The shimmer wall was officially turned on last night and there was a party held on Cabarrus St. to see the lighting. I’m, for the most part, always pretty positive about things in downtown Raleigh but I was disappointed in what I saw.

I later found out that the shimmer wall looks great if you are close up. Walking down McDowell St. you can really see the lights pop. However, if you walk one block west, for example, the colors are faded and it also looks like there is a dead zone near the top.

We still love Cree for the donation but from talking to people out at the event last night, the consensus was disappointment.

Thanks to Proactive Busybody and The Kitch for contributing.

Have you checked your calendars? We are three weeks away from Raleigh Wide Open 3 and the opening of the Raleigh Convention Center. The final details outside the center are now being smoothed over and will be ready for your eyes and feet soon.

Paving Salisbury, planting trees, laying bricks and more at the plaza entrance. Click for bigger picture.

After almost three years, McDowell is now walkable again.

Shimmer wall installed, new street/pedestrian lights are up and working.

Installing sidewalk lights in front of the entrance on Salisbury St.

Cabarrus St. will soon have flowing traffic, cars and people.

News is slow but conversation never dies. With that, I wanted to dig up an old post that talks about the shimmer wall that is going to be put on the west side of the convention center. For all the juicy details, click here. The wall will cover about 9,000 sq. ft. which is quite large. Here are some renderings and recent pictures of the shimmer wall skeleton.

Right now there are no towers blocking the view when you are driving up South Saunders St. or looking from Dorothea Dix campus. The dancing lights will add some flare to the Raleigh skyline.