Downtown Raleigh Alliance

[IBruton]

Hey,

Do you think that the Downtown Raleigh Alliance is doing as much as it can to really help re-invent DT Raleigh? Is Margaret Mullen's exit good or bad for the city? What do you think?

[JunktionFET]

I believe they are probably doing the best they can given their resources and the range of people they have to cater. I remember an article where Margaret complained about the crap she had to go through just to get banners put up on the light posts, etc.

[ericurbanite]

I agree, they are probably doing the best they can do with what resources they have. I think Mullen leaving was probably a bad thing, she seemed to have alot of enthusiam and a certain vision for Raleigh. But I think she just couldnt deal with the local government and there lack of vision, and old ways. Im not sure who replaced Mullen if anybody has yet. But alot of things going on right now is because of her.

Overall though I would say the alliance is a good thing.

[Tayfromcarolina]

Yeah, she was definetly a forward thinker. I regret she had to make her departure. Hopefully the alliance and the new chairperson will have some new exciting ideas to bring to the table. And continue the reinlightenment of downtown that is taking place.

[ericurbanite]

I was going through the triangle business journal website and found this story of the new person in charge of the downtown raleigh alliance. here is the link...

I am not real sure of her track record, but im going to do a search on her to see if she has made any outstanding accomplishments for urban development.

Downtown Raleigh Alliance hires Dallas promoter as CEO

[ChiefJoJo]

New president of the DRA: Nancy L. Hormann.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I think that overall the Raleigh Alliance has done great things. Yes Mrs. Mullens influence and progressive thinking will be missed. But the new President does'nt sound like a slacker either.

Time will tell if she can continue the growth initiated under Mrs. Mullens leadership. After all we did get the Fay. St. Mall and the convention center under her guidance. Now if we could just get that aquarium I've been dreaming about.

[catdaddy]

the raleigh alliance or whatever is probablly trying hard i dont nderstand why raleigh has a problem developing hopefully it wont fall to far behind

[cityboi]

The Raleigh Alliance is like the Winston-Salem Alliance and Action Greensboro. Both those organizations are involved with re-inventing downtown.

[raleightransplant]

Here is a story WRAL did on the plan to make it easier for homegrown business to thrive in downtown Raleigh. I really am liking Nancy Hormann. This woman just completely understands what downtown needs, and seems to realize the amazing potential the area provides.

http://www.wral.com/news/9521739/detail.html

[yoga]

"We want to be eclectic," said Nancy Hormann with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. "We want to be cool. We want to attract the mom-and-pops, indigenous North Carolina retail here, so this is really how we get what we want instead of getting whatever comes."

I couldn't agree more. Really happy to see the shout out for the underdogs.

I bet Raleigh Unchained is ecstatic!

[Jones_]

Indeed this is what makes a downtown...not Starbucks, not Blockbuster, not TGI Fridays, not ESPN Zone.....maybe I will take advantage of this loan pool....

[DanRNC]

I heard an interview with Nancy Hormann who said that there were a couple of music venues looking at opening up on Fayetteville St.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Here is a story WRAL did on the plan to make it easier for homegrown business to thrive in downtown Raleigh. I really am liking Nancy Hormann. This woman just completely understands what downtown needs, and seems to realize the amazing potential the area provides.

http://www.wral.com/news/9521739/detail.html

I am going to play devil's advocate on this. I am not sure Nancy Hormann set up the DT loan program (I could be wrong). I think it was a bunch of people but maybe led by the woman who had this job before and Meeker, DT alliance and the CC ? I very well could be wrong but I thought this has been there before.

I do believe when she got here, she had a lot to learn. The biggest mistake she made, and I think she realized she did very soon after, was to suggest in her first month of work to rename Fayetteville Street. I think she got an earful after that.

I do think she has improved and has her feet in more solid position and will be good for the city. As stated before, a bunch of condo's don't make a city, it is everything else.

I just wish there was more infrastructure to allow cheaper options DT. It just shows how much DT has been in decline over the last 50 years. The article mentions a business starting and it has to have $500K just to get the building correct. I wish there was enough raw infrastructure in the city to allow cheaper options. Instead, many of the new cheaper businesses are going to the old strip centers like on Capital Blvd. I would like to see a little Saigon area DT. instead you see it a little at Starmount Shopping Center on Capital Blvd.

