http://www.gogoraleigh.com The Latest in Retail, Entertainment, and Development in Raleigh Wed, 24 Jun 2015 02:05:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2015/04/28/traffic-circles-removed-from-currituck-design/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2015/04/28/traffic-circles-removed-from-currituck-design/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2015 18:07:45 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7668 The Raleigh City Council recently approved a traffic calming project slated for Currituck Drive in the North Hills subdivision. The project design, intended to engineer cars into keeping speeds in the 20s, includes curb extensions and medians. The intent is to convey a sense of traffic calming by including an element every 5th house along the street. Original plans called for two neighborhood traffic circles (one oblong and one circular) as well as bumped out corners of an existing 4-way stop intersection. The approved design, however removes all of those options. The oblong circle has been replaced with a median on both sides of the intersection and the true circle will likely be replaced with a 4-way stop. The project is expected to begin this summer in the summer of...

]]> The Raleigh City Council recently approved a traffic calming project slated for Currituck Drive in the North Hills subdivision. The project design, intended to engineer cars into keeping speeds in the 20s, includes curb extensions and medians. The intent is to convey a sense of traffic calming by including an element every 5th house along the street.

Original plans called for two neighborhood traffic circles (one oblong and one circular) as well as bumped out corners of an existing 4-way stop intersection. The approved design, however removes all of those options. The oblong circle has been replaced with a median on both sides of the intersection and the true circle will likely be replaced with a 4-way stop.

The project is expected to begin this summer in the summer of 2016.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/09/03/appearance-commission-to-review-residence-inn/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/09/03/appearance-commission-to-review-residence-inn/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:08:56 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7511 The Raleigh Appearance Commission meets tomorrow, and among the items on their agenda is the planned Residence Inn for downtown Raleigh. The 9-story hotel is rumored to feature a “rooftop” bar, but will primary serve as a secondary hotel for those attending events in the adjacent convention center. The building will use four materials on the surface: EFIS and three tones of brick. The street level tone of brick will be beige while the upper floors will feature brick of red and hulking grey tones. The building only gets EFIS treatments on its crown. Overall the look is modern, urban, boxy with surfaces broken up by varying textures and materials. There are no vast expanses of a single material. Instead, the architects have presented a very busy looking building that is neither an eyesore nor a beauty nor bland. I really like that the design continues the dedicated 2-story façade for the first two floors, as we have seen in so many projects in the last decade. The effect is...

]]> The Raleigh Appearance Commission meets tomorrow, and among the items on their agenda is the planned Residence Inn for downtown Raleigh. The 9-story hotel is rumored to feature a “rooftop” bar, but will primary serve as a secondary hotel for those attending events in the adjacent convention center.

The building will use four materials on the surface: EFIS and three tones of brick. The street level tone of brick will be beige while the upper floors will feature brick of red and hulking grey tones. The building only gets EFIS treatments on its crown.

Overall the look is modern, urban, boxy with surfaces broken up by varying textures and materials. There are no vast expanses of a single material. Instead, the architects have presented a very busy looking building that is neither an eyesore nor a beauty nor bland.

I really like that the design continues the dedicated 2-story façade for the first two floors, as we have seen in so many projects in the last decade. The effect is that the streetspace feels wider than it would if the building were the same material from sidewalk to roof. (The rule is that the façade needs to change before it gets to the height that matches the width of the street, btw).

While I appreciate that this building is not a stark, unimaginative box, I do think the designers have gone a bit overboard with the heterogeneity of materials. I am not a fan of brick red and gray together, so obviously I don’t like the material choices. Also, I like the signage at street level, especially the vertically-oriented signs. However whoever designed the “Residence Inn” sign for the building’s crown must have happy-clicked on the kerning settings because it looks like a giant mistake.

We all wanted Greg Hatem’s dream of a skyline-impacting, boutique hotel with a signature rooftop restaurant to get built on this plot of land. However this hotel will be a nice addition to downtown and will help the sorely underserved hotel market for downtown. There are plenty of other sites where we can eventually get that boutique hotel, so until then, lets keep going up!

* * *

The Appearance Commission will discuss this project during their meeting tomorrow, September 4, at 4:30 in the City Council Chambers.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/07/15/edison-office-tower-heads-to-appearance-commission/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/07/15/edison-office-tower-heads-to-appearance-commission/#comments Tue, 15 Jul 2014 17:28:14 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7489 On Thursday at 4:30pm the Raleigh Appearance Commission will review plans detailing the latest design for the Edison Office building. The building, according to the site plan (pdf) will sit in the northwest quadrant of the block bounded by Wilmington, Martin, Blount, and Davie Streets, across from the side of Beasley’s, replacing the building containing Reliable Loan, The current plan calls for a 17-story tower that is 301-feet high, about 9% taller than the Progress Energy Tower (former City Plaza building). Plans call for the project to contain 417,000 feet of office space, parking garage space for 328 spaces, and 3 ground-level retail spaces, and an elevator lobby fronting Martin Street. There will be 6 combination parking/office floors sitting atop the street-level retail, capped by 11 full office floors. The Appearance Commission’s duties will be light with this project, as they will likely deal mostly with streetscape elements of the plan. One such that needs to be...

]]> On Thursday at 4:30pm the Raleigh Appearance Commission will review plans detailing the latest design for the Edison Office building. The building, according to the site plan (pdf) will sit in the northwest quadrant of the block bounded by Wilmington, Martin, Blount, and Davie Streets, across from the side of Beasley’s, replacing the building containing Reliable Loan,

The current plan calls for a 17-story tower that is 301-feet high, about 9% taller than the Progress Energy Tower (former City Plaza building). Plans call for the project to contain 417,000 feet of office space, parking garage space for 328 spaces, and 3 ground-level retail spaces, and an elevator lobby fronting Martin Street. There will be 6 combination parking/office floors sitting atop the street-level retail, capped by 11 full office floors.

The Appearance Commission’s duties will be light with this project, as they will likely deal mostly with streetscape elements of the plan. One such that needs to be addressed is the standard U-shaped bike racks. A more creative design would give this project and downtown much more character. Perhaps a light bulb shape as a nod to Edison’s most popular invention?

The site plan offers much detail about the ground floor and a typical parking floor, but isn’t clear about parking access. On the floors with parking, this project will neatly abut the existing parking garage originally built for the block’s four corner projects. Perhaps access will simply be from critical access points in the existing structure.

This will be a nice, early century addition to Raleigh, offering some much needed, class A office space to a market that is at capacity. How does the project fall short? Though I really like the Red Hat Tower, this project is a slightly taller duplicate, and will sit one block north of Red Hat. Yes, this project fits the needs of today’s market, however this land is one of the few places where an impact tower could be added to fill out Raleigh’s “money shot”. Given the appearance of this building’s crown, this project will add nothing interesting to that view. So in that sense, it is a lost opportunity.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/06/03/4-story-mixed-use-planned-for-hillsborough-st/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/06/03/4-story-mixed-use-planned-for-hillsborough-st/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2014 22:14:22 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7470 Another piece of the residential component for Stanhope Village will be reviewed by the Appearance Commission on Thursday. According to the Preliminary Site Plan (pdf), developers plan to replace the former Red Barn/Swenson’s/SakuraXpress building at 2811 Hillsborough Street and replace it with a 4-story mixed use project. The building would contain 30 apartments on three floors sitting atop a street-level retail floor, a development style in accordance to the Stanhope Village area plan. Plans also call for 21 vehicle spaces. The Raleigh Appearance Commission will be discussing this project (more renderings will likely be shown) on Thursday, June 5, at 4:30 pm in the City Council Chambers. The meeting will also be televised and streamed by...

]]> Another piece of the residential component for Stanhope Village will be reviewed by the Appearance Commission on Thursday. According to the Preliminary Site Plan (pdf), developers plan to replace the former Red Barn/Swenson’s/SakuraXpress building at 2811 Hillsborough Street and replace it with a 4-story mixed use project.

The building would contain 30 apartments on three floors sitting atop a street-level retail floor, a development style in accordance to the Stanhope Village area plan. Plans also call for 21 vehicle spaces.

