by Leo Suarez

New Design Surfaces For Site 1

There is some really good discussion going on over at the Urban Planet Forums over Site 1, a development project going up on Fayetteville St. These pair of towers are planned to be built across Fayetteville Street from the new Marriott Hotel. Currently, the site is being used as a staging area for the hotel and new convention center, so naturally no construction on Site 1 has started. While the City has approved Site 1 over and over again, new renderings have been brought up that change the design, slightly. Below are the new renderings that can be found on the Craig Davis Properties website.

I am really not sure which I like better because I like both renderings, however the new one is growing on me. The white and blue colors will match well with the currently under construction RBC Plaza. Its modern design will flush well with Progress Energy’s second tower across the street. When looking at the older design, I feel that it resembles the architecture used in the buildings on NC State’s Centennial Campus, maybe taken up a few levels. I’m not bashing my alma mater’s campus but prefer the more glassy, water-like towers when put up against the stronger brick-red pair of mid-rises. Plus with the mini spires on the tops, especially the blades on the shorter building, there may be a potential for some very cool lighting at night.

I’m very excited for this project and it’s obvious that it will make a huge impact on Fayetteville St. and the surrounding district. I hope the joined bottom floors will be the entertainment hub of the street; with talks of a movie theater here, it very well can be.

by Leo Suarez

Peace Street Streetscape Project

Here is a little project that is needed and will help extend the Glenwood South district further north along Peace Street. The area I’m talking about is along both sides of Peace Street between St. Mary’s Street and West Street. The Raleigh City Council has recently approved to extend the scope of the project that will improve the streetscape along this corridor. The contract with the city’s consultant has now increased to $184,900 to develop a plan along the lines of the Peace Street Streetscape Project.

In a nutshell, the area’s sidewalks will be re-done, pedestrian friendly furniture will be added, parking will be organized, and utility lines will be buried. The outdoor furniture includes things such as bike racks, benches, and trash cans. New lights will be added and hopefully they will match the lights that are currently on Glenwood. Certain aesthetic features will be encouraged on the businesses nearby such as awnings, facade materials, and signage. Trees will also be planted along the side of the streets.

A great project and I hope there are no bumps along the way to slow it down. If anyone has driven through that light at Glenwood and Peace, you may have seen some birds tangled up in that web of wires. No date for a proposed start of construction just yet.

Click here for an overhead map view of the target area.

Click here for a lot more links and details of the project on the city’s website.

by Leo Suarez

My dish is bigger then your dish

Ten vans with satellite dishes are lined up on the 100 block of Fayetteville Street right now. They are here covering the Mike Nifong court case happening right down the street. All the national media stations and even Court TV are here. RalCon is not the place to get coverage of the event, but check out the pics below of the scene. The last one is definitely a good one. Something like this you do not see very much here in downtown.

by Leo Suarez

Round of Applause for Mr. Hatem

The Raleigh Chronicle has written up a great article about one of the most influential people for downtown Raleigh. Greg Hatem and Empire Properties have been responsible for many downtown properties including the Raleigh Times building, the Helig-Levine building, the Duck and Dumpling, and much more. From the article:

It’s hard to find any single person who has had more of an impact on the revitalization of downtown Raleigh in recent years than Greg Hatem, the founder of Empire Properties.

With a new upscale hotel on the horizon, a whole street under development, several restaurants and bar under his belt, and many other projects underway, the leader of Empire Properties has been hard at work.

But unlike other downtown developers, Hatem has focused not on erecting shiny new skyscrapers that are meant to impress, but instead has been steadily refurbishing brick and mortar buildings with character that have been central to Raleigh’s past.

by Leo Suarez

111 Seaboard moving along

The One Eleven Seaboard condo project has been talked about lightly over the past few months. They just got their website up recently, which offers some information about the project. Right from the front page:

One Eleven Seaboard is being developed as a 53 unit condominium project with urban design located in the gateway to downtown Raleigh. Located in one of Raleigh’s trendiest and most desireable areas, this exciting mixed use infill project offers a truly unique place to live. Just steps away from Logan’s and Seaboard Station, 1 Eleven Seaboard is within walking distance of Cameron Village, Glenwood South, downtown Raleigh and Mordecai. With prices ranging from the low $200,000 to the mid $300,000s, anyone can find their place at 1 Eleven Seaboard

Might not be the nicest walk under the train tracks and Capital Blvd. coming back from Glenwood at night but living here does put you close to everything. There is even ground floor retail and with all the new shops in the Seaboard Station, a small community may be on the rise near this old train station.

Location

by Leo Suarez

Raleigh Even Wider Open

I was hoping the city would have another one and my wish came true. Raleigh Wide Open 2 is coming on July 21, 2007. Last year, about 65,000 people crowded Fayetteville St. for tons of live entertainment. The event even had a great headlining band, Royal Crown Revue, which was followed up by one of the most spectacular fireworks show I have ever seen. If this year’s event is anything like last year, you do not want to miss out on this.

Details on the entertainment have not been released but I’ll be following closely and will bring that information to you once it is available.

Article

by Leo Suarez

National news coming to Fayetteville st.

So everybody knows that Raleigh is so hot right now. CBS has come once before and now they will be coming back to do the early morning news on Fayetteville St. The Triangle Business Journal has the scoop:

It’s not often that a major network television program is broadcast live from Raleigh. But that’s exactly what will happen July 13, when CBS’ “The Early Show” will set up shop in the City of Oaks for its Summer in the City Tour.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau confirmed Friday that one CBS anchor, as well as weatherman Dave Price, will be on location to tout the Capital City.