by Leo Suarez

Historic Raleigh Gets Served

Over the past week, there has been some considerable work going on across the street from the Progress II building, the block we refer to as Progress III. Progress Energy owns the majority of the block and has major plans for this area. Possible plans may include a pair of 30 story towers but no renderings or announcements have been made.

Currently the block is being razed except for the storefronts facing Wilmington St. Most of them are closed and I expect them to be either destroyed or heavily renovated to be incorporated into whatever is built on the land behind the shops.

Witness the destruction for yourself. The map I have used earlier to show the construction on this block has been updated as well.


red – razed area, yellow – construction fences


That building used to have a middle section


Soon will bite the dust


Both those buildings used to connect

by Leo Suarez

West at North gathering

If anyone is interested in the condos being built at West at North, they are having an event soon.

Considering a new condo home at West?

Come get a sneak peek and see progress to date – from 6-8 pm Tuesday, May 8th.
Hors d’oeuvres and beverages provided.

After getting a taste of life at West, feel free to indulge in the energetic life of West’s neighborhood – Glenwood South. And find out personally why West is such a great place to live where you live.

Tuesday May 8
West Sales Center,
413 North Harrington Street, Downtown Raleigh
6-8 pm Social Hour
RSVP: 919-828-0077

All my best,
Ann-Cabell

The sales office is behind the building off of Harrington St.

I was looking into the condos here last summer and I am really curious to find out the current availability. West seemed to be on the expensive side of what is being built downtown. I’m hoping with events like this, they are not desperate to sell units.

Hors d’oeuvres here!

by Leo Suarez

Master list of projects

I’m working on a couple longer posts that highlight some of the projects that are going on around the convention center area. This mainly includes the plans on sites 1-6. Keep checking the site for those entries. They will probably pop up next week after I take some pictures this weekend.

Until then I want to highlight the link below. It is for a webpage on the Raleigh Livable Streets website that has all the public and private projects listed with information on each one. Just glancing at this list will give you an idea of what is going on in the area. Check it out when you have some time to kill.

Livable Streets Public and Private Projects

by Leo Suarez

Hotel development in the works

Nice article in the N&O about some hotels, the Winston’s want to bring to Raleigh.

RALEIGH – Winston Hotels wants to bring another tall tower to downtown – one that could rise 25 stories and feature two hotels and hundreds of condominiums on an entire city block.

…….

Winston’s plan to include two hotels from two chains in one building is part of a strategy to take on two emerging, diverging sectors of downtown’s hospitality landscape: boutique and business class. It attempts to do so in two merging sections of downtown: Fayetteville Street and the Glenwood South entertainment district. It’s on the one-acre block bounded by Hillsborough, Edenton, West and Harrington streets, where weathered, one- and two-story buildings now sit.

……

The project will also include a 120-room Hampton Inn, which is expected to attract visitors who like uniformity in services and amenities – stuff big chains are known for.

“But it will have a little more panache than a typical highway Hampton,” said Winston Hotels CEO Bob Winston.

……

Plans for 200 to 250 condominiums are still fluid. Construction is expected to begin in early 2008 and wrap up two years later. By then, the housing market could change radically.

“We think now it makes sense to do the condos,” Winston said. “But we’re flexible about that.”

With the condos, the tower would rise 22 to 25 stories high. Without the condos, the project would stand half as tall.

Location

by Leo Suarez

630 North sneaks up on us

This project has been a little under the radar and I keep forgetting about it. It seems that the 630 North website has posted a rough schedule of events. It says that the groundbreaking will occur in June of this year, with the building being completed in the fall of 2008.

This ten-story, mixed-use building will have a parking deck for its offices and condos on the upper floors. There is no on street retail, which I think is disappointing. However, most of the foot traffic in the area will be on Glenwood, which will work out in the near future. If the area continues to grow and develop, then I think it is possible to turn the ground floor space into some kind of shop for the local residents.

Overall, I like this project and it adds some good infill to downtown and the Glenwood South area. Also, no one should feel bad about the church that’s getting demolished in order to build this building. I think they came out pretty well in the end.

Where’s at?

by Leo Suarez

Demolition occurring at 712 Tucker

The Raleigh Chronicle is reporting that there are warning signs placed at the future site of the 712 Tucker project about demolition taking place.

An entire city block just off of Glenwood Avenue where the Raleigh Office Supply used to be located will be demolished soon.

The large brick structure will be torn down along with another smaller office building on the other end to make way for new luxury condominiums to be built this summer called 712 Tucker Street Luxury Condos.

……..

A large green fence held in place by sandbags has already been erected at the site and signs warning of the impending demolition have already been posted. According to people at the site, the fence has been in place for about two weeks and workers have been busy removing materials from the warehouse already.

If the Raleigh Office Supply warehouse has any sentimental value to you, then you better get down there and say goodbye before it vanishes. Check the bird-vision for its location.

Bird-vision!

by Leo Suarez

A new prez for the Raleigh Convention Bureau

I was going to piggy-back this with the last post but decided to separate the two. This is just a little snippet of information that I think is important. Since Raleigh is becoming a convention kind of city, with its new convention center opening up next summer, it has now hired a new chief to lead the way. The N&O reports the following:

With Raleigh’s new convention center on track to open in the summer of 2008, the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau has named a new president and chief executive officer.

The new leader, Denny Edwards, was senior vice president for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau for the last 10 years and has 25 years experience in the business. He succeeds Dave Heinl, who started Raleigh’s convention and visitors bureau in 1987. Heinl announced his retirement in August.

Russ Smith, chairman of the Raleigh bureau’s board of directors, said Edwards was named after a national search that included community and business leaders.

…………….

Edwards’ first day will be May 7. He’ll earn an annual salary of $175,000.

With 25 years of experience, I think it’s a great hire and should really put that convention center to good use, as well as helping raise Raleigh’s national prestige. I am from south Florida and continue to visit a few times a year, so I am familiar with the type of market in that area. I am confident that that much experience in a strong, world-class metropolitan area can only be beneficial to Raleigh’s economy.