The Raleigh Appearance Commission will be discussing this project (more renderings will likely be shown) on Thursday, June 5, at 4:30 pm in the City Council Chambers. The meeting will also be televised and streamed by RTN .

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/05/14/maybe-the-foxes-are-sending-triangle-a-message/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/05/14/maybe-the-foxes-are-sending-triangle-a-message/#comments Wed, 14 May 2014 21:54:01 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7466 For five decades now the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area has been termed “The Triangle”, and for good reason. As three cities/towns hosted the most important academic, medical and business centers, it was only natural to focus on the three entities. While we expected infill in The Triangle, we perhaps didn’t see our grown concentrations morph the area into a different shape; a red fox. The area’s satellite imagery reveals much growth from Chapel Hill and Carrboro toward Raleigh, but Raleigh’s growth has been along outward spokes to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. According to the figure, Umstead park appears like a saddle on the little fox, and Jordan Lake looks like a long line of droll from Carrboro/Chapel Hill, the mouth of the dog. While I’m not assigning any character traits to communities based on this morphology, the shape does spur some interesting questions such as: Why hasn’t Creedmoor Road/hwy 50 seen any retail development? Why has the...

]]> For five decades now the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area has been termed “The Triangle”, and for good reason. As three cities/towns hosted the most important academic, medical and business centers, it was only natural to focus on the three entities. While we expected infill in The Triangle, we perhaps didn’t see our grown concentrations morph the area into a different shape; a red fox .

The area’s satellite imagery reveals much growth from Chapel Hill and Carrboro toward Raleigh, but Raleigh’s growth has been along outward spokes to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. According to the figure, Umstead park appears like a saddle on the little fox, and Jordan Lake looks like a long line of droll from Carrboro/Chapel Hill, the mouth of the dog.

While I’m not assigning any character traits to communities based on this morphology, the shape does spur some interesting questions such as:

• Why hasn’t Creedmoor Road/hwy 50 seen any retail development?
• Why has the Apex/Garner axis been kept so rural?
• Why has the Durham/Wake Forest axis been kept so rural?

Maybe these little red foxes that are invading our cities are simply a calling; the new mascots for the area. Instead of “The Triangle”, we could be called “The Fox”. The airport code could be changed to “FOX”. The 10 o’clock news could be the Fox News Hour…. oh wait.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/04/10/hunt-library-to-be-featured-on-cool-spaces/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/04/10/hunt-library-to-be-featured-on-cool-spaces/#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:25:14 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7441 PBS’ new show, Cool Spaces!, delves deep into some of America’s most outstanding new buildings. Episode 2 features 3 great libraries, including the Snøhetta-designed Hunt Library at N.C. State. The episode airs tonight (4/10) on UNC-Explorer (TWC 1277, UVerse 36) at 9pm. Remember, too, that the library still gives free, guided tours which are fantastic. The tours begin at the BookBot viewing entrance and are given at: Wednesdays at 9:30 am  Fridays at 3:30 pm Second Saturday of each month at 10:30 am Note: No tours will be given during Reading Days or Finals, April 24 - May...

]]> PBS’ new show, Cool Spaces! , delves deep into some of America’s most outstanding new buildings. Episode 2 features 3 great libraries, including the Snøhetta-designed Hunt Library at N.C. State. The episode airs tonight (4/10) on UNC-Explorer (TWC 1277, UVerse 36) at 9pm.

Remember, too, that the library still gives free, guided tours which are fantastic. The tours begin at the BookBot viewing entrance and are given at:

• Wednesdays at 9:30 am
• Fridays at 3:30 pm
• Second Saturday of each month at 10:30 am

Note: No tours will be given during Reading Days or Finals, April 24 – May 6.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/12/03/beer-garden-coming-to-glenwood-south/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/12/03/beer-garden-coming-to-glenwood-south/#comments Tue, 03 Dec 2013 23:17:44 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7245 The Hibernian group has submitted plans to the city for a beer garden-type bar. The plan calls for the non-descript 2-story building at 614 Glenwood, next to Harry’s Guitar shop, to be converted into a small bar with a large outdoor patio in the side and back yards. The site will likely offer a neat getaway with good views of...

]]> The Hibernian group has submitted plans to the city for a beer garden-type bar. The plan calls for the non-descript 2-story building at 614 Glenwood, next to Harry’s Guitar shop, to be converted into a small bar with a large outdoor patio in the side and back yards. The site will likely offer a neat getaway with good views of downtown.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/11/20/7234/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/11/20/7234/#comments Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:01:45 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7234 From the Vault: On Monday the News & Observer's Andrew Carter published an article about UNC doing a feasibility study about Smith Center renovations. While the university claims the facility is still "first rate", fans and recruits know better. Access to the building is among the worst in the country, seating is cramped, bathrooms are dirty and in disrepair, there are no luxury boxes for revenue generation, and student seating is too far from the court to offer a home court advantage like other teams enjoy. The photo shows the men's room situation, where those who choose to wash their hands are rewarded with only a frigid trickle of water and empty soap dispensers. None of this is new, however. In 2000 Tar Heel fans had these same complaints about the then 15-year old Smith Center. I submitted four options (featuring 4 to-scale cutaway diagrams) to then Athletic Director Dick Baddour with only a polite form letter in reply. Unfortunately the only renovations since...

]]> From the Vault:

On Monday the News & Observer’s Andrew Carter published an article about UNC doing a feasibility study about Smith Center renovations. While the university claims the facility is still "first rate", fans and recruits know better. Access to the building is among the worst in the country, seating is cramped, bathrooms are dirty and in disrepair, there are no luxury boxes for revenue generation, and student seating is too far from the court to offer a home court advantage like other teams enjoy. The photo shows the men’s room situation, where those who choose to wash their hands are rewarded with only a frigid trickle of water and empty soap dispensers.

None of this is new, however. In 2000 Tar Heel fans had these same complaints about the then 15-year old Smith Center. I submitted four options (featuring 4 to-scale cutaway diagrams) to then Athletic Director Dick Baddour with only a polite form letter in reply. Unfortunately the only renovations since that time have focused on player and coach areas and lower level chair replacement. Problems with the building remain, and it is good that the university is reviewing options.

Attached is the 2008 gogoraleigh post that reposted the original 2000 plans for renovating the Smith Center. The success of the student section behind the home goal shows that Project 1a is quite feasible, and likely the rest still are.

There once was a snowy night back in the year 2000. As two feet of snow fell on the Triangle, the UNC Tar Heels were to face the Maryland Terrapins in the Dean Smith Center. Weather prevented most ticket holders from attending, so all seating was opened to general admission. The the court was surrounded by screaming students and those at the game said it was "magic" as the Heels upset the Terps. On my twelve-year-old UNC blog, Tar Heel HOOPla , I posted some ideas for renovating the Smith Center shortly after the game. The plans would allow the court to be permanently surrounded by students while appeasing the building’s donors. (I also sent these to Athletic Director Richard Baddour, but only received a polite form letter in return.) As the Dean Dome completes its 23rd season, not much has changed. The building doesn’t allow the team to get the most support possible. It isn’t a lost cause, though. These same ideas could still be applied to give UNC a better home court advantage. Here is that 2000 article:

Dana’s Smith Center Renovation Plans

As UNC plays its 15th season in the Smith Center , the debate over student seating rages on. Both of the times in the 15 years that seating has been changed to “general admission”, the court has been surrounded by students, and the players have responded with a resounding performance. This could become the norm for the Smith Center with some easy improvements. Clearly N.C. State has shown with their new arena that placing students, the most active and audible fans, around the court creates an intimate, loud setting in a large venue. Simply reassigning student tickets to the first several rows will not suffice as students usually stand for the entire game. Because the lower level descends to the court surface smoothly, the only way to accommodate standing students without obstructing other lower level patrons is to sink the front rows.

Project #1

Project #1 focuses on placing students around the basketball court. To date there are two popular solutions floating around. One plan, Project 1a, involves replacing the current collapsible seating in the first 11 rows with lower-rise collapsible seating. Given that the 12th row (the first row of permanent seating) patrons should not have their view obstructed by standing students, there should be a drop-off of 43″ from the 12th to 11th rows. This will allow patrons to see over rowdy students that are up to 6′2″ tall. The first row of permanent seats, unobstructed, would become a premium seat location. This new seating would seat students exclusively, so the quality of the chair is not important. Seat width can be as narrow as the seats upstairs, too, since students won’t be using these seats as much as paying patrons.

