Wayfinding signs are popping up around downtown.
Wayfinding signs are popping up around downtown.
Wayfinding signs are popping up around downtown.
The Old Melrose Knitting Company Warehouse
I know very little about this warehouse but it is my favorite one in downtown. You may have passed it a thousand times before noticing it because the warehouse is tucked away on the right as you come into downtown on Dawson St. at Lane St. I bring it up because there has been some small amount of activity here recently. A brick wall has been built in front with two openings, wide enough for a single car. My first guess is that there will be a parking lot in front for possible offices in the building.
I took a picture of the warehouse almost a year ago. Below is that picture followed by a recent one showing the new additions. If anyone has any information about the warehouse, please share in the comments. A Sanborn map from 1903 (pdf) shows the warehouse and that the Melrose Knitting Company was here.
Rainy Night Downtown (via dtraleigh)
Rainy Night Downtown (via dtraleigh)
Rainy Night Downtown (via dtraleigh)
Tech Culture in Downtown Raleigh
Picture by Prachi Gauriar via Flickr.
When I’m not taking photos or drinking beer, the tech junkie inside me likes to find a cool spot downtown and ‘geek out’. Coffee shops are usually the place to find people doing the same being productive for their work or for a hobby. I’m a big fan of drink and wi-fi on slow weekends and I know there are others out there. Inspired by John’s recent comment on the topic (you the man!) here is a short list of places to visit that offer good atmosphere and amenities for web surfing and working.
Café Helios
Café Helios is a great coffee shop in Glenwood South. On top of coffee, they also serve wine, beer, and there is a light food menu to keep you from starving. My favorite part of Helios is when the weather is nice and all the doors open up. The outdoor seating is cozy with a wall of bushes that separates people from the sidewalk. Check out half price wine bottles on Tuesday and $2.50 pints on Wednesday. Open late too.
The Morning Times
Another coffee spot that gets love for having great hours is The Morning Times. They pretty much have the Fayetteville St. area covered during late night. A few outdoor tables and large windows on the first floor offer some great people-watching spots when you want to drift away from working. The second floor is practically an art gallery with tables for studying or writing. They have all the coffee you need as well as some juices and snacks. Morning Times is very laid back, even with all the energy right next door at The Raleigh Times.
The Flying Saucer
Probably for the less serious worker, The Flying Saucer may have the largest beer selection in downtown with about 80 taps and over 200+ beers total. If you are sitting inside, the day time is usually less hectic until the nightlife crowd shows up and getting a table for all your things is easy. When it’s warm, the outdoor benches are the place to be to get a little radiation from the sun and your laptop screen.
Boylan Bridge Brewpub
The recently opened Boylan Bridge Brewpub has the best view from any outdoor seating area in downtown. The huge patio has several benches for your tech fiesta to gather on. If flying solo, the small tables will do just fine. Microbrew beer and solid bar food will keep you happy as you take in the view. The indoor area isn’t bad either.
Fayetteville St.
This goes hand in hand with the upcoming free wi-fi initiative that the city is proposing. Not all tech culture has to include beer or coffee. Grab that netbook, sit on a bench, and get online. You don’t have to spend any money and it works from the Capitol building through City Plaza all the way to the performing arts center. People-watching here is at an all time high when the weather is nice. Those benches were put on the sidewalks for this purpose right?
Honorable Mentions
Landmark Tavern
Landmark is more of a happy hour spot because they do not open until 4 pm. The beer garden patio in the back is great when you want to be outside in the shade.
Raleigh Times
The atmosphere at Raleigh Times is through the roof here and they have plenty of tables outside. Getting work done can be difficult; the place is way popular.
Port City Java
Port City Java is another coffee shop with plenty of room to sit and work. They have lots of windows that show the activity outside. I’d like to see more outdoor tables though.
Sosta
Sosta is a great early morning and lunch spot. They have a comfortable atmosphere that will let you focus on what you need to get done.
“Beginning this weekend, wayfinding signs will be installed in Downtown Raleigh. The signs will help…”
“Beginning this weekend, wayfinding signs will be installed in Downtown Raleigh.
The signs will help direct visitors to downtown from Raleigh’s major entryways and direct them to locations within downtown, such as parking areas and attractions. Signs for both pedestrians and motorists will be used.”
– Raleigh Installing Wayfinding Signs Downtown – Wake County – MyNC.com
R-Line A Month Later
A month ago the R-Line started making its rounds in downtown. Today, yet another Friday the 13th, is time to look at the past month and discuss the new downtown service. RalCon’s page to rep the R-Line is here or through the link at the top.
Ridership
I have no hard numbers to show but from what I have seen and heard, the ridership is busier during the most obvious of hours. Lunch during the weekday and Friday/Saturday nightlife hours are the most popular times to see groups of people on the R-Line. I’m rarely in downtown during the lunch hours so I’ll trust the few people who have told me this, including one of the bus drivers. There were about 10-14 people riding on the few Friday and Saturday nights that I have been on. I’m not sure what the city expects but these seem like solid numbers in its first month of service. As with anything, it will take some time for people to absorb the R-Line and incorporate it into their routine. As for visitors and convention center mobs, they are steered toward using the R-Line with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s new marketing campaign, You R Here, which is a great looking website and I applaud them for re-designing the site.
Convenience
The R-Line is pretty convenient and it makes downtown seem a little smaller. Fayetteville St. and Glenwood South are now a short ride away. However, it is a game to see how long you will wait at a stop for a bus. I have not seen any times posted so I’m guessing the bus is not on a set schedule. There have been times when I have caught the R-Line the minute I walked up to a stop. Other times, I have seen it pull away as I turn the corner resulting in a ‘long’ wait. The 10-15 minute wait time has been accurate though and in my experience, I’ve rarely waited more then 15 minutes. While not necessary right now, a website similar to TranLoc could be created to show people the bus’s current location. A mobile version of this website would be even more powerful, especially now that the city is flirting with the idea of bringing free wifi all over downtown. Its just an idea but not needed right now as the bus is pretty convenient overall.
Signage
The R-Line stop signage may need a little upgrade. On a positive note, the signs are large and clear with the stop name and number at each location. The problem with the signs is that a casual pedestrian that does not know of the R-Line is not well informed. There is a number to call but I think it would be much more informative if a map and route were shown on the signs. Also, the extended route after 6:30pm needs to be highlighted so people are not confused by the change in route.
Hybrid Buses
Have you seen the buses? They stand out pretty well in the middle of traffic and draw attention to themselves. This should self promote the R-Line and get people talking. Also, the hybrid buses are noticeably quieter then the CAT buses coming out of Moore Square. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the buses sometimes look too big and making turns can be a little tight at times. In some instances, I’ve seen cars backing up to let it pass. This might take a slight tweaking of the lines on the street so that the R-Line can flow more smoothly.
Parking Deck Carnage
The deck is coming down at the future site of the new Justice Center. Unfortunately, we may be stuck with a nice gravel lot for awhile until the county decides to start on construction.
“Raleigh officials are in the midst of a nine-month study about how to encourage retail growth…”
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Raleigh officials are in the midst of a nine-month study about how to encourage retail growth downtown.
In a preliminary report that will be released today, New York analyst Michael Berne said developers will be better off if they focus on meeting the needs of downtown shoppers rather than trying to attract a big-name tenant.
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– Report: Target retail to downtown – Business – News & Observer