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...

]]> neighborhoodRoundabout 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/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:

deandome_sink 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

Dean_dome_proj1a 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. Dean_dome_proj1b

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

Dean_dome_proj2 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

Dean_dome_proj3 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

Dean_dome_proj4 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/2013/07/10/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.

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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.)

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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...

]]> Publix 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/2012/04/25/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/2012/02/07/outlet-mall-becoming-china-town/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/02/07/outlet-mall-becoming-china-town/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:26:30 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/02/07/outlet-mall-becoming-china-town/ In the most bizarre announcement in area real estate history, WRAL is reporting that plans are on the board to transform the failing outlet mall near the airport into a China town. The mall will include a cultural center, a hotel, restaurants, and businesses that are Chinese with out being “Americanized”. Learn more from the link. Washed-up Morrisville outlet mall to get Chinese makeover (via...

]]> In the most bizarre announcement in area real estate history, WRAL is reporting that plans are on the board to transform the failing outlet mall near the airport into a China town. The mall will include a cultural center, a hotel, restaurants, and businesses that are Chinese with out being “Americanized”. Learn more from the link.

Washed-up Morrisville outlet mall to get Chinese makeover (via WRAL)

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/08/09/rbc-center-turning-red/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/08/09/rbc-center-turning-red/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:34:12 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/08/09/rbc-center-turning-red/ This summer the RBC Center’s 100 Level is getting a long-awaited makeover. New seats are currently being installed and the good news for State fans is that they are, indeed, RED. RBC Center General Manager Dave Olsen said that the upholstery of the building’s original, 12-year-old seating is still in excellent shape, however the fading and failing red plastic seat frames were past their lifetimes. As seen in the accompanying photo, the seats had turned an awful mauve color that not even the ‘80s would have wanted back. Installation of the new seating has begun and will continue throughout the summer, dodging long-scheduled events. I was able to visit Section 120 recently and saw that not only are the seats a solid, fairly bright red (though not as bright as Memorial Auditorium’s, thank goodness), the new frames for the seats are black, insuring against color slump from exposure to the arena’s bright playing surface lighting. The chairs are the same size as before, however...

]]> RBCSeats1 This summer the RBC Center’s 100 Level is getting a long-awaited makeover. New seats are currently being installed and the good news for State fans is that they are, indeed, RED. RBC Center General Manager Dave Olsen said that the upholstery of the building’s original, 12-year-old seating is still in excellent shape, however the fading and failing red plastic seat frames were past their lifetimes. As seen in the accompanying photo, the seats had turned an awful mauve color that not even the ‘80s would have wanted back. Installation of the new seating has begun and will continue throughout the summer, dodging long-scheduled events.

I was able to visit Section 120 recently and saw that not only are the seats a solid, fairly bright red (though not as bright as Memorial Auditorium’s, thank goodness), the new frames for the seats are black, insuring against color slump from exposure to the arena’s bright playing surface lighting. The chairs are the same size as before, however the armrests feel slightly shorter and are bowed slightly.

Sections containing only the large chairs are being replaced first, so I still have not determined what style chair will be used in the upper rows in the end sections which previously contained smaller, less confortable chairs.

RBCSeats2 While the chairs themselves are a nice replacement, the aisle lighting is emphatically not . The RBC Center has followed the technology bandwagon and installed white LED lighting under the last armrest of the row. Unfortunately the lighting is distractingly bright during a concert and has a yucky, almost blue hue that probably reaches the upper 5000K range of temperature . The lighting from the original seats was an extra-warm amber that was a perfect balance during dark events.

The seating replacement is expected to be completed before the first exhibition game for the Carolina Hurricanes in mid-September.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/10/gallery-c-moves-downtown/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/10/gallery-c-moves-downtown/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:05:58 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/10/gallery-c-moves-downtown/ I recently received a press release referring to an interesting retail move. Gallery C has moved from Ridgewood Shopping Center to the Blount Street Commons area in downtown. Here is more from the pre-move press release:  …Since 1985, Gallery C has been instrumental in North Carolina’s art scene featuring contemporary artists as well as historically important North Carolina art, Haitian art, folk art, animation art and antique prints. The new gallery will be located at the corner of Blount and Peace streets in the Historic Russ-Edwards House c. 1901. The property has served as the development and sales office of Blount Street Commons Redevelopment project which is creating a rebirth of one of Raleigh’s most prestigious historic streets and neighborhoods. Located just blocks from the Governor’s Mansion, the Capital, and the museums, the neighborhood vision is focused around integrating 25 historic homes, dating from the late 1800s, with newer...