While Project 1a is a fairly inexpensive solution, it substantially compromises the students’ view. If the current collapsible seating were removed, there would be a wall about 96″ high just in front of the 12th row. After accounting for a 43″ drop, the new collapsible seating could only be 53″ tall. Given those dimensions,11 rows of collapsible seating would only provide an 8.8 degree rise from the floor. While this is almost 50% steeper grade than the current configuration at N.C. State, 8.8 degrees is still too shallow to enjoy the game to the fullest. Also, these seats would be decidedly inferior to those currently in place for non-basketball events.

Project 1b replaces the collapsible seating with the best overall aesthetic and functional solution. In this plan the collapsible seating and Smith Center playing surface would be removed and the floor would be excavated 82″ down. A new floor and collapsible seating would be installed.

This new, lowered section of collapsible seating would ascend not at the current 15 degree angle, but at the 20 degree angle seen in the permanent rows of the lower level. Keeping this 20 degree angle is essential to preserving the views of the students and the ticket-holders in those seats for non-basketball events.

In either plan the permanent aisles would not be confluent with the new fold-back seating, so the aisles would have to be reconfigured in at least 4 places so that students in lower rows could access the concourse. While the removal of the existing fold-back risers and the reconfiguration of a few aisles would remove several seats, the new seating arrangement would put nearly 2800 students in the first 11 rows lining the court providing the rowdiest, most intimidating home-court atmosphere in the nation.

Projects 2, 3, and 4 outline several ideas concerning the addition of luxury suites to the Smith Center. While luxury suites can ease UNC’s budget, they also can offer some incentives for lower level patrons to give up the seats affected by Project #1.

Project #2

Project #2 involves replacing the current suites and seats under the second level overhang with luxury suites. These suites would be replete with 8 leather seats overlooking the playing surface, a countertop for bar and food service, a television, and a private bathroom.

Fifty-two such luxury suites could be placed with ease in the Smith Center. ( seating map ) There would be two non-adjoining suites at the top of sections 127, 126, 125, 124, 121, 118, 117, 116, 113, 110, 109, 108, 107, 104, 101, 100, 133, and 130. Single suites would top sections 123, 122, 120, 119, 115, 114, 112, 111, 106, 105, 103, 102, 132, 131, 129, and 128. Each suite would need to be about 15 feet deep (from the back of the second row of leather seats to the concourse door). In order to accommodate the addition of the suite, approximately five rows (Z, AA, BB, CC, DD) of current seating would need to be removed (shown in grey).

Project #3

Project #3 involves the construction of a “halo” ring of luxury suites. Due to the design of the Smith Center, the only way to achieve this is to essentially build a structure resembling a ring of Kenan Stadium press boxes. These suites could actually be as large as desired, but are portrayed in the illustration as being 15′ deep. These suites would contain all the amenities mentioned in the lower level suites, but also would have a private concourse and elevator service to the Bowles Room. As shown in the diagram, about 3 rows of current seating (rows W, X, and Y) would be sacrificed to the 2 rows of leather luxury seats.

Clearly the view from a halo box is inferior to all others in the arena, so some incentives would need to be offered. First class wait service and food of the quality level of the Carolina Club would be offered. Halftime and final game statistics would also be delivered to each suite. Pampering the patrons in the halo boxes is an absolute must, though, in order to fill such suites.

Project #4

Project #4, the most aggressive plan, focuses on placing luxury suites in the bottom of the upper level. Certainly the edge of the upper level is a cherished view, and these such suites would be even more cherished. In order to accommodate a suite in this prime location, a massive overhaul of the Smith Center would have to occur. Because rows E, F, and G and the vomitories would be removed, a separate, third level concourse for rows H through Y would have to be built over the current concourse. Stairways, restrooms, and concession stands would be placed in exterior additions to the existing Smith Center structure.

The second level suites would get their own concourse which would overlook the first floor (existing) concourse. These suites would have four rows of luxury seating, accommodating 32 patrons. Because the upper level ascends at an unbroken 34 degree rise, there would be an uncovered portion approximately 14′ 7″ deep. Some privacy could be offered by mounting an awning (shown as a heavy read line) at the end of the suite’s ceiling. Two private restrooms may be needed in these suites.

Certainly the Smith Center is one of the finest college venues in America, however some improvements could make the Heels more formidable at home. Clearly what is best for the team is placing the students around the court. As we saw in UNC’s game against Maryland and in all of N.C. State’s home games, students give a major boost to the team. While surrounding the court with students will make games more lively, those holding seats on the first 11 rows will have to be displaced. Surely there will be resistance to reassignment from some Smith Center donors. However plenty would minimally sacrifice their seat location in the name of improving the arena’s atmosphere. It is time for everyone involved to do what is best for the University.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/11/11/atlanta-braves-shun-downtown-transit-with-stadium-announcement/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/11/11/atlanta-braves-shun-downtown-transit-with-stadium-announcement/#comments Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:25:57 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7232 Today the Atlanta Braves announced that they will leave the 16-year old Turner Field and build a new stadium out at the Perimeter (I-285) and I-75. The Braves have played in downtown Atlanta since 1966, but this move will take the team 15 miles away, to Suburbia. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Braves executive Derek Schiller said,  “It’s also important that the access around the stadium … is greatly enhanced (by) having those major road ways — I-75, I-285, Cobb Parkway — and having a whole range of improved access points and ways to get to and from the stadium,” Schiller said. “… We fully believe that the access to the site will be greatly enhanced for our fans. That starts with roadways. Today, most of our fans arrive via car, and getting to this (new) site via car from all sorts of different directions is easier.” Roads roads roads. Meanwhile in Raleigh city leaders are quietly doing long-range planning for a replacement for the 14-year...

]]> Today the Atlanta Braves announced that they will leave the 16-year old Turner Field and build a new stadium out at the Perimeter (I-285) and I-75. The Braves have played in downtown Atlanta since 1966, but this move will take the team 15 miles away, to Suburbia. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Braves executive Derek Schiller said,

“It’s also important that the access around the stadium … is greatly enhanced (by) having those major road ways — I-75, I-285, Cobb Parkway — and having a whole range of improved access points and ways to get to and from the stadium,” Schiller said. “… We fully believe that the access to the site will be greatly enhanced for our fans. That starts with roadways. Today, most of our fans arrive via car, and getting to this (new) site via car from all sorts of different directions is easier.”

Roads roads roads. Meanwhile in Raleigh city leaders are quietly doing long-range planning for a replacement for the 14-year old PNC Arena. A replacement isn’t coming in the next decade or two, however downtownist leaders, bemoaning the suburban location of the suburban arena, are considering just which downtown site would work best for the city. These same leaders are also pushing forward with plans to install a rail system which, supporters say, will spur rail-oriented development foci around the system’s stations.

What will probably be ignored as “stupid Atlanta”, a phrase mentioned frequently by Raleigh planners, is that the Braves, a private organization, are planning to spend $675 million on a facility that could not be farther away from transit and still match the population footprint . Atlanta has 48 miles of heavy rail that directly accesses its airport, and one of the city’s most important businesses for Tourism is running away as fast as it can.

So, here is the question: will Raleigh continue to seek an Atlanta-level rail system? Will Raleigh continue to believe that it has some different quality that would make its rail attractive to development and the entertainment industry, unlike Atlanta? Does Raleigh really have what it takes to not exactly mimic Atlanta’s failures?

