Crabpeople

Definitely seems like something we shouldn't hold our breath on, unless more solid details are released. Do renderings like this usually serve a purpose outside of property speculation and resale value? Fingers crossed that this isn't "vaporware" like in the tech world, so does anyone have more information whether this is feasible by the developers who own this spot? Beyond what's already been said? Until more is known, I'd suggest keeping snarky complaining to where it isn't infectious.

Believe it or not, but some people, even those in urbanized areas decide to have families and find devoting time to raising a family easier easier if they buy more than 3 days of groceries at a time. When that option is accessible for most in the area due to a combination of factors (i.e. not living in Manhattan, without a car), all will take it. That reality is likely far more important to nearly everyone than the subjective aesthetics of a small portion of said building.

Kane is involved in 2 of the 4 projects you mentioned. If he's willing to compete against himself, there's likely very good reason. Optimistically he knows some things the general public doesn't. All recent office projects have filled up very quickly and people and companies moving here hasn't slowed in the 2010s, so demand should continue as it has.

Why would anyone not in the hotel business assume they should get to have input on star classification of hotels? Even just theoretically that oozes arrogance. People with the money to create hotels, which are expensive no matter how many stars of course are the ones who decide what qualifies.

Thanks for the info. I work in healthcare, not anything related to architecture or city planning. I've wondered the reasons for buildings being labeled historic. Also maybe try some yoga if you get wound up so easily about questions. Ashwagandha is excellent at mellowing out too.

We know the buildings in question were built in the 19th century, but what exactly about each of them actually makes them historic? Is there anything memorable/specific the public is supposed to know or could know? Is each of their architectural styles unique to their era that they should be preserved or is 'historic' simply based on being pre-1900?

It's unfortunate that various people from Duke can't admit they are trying to kill the project because they think it's a boondoggle, as that would be a huge PR problem.

The Durham-Orange LTR comes off as a desperate "let's build something" just to be able to say the area has a transit system. Good points made by others that avoiding the airport is tenable. Will this LTR alleviate traffic? Not at all. The most optimistic projections make that clear. A small fraction of 1% of car trips will be saved. While that's the main advertisement to voters and to gain general public support, those are not the real reasons for the LTR. While people here (myself included, despite my ragging on this LTR) are fans of urbanity, we are in the minority among the general population. $3.3 Billion is a lot to hopefully incentivize more pockets of urbanity in a low density city and anti-growth town. And if we're being honest, that $3.3 Billion will likely head north of $4 Billion after the project begins. I can't help looking at other numbers. SInce 2010, Durham and Chapel Hill combined have been gaining about 5200 population in total. That's slower yearly population gains than Cary and Holly Springs combined. Apex will surpass Chapel Hill's population in 2-3 years. If Chapel Hill were gaining 3500 instead of the 350 yearly population gain its had this decade, I might be quiet on this LTR. I'm not saying do nothing. I'm saying a few things: why is Chapel Hill included in a rail transit system? For UNC hospital? I'd say Chapel Hill is included because the optics are bad for a multiple billion project that covers only 1 municipality, currently the 76th largest city. Connecting two municipalities is much better imagery and helps fill the project out. AKA, the LTR project needs Chapel Hill more for imagery and approval than Chapel Hill needs an LTR system. Why are we going to have 2 separate systems in the Triangle? Anyone who has lived here a few years can see traffic getting far worse. I'm sure a transit system between Durham, Cary, and Raleigh would get a lot more support than it did just 10, hell 5 years ago. In my previous post I mentioned self-driving vehicles in 2060, not real soon. I did mention Uber vans, but didn't say they'd be self-driving. I suspect they'll be here well before self-driving vehicles are more than a tiny niche. Whether van or small bus, ride sharing vehicles will take the form of truly fulfilling that term. We'll see Uber/Lyft/other vehicles that look and operate more like shuttle buses. Pick up 5 or 10 people in a small geographic area, then go direct to a single destination or extremely close destinations Makes the fares cheaper, still more direct than city buses following the exact same route all day. A term I've seen is "ride-linking". Not just locally, but for longer trips as well. I think we'll these ride-linking vehicles with services on board. One ride-linking vehicle may have a masseuse on board 4-7pm. Another may be an office/Kinkos on wheels. Another may be used as Tinder + good coffee. All carrying multiple people and being more direct than public transport. Not for everyone and most people would prefer just a ride most of the time, but these have a way better shot at actually alleviating some traffic once they catch on.

I've lived in this area for 15 years and followed this website (to see what exciting new developments were coming about) for 12-13 years. I'm a massive fan of public transportation. I've used Amtrak multiple times, used subway systems in 20 or so cities around the world, and actual high speed trains. I am truly amazed people believe the Durham-Orange light rail project is going to be built and completed....before 2060, when half the population will be working from home and the roads will be mostly filled with self driving delivery vehicles. One need not be a CPA to realize it's a money pit, dead in the water. First, consider almost half of it is through probably the most anti-growth municipality in the state. In my 15 years here, Chapel Hill has gone from 51,000 to ~60,000 people. Twice as many people have moved to that whopping 8 sq mile town of Morrisville since then. The same or more can be said for virtually every suburb more than 5 square miles in size in Wake County. A 1-1.5 mile radius around the center of North Hills has gained more population since 2003 than anti-growth Chapel Hill. While Durham is growing at a decent rate, it still has a long way to go. It will crack the 3000 people/sq mile mark sometime around 2030. By then morning commutes and car ownership will be very different. Uber vans are coming soon, for this purpose. No need for 1/20th filled light rail trains, when a handful of ride-sharing, fair sharing vehicles can get the same job done more directly (in less time) and more efficiently (several ways, including energy used). Figures from early 2017 put the total cost (including borrowing costs) of the Durham-Orange light rail at $3.3 Billion. aka $10,000 for every man, woman, and child in all of Durham and Chapel Hill. That figure is not going down with population growth. We can't project American 4 yr university students (UNC, UNCC, Duke) as examplary users of light rail transit. While walking a lot around campus, students at 4 yr colleges are among the most insular populations in the developed world. Most college students rarely leave a tiny geographic area Monday-Friday. So surely the rail line gets somewhere near the airport, right? At closest 10 miles away. Ok, so it must get somewhere near the bulk of RTP employment, right? Most people in Cary can get there much faster sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, in a 20 yr old Camry. Not to mention the Durham Orange Light Rail line depends on: 1. $1.2 - 1.3 Billion in federal tax dollars it doesn't have secured, 2. Hundreds of Millions in state tax dollars it doesn't have secured, 3. Duke University donating a fair amount of land, 4. Durham's largest commerical enterprises, with swagger, somehow doing a 180 on their loud objections to the rail plan 5. Ignoring its much bigger brother directly to the East, Wake County's public transportation plans, which are bigger in scope and more efficient in moving commuters. The Durham-Orange light rail is DOA. I hope most of its backers were just trying to get Wake County on board , the rest were just starry eyed dreamers who never liked math.

Kudos to them for seeing the obvious changes coming in the near future. For people with children born in the last 5 years or so, your children will likely not have to learn how to drive. It's a bit of a blessing that as much as people complain about parking garages in urban settings, they are small footprints here in Raleigh that can be pretty easily converted to adaptive use in the near future or torn down without much fanfare.

I'm always curious what is to come of said structures in 15-20 years time when at least half of all short drives and likely 3/4ths of drives to downtowns are done by self driving ride-sharing vehicles. Half converted to recharging bases for self driving vehicles?