]]> galleryc I recently received a press release referring to an interesting retail move. Gallery C has moved from Ridgewood Shopping Center to the Blount Street Commons area in downtown. Here is more from the pre-move press release:

…Since 1985, Gallery C has been instrumental in North Carolina’s art scene featuring contemporary artists as well as historically important North Carolina art, Haitian art, folk art, animation art and antique prints.

The new gallery will be located at the corner of Blount and Peace streets in the
Historic Russ-Edwards House c. 1901. The property has served as the development and
sales office of Blount Street Commons Redevelopment project which is creating a rebirth of
one of Raleigh’s most prestigious historic streets and neighborhoods. Located just blocks
from the Governor’s Mansion, the Capital, and the museums, the neighborhood vision is
focused around integrating 25 historic homes, dating from the late 1800s, with newer urban
living concepts. The new space will allow owner Charlene Ferrell Newsom to expand the
gallery’s services and to feature outdoor art while providing an aesthetically prominent
anchor to the Blount Street Commons project.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/30/chipotle-opening-august-30/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/30/chipotle-opening-august-30/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:19:45 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/30/chipotle-opening-august-30/ The 2316 Hillsborough Street location of Chipotle will open August 30, 13 days after classes begin. Currently the chain is working on opening their first Fayetteville store, which opens on July 12....

]]> The 2316 Hillsborough Street location of Chipotle will open August 30, 13 days after classes begin. Currently the chain is working on opening their first Fayetteville store, which opens on July 12.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/21/rdu-terminal-1-renderings-updated-2/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/21/rdu-terminal-1-renderings-updated-2/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:04:30 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/21/rdu-terminal-1-renderings-updated-2/ TBJ reported yesterday that some updated renderings for RDU are available. Can you say “lipstick on a pig”? First of all, I don’t understand architects’ fascination with pulling rainwater back into buildings. This is a design that has failed time and time again. Secondly, what in the world are we doing dropping a dime into this facility for anything other than tearing it down? The terminal was originally supposed to be a hangar, and got a last minute upfit for short-term terminal space. Renovating this terminal is another step in the airport authority’s history of blowing money hundreds of millions of dollars at a time. There is a reason that people love airports like TPA, they are designed well and handle future growth well....

]]> term1 TBJ reported yesterday that some updated renderings for RDU are available.

Can you say “lipstick on a pig”? First of all, I don’t understand architects’ fascination with pulling rainwater back into buildings. This is a design that has failed time and time again. Secondly, what in the world are we doing dropping a dime into this facility for anything other than tearing it down? The terminal was originally supposed to be a hangar, and got a last minute upfit for short-term terminal space. Renovating this terminal is another step in the airport authority’s history of blowing money hundreds of millions of dollars at a time. There is a reason that people love airports like TPA, they are designed well and handle future growth well.

[ Renderings at TBJ ]

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/11/10/moore-square-model-on-display/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/11/10/moore-square-model-on-display/#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:54:16 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/11/10/moore-square-model-on-display/ The Urban Design Center is now showing the model for the Moore Square redesign. The $184K plan will be on display 9-5p, M-F, thru November 17. The Urban Design Center is at the NE corner of Fayetteville and Hargett Streets in downtown Raleigh. More information is available at the City of Raleigh’s...