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/23/aloft-set-to-elevate-hillsborough-street/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/23/aloft-set-to-elevate-hillsborough-street/#comments Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7022 About 10 years ago the City of Raleigh began the process of restoring Hillsborough Street near NCSU. The street, once a revered college strip of business, restaurants and bars, had fallen into economic malaise as Centennial Campus and the residences of students migrated south of campus. About $13 million later, the street finds itself cleaned up, however the economic climate has been slow to follow. That all changed with the announcement of an Aloft Hotel, set to replace Sadlacks and the strip that includes SchoolKids’ Records, two thriving, organic businesses that survived a tumultuous streetscape project. The two have found new homes (Berkeley Cafe and Mission Valley, respectively). Hopefully the West Raleigh community is set to embrace a much-needed hotel that, frankly, will be an exciting upgrade to Hillsborough Street both functionally and architecturally. The preliminary plans show the hotel containing 135 rooms in a single 7-story building. There will be about 6,500 square...

]]> About 10 years ago the City of Raleigh began the process of restoring Hillsborough Street near NCSU. The street, once a revered college strip of business, restaurants and bars, had fallen into economic malaise as Centennial Campus and the residences of students migrated south of campus. About $13 million later, the street finds itself cleaned up, however the economic climate has been slow to follow.

That all changed with the announcement of an Aloft Hotel , set to replace Sadlacks and the strip that includes SchoolKids’ Records, two thriving, organic businesses that survived a tumultuous streetscape project. The two have found new homes (Berkeley Cafe and Mission Valley, respectively). Hopefully the West Raleigh community is set to embrace a much-needed hotel that, frankly, will be an exciting upgrade to Hillsborough Street both functionally and architecturally.

The preliminary plans show the hotel containing 135 rooms in a single 7-story building. There will be about 6,500 square feet (2 parcels) of street-level retail space that are better-suited to the pedestrian experience than the current buildings. Most likely the second level will contain Aloft’s branded WXYZ hotel bar with a balcony. Behind and under the hotel there will be 99 parking spaces and a tiny pool.

The exterior of the building will be a superb addition to the street. The Hillsborough St. side will appear like two separate buildings, likely to stay consistent with the pattern of buildings on the street that are “1-store” wide. According to the Site Plan (pdf) (which gives more detail than the rendering posted by TBC), the left half will be brick and feature columns of windows sets of varying widths. The center stepback section will highlight the building’s entrance with a building-tall sculpture. The right side, though, will be covered with insulated light gray metal panels and feature color cathode lighting at some of the window trims. The design will be the most sleekly modern commercial building in Raleigh, which is appropriate given the hotel’s proximity to the NCSU School of Design.

Raleigh has a Hillsborough Street problem and it has a Starwood Hotels problem. Since the Phase One renovation of Hillsborough Street completed, the street has had trouble gaining the economic footing for which planners hoped. The Aloft project joins the apartment project down at Morgan as well as the coming IHOP project as the first wave of a coming massive overhaul of the street, and it can’t come soon enough.

Starwood Hotels , one of the world’s largest, has an inexplicably paltry presence in one of the fastest growing areas in the country. There is an Aloft and Sheraton Chapel Hill and a couple of Four Points and the Sheraton Imperial in RTP. However the only other Starwood property in Raleigh is the Sheraton downtown (former Radisson); BIG problem. Though we continue to wait for a Westin property, we will certainly celebrate the arrival of the Aloft, only the second new hotel inside the beltline in 30 years. We need it, and we need it fast.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/21/grubb-bringing-more-apartments-to-lake-boone-area/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/21/grubb-bringing-more-apartments-to-lake-boone-area/#comments Mon, 21 Oct 2013 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7012 Due to the overwhelming demand for apartment space (as mentioned last week), Gordon Grubb is developing a remote parcel near Lake Boone Trail and the Beltline with 3 medium-sized apartment buildings. The project, named Greenway Village (pdf), will be tucked into existing woods behind the Palms Apartments. The project will only replace about 28,000 square feet, a small portion, of the Palms Apartments, but will add 5X the space in 143 units. map...

]]> Due to the overwhelming demand for apartment space (as mentioned last week ), Gordon Grubb is developing a remote parcel near Lake Boone Trail and the Beltline with 3 medium-sized apartment buildings. The project, named Greenway Village (pdf), will be tucked into existing woods behind the Palms Apartments. The project will only replace about 28,000 square feet, a small portion, of the Palms Apartments, but will add 5X the space in 143 units.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/15/apartment-complex-coming-to-glenwoodoberlin/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/15/apartment-complex-coming-to-glenwoodoberlin/#comments Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7003 Good news, Raleigh. Your worst building, the Kip-Dell Homes office at Glenwood and Oberlin is finally coming down, soon! This week the Raleigh Appearance Commission will consider another addition to Raleigh’s booming apartment market. The 2600 project will contain roughly 150 apartments in a six-story complex that will replace both the Kip-Dell office and the neighboring U-shaped, brick apartment building. That site and height will be ample for some excellent views overlooking the Carolina Country Club golf course from the north-facing upper floor units. The complex is being developed by Gordon Grubb, and the architect is J Davis (as if you can’t tell from that rendering). The decision to develop the property with apartments was apparently an easy one for Grubb, as I recently learned that the 290-apartment complex replacing Balentine’s received over 6,400 applications. While apartment projects around St. Mary’s, Hillsborough Street, and Oberlin are rocketing upward, we can...

]]> Good news, Raleigh. Your worst building, the Kip-Dell Homes office at Glenwood and Oberlin is finally coming down, soon! This week the Raleigh Appearance Commission will consider another addition to Raleigh’s booming apartment market.

The 2600 project will contain roughly 150 apartments in a six-story complex that will replace both the Kip-Dell office and the neighboring U-shaped, brick apartment building. That site and height will be ample for some excellent views overlooking the Carolina Country Club golf course from the north-facing upper floor units. The complex is being developed by Gordon Grubb, and the architect is J Davis (as if you can’t tell from that rendering).

The decision to develop the property with apartments was apparently an easy one for Grubb, as I recently learned that the 290-apartment complex replacing Balentine’s received over 6,400 applications. While apartment projects around St. Mary’s, Hillsborough Street, and Oberlin are rocketing upward, we can probably expect more and bigger project announcements in the coming year (especially around Crabtree).

It will be interesting to see if the plans for the 2600 project will cause as much angst in the community as we’ve seen historically with that property. Around 1983 Guest Quarters announced plans to develop the site with a suite hotel of an approximately similar size to the planned 2600. Neighbors and Carolina Country Club members posted yard signs and used all available political clout to eventually cause Guest Quarters to cancel the project.

This is 2013, however, and the political climate in Raleigh and in the club are different. A different generation is in charge at the club, and the top ranking members have strong real estate backgrounds. Grabbing the popcorn…

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/08/22/hunt-library-is-american-architects-project-of-the-week/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/08/22/hunt-library-is-american-architects-project-of-the-week/#comments Thu, 22 Aug 2013 22:39:05 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=6993 This year American-Architects.com is profiling one building per week, each from a different state. This week the survey reaches North Carolina, and NCSU’s Hunt Library is the feature project. The short interview for the piece features some of the background and goals Snøhetta felt were important in the design process. The Hunt Library is open to the public. Free tours begin at the Floor 1 entrance and are at the following times: Wednesdays at 9:30 am Fridays at 3:00 and 4:00 pm Second Saturdays at 10:30 am...

]]> This year American-Architects.com is profiling one building per week, each from a different state. This week the survey reaches North Carolina, and NCSU’s Hunt Library is the feature project. The short interview for the piece features some of the background and goals Snøhetta felt were important in the design process.

The Hunt Library is open to the public. Free tours begin at the Floor 1 entrance and are at the following times:

• Wednesdays at 9:30 am
• Fridays at 3:00 and 4:00 pm
• Second Saturdays at 10:30 am

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/07/10/red-hats-latest-is-a-bad-sign/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/07/10/red-hats-latest-is-a-bad-sign/#comments Wed, 10 Jul 2013 19:48:16 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=6958 Red Hat has removed the scaffolding to reveal its bold, red sign atop its new headquarters in downtown Raleigh, and, eh....oh dear. First of all, I'll admit to being biased by saying that I liked the big grey schmoo that topped the building in the Progress Energy era. It not only gave the building some much needed asymmetry, but it also complemented the outlines of the taller buildings on Fayetteville Street, especially when viewed from the south. The new, rectangular bright red facade atop the building is eye-catching, but only in its garish amount of bright red which stands in stark contrast to every physical structure in downtown Raleigh. It's as if Red Hat got a waiver on the city's unusually harsh sign ordinance. I'm sure the CityGate Real Estate owners who are being assaulted not by both the joe schmoes of the Twitterverse and by city councilors for CityGate's street level video signage, are taking due notice. BB&T and PNC Bank, with their little bitty tower-top signs,...

