Things so give it a listen if you are at all interested.
[Update: WUNC has taken down the link to the episode]
On Tuesday June 28th, Huler will be speaking at the Raleigh Public Record’s fundraiser about the topic, “Infrastructure: You Get What You Pay For”. Come out for what should be a very interesting discussion about the wires, pipes and roads that connect our society.
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Dos TaQuitos Centro
106 S. Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC
Facebook Event: A Fundraiser for Raleigh Public Record
Support Local Journalism
Enjoy Dinner as Piedmont Laureate & Author Scott Huler discusses:
“Infrastructure: You Get What You Pay For”
Our systems of infrastructure are not only shrouded in mystery, many are woefully out of date. In his latest book, On the Grid, Scott Huler takes the time to understand the systems that sustain our way of life, starting from his own quarter of an acre in North Carolina and traveling as far as Ancient Rome.
Join Huler as he discusses what happens when we neglect infrastructure, drawing parallels to the role free online news is playing in journalism.
CASH BAR
$20 PER PERSON
Heavy Hors d’Oeuvres
By the way, I’ll be there so if you are a regular reader, make sure and say hi!
Carter’s Gift by dtraleigh, on Flickr
A splash of color has been added to the Carter Building in Glenwood South. A nice addition to downtown by the artists at The Carter Building in Glenwood South.
Transportation bond increase from $37 million to $40 million, includes Union Station
Transportation Bond
During the June 7, 2011, City Council meeting it was directed that an item be placed on this agenda to consider adding $3 million to the proposed transportation bond for the Union Station/Train Station proposal.
Overview of the comments submitted for the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)
The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Advisory Group Report
The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Advisory Group will provide a report to the City Council on their final review and assessment of the Unified Development Ordinance April 6, 2011, Public Review Draft.
Recommendation:
Receive the Advisory Group’s final review and assessment for purposes of authorizing an official public hearing date for the proposed Unified Development Ordinance.
2. Summary of the Unified Development Ordinance Public Comment Period
Staff will provide a report on the comments received from the public comment period (April 6 – June 6) of the Unified Development Ordinance April 6, 2011, Public Review Draft.
Recommendation:
Assess staff’s report on the UDO public comments for purposes of authorizing an official public hearing date for the proposed Unified Development Ordinance.
There were lots of comments submitted and the video goes over some of the comments received. More time was asked to go over this feedback as well as to continue formulating the UDO before bringing it to a public hearing. We’re certainly not near the end of this UDO process as the hearings will most likely take place at the end of this year or early 2012. The Raleigh Public Record has this all nicely covered.
South Person/South Blount Historic Overlay District Proposal
As follow up to a 2000 City-initiated small area plan, the Raleigh Historic Districts Commission (RHDC) will present the Report and Recommendation for the Designation of the South Person/South Blount Historic Overlay District, based on feedback received from property owners within the proposed boundaries in response to both mailings and RHDC-sponsored community meetings.
Recommendation:
Receive as information the Report and Recommendation for the Designation of the South Person/South Blount Historic Overlay District, and refer the report and recommendation to the Department of Cultural Resources, the South Park-East Raleigh Neighborhood Association (SPERNA), and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) for analysis and recommendation.
Raleigh’s Creative District
By split vote, the Committee recommends approval of the project titled “Amplifying Southwest Raleigh Through Branding and Economic Development Strategies” with the understanding that the City Council will receive periodic reports on the project.
The inner workings of the SECU tower rise above Salisbury Street. This is most likely the stairwell and elevator shafts of the building. See a rendering of the finished project here.
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.
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:
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.