]]> The Urban Design Center is now showing the model for the Moore Square redesign. The $184K plan will be on display 9-5p, M-F, thru November 17. The Urban Design Center is at the NE corner of Fayetteville and Hargett Streets in downtown Raleigh. More information is available at the City of Raleigh’s website.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/19/classic-car-show-coming-to-downtown/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/19/classic-car-show-coming-to-downtown/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/19/classic-car-show-coming-to-downtown/ During the weekend of August 20, Raleigh will be revving with excitement as the Carolina Classics at the Capital (www.classicsatthecapital.com) brings the Southeast’s largest indoor car show to the Raleigh Convention Center. This family-friendly event will feature special show cars and auto parts vendors in the air-conditioned Convention Center, displays of custom and classic automobiles on historic Fayetteville Street, a KidsZone with inflatable attractions, and prizes awarded by Southern Classic Cars NC Inc. Many of the Southeast’s premier classic cars be featured at the Carolina Classics at the Capital, including a 1940 Cadillac LaSalle, a 1961 Chevy Impala Bubbletop and a 1969 Camaro RS/SS, just to name a few. Top vendors already committed to the show include Danchuk Manufacturing, Pypes Performance Exhaust, Northern Tool and Equipment, Hamlett’s Chevy Parts, Detailer’s Dream, Page’s Custom, Ausley’s Chevelle Parts and Quality Air Tools. With no charge for viewing...

]]> classics During the weekend of August 20, Raleigh will be revving with excitement as the Carolina Classics at the Capital ( www.classicsatthecapital.com ) brings the Southeast’s largest indoor car show to the Raleigh Convention Center . This family-friendly event will feature special show cars and auto parts vendors in the air-conditioned Convention Center, displays of custom and classic automobiles on historic Fayetteville Street, a KidsZone with inflatable attractions, and prizes awarded by Southern Classic Cars NC Inc .

Many of the Southeast’s premier classic cars be featured at the Carolina Classics at the Capital, including a 1940 Cadillac LaSalle, a 1961 Chevy Impala Bubbletop and a 1969 Camaro RS/SS, just to name a few.

Top vendors already committed to the show include Danchuk Manufacturing, Pypes Performance Exhaust, Northern Tool and Equipment, Hamlett’s Chevy Parts, Detailer’s Dream, Page’s Custom, Ausley’s Chevelle Parts and Quality Air Tools.

With no charge for viewing the classic cars that will be parked on the closed-off Fayetteville Street, plus just $10 for admission to the Convention Center, this first-of-its-kind event is expected to attract thousands of attendees. Tickets can be purchased on site at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The festivities will culminate with an awards ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. on the Fayetteville Street Stage, with awards for Top 50, Sweet 16 and the Sir Walter Raleigh Cup.

“We’ve gotten great cooperation from the City of Raleigh, the Convention Center and automobile enthusiasts to make sure that everyone will have a good time,” said Greg Cox, one of the event’s organizers. “We hope this family-friendly event will become an annual tradition on the auto show circuit.”

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/18/raleigh-wide-open-announces-music-acts/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/18/raleigh-wide-open-announces-music-acts/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:18:30 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/18/raleigh-wide-open-announces-music-acts/ The fifth edition of Raleigh Wide Open is just two weeks away, and it looks like the committee has put together a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this year. As before the even takes place on Fayetteville Street, from the Capitol to the Marriott. The street and all cross streets will be closed in order to facilitate four main music stages (Cherry Bounce, World, Raleigh Rocks, Free Spirit), as well as a beer tent and other entertainment venues and booths. Additionally the space in front of the convention center will be used as well as the new downtown Raleigh amphitheater. My experience has been that the best place to park for the event is in the municipal parking deck at Morgan and McDowell. A short walk puts you right in the heart of the action. Other options are the parking garages lining Wilmington Street, but be sure to swing several blocks wide of the Fayetteville Street axis in order to avoid stagnant traffic and pedestrians. The...

]]> RWO5 The fifth edition of Raleigh Wide Open is just two weeks away, and it looks like the committee has put together a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this year.

As before the even takes place on Fayetteville Street, from the Capitol to the Marriott. The street and all cross streets will be closed in order to facilitate four main music stages (Cherry Bounce, World, Raleigh Rocks, Free Spirit), as well as a beer tent and other entertainment venues and booths. Additionally the space in front of the convention center will be used as well as the new downtown Raleigh amphitheater.

My experience has been that the best place to park for the event is in the municipal parking deck at Morgan and McDowell. A short walk puts you right in the heart of the action. Other options are the parking garages lining Wilmington Street, but be sure to swing several blocks wide of the Fayetteville Street axis in order to avoid stagnant traffic and pedestrians.

