[Research Triangle Park (RTP) & the Triangle Biotech Cluster]

The Research Triangle Foundation has decided to re-vision RTP for the first time since 1959:

http://www.newsobser...rylink=misearch

It's an interesting time for RTP. Nortel (at one time the park's second-largest employer) is nearly out of business, and Sony Ericsson is shutting down here. IBM's headcount in RTP has been flat at best. GSK headcount is trending down, and Cisco hasn't been growing recently either.

Meanwhile, development and annexation have essentially surrounded RTP and prevent the park from expanding its boundaries. A number of office parks with less restrictive covenants have sucked off many of the smaller employers like Lenovo. Although the park's common area at NC 54 near Davis Drive was renovated, it hasn't been successful. Some of the original buildings in RTP, like the Hercules facility, aren't attractive to new companies and lie idle -- or have been razed already, like part of the original EPA complex.

The good news is that the Triangle remains attractive to corporations and RTP enjoys easy access to RDU. Roads into the park are much better than 25 years ago. The park still has a lot of undeveloped land; if the covenants were revised to allow higher density, the park could probably accommodate many times its current headcount. Of course, that would require some type of mass transit into the park.

I agree. I work in the RTI campus which has just put up two new buildings in as many years, but the rest of the RTP seems to be slowly declining. I'm sure once the economy picks up again this will have a direct impact on the park. I'm glad to see that people are paying attention to the area though and moving towards making it a better place. As for mass transit, I couldn't be more for that. That north raleigh to rtp commute blows.

[Raleigh Union Station]

Is a subway system completely out of the question? I have no idea how any of that works or if it's even possible with the landscaping. But I would LOVE to take a subway train from north raleigh to the RTP and back every day. My GOD I would use that BEJESUS out of a subway system.

[Raleigh Union Station]

RUS can be viewed simply as a combination train station and bus station. Raleigh needs it, especially with the projected increase in rail usage here (conventional Amtrak, SEHSR, and commuter). But a combo train/bus station doesn't have much sex appeal. Therefore RUS is sometimes being positioned as a "gateway" -- or that it would make Raleigh a "gateway" city -- in the sense that people traveling between the Northeast and the Southeast would pass through Raleigh, perhaps changing trains here or changing modes (train to/from air, train to/from car, etc).

There is some validity to it, but it's mainly hype to generate some excitement and get things moving. Of course, Greensboro used to call itself the Gate City when passenger trains were in their heyday. Charlotte already considers itself to be a gateway city, given the size of Douglas airport.

Excellent, thank you! That's all I needed, a simple "this is what it really is". And I agree, Raleigh needs better commuter options. I live in North Raleigh (falls of neuse) and work in the RTP and that commute to and from work every day is a beotch and a half. I doubt there's any real transportation service for me that would be convenient, but getting some of these cars off the road would be a huge help too. The traffic in this area has boomed so much in the last ten years it's like a whole new city. It's like every month there's 20 more cars than before.

I'm all for better transportation period.

[Raleigh Union Station]

I'm confused about this. I've been reading up on it, looked at some blogs, and skimmed the city's site, but I'm still not sure what this is all gonna be about.

Am I correct in thinking that this future "Raleigh Union Station" will be a transportation hub downtown that will serve as a "gateway" bringing in more people from other places? Can someone explain all this to me, I am totally lost in all the information. I need this dumbed down or something.

[RDU International Airport]

Hopefully a direct flight from RDU to San Francisco on United will be one of them.

Ooooo that would bring us such fun people!!! <3