]]> Red Hat has removed the scaffolding to reveal its bold, red sign atop its new headquarters in downtown Raleigh, and, eh….oh dear. First of all, I’ll admit to being biased by saying that I liked the big grey schmoo that topped the building in the Progress Energy era. It not only gave the building some much needed asymmetry, but it also complemented the outlines of the taller buildings on Fayetteville Street, especially when viewed from the south.

The new, rectangular bright red facade atop the building is eye-catching, but only in its garish amount of bright red which stands in stark contrast to every physical structure in downtown Raleigh. It’s as if Red Hat got a waiver on the city’s unusually harsh sign ordinance. I’m sure the CityGate Real Estate owners who are being assaulted not by both the joe schmoes of the Twitterverse and by city councilors for CityGate’s street level video signage, are taking due notice. BB&T and PNC Bank, with their little bitty tower-top signs, are probably also noticing.

Not only is the sign “not in keeping with the neighborhood”, the logo’s vertical alignment is too low in the red billboard to be fully seen from the south (see photos). Whether exiting Memorial Auditorium or entering the city from South Saunders Street, there is no good place to view the sign due to its layout.

Hopefully Red Hat will notice the problems with their sign and correct it. I’m all for tasteful signage, and don’t want a bad sign to cause a knee-jerk response from lawmakers that would would restrict the good signs.

[slideshow id=21]

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/11/charter-square-enters-new-chapter-with-announcement/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/11/charter-square-enters-new-chapter-with-announcement/#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:52:37 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/11/charter-square-enters-new-chapter-with-announcement/ Today city officials and developers joined together to announce the new plan for Charter Square. The 11-story project will contain 225,000 square feet of commercial space in a single glass tower. Currently 35,000 of the space is committed. Some of that space will be another ground floor restaurant by Echelon Hospitality. Construction is set to begin this fall, with a 1-year construction window. The newest chapter in Charter Square is led by developer Dominion Realty Partners and architect JDavis. The site occupies the east half of the footprint of the former Raleigh Civic Center and was once referred to as “Site One”. The project vision was for a two-tower mixed use development with one tower containing residential and the other commercial. As part of the development of the Convention Center and Marriott hotel, the City of Raleigh moved forward with the underground parking garage construction for the Charter Square plan. Then 2009 happened, and the economy hit developers in...

]]> Today city officials and developers joined together to announce the new plan for Charter Square. The 11-story project will contain 225,000 square feet of commercial space in a single glass tower. Currently 35,000 of the space is committed. Some of that space will be another ground floor restaurant by Echelon Hospitality. Construction is set to begin this fall, with a 1-year construction window.

The newest chapter in Charter Square is led by developer Dominion Realty Partners and architect JDavis. The site occupies the east half of the footprint of the former Raleigh Civic Center and was once referred to as “Site One ”. The project vision was for a two-tower mixed use development with one tower containing residential and the other commercial. As part of the development of the Convention Center and Marriott hotel, the City of Raleigh moved forward with the underground parking garage construction for the Charter Square plan.

Then 2009 happened, and the economy hit developers in every city hard. The new project will still be built on top of that investment. Thankfully the climate is such that progress on this site can move forward once and for all.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/02/durham-discusses-new-tower/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/02/durham-discusses-new-tower/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:39:37 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/02/durham-discusses-new-tower/ Today the City of Durham is discussing a proposed 26-story tower that would be the city’s tallest. The project would stand next to the venerable Hill building, inside of downtown’s loop, and would contain 133 apartment units in the buildings upper 21 stories. Half of the street level would be retail while the rest of the building would be parking garage. There is a very nice pdf of the proposal posted at the Durham website. It includes details of the project, its positive and negative impacts on the surrounding neighborhood, and many, many renderings. I first should say that I love the architectural style of the building. The use of balconies to give the building a softer, rounded look is beautiful. The building would be a great improvement to the stale Durham skyline. I do have many deep concerns about the viability of the building as a business project, and concerns about its affect on future housing in downtown Durham. In Raleigh we saw the addition of two “highrise”...

]]> Today the City of Durham is discussing a proposed 26-story tower that would be the city’s tallest. The project would stand next to the venerable Hill building, inside of downtown’s loop, and would contain 133 apartment units in the buildings upper 21 stories. Half of the street level would be retail while the rest of the building would be parking garage.

There is a very nice pdf of the proposal posted at the Durham website. It includes details of the project, its positive and negative impacts on the surrounding neighborhood, and many, many renderings.

I first should say that I love the architectural style of the building. The use of balconies to give the building a softer, rounded look is beautiful. The building would be a great improvement to the stale Durham skyline. I do have many deep concerns about the viability of the building as a business project, and concerns about its affect on future housing in downtown Durham.

In Raleigh we saw the addition of two “highrise” condo buildings with the West at North project and the RBC Tower. Along with other projects such as Bloomsbury Estates, the Hue and the Paramount, Raleigh saw a fast glut of high-rise condo spaces in a very few years. Predictably the market was overbuilt for condos, and some projects either went to apartments or went into foreclosure. At this point does the downtown market of Durham need 133 sky-high apartment units when it really has…none? This is a big financial step for the developers into an untested market.

Does this project improve the quality of life in downtown Durham? For sure, the Durham loop is begging for some residential component. The area has much potential as a walkable, charming 24-hour live/work/play zone. I have serious concerns about any residential project that is more than 6 stories tall. Above 60 feet or so, residents are no longer part of the community, but rather, in their own world. It is more convenient in some cases to just go down to the car in the garage and drive to destinations. Would it be any different for this project? Does the Durham market want all of its apartment demand sucked up into one portion of one block.

In urban areas with an abundance of vacant lots, like Raleigh and Durham, I feel that the best residential plan for a viable long term community is in 3-4 story facilities. Row houses and small projects are far more likely to put pedestrians on the street, pedestrians who care about the neighborhood, than projects that allow residents to escape the very neighborhood being built.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:24:05 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/ Today TBJ posted a slideshow of upcoming North Hills projects that is worth a look. The photos show renderings for a 19-story building that will go between Sparians and Six Forks Road, the 6-story Midtown Green apartments, an amphitheater, a free-standing Chuey’s, and details of the upcoming Allister apartment complex on Ramblewood Drive. Tucked away, however, in the slide show are images of some other unannounced projects, too: The high-rise condos planned for the space next to the Brothers Cleaners drive-thru are still present. The two high-rise buildings that were once denied by the Raleigh City Council still appear in the plan. The buildings would sit in the vast surface parking lot between Six Forks Road and Coquette, and Lassiter Mill. The plan shows the removal of the Exxon station at the corner. First Citizens’ low-rise crescent shaped office building adjacent to their odd circular building at Lassiter Mill and Six Forks is also present. At North Hills East,...

]]> Today TBJ posted a slideshow of upcoming North Hills projects that is worth a look. The photos show renderings for a 19-story building that will go between Sparians and Six Forks Road, the 6-story Midtown Green apartments, an amphitheater, a free-standing Chuey’s, and details of the upcoming Allister apartment complex on Ramblewood Drive.