The Raleigh Wide Open crew has once again put together a very nice flyer (.pdf) which includes a map of the RWO territory as well as a schedule of the day’s events. Gogoraleigh adds to that experience, however, by publishing this calendar to Google Calendar. Simply subscribe to the Raleigh Wide Open Calendar or just add events that interest you to your personal Google Calendar by clicking on the calendar link, selecting “Agenda” in the upper right, then selecting the desired events.

We recently went to Taste of Chicago and Milwaukee’s Summerfest, both events with rolling musical events at different stages throughout the days. Each even had its own iPhone app, and it made the event much more fun to select events beforehand and let the app plan the day for us. While this isn’t a dedicated app, it still affords you the chance to add events to your calendar and turn on notifications to remind you of them as they approach!

google_calendar_fluid[1] Subscribe in Google Calendar

Here is the RWO schedule:

11:00 am – Parade down Fayetteville Street
From Morgan through the City Plaza with marching bands, floats, and local celebrities!

Noon – Festival Opens
Food and art vendors, street performers, 4 stages throughout Fayetteville Street

RebBull Motocross Mayhem with Geoff Aaron
Fayetteville Street between Hargett and Morgan St. Performance times are 2:45; 5:00; 7:15 (add according to time)

King BMX Stunt Show
Salisbury Street in front of RCC. Performance times are 1:30; 3:30; 5:00

Cherry Bounce Wrestling
Hargett and Fayetteville St. Performance times are 5:15 and 7:30

Fire Circus
Flames and high flyers set City Plaza ablaze. Performance times are 8pm and 10pm

Eating Contests
*Free Spirit Stage. Krispy Kreme Donuts at 3:00; Lumpy’s Ice Cream at 5:00

Cherry Bounce Stage

World Stage

Raleigh Rocks Stage

Free Spirit Stage

Downtown Raleigh Amphitheater

Barenaked Ladies 9:15 – 10:45pm (ticketed event through www.LiveNation.com and also avalable at the Amphitheater box ofice.)

10:45pm – Fireworks

Note: I will repost this on Friday, July 30, as a reminder.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/05/ridgewood-proposes-sweeping-entrance-change/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/05/ridgewood-proposes-sweeping-entrance-change/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:23:42 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/05/ridgewood-proposes-sweeping-entrance-change/ One of Raleigh’s oldest standing examples of sprawl is proposing a significant change to their Wade Avenue entrance. www.abetterridgewood.org outlines the plan, which includes tearing town the tiny doctors offices next to Kerr Drugs, tearing down the gas station, and (apparently) tearing down the houses that sit on the center’s entrance road. After these buildings are removed, the center will have new sidewalks, bike racks, improved accessibility for the disabled, additional parking, and additional public art. The gas station will be replaced with a charging station for electric cars. There will be no new retail space added. Ridgewood Shopping Center has transformed itself nicely through the years. While it did have Villa Capri and a great stereo store for a while, it also had a Winn-Dixie and the most depressing sewing store on the planet. Through the last two decades they have done an outstanding job of finding tenants that make the center unique. Some of the plan’s...

]]> ridgewood One of Raleigh’s oldest standing examples of sprawl is proposing a significant change to their Wade Avenue entrance. www.abetterridgewood.org outlines the plan, which includes tearing town the tiny doctors offices next to Kerr Drugs , tearing down the gas station, and (apparently) tearing down the houses that sit on the center’s entrance road.

After these buildings are removed, the center will have new sidewalks, bike racks, improved accessibility for the disabled, additional parking, and additional public art. The gas station will be replaced with a charging station for electric cars. There will be no new retail space added.

Ridgewood Shopping Center has transformed itself nicely through the years. While it did have Villa Capri and a great stereo store for a while, it also had a Winn-Dixie and the most depressing sewing store on the planet. Through the last two decades they have done an outstanding job of finding tenants that make the center unique.

