A quick one today. I’ve been enjoying this shot from The West looking at Smokey Hollow and the second crane being built over the site. This summer we should really see a lot of construction activity in this area.
Pic of the Week
In case you missed it, FNB Tower is officially under construction. The tower crane has shown up at the site and crews have been pounding away.
For me, it’ll be enjoyable to watch this mixed-use project go up and I think it’ll make a dramatic impact on City Plaza as it fills in the “360 effect.”
Plans Submitted for Bar Renovation at 612 Glenwood
612 Glenwood. May 2018.
The 600 block of Glenwood South just might become the densest cluster of bars in downtown Raleigh.
At 612 Glenwood, currently shown above, submitted plans to the city show a proposal for adding a second floor to the building for outdoor bar space. The outdoor bar is basically the roof of the building and is mostly open to all views.
In addition to a second floor, most of the outdoor space around the first will be cleaned up. According to SR-042-18, the “10 existing parking spaces to be obliterated…” Basically, the rear parking lot and driveway will be paved over and an outdoor bar will be built towards the back.
Here are the renderings as part of the plan submissions with an aerial view from Google Maps as a reference.
612 Glenwood. May 2018 via Google Maps.
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The retailer, Feelgoodz, is moving (has moved?) from the space as retail struggles in Glenwood South these days. This makes sense that 612 Glenwood could be a bar for a while as the biggest use here is nightlife. Even with so many residents, perhaps the district hasn’t hit critical mass to really land some solid retail.
Who knows though as the dynamic could change in the future with even more residents coming nearby at Smokey Hollow. It shouldn’t be too surprising to see even more development along Peace so retail might have a chance in the future. If only office space could land along Glenwood, then the dynamic might really mix up.
Spring Meetup is on May 30
Another season, another great time for a reader meetup. I hope some of you are in town the week of Memorial Day because if you are, come join us at the London Bridge Pub on May 30 from 5-7pm. The format is casual and the folks that come out are always a classy bunch.
Our hosts for the evening include:
- Oak City CRE, a newsletter about Raleigh development projects.
- Neighbors of Raleigh, a podcast featuring the stories of Raleigh.
- Inbound Raleigh, a podcast about transit and transportation in Raleigh.
Spring Reader Meetup
Date/Time: Wed., May 30, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
London Bridge Pub
Right next to the GoRaleigh station. (easy bus access)
I think this one will be a good one. See you there.
Map of the Week
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There’s a survey out for anyone interested in expanded bus service and bus rapid transit in Wake that readers should probably take a look at. Jump to the survey here.
If you aren’t familiar, plans for expanded transit service will be rolling out between now and 2027. Downtown Raleigh is a central hub of the frequent network with the BRT lines coming in and out of downtown Raleigh. The survey focuses on the bus component only and I’m expecting the commuter rail portion, dropping passengers off at Raleigh Union Station, to come later.
Pic of the Week
Parklet? Outdoor seating? Either way you look at it, a parking space has been removed on Salisbury Street. Cheers to Local Icon, behind nearby Virgil’s, Linus and Pepper’s, and Level Up, for the great outdoor space.
Re-imagining Central Prison and The Governor Morehead School’s 81.2 Acres, Events on May 18-20
From my inbox to yours. Here’s a pretty good looking series of events being held by the AIA Triangle. We’ve speculated some about what the land consisting of the state’s Central Prison and Morehead school could be. Here’s an opportunity to get into that with the design community.
For more information, go to connections.design
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Raleigh Union Station’s Dedication
Email readers: This blog post has a virtual reality image. Read the post on the blog to see it.
Dedication ceremony for Raleigh Union Station on April 30, 2018.
On Monday, April 30, 2018, a dedication ceremony was held for Raleigh Union Station. Current and former politicos, city workers, media, Raleigh city aficionados, and representatives from the railroad fandom gathered in the new station to celebrate the completion of the project.
Now that the station has been dedicated, it’ll be put to use in June when Amtrak starts operating out of the new station with 10 daily trains. (up from 8 currently) Stay tuned for a city-planned event to continue to show it off to the greater community.
Dedication ceremony for Raleigh Union Station on April 30, 2018.
360 Photo of the interior of Raleigh Union Station
The new station is wide open with an abundance of natural light. The staircases are a joy to go up with each level showing a new view into and out of the station. The second-floor mezzanine facing north shows a unique perspective of the warehouse district and the Boylan Wye, perfect for train watching.
Mezzanine level at Raleigh Union Station.
View of the platform from Raleigh Union Station.
No doubt, Raleigh Union Station should impress and is such a wonderful gateway to our downtown and city. Expect more content in the near future as the station is up and running.