Tucked away, however, in the slide show are images of some other unannounced projects, too:

• The high-rise condos planned for the space next to the Brothers Cleaners drive-thru are still present.
• The two high-rise buildings that were once denied by the Raleigh City Council still appear in the plan. The buildings would sit in the vast surface parking lot between Six Forks Road and Coquette, and Lassiter Mill. The plan shows the removal of the Exxon station at the corner.
• First Citizens’ low-rise crescent shaped office building adjacent to their odd circular building at Lassiter Mill and Six Forks is also present.
• At North Hills East, a low-rise building is present between Sparians and the Camelot/Dartmouth intersection.
• A very tall cluster of buildings is depicted between Piola and I-440, where Aldert Root School temporarily sat a few years ago. Originally this area was to hold a retirement development, but with an amphitheater going in at that end of the development, I certainly hope the plans have changed.
• Most interesting, though, is the pair of high-rises, taller than the Renaissance Hotel, that would replace the JCPenney parking deck. The current deck has seen better days, for sure. Currituck Road is not depicted in the view, however this pair would best logically fit between the Currituck extension and the existing JCP.
• The Ramblewood developments appear, as backward as they are, to be in place as being constructed now. (Why in the world are the single-family homes up at Ramblewood at the main traffic outlet while the high-density condo buildings are stuck in the back adjacent to Drewry Hills houses? )
• The (recently razed) BB&T and former Bank of America buildings across Six Forks from the fire station are still present, indicating some error in this master plan.

The plan looks good from the birds eye view, though the complex is going to have to have a lot more parking than it currently has. When that parking is built, hopefully it will make more sense than the CapTrust tower’s parking; the creepiest parking garage in Raleigh.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/08/hows-the-economy-really-doing/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/08/hows-the-economy-really-doing/#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:44:36 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/08/hows-the-economy-really-doing/ There has been a recent uptick in the local real estate market, but don’t be so sure that the economy is gaining too much momentum. A simple Zillow view of Pre-Foreclosures and Foreclosures in Raleigh shows that there are a lot of people who have missed payments on their houses over the past year or so. In fact there are more than are shown at this zoom...

]]> There has been a recent uptick in the local real estate market, but don’t be so sure that the economy is gaining too much momentum. A simple Zillow view of Pre-Foreclosures and Foreclosures in Raleigh shows that there are a lot of people who have missed payments on their houses over the past year or so. In fact there are more than are shown at this zoom level.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:58:33 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/ Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 was an fascinating year, with the Olympics, the Election, and a little bit of economic traction, the year turned out to be more interesting than expected. With the close of the year, it’s time to pull out the old crystal acorn and make a few quick predictions (30 to be exact) for the upcoming year. (Don’t take these to the bank, though! If this thing were any good, I’d be in Vegas with it.) Publix will begin construction on their first Triangle store…in Cary in the Davis/54 area. Publix will pick Creedmoor/Millbrook for their first Raleigh store location. The new owners of Falls Village will make a strong play for Publix, offering to raze half of their center to accommodate a large grocery store. Raleigh will begin discussions to tear down Memorial Auditorium – with the dominant bookings of the DPAC, Raleigh people are increasingly irked by having to go to Durham for so many good events. Leaders in Raleigh will talk about removing...

]]> Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 was an fascinating year, with the Olympics, the Election, and a little bit of economic traction, the year turned out to be more interesting than expected. With the close of the year, it’s time to pull out the old crystal acorn and make a few quick predictions (30 to be exact) for the upcoming year. (Don’t take these to the bank, though! If this thing were any good, I’d be in Vegas with it.)

• Publix will begin construction on their first Triangle store…in Cary in the Davis/54 area.
• Publix will pick Creedmoor/Millbrook for their first Raleigh store location. The new owners of Falls Village will make a strong play for Publix, offering to raze half of their center to accommodate a large grocery store.
• Raleigh will begin discussions to tear down Memorial Auditorium – with the dominant bookings of the DPAC, Raleigh people are increasingly irked by having to go to Durham for so many good events. Leaders in Raleigh will talk about removing the center section of the performing arts complex and replacing it with a stacked, 3-tier facility to compete with the DPAC.
• Violence will be an increasing problem in Glenwood South, and patrons will start seeking another focus for nightlife, most likely in…the Hillsborough Street area, which will be the next wave of downtown revitalization.
• Orvis will close in Triangle Town Center and seek space in a part of the Triangle where their patrons actually live. Perhaps Kidd’s Hill behind Crabtree?
• Development of both Kidd’s Kill properties will finally begin, but the Soleil Center/Westin land will remain an empty lot.
• A new mall will be announced for the I-40/42/70/540 area between Clayton and Fuquay. It will focus on serving the Johnston County market.
• Best Buy will close at least one Triangle location. My bet is the newest store, Brier Creek.
• Between Liles, The Varsity, and Nowells, Raleigh will only support two, and one will close.
• As brick & mortar retail continues to struggle, Crabtree will add another restaurant in its mall proper
• While Washington policy will grow much more liberal than we’ve seen in the previous 4 years (increasingly hostile fiscal policies toward the wealthy, increased spending on social programs, and a stark increase in liberal social policies and transit expenditures), North Carolina policy will become more conservative, but not by much. In the next four years issues like Gay Marriage, Legalization of Pot, and Gun Control will stay put in this state, unless there is federal mandate…
• …The Supreme Court will rule that Gay Marriage must be recognized by all states, and Federal Legislation implementing more stringent gun control will override North Carolina’s stance.
• North Carolina will get an increased amount of funding for transit (regional “high” speed and local light rail), but the State of North Carolina will decrease expenditures in these areas, and no real progress will occur in the next four years, especially with light rail.
• Raleigh will continue its oppressive assault on drivers in neighborhoods by reducing the speed limit on Glen Eden to 25 mph. They will also erect more of those contrived islands meant to annoy and slow drivers.
• UNC and NCSU will field bubble teams in football, once again, that will get absolutely no national attention.
• If the NHL season is cancelled, Backyard Bistro will close.
• T-Mobile will be bought by one of the other carriers, most likely AT&T, reducing the number of carrier networks to three in the Triangle.
• Free Wifi will be everywhere by the end of the year. In the malls, the restaurants, and in grocery stores. Most importantly, I predict that free wifi for every fan in the building will be implemented in the PNC Arena. (yay!)
• The number of restaurants with tablet menus will grow quickly. In fact, only cheap or snobby restaurants will be without a tablet presence by the end of 2013.
• Buca di Beppo will announce their first Raleigh/Cary location
• PDQ will announce two more locations. One in the Southpoint area and one in Cary.
• One of downtown Raleigh’s Indian restaurants will close. Will it be Blue Mango or Mantra that survives?
• BJ’s Brewhouse will announce their first North Carolina locations – on in Charlotte, one in Cary.
• The next big culinary ethnicity, after Mexican starts to fade, will be South American. Restaurants like Machupicchu and Guasaca will have excellent years, but will see more competition, too, especially in the casual dining space.
• Guacamole variations will be the next trend within the Mexican food space
• The IHOP on Hillsborough Street will close, but will be replaced in 2014 by a mixed use apartment building that will have street level retail, including a new IHOP. (This is a planned project. The prediction is that execution will begin this year)
• The Triangle will be selected as the site for filming a nationally prominent movie.
• No significant changes to Raleigh’s skyline will be introduced in 2013.
• A MakerBot-like 3D printing business will open in Raleigh, allowing people to create functional and artistic plastic items just-in-time.
• Here’s the big one: 2013 will be the Year of Durham, and the crowning moment will be an announcement by Google that their second Google Fiber city will be…Durham.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/hgtv-unveils-kiawah-dream-home/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/hgtv-unveils-kiawah-dream-home/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:43:55 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/hgtv-unveils-kiawah-dream-home/ One of the great events of New Years is the HGTV Dream Home special. This year’s house is at Kiawah Island, near Charleston, SC. While this isn’t Raleigh, per se, it is the first Dream Home since 2006’s Lake Lure house that is within driving distance of Raleigh. Set in the buggy marshlands of Kiawah, the house features 3 bedrooms and one living noise space. The house appears to be well built, and would be a great getaway a few times a year for Raleighites! You can enter to win this house thru February 15. HGTV will run their Dream Home 2013 special three times: Tonight (Jan 1) at 7pm Tomorrow (Jan 2) at 6pm January 11 at 6pm...

]]> One of the great events of New Years is the HGTV Dream Home special. This year’s house is at Kiawah Island, near Charleston, SC. While this isn’t Raleigh, per se, it is the first Dream Home since 2006’s Lake Lure house that is within driving distance of Raleigh.

Set in the buggy marshlands of Kiawah, the house features 3 bedrooms and one living noise space. The house appears to be well built, and would be a great getaway a few times a year for Raleighites! You can enter to win this house thru February 15.