Some of the plan’s choices are a little bizarre, though. While the gas station is outdated and is no longer the last chance to get gas before Durham, it still is needed in a part of town where gas stations are less common than they were 20, 30, and 40 years ago. Five years ago there were 241 billion cars on the road. Only a few hundred have been replaced by plug-in models. The McDonald’s in Cary has a pair of plug-in stations, but employees I spoke to have never seen anyone use them yet. A renovated gas station that isn’t a cookie cutter (one that houses a cool coffee shop or has drive-thru full service with grocery pickup) could be a great source of new revenue for Ridgewood.

Very small retail spaces in a safe part of Raleigh are extremely rare. Perhaps some creative thinking could be implemented to utilize the aging offices as a source of revenue, rather that just putting up a parking lot .

The additional parking spaces will be the most inconvenient ones in the whole center. People wanting to go to lower level shops like Brueggers will benefit from the spaces, but nobody seeking stores on the main strip with Whole Foods will be happy settling for a space beyond the drug store.

This plan looks like a way to spend a lot of money and get nothing in return. With a very big 3rd recession dip likely looming, Ridgewood ought to hold tight and do whatever they can to keep rents as low as possible for at least a couple of years. We are getting ready to see a big wave of retail closings in the second half of the year, and local merchants, including restaurants, will be greatly affected. This is not the time to spend tons of money trying to cutesy-up a retail center.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/01/d-h-hill-color-wall-to-relight/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/01/d-h-hill-color-wall-to-relight/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:05:08 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/07/01/d-h-hill-color-wall-to-relight/ The color wall art piece that can be seen through the large windows of D.H. Hill will be relit at a special event coinciding with the reopening and dedication of Hillsborough Street. The even will take place on September 25....

]]> The color wall art piece that can be seen through the large windows of D.H. Hill will be relit at a special event coinciding with the reopening and dedication of Hillsborough Street. The even will take place on September 25.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/16/dot-hosting-glenwood-project-meeting-thursday/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/16/dot-hosting-glenwood-project-meeting-thursday/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:23:08 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/16/dot-hosting-glenwood-project-meeting-thursday/ The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold an information session tomorrow (Thursday, the 17th) at the Rialto Theater. The meeting, which runs from 4pm to 6pm, concerns upcoming work on Glenwood Avenue between Five Points and Wade Avenue....

]]> The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold an information session tomorrow (Thursday, the 17th) at the Rialto Theater. The meeting, which runs from 4pm to 6pm, concerns upcoming work on Glenwood Avenue between Five Points and Wade Avenue.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/12/deepjava-coming-to-wilmington-street/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/12/deepjava-coming-to-wilmington-street/#comments Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:02:49 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/06/12/deepjava-coming-to-wilmington-street/ The site plan (.pdf) was revealed today for a new coffeehouse in downtown Raleigh. At 223 S. Wilmington Street, the former spot of Vintage Nation, just to the left of Busy Bee, deepjava is coming. The plan is one-floor, and the space is about 10,000 square...

]]> The site plan (.pdf) was revealed today for a new coffeehouse in downtown Raleigh. At 223 S. Wilmington Street, the former spot of Vintage Nation, just to the left of Busy Bee, deepjava is coming. The plan is one-floor, and the space is about 10,000 square feet.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/05/17/mayor-announces-raleigh-wide-open-5/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/05/17/mayor-announces-raleigh-wide-open-5/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 22:00:40 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/05/17/mayor-announces-raleigh-wide-open-5/ Today the mayor announced that the fifth installment of Raleigh Wide Open will take place from 11am to 11pm on July 31. Just like the first Raleigh Wide Open, the event will offer Raleighites a fun event in the middle of the summer. The event will feature a parade, four stages with more than 20 bands, a beer and wine tent, a kids’ zone, food, arts, and fireworks. More to come as the summer progresses…...

