Downtown Raleigh's Future

[Tenkai]

Jim Goodnight (or his company) is building a restaurant in the old garage on W Lenoir St.

http://gsa.raleighnc.gov/smb/ptlprdapp1/PTLPRD/PlanDev/Documents/DevServ/DevPlans/Reviews/2016/SiteReview/SR-103-16.pdf

 

 

Edited December 20, 2016 by Tenkai
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[Jones_]

4 hours ago, Tenkai said:

Jim Goodnight (or his company) is building a restaurant in the old garage on W Lenoir St.

http://gsa.raleighnc.gov/smb/ptlprdapp1/PTLPRD/PlanDev/Documents/DevServ/DevPlans/Reviews/2016/SiteReview/SR-103-16.pdf

 

 

This is great news. That garage is really unique with its tall, wooden, folding doors set at an angle in the corner. An actual neighborhood restaurant...a rare beast in Raleigh. 

[InitialD]

On the soccer stadium thing, via Ian Pierno of N&O on Twitter:

A quick North Carolina F.C. update: The @TriangleBIZJrnl said NCFC is down to three stadium sites, which is accurate. WakeMed Soccer Park is one of them. However, the club is looking at building a 20,000-seat stadium, not 24,000. Analyses from Conventions Sports and Leisure said the market could support 24,000, 1,600 club seats and 26 suites. While WakeMed has nice facilities, it’s at the bottom of NCFC’s list. Malik said, “It would take a lot to build (WakeMed Soccer Park) up to MLS standards.” However, that could change over time if there’s a transport center added, a better highway exit, etc., then WakeMed Soccer Park becomes more feasible. Back to stadium size: Despite fact NCFC is looking to start at 20,000 seats, it’ll also want a stadium with capabilities to be expanded in the future.

 

Also,  This is big news: Incoming governor in Missouri does NOT support public funding for a Saint Louis MLS club.

[Green_man]

In an ideal world, my four expansion franchise choices would be Sacramento, St. Louis, Raleigh, and Charlotte.  Nationally, I don't think people realize how different Raleigh and Charlotte are and how they are really separate markets.  I think that could each support their own team and could develop into an awesome rivalry.  But sounds like it might be an either/or for the NC teams.  And I saw this image posted on the Charlotte UP board for a renovated Memorial Stadium... pretty stiff competition!  Malik better have some pretty renderings by end of January for any shot.

[Jones_]

Yeah the rivalries really drive attendance. I read somewhere that MLS is keen to this and for that reason St Louis vs Kansas City and Sacramento vs San Jose are seen as high on the list. The New York games and the PNW games are pretty crazy. There was a pretty decent sized tent city in Portland for a game with Seattle when I was up there last time. 

[orulz]

Don't see why it would make so much sense to have two teams in Missouri (pop 6 million) but NC (pop 10 million) can only have one.

I think most people across the country are still hung up on the idea of NC being a rural backwater (Andy Griffith Show and all.)

[Jones_]

State lines are as arbitrary as it gets (despite what residents within a particular set of lines would have you think). Regional cultures cross State lines with impunity. For instance I was in "Kentuckiana" earlier this year....an area that neither Kentucky nor Indiana particularly wants to claim.  Anyway, I think the logic there is that Kansas City supports their team so well, and St Louis being a world class City, the rivalry is easily constructed. But having said that, Charlotte and Raleigh need a good sports rivalry so we can go at each other's throats over something besides the relative merits of the Cities themselves. I think Raleigh would support MLS better than Charlotte (no idea how the attendance of the Eagles/Independence compares to the Railhawks), so maybe if Raleigh pulls off a team, then gets out to support it, MLS might follow up with Charlotte to take advantage of the sibling rivalry here as well (one scenario of and endless number of course)....

[Justin6882]

Couldn't find a topic about the once proposed hotel where the Baptist Headquarters is on Wilmington Street next to the McDonald's, but I was looking at another topic and saw an "element" hotel is the brand going there? Had never heard of it, but it's by Westin. Here's the link to their locations.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Justin6882

[Atowwn]

38 minutes ago, Justin6882 said:

Couldn't find a topic about the once proposed hotel where the Baptist Headquarters is on Wilmington Street next to the McDonald's, but I was looking at another topic and saw an "element" hotel is the brand going there? Had never heard of it, but it's by Westin. Here's the link to their locations.

I passed by there yesterday. It looked like they were starting to move one of the old homes on site. Maybe there'll be some major movement on this project in 2017

[InitialD]

On 1/3/2017 at 11:53 AM, Atowwn said:

I passed by there yesterday. It looked like they were starting to move one of the old homes on site. Maybe there'll be some major movement on this project in 2017

I walked by there today at lunch but only along Wilmington - where was the old home that they're moving?

[Atowwn]

2 hours ago, InitialD said:

I walked by there today at lunch but only along Wilmington - where was the old home that they're moving?