HGTV will run their Dream Home 2013 special three times:

• Tonight (Jan 1) at 7pm
• Tomorrow (Jan 2) at 6pm
• January 11 at 6pm

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:08:09 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/ It appears that some may have missed TBJ’s announcement last week concerning Publix. It appears the excellent supermarket chain is eying sites in the Triangle. The Lakeland, FL-based chain has nearly 1,100 stores spread throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The expansion would mean direct competition for Charlotte-based Harris Teeter, which has stores Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware. If Publix wants a slam-dunk site in Raleigh, they should go into the former Hannaford and Lowes grocery store spot between Costco and Trader Joe’s. (map it) The complexion of that retail neighborhood has considerably improved since the failure of those stores, and the addition of Costco and Trader Joe’s draws people from across the entire eastern half of the Triangle already. The site has convenient I-440 access, and is a location where both Inside The Beltline and Outside The Beltline shoppers feel...

]]> It appears that some may have missed TBJ’s announcement last week concerning Publix . It appears the excellent supermarket chain is eying sites in the Triangle.

The Lakeland, FL-based chain has nearly 1,100 stores spread throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The expansion would mean direct competition for Charlotte-based Harris Teeter, which has stores Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware.

If Publix wants a slam-dunk site in Raleigh, they should go into the former Hannaford and Lowes grocery store spot between Costco and Trader Joe’s. ( map it ) The complexion of that retail neighborhood has considerably improved since the failure of those stores, and the addition of Costco and Trader Joe’s draws people from across the entire eastern half of the Triangle already. The site has convenient I-440 access, and is a location where both Inside The Beltline and Outside The Beltline shoppers feel comfortable. The site is currently leased by a workout gym, but who are we kidding? Right?

An alternative might be the newly razed lot between the old grocery store site and Trader Joe’s. My limited understanding of this former ITT industrial property is that it has had brownfield contamination issues. Depending on the progress of the cleanup, this site could be, and should be developed into a multi-use retail/residential development that ties in to Holly Park to the north, the future light rail corridor to the east, and the Costco area to the south. It is an excellent opportunity looking 10 years forward.

As far as other areas of older north and west Raleigh go, unless an existing grocery store’s current lease is not renewed, it is hard to imagine another site for Publix that could be gracefully executed, to be honest. Perhaps Kids Hill behind Crabtree? Perhaps a corner on Blue Ridge Road? These don’t have nearly the visibility and ease of access. Old Raleigh has very few non-industrial commercial corridors. Therefore the Wake Forest/Six Forks area is absolutely the best option for capturing old Raleigh. There are other lots in that area, such as the Southern States Nissan property, but considerable terraforming will need to be accomplished to deal with the flooding that property periodically experiences.

To be honest, though, Publix could go into any safe area and do well in Raleigh. The sooner the better!

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/08/burroughs-wellcome-tour-coming-next-weekend/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/08/burroughs-wellcome-tour-coming-next-weekend/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:21:19 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/08/burroughs-wellcome-tour-coming-next-weekend/ Triangle Modernist Houses continues their excellent series of architectural tours with a tour of the former North American Headquarters for Burroughs-Wellcome. The building was one of Paul Rudolph’s best pieces, and has not been open to the public for decades. It was featured in the strange, salvaged Natalie Wood/Christopher Walken movie “Brainstorm.” The tour takes place on Saturday, October 20 from 9am to 1pm. Advance tickets are $9.95 and $15 day-of. Tickets and more information are available at the TMH Tour Page....

]]> Triangle Modernist Houses continues their excellent series of architectural tours with a tour of the former North American Headquarters for Burroughs-Wellcome. The building was one of Paul Rudolph’s best pieces, and has not been open to the public for decades. It was featured in the strange, salvaged Natalie Wood/Christopher Walken movie “Brainstorm.”

The tour takes place on Saturday, October 20 from 9am to 1pm. Advance tickets are $9.95 and $15 day-of. Tickets and more information are available at the TMH Tour Page .

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/05/14/dental-school-puts-two-hotels-on-north-carolina-avenue/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/05/14/dental-school-puts-two-hotels-on-north-carolina-avenue/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:19:10 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=6434 UNC School of Dentistry Welcomes Modern Era with Dedication of New Building At the end of April, the UNC School of Dentistry opened a $118 million expansion that greatly enhances the school’s ability to accommodate not only larger class sizes, but to educate more effectively. The facility also positions the school as a worldwide leader in dental research. The UNC School of Dentistry started out of a Quonset hut in some woods near the UNC Hospital in 1954. A few years later the “Old Dental Building” was erected and set the school on the path to being one of the South’s finest. However in 1969 the school opened Brauer Hall, 5-story complex that housed both clinical and educational spaces. It was an important step as the school was able to both grow its class sizes and split its clinics into specialized spaces. However as the next couple of decades passed, the school found itself unable to keep up with the state’s burgeoning population, and found itself with outdated...

]]> UNC School of Dentistry Welcomes
Modern Era with Dedication of New Building

At the end of April, the UNC School of Dentistry opened a $118 million expansion that greatly enhances the school’s ability to accommodate not only larger class sizes, but to educate more effectively. The facility also positions the school as a worldwide leader in dental research.

The UNC School of Dentistry started out of a Quonset hut in some woods near the UNC Hospital in 1954. A few years later the “Old Dental Building” was erected and set the school on the path to being one of the South’s finest. However in 1969 the school opened Brauer Hall, 5-story complex that housed both clinical and educational spaces. It was an important step as the school was able to both grow its class sizes and split its clinics into specialized spaces.

However as the next couple of decades passed, the school found itself unable to keep up with the state’s burgeoning population, and found itself with outdated clinical spaces that no longer met the standards of modern dental technology. With a boost from Butler leader Bud Tarrson and his wife Linda, the school opened Tarrson Hall, a 5-story companion to Brauer Hall, in 1997 that solely included clinical spaces to meet the school’s needs.

While Tarrson Hall greatly improved the patient care the school provided, it was an architectural paradox. At the dismay of myself and many Class of 1996 classmates, the school chose to extend the 1969 Internationalist façade from Brauer Hall onto Tarrson Hall. Yes, it was aesthetically consistent, but so are his-and-hers El Caminos. Functionally, however, the folks at Odell in Charlotte designed a masterpiece. Tarrson Hall pulled the patient experience toward the corner of the complex closest to the parking decks, allowing the school to renovate the opposite end of the school in a manner that best satisfied educational and research needs. No longer were patients seen ambling through student locker rooms and janitors’ closets looking for hidden clinical spaces. Tarrson simply restored logic to was the functional spaghetti of the 70s and 80s dental complex.

In 2000 the citizens of North Carolina approved a massive bond initiative that saw every UNC campus greatly improve its physical campus. At the end of this parade is the Koury Oral Health Sciences “building”. Composed of two fused buildings that greatly resemble hotels in the game Monopoly, the facility replaces two minor buildings of the once 5-building dental complex. It adds a new hands-on simulation lab for teaching clinical skills to dental students, a large auditorium, a large classroom, research labs, and numerous conference spaces. Not only will current and future students benefit, but also practicing dentists, as continuing education courses can perhaps find their way back into the “schoolhouse”. Koury is its own building, but that is easy to forget as architects utilized the resulting gangway as a large multipurpose atrium.

I took a brief tour of the facility last week and was duly impressed with the amount of detail and foresight that went into not only the design but the execution as well. The building is so well integrated that one is almost surprised to encounter any disconnect with the old complex.

It is better to think of Koury as a crescent that lines the western border of the complex. The needs for this building are quite different than those served by Brauer Hall, so architects eschewed floor height constraints set forth by the existing complex. Lab and large class spaces need high ceilings, so each floor is taller than those in Brauer, which creates a “malocclusion”, if you will, between the upper floors in the complex. The connection to Brauer Hall’s third floor is on a floating stairway landing, and connections to the Old Dental building are engaged by stairway landings and a two-sided elevator as well.

