Why is the city so Confused? An ugly trend developing

[Tayfromcarolina]

If you keep up with the local news in Raleigh there seems to be an ongoing issue of proposed projects being overanalyzed and picked apart until there is nothing exciting left of the original idea. I hope this trend does not continued, it's getting old quickly. Some of the projects are downtown but some arent but they affect the city regardless of location so they all should matter to the taxpayers.

Here are a few projects that come to mind:

Dorthea Dix Redevelopment- (This is also a state project but still...) could be so great but I have a feeling it will end up a glorified park. Boring. Can we say Botanical Gardens, Museum, etc...

Plensa Art Proposal- This could have been spectacular with some tweaking and finessing but now it's in the trash. It could have been a regional draw to the revitalized fayetteville street. We will probably get some boring sculpture of fountain in it's place.

Horse Shoe Farm Park- Off of Mitchell Mill and Highway 401 North Raleigh. That area is expoding with 540, residential, and the new North Wake Tech campus among other projects. Although the site is unique there must be a way to mix sorely needed recreational fields (basketball, tennis etc.) and lacking recreation center with the natural setting while leaving plenty of green space. Currently it will probably end up another run of the mill park. We have tons of parks and greenways already in my opinion. This one is really important to me as I'm looking at a home in that area.

North Hills East- This one will be interesting to see, yes it has passed hurdle 1, but there are several more commitees it has to pass. And one huge green light in the way of the special interest tax for the parking deck. North Hills has so much potential rivaling some things in a bigger city like Atlanta or Miami, I would hate to see this one ending up looking like your typical shopping center.

>>>Things like this make me want to pack it up and move to a more forward thinking city like Charlotte(yeah, I said it) , Atlanta, or Austin.

Something tells me that the clouded and decade challenged minds of a few are holding Raleigh back from becoming the world class city it has the potential to be.

[RaleighRob]

Dix: I don't know if Botanical Gardens would work so well...the NCSU Arboretum is just two miles away, after all. I'd like to see something smart and useful in there, but at the same time don't want to see it overdeveloped. That's a tough call there.

Plensa: I agree this was a lost opportunity.

Horse Shoe Farm: I lean in favor of a nature park here instead of more recreational stuff. Raleigh City parks run more recreational parks than pure nature parks as it is. There's enough development in NE Raleigh...can't we leave a nice natural green space?

North Hills: I agree the changes in that area over the years have been great, but this is commercial development. I am not in favor of using any type of public money for a parking deck that exclusively serves a specific real estate deal.

[ChiefJoJo]

Dix: see my opinion on the primary board

Plensa: Great project but I think the process wasn't followed--could have been great. Lost opportunity.

Horseshoe Farm: totally disagree here. This space is incredibly unique and MUST be preserved as open, natural space--no rec centers, etc. That's what the public wants (who actually participated in the process). I love basketball as much as anyone, but we can find some space elsewhere.

North Hills East: I grew up just blocks from there. I've said before, I like the idea of mixed use and some urban scale, but I don't support using public funds for this unless a VERY compelling case is made. Also, the rezoning calls for 300+ foot buildings to be allowed. That is too much. I know, I know, the council allowed Soleil Center, but that wasn't right either.

[dmccall]

That is too much. I know, I know, the council allowed Soleil Center, but that wasn't right either.

Those are two totally different scenarios. In the case of the Soleil Center, there really isn't that much pure square footage in the building and it sits on a very underused Edwards Mill/Creedmoor road. In the case of North Hills, though, the complex is right on the beltline and the traffic it adds will be added to 440, Wake Forest Road, and Six Forks, three corridors nearing their traffic capacities at this point. Kane needs to talk up his desire to see a monorail or LRT accessing his complex on its way to Crabtree and the arena, just so that people see more vision than just "I like big buildings".

[carynative]

dmccall, i agree with you. There has got to be a transit link connecting these centers. We won't be moving on 440 before long and DOT sure doesn't have the money to do anything.

I also agree that Horeshoe Farm Park should be left NATURAL. Think about how it feels to go to Umstead and know that you're in the middle of the woods in the middle of a large urban area. Not many of these places will be left soon. We should respect the natural beauty of that land and preserve it. Before long there won't be any left to preserve.

[ChiefJoJo]

Dana, with Soleil I meant in terms of strictly height, not just square footage or traffic impact. I agree the projects are totally different, 4 acres vs 45 acres, etc. My point is that Soleil is too tall regardless of bldg footprint or square footage. For NH East, I think 30 stories is too tall as well, but also the traffic impact will be significant, regardless of what Kane says. Now Kanes has also said his final proposal will not be fulfilling those maximums, but he and the city need to be somewhat cautious and wholistic in their approach to the development.

[JTsaysToYou]

I wonder, If we let Kane develop NH east and hes satisfied, could he move to downtown? He does some GREAT work

[Jamie R]

dmccall, i agree with you. There has got to be a transit link connecting these centers. We won't be moving on 440 before long and DOT sure doesn't have the money to do anything.

I also agree that Horeshoe Farm Park should be left NATURAL. Think about how it feels to go to Umstead and know that you're in the middle of the woods in the middle of a large urban area. Not many of these places will be left soon. We should respect the natural beauty of that land and preserve it. Before long there won't be any left to preserve.

I agree with you about Horseshoe Farm. There are lots of other places in NE Raleigh to put the sports facilities, but where else can we find an amazing site like the Horseshoe for a really unique river and nature park? Why isn't City Council talking more about all the other places to put the gymnasiums? Here are some examples: the North Wake Landfill Park, other city-owned parks that haven't been developed yet but are perfect for sports fields, gymnasiums, etc. like Sydnor White Park and Watkins Road Park, school parks, etc. Nice and close to neighborhoods and schools. Have you read the new blog about what's the latest on the 'shoe? Go to BTB: http://www.belowthebeltline.org/frames-lane/lane%202006.htm