[yoga]

I wish there was enough raw infrastructure in the city to allow cheaper options.

What do you mean by infrastructure? Buildings? Utilities? Space? Parking? Just trying to understand.

[raleightransplant]

Yeah--I'm not sure about whether Nancy brought in the loan program. I will say this--her attitude is a can-do attitude but not in a negative native-bashing way. I think Margaret Mullen came off this way a little--almost to the point of insulting the city (not that it wasn't somewhat justified). It's truly a fine line one must walk. Yes--There are things that have seriously needed changing around here. Realizing that we ARE a large and growing urban city/metro is one of them. Now is the time to really right this ship. The way I feel right now is that we're truly getting there. I've seen signs for hope around here that 5 years ago seemed unimaginable. Sustainability and growth in the core is an absolute no-brainer.

Meeker's done a fine job in changing the mentality--but I truly believe Nancy Hormann is bringing this city an optimism I've not seen here before. I'm not sure whether Nancy brought in the website for DT Raleigh--but that is absolutely fantastic. There are other downtown booster groups around the country that have done a ton with a lot less than what Raleigh has. I think Nancy realizes that there are some ingredients in place here that can really bring the downtown to heights many haven't imagined.

[Subway Scoundrel]

What do you mean by infrastructure? Buildings? Utilities? Space? Parking? Just trying to understand.

Yes, that is what I mean. Buildings mostly. In some cities, if a boom happens, or an ethnic group starts to increase, people will come in and look for cheap property to start businesses. Kind of like Glenwood South did when Rockford opened up more than 10 years ago. No one was really there. That started a move of others but as the price went up, it kept the average business owner out.

In Raleigh, since DT is smaller and not much "dead space" or "blighted areas", no room for cheaper moms and pops areas so they open up in older Strip Centers. As stated, an example would be Starmount SC on Capital. Many of the places are Vietnanese based businesses. There is a coffee shop there and I feel like it is the same one I went to in Hanoi.

I know a couple that started a restaurant and they got a place in North Market Square. It was hard as no one went there and they were off the beaten path, but it was cheap and affordable for them.

I remember geting lost in "The lower east side" in NYC back in the middle 80's. Could be scary !! Then by '98, I would go up there and stay with people and they were livng there with great restaurants everywhere. I know Raleigh is not a good comapre to NYC.

I encourage everyone to ride down Capital one day and just go into a ethnic restaurant in one of the blighted strip centers. Some of the best food but I would love to see it DT.

[carynative]

Nancy Hormann Resigns How will this affect our growth spurt. What opportunities do we have?

[DanRNC]

In just a little over a year the Downtown Raleigh Alliance has lost 2 leaders. I had a feeling Hormann would be leaving and it will be interesting to see if she makes the same critiques as Margaret Mullen did when she left. I have to wonder about the viability of this organization.

Its also interesting that both left because their husbands got new jobs in Arizona.

Story

[raleightransplant]

Yeah, this sucks. I really liked her. Hopefully they can find someone with her vision and enthusiasm. We need real boosters.

The Phoenix thing is kind of funny..Is there some new migration pattern? It used to be north to south, now it's south to southwest?

[urbanvb]

From what I understand Phoenix is booming in a big way.

[Justin6882]

I had a chance to meet with Ms. Hormann earlier this year, and she really had a great vision for Downtown Raleigh - and she always seemed genuinely excited about the potential for the Center City. I hope they're able to bring in someone (or promote from within) that keeps the mission going.

[romec]

It'd be nice to have a DRA head that doesn't move to 'zona :-)

I hope that the two short terms are coincidence and not frustration/stress related to the position.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

How do we keep this problem from recurring? Why is this happening? What is the problem? Who can we contact to find out more? I find it hard to believe that both persons moved for the same reason to the same place. But then again, I couldn't stand constant sunshine without the seasons!

[RALBOI]

How do we keep this problem from recurring? Why is this happening? What is the problem? Who can we contact to find out more? I find it hard to believe that both persons moved for the same reason to the same place. But then again, I couldn't stand constant sunshine without the seasons!

We need to find someone who is young, SINGLE!, and here's the hard part someone from RALEIGH! who is progressive, thinks out of the box ,has vision and not part of the good old boy network.