The teaching lab space in Koury is fantastic, easily serving a class size of 100 or more (Since 1969 the school could accommodate class sizes in the 75-83 range). Not only is the space bigger, the lab benches are updated with brand new equipment, and the A/V presentation system is up to date. More impressive, though, is the open space afforded by surprisingly few columns. This is more helpful to large class lab teaching than one would initially expect. The column issue is quickly noticed upon entering one of the recently renovated labs in Brauer Hall.

The large auditorium and the classroom are also fantastic, and are on par with the superb facilities found in other graduate school spaces on campus such as the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Additionally, the lab spaces are excellent, and presumably are the finest educational setting dental lab research spaces in the world.

As the science of Dentistry has evolved of the last half-century, so has the science of Education. In our four year period in the school, we were largely “lectured at” in lecture halls scattered throughout the dental and medical complex. They were cramped, run-down auditoriums that had been long-since converted into low-rise movie theater arrangements. Today’s era of education, however, advocates many more small group/discussion experiences. We saw hints of this style coming on in the 90’s, but the school, frankly, did not have the facilities to host such a model. Koury affords several locations for small group learning. I counted six conference rooms, but other minor spaces also exist.

The delivery of information has greatly changed since the mid-90’s. When we were not in lecture halls, we were in the basement of the Health Science Library viewing tapes of the driest of content. Now with the internet aiding this content’s delivery and the variety of spaces in Koury, students can learn the same material in a variety of ways with more flexibility.

The L-shaped atrium is one of the most fascinating pieces to the new dental complex. What was once a baron, dirty service entrance to Brauer Hall is now an excellent multipurpose space. Hallways in all of Koury’s five floors overlook the space which is largely lit by skylights during the day. The floor space of the atrium contains a new offering to the dental complex; a snack bar. The adjoining tables in the atrium all are located near numerous inset electrical receptacles in the floor, so the space can be used for small group study and other purposes at any hour.

Perhaps the most interesting element to the atrium, however, is the multifunctional elevator/stair column that now sits in the old connector space between Brauer Hall and the Old Dental Building. The landing facing the rest of the atrium contains a lectern, allowing one to address the cavernous room. From the the lecturer’s point of view, the atrium floor is not the only location imagined for the audience. There are perches on higher floors as well as the far corners of the atrium. This allows excellent sightlines for the audience of potentially hundreds in a space that for so many similar projects is discarded.

Most notable to drivers on Manning Driver, however, is the new pedestrian bridge that connects the second floor of Koury to the cafeteria in the Bowles building. This is another example of flawless design and execution, as pedestrians no longer have to dangerously cross one of UNC’s grand avenues.

Crossing the bridge is a pleasing experience. The walkway is covered in bricks, and feels like a continuation of the plaza spaces on each end, and is consistent with the more aesthetic older areas of the campus. The east view from the bridge is one of the best  public views in Chapel Hill, too. Finally, the drainage system for the bridge is outstanding without causing a danger to those wearing heels.

There are a few problems with the additional facilities, though. The entire West façade of the South half of Koury integrates the sidewalk, offering pedestrians a covered walkway insulated from cars on Columbia Street. However this cover stops short of the Koury main pedestrian entrance, leaving a disjointed experience. Furthermore, the walkway extending north to the Health Sciences Library immediately swerves toward the road and exposes pedestrians to what is essentially a highway. Also, there is a clearing of land where the old Dental Office Building was that could have been converted into a small transportation plaza that would have been better than the current Health Sciences Library bus stop.

Also, the west end of the atrium floor is on a level that is a couple of steps up from the main room. These two terrazzo steps, found at the bottom of the main Koury staircase, are not permanently marked and are not seen easily by those who have completed their move down the stairs. Finally, the receptacles in the floor of the atrium are already getting torn up by the café furniture. A different design is needed for these to continue to be functional and safe.

There is so much more to the Koury building than can be appreciated in a simple tour during a dormant week for the school. A whole chapter could be written about the lab spaces as well as the building’s pursuit of LEED Gold certification. However it is fair to say that the complex almost perfectly satisfies the needs of the school in the Modern Era. The steering committee, designers at Flad & Associates, and builders are to be commended for making the UNC School of Dentistry the marquis dental education facility in the world for years to come.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/25/aia-nc-hosting-old-buildings-new-designs-author/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/25/aia-nc-hosting-old-buildings-new-designs-author/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:31:32 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/25/aia-nc-hosting-old-buildings-new-designs-author/ from the press release: Join Author, Charles Bloszies to discuss his book, Old Buildings, New Designs. Increasingly, architects are asked to design new work for existing structures. Whether for reasons of preservation, sustainability, or cost-effectiveness, the movement to reuse buildings presents design constraints and possibilities that differ from those encountered during the design of new buildings. Old Buildings, New Designs | Architectural Transformations reveals and explores the issues of working within a given architectural fabric—from the technical matters that arise from aging construction to the controversy generated by the various project stakeholders to the unique aesthetic possibilities created through the juxtaposition of old and new. Old Buildings, New Designs | Architectural Transformations features nineteen innovative case studies of built work by an international list of renowned architects including Daniel Libeskind, Renzo Piano, Foster + Partners, and Herzog...

]]> from the press release:

Join Author, Charles Bloszies to discuss his book, Old Buildings, New Designs . Increasingly, architects are asked to design new work for existing structures. Whether for reasons of preservation, sustainability, or cost-effectiveness, the movement to reuse buildings presents design constraints and possibilities that differ from those encountered during the design of new buildings. Old Buildings, New Designs | Architectural Transformations reveals and explores the issues of working within a given architectural fabric—from the technical matters that arise from aging construction to the controversy generated by the various project stakeholders to the unique aesthetic possibilities created through the juxtaposition of old and new. Old Buildings, New Designs | Architectural Transformations features nineteen innovative case studies of built work by an international list of renowned architects including Daniel Libeskind, Renzo Piano, Foster + Partners, and Herzog & de Meuron, as well as an insightful foreword by noted architect and preservationist Hugh Hardy.

Date: Monday, April 30, 2012

Time: 6 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: AIANC Center for Architecture and Design 14 East Peace Street, Raleigh NC 27604

Free and open to the public

http://aianc.org/cde.cfm?event=383728

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/16/city-council-to-pick-site-4-developer/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/16/city-council-to-pick-site-4-developer/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:31:37 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/04/16/city-council-to-pick-site-4-developer/ In February, the Raleigh City Council released a Request for Proposals for development of the storied Site 4 location in downtown. In Tuesday’s 1pm meeting (video stream), the Council will select a developer to build a new hotel on the site. A boutique hotel was once planned for the site, however funding was unobtainable by the developer within a reasonable period, and the city retracted their selection and waited for the economy to recover. Now there are three developers proposing projects for the site: Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd. Raleigh Prime Investors, LLC Noble DLR Group A selection committee of city staff and others reviewed the proposals and recommends the Summit Hospitality Group plan to build an Overcash Demmitt-designed Residence Inn of about 9 stories. It’s been a long, long while since there has been this much (any) activity in the private sector, so we should probably just be happy that something is being built. However this building will be around a...

]]> In February, the Raleigh City Council released a Request for Proposals for development of the storied Site 4 location in downtown. In Tuesday’s 1pm meeting (video stream), the Council will select a developer to build a new hotel on the site.

A boutique hotel was once planned for the site, however funding was unobtainable by the developer within a reasonable period, and the city retracted their selection and waited for the economy to recover. Now there are three developers proposing projects for the site:

• Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd.
• Raleigh Prime Investors, LLC
• Noble DLR Group

A selection committee of city staff and others reviewed the proposals and recommends the Summit Hospitality Group plan to build an Overcash Demmitt -designed Residence Inn of about 9 stories.

It’s been a long, long while since there has been this much ( any ) activity in the private sector, so we should probably just be happy that something is being built. However this building will be around a long time, and will contribute to the downtown Raleigh “Money shot”, so while the hotel doesn’t have to be a lavish design, it should stand for quality instead of just meeting a budget.

Overcash Demmitt has some interesting projects and some monotonous cookie cutter garbage. Hopefully we’ll see a project that more closely resembles the Charleston Hotel than the Hilton Garden (College Park, GA). Given the standard that has been set by hotel design in those blocks, well…we’ll see.

map it

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