]]> Today the mayor announced that the fifth installment of Raleigh Wide Open will take place from 11am to 11pm on July 31. Just like the first Raleigh Wide Open, the event will offer Raleighites a fun event in the middle of the summer. The event will feature a parade, four stages with more than 20 bands, a beer and wine tent, a kids’ zone, food, arts, and fireworks. More to come as the summer progresses…

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/01/30/the-chemistry-lab-coming-to-warehouse-district/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/01/30/the-chemistry-lab-coming-to-warehouse-district/#comments Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:08:21 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2010/01/30/the-chemistry-lab-coming-to-warehouse-district/ The warehouse space to the left of The Pit is slated to be a new bar called The Chemistry Lab. They have a website setup as well as a MySpace page, and it appears that the bar will sport a giant dance floor and non-descript, thumping music. They have been seeking a staff, but the only problem is, they still haven’t cleared a Site Plan for the building’s renovation. Today that Site Plan (.pdf) hit the web. It mainly details egress, ingress, and streetscape improvements. There was previous word that the business would be serving lunch during the day, and the site plan does include outdoor cafe tables in the ally adjacent to The Pit. However, the site plan and website make no mention of food delivery, and the club appears to be a membership club, which usually ties in with a non-food business. map...

]]> The warehouse space to the left of The Pit is slated to be a new bar called The Chemistry Lab. They have a website setup as well as a MySpace page , and it appears that the bar will sport a giant dance floor and non-descript, thumping music. They have been seeking a staff, but the only problem is, they still haven’t cleared a Site Plan for the building’s renovation.

Today that Site Plan (.pdf) hit the web. It mainly details egress, ingress, and streetscape improvements. There was previous word that the business would be serving lunch during the day, and the site plan does include outdoor cafe tables in the ally adjacent to The Pit. However, the site plan and website make no mention of food delivery, and the club appears to be a membership club, which usually ties in with a non-food business.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/27/moore-square-design-winner-announced/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/27/moore-square-design-winner-announced/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:06:23 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/27/moore-square-design-winner-announced/ Congratulations to Charlottesville’s Christopher Counts, the winner in a 79-applicant field to create a new vision for Raleigh’s Moore Square. By winning, he will get to assign a design team to develop a real master plan for the square and surrounding areas. More information is posted about the applicants’ entries on the City’s website and on Flickr. I really can’t complain since I didn’t enter, but damn!, I mean DAMN! I should have entered! After seeing the results of our “world-class plaza” and this? This week is a peek at the great vision of downtown Raleigh? . Let me tell you all about Windows Media Center with CableCARD tuner integration, since that’s where my mind has been the last few months…...

]]> Congratulations to Charlottesville’s Christopher Counts, the winner in a 79-applicant field to create a new vision for Raleigh’s Moore Square. By winning, he will get to assign a design team to develop a real master plan for the square and surrounding areas. More information is posted about the applicants’ entries on the City’s website and on Flickr .

counts

I really can’t complain since I didn’t enter, but damn!, I mean DAMN! I should have entered! After seeing the results of our “world-class plaza” and this? This week is a peek at the great vision of downtown Raleigh? [thump] [thump] [thump]. Let me tell you all about Windows Media Center with CableCARD tuner integration, since that’s where my mind has been the last few months… :)

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/06/impetuous-council-needs-unrestricted-renovation/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/06/impetuous-council-needs-unrestricted-renovation/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:31:05 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/10/06/impetuous-council-needs-unrestricted-renovation/ Two years ago 10% of voters elected a new Raleigh City Council that quickly found itself at odds with its voters. Within months several drastic, potentially devastating measures were exercised: Garbage Disposal Ban – Based on absolutely no scientific evidence, the entire city council (with the exception of Philip Isley) voted in a ban on new garbage disposal installations. The ban was later overturned after a political firestorm. During discussions Rodger Koopman stated that “we are at war” with soldiers living in less than ideal conditions and it is “our duty” to “suck it up once in a while”. Councilor Crowder stated that this would be the “only logical step toward healthy water”, yet the evidence actually points to the contrary. Water Restrictions – This city council, in the aftermath of a highly unusual drought situation, imposed a water use policy that restricts residents from properly maintaining a drought resistant lawn. Watering laws are irrationally based...

]]> Two years ago 10% of voters elected a new Raleigh City Council that quickly found itself at odds with its voters. Within months several drastic, potentially devastating measures were exercised:

Garbage Disposal Ban – Based on absolutely no scientific evidence, the entire city council (with the exception of Philip Isley ) voted in a ban on new garbage disposal installations. The ban was later overturned after a political firestorm. During discussions Rodger Koopman stated that “we are at war” with soldiers living in less than ideal conditions and it is “our duty” to “suck it up once in a while”. Councilor Crowder stated that this would be the “only logical step toward healthy water”, yet the evidence actually points to the contrary.