It's not on Wilmington street. I think that's Lenoir street. 

[Jones_]

Two on Lenoir actually and both are going along Bloodworth by some of the houses Gordon Smith moved off the Lincoln site/block. The little one is getting a down to the studs renovation. I walked around inside it a week ago after most of the strip down was done and I think there was probably an 80's renovation too that added new siding and wiring and stuff, but whoa was it a bad job....the siding was quite literally keeping completely rotted vertical members sort of strapped together. Like saw dust level rotted. I'm surprised it did just cave in one day. Also the original siding looks like it was just scraps of stuff cobbled together and nailed on every which way. Taking vernacular to a whole new level...

Now if this much effort were put into Maiden Lane or the Hicks Mansion I'd be much happier...

[Merthecat]

We now have a professional women's soccer team, the North Carolina Courage (owned by Steve Malik), in the Raleigh area to begin play this spring.  Good to hear.

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/soccer/article125412239.html

[Green_man]

Looks like the hotel at 603 S Wilmington is planned to be the Element brand... with a target opening in 2020.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/directory/new-hotels/all/detail.html?language=en_US

 

[Tenkai]

13 minutes ago, Green_man said:

Looks like the hotel at 603 S Wilmington is planned to be the Element brand... with a target opening in 2020.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/directory/new-hotels/all/detail.html?language=en_US

 

I totally misread this as meaning that there will be a Target store opening in it in 2020.

 

I think I need some coffee.

[Isaac]

Site plans filed for enterprise hotel lot.  12 stories, 122 feet :/

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Hi folks,

One hotel on Wilmington st

One hotel at the Enterprise site

Which one has submitted plans to the city? And is there a link to each submitted plan?

Please and thank you!

[Merthecat]

20 minutes ago, DwnTwnRaleighGuy said:

Hi folks,

One hotel on Wilmington st

One hotel at the Enterprise site

Which one has submitted plans to the city? And is there a link to each submitted plan?

Please and thank you!

I don't know where the Wilmington St. hotel plans are (because it's been planned for some time, if I recall correctly), but you can find the Enterprise site hotel plans at the link below, under the Site Review Cases list (at the very bottom).

https://www.raleighnc.gov/business/content/PlanDev/Articles/DevServ/CurrentDevelopmentActivity.html

 

Hope that helps!

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

3 hours ago, Merthecat said:

I don't know where the Wilmington St. hotel plans are (because it's been planned for some time, if I recall correctly), but you can find the Enterprise site hotel plans at the link below, under the Site Review Cases list (at the very bottom).

https://www.raleighnc.gov/business/content/PlanDev/Articles/DevServ/CurrentDevelopmentActivity.html

 

Hope that helps!

Hi Merthecat,

Thank you! The site plan appears to have been submitted to the city on 12/4/2016 and it states 13 floors at 150' 10"...interesting! Not to shabby. :-)

[Jones_]

So this is now 4 very solid hotel plans all happening at once. For all the skyscraper folks, I think the baseline hotel needs will finally be in place for larger HQ fishing in the future. Headquarters being your best chance for tall buildings because of course your height is predicated largely on known or calculated demand. Downtown is already vastly different than 15 years ago, and is about to push rapidly into a posh full blown business town I think. 

Also if you are willing to to consider downtown all the way east to Tarboro, the single housing market out there is steaming along faster than ever. Just had a talk with my realtor (who helped me buy in that area), and he confessed to doubting the move at first, but now has many inquiries from buyers and builders looking to get in out there. 

Edited January 12, 2017 by Jones_

[Green_man]

A flurry of development and hotel activity in the past 1-2 months.  Just speculating, but think the North Carolina FC owner has been talking with the development community and they are planning on a downtown soccer stadium?  I saw the owner met with the Raleigh Chamber this week to discuss the plans.

[Scotchman]

N&O story on Enterprise lot hotel with picture and comment on other hotels in area.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article126633404.html#navlink=SecList

[Merthecat]

The rendering looks okay to me . . . I do agree with some of the already expressed sentiments regarding its height -- more should have been added at this particular site.  But I'll be happy regardless.

[Green_man]

Two versions of the rendering I've seen.  Looks like the one on the right matches the site plan better with the retaining walls for the sidewalk patios outside the retail spaces.

Overall pretty standard hotel look.  Don't really expect too much more for a mid-rise hotel.  This and the 200 W. Davie hotel at 13 floors will essentially just be mid-rise density filler in the skyline and more importantly add more retail in the convention center area.  However, I hope the rest of this block of S. McDowell will be taller and more architecturally significant.

[Merthecat]

I think that after this hotel's location, the next best spot for a skyline-changing building (the 4th pillar, as I term it) would be around the intersection of E. Hargett and Wilmington.  The only problems are that the most vacant lot is rather small (although that could certainly force more height into a building) and that any other sites would take away a lot of street retail.  The best location in my opinion would be the Mechanics & Farmers Bank lot.