Water Restrictions – This city council, in the aftermath of a highly unusual drought situation, imposed a water use policy that restricts residents from properly maintaining a drought resistant lawn. Watering laws are irrationally based on days of the week, rather than ideal watering times. There is a prodigious amount of information published by N.C. State University and the state’s Cooperative Extension Service, yet this city council never even considered conveying some of the simple and proven best-practices for drought resistant lawns.

Water Rates – After restrictions and diligent citizen behavior reduced water consumption by 7%, the city council voted to raise water rates 8.5% because the public works division was suddenly losing money.

House Replacement Law Russ Stephenson and Thomas Crowder were strongly in favor of limits on homeowner’s abilities to renovate or replace their houses. Crowder wrote in an email “If a new house is to be developed on a site where a house was torn down, it would go to the Planning Commission for approval unless it does not exceed a reasonable increase in the existing area of the structure – say 10 to 20 percent in area and 10 percent in height.” Later he wrote “I spoke with Russ and I believe we are on the same page . . .The house being replaced is no more than 30% greater than the gross floor area of the original structure and the height is no greater than 10% of the original structure height.  To sum it up . . .if you have a 1,500 SF home you can increase it to 1,950 GSF.  Same analogy goes for height.”

Can you imagine living in a 1,500 square foot house and only being able to add 450 square feet, regardless of the neighborhood’s setback scheme, the condition of the house, the height of neighboring houses, and the condition of those houses?

* * *

The problem with some of these incumbents is that they are willing to take drastic measures without thinking through the consequences. A garbage disposer ban would have led to scores of improperly DIY-installed disposers, additional loads on garbage hauling, increased animal control problems, and, as the research suggests, a sewer system with more clogs than is currently seen. The city imposed water restrictions, only to raise the rates, keeping the total burden on families the same or worse than before!

A severe limit to house replacement sizes would destroy the value of older homes inside Raleigh, and directly cause more suburban sprawl. Who would want to renovate a 1,200 square foot house in Five Points when all you could add is a little utility room and a closet? Young people would completely lose interest in older houses that were improperly built, and flee to the outskirts of Raleigh much like they did after World War II, collapsing the housing market in established neighborhoods.

Another problem with this quantitative approach to a qualitative problem is that many of Raleigh ugliest replacements and renovations would have still been allowed under these restrictions. Conversely, some of Raleigh most beautiful replacement houses would have been denied. ( Link 1 , Link 2 ). It would turn the Planning Commission into a draconian architectural review board, putting architects at the mercy of the commission’s whim.

Do we really want a City Council that makes irrational, negligent decisions? These decisions have direct effects on our lives, our savings, and our children. People were intensely interested in the presidential election last year, but to be honest, this city council election means far more. Only 10% of registered voters bothered to vote two years ago, and the effects have been chilling. We heard a lot about “change” in the last year. I’ll take some change! It’s time to instill some common sense, freedom, and empathy in the Raleigh City Council. Vote very, very carefully today , and make this city more attractive, more productive, and more beautiful than ever.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/11/cam-files-site-plan/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/11/cam-files-site-plan/#comments Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:04:51 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/11/cam-files-site-plan/ This week a site plan (.pdf) was submitted to the city for the new Contemporary Art Museum (CAM). The 2-story facility is planned for Martin and Harrington streets, and includes 21,064 square feet of space. It is little, but it is a...

]]> This week a site plan (.pdf) was submitted to the city for the new Contemporary Art Museum (CAM). The 2-story facility is planned for Martin and Harrington streets, and includes 21,064 square feet of space. It is little, but it is a start!

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/03/survey-aims-at-moore-square-design/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/03/survey-aims-at-moore-square-design/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:29:15 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/07/03/survey-aims-at-moore-square-design/ I got an email from a couple of people who are working on Moore Square redesign submissions, and they would like for everyone to help them by taking a very simple, quick survey. Please take a minute and help them collect some...

]]> I got an email from a couple of people who are working on Moore Square redesign submissions, and they would like for everyone to help them by taking a very simple, quick survey . Please take a minute and help them collect some data!

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