North Hills / Midtown area developments

[KJHburg]

For my review of the current office projects by Kane in North Hills and North Hills ID 

Tower 5 – North Hills | Kane Realty Corporation

One North Hills Tower – North Hills | Kane Realty Corporation   I love the look of this tower that way it comes to a point towards 440. 

[RALNATIVE]

17 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

For my review of the current office projects by Kane in North Hills and North Hills ID 

Tower 5 – North Hills | Kane Realty Corporation

One North Hills Tower – North Hills | Kane Realty Corporation   I love the look of this tower that way it comes to a point towards 440. 

A lost opportunity was that new tower in NHID. When you're heading east on 440 it's clearly visibly directly in front of you. Putting something better designed and more iconic in that spot would have been a winner.

 

 

[KJHburg]

Here is one tenant I want to leave North Hills area and anchor a tall building downtown that being First Citizens Bank.   They need a better building reflecting their coast to coast operation and size as a top 20 bank.  

 

[Prodev]

12 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Here is one tenant I want to leave North Hills area and anchor a tall building downtown that being First Citizens Bank.   They need a better building reflecting their coast to coast operation and size as a top 20 bank.  

 

 

I would be shocked if Kane isn't in frequent (yet long-term) dialogue with them about working together to get them a new HQ. Kane may still have 5-10 years until full build out of both sides of North Hills, but they think long-term and would love to get their hands on another 12+ acres that First Citizens owns adjacent to the existing North Hills East.  With there being so much more emphasis on amenitizing office spaces/buildings to attract talent, seems like a win win for both parties.

[KJHburg]

North HIlls says I see you see you downtown.  

[Rufus]

14 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Here is one tenant I want to leave North Hills area and anchor a tall building downtown that being First Citizens Bank.   They need a better building reflecting their coast to coast operation and size as a top 20 bank.  

 

Honestly I like this building...I still call it the BTI Building from way back when. The real egregious buildings are on the other side of Lassiter Mill -- the fugly round building and the old while building on Rowan. I know the building on Rowan has been sold for potential development, but the round one is there to stay for the future. There had been talk of an 8-story building behind it in the parking lot, but that was before 2008. 

[dmccall]

The white one on Rowan was demolished a month ago, so there is a ton of land there waiting to be developed.

[RALNATIVE]

Was driving by the Popup shops at North Hills this evening and couldn't help but stop by to check it out. Very nicely done!

Being the lover of French high end luxury brands as I am, I couldn't help but spend some major $$$ in Balmain, but it was worth it. There's also a Tiffany & Co. there.

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by RALNATIVE

[Rufus]

It actually turned out great. I had no idea how it would resemble the Bal Harbour center, but it pulls it off. I think the tenant mix is an interesting mix of big names and some really unique brands. I think this is a great test for the region on how much "luxury" can be sustained here. Saks and Nordstrom offer some, but not at this level. I'd be interested to see how this impacts the stock at those stores, and if anything comes from this. 

[RALNATIVE]

36 minutes ago, Rufus said:

It actually turned out great. I had no idea how it would resemble the Bal Harbour center, but it pulls it off. I think the tenant mix is an interesting mix of big names and some really unique brands. I think this is a great test for the region on how much "luxury" can be sustained here. Saks and Nordstrom offer some, but not at this level. I'd be interested to see how this impacts the stock at those stores, and if anything comes from this. 

I had a chance to speak to the GM of the tour, and he told me that Balmain was very interested in being a part of this popup tour in Raleigh. They really wanted into this market. He also said that a few more brands would be soon added.

If feels like a high end retail corridor with big luxury brands are definitely wanted in this area.

[KJHburg]

On my way from the OBX and my passenger shot these photos at my direction LOL.   Raleigh drivers are too crazy for me to keep my eyes off the road for this long. 

North Hills and NHID from I-440.

 

[Richhamleigh, DC]

On 12/14/2023 at 6:51 PM, KJHburg said:

On my way from the OBX and my passenger shot these photos at my direction LOL.   Raleigh drivers are too crazy for me to keep my eyes off the road for this long. 

North Hills and NHID from I-440.

 

LOL. Raleigh drivers are Boston, LA, and NY transplants.

[KJHburg]

More new tenants to North Hils.

""North Hills will add J.Crew and Madewell to its list of retailers. The two brands are the latest additions to the project, joining a growing list of retailers and restaurants coming to Kane Realty's development.

The two retailers will join the Main District expansion – the project that's turning the former JCPenney space and surrounding areas into new office and mixed-use space. The project includes a 12-story residential building, 346,000-square-feet of office space and 100,000-square-feet of ground-floor retail space.""

J.Crew, Madewell to open new stores in North Carolina - Triangle Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

[Rufus]

14 hours ago, KJHburg said:

More new tenants to North Hils.

""North Hills will add J.Crew and Madewell to its list of retailers. The two brands are the latest additions to the project, joining a growing list of retailers and restaurants coming to Kane Realty's development.

The two retailers will join the Main District expansion – the project that's turning the former JCPenney space and surrounding areas into new office and mixed-use space. The project includes a 12-story residential building, 346,000-square-feet of office space and 100,000-square-feet of ground-floor retail space.""

J.Crew, Madewell to open new stores in North Carolina - Triangle Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Unfortunately, I don't see how this doesn't expedite the demise of Crabtree. Idk...but with Fenton and North Hills having Madewell, and now Southpoint and North Hills having JCrew, it makes no sense to keep them at Crabtree either. The owners should've let Kane buy the mall so it could be seamlessly connected and not cannibalized by North Hills. 

[dmccall]

Not to derail this to the subject of Crabtree any more, but in 2003 I sent the mall manager a letter with an expansion concept that would replace the plaza building (where Barnes and Noble and Best Buy are) with a "street" (like Southpoint has) on top of expanded parking garage. There would be offices or residences above the retail, and a theater and/or hotel at the end. I never heard back from them (like I did from John Kane 3 years prior).

We are lucky that North Hills was done by a local. The multiple, out-of-town Crabtree owners ever since seemed to be happy watching it fade away. I always wondered if they ever gave my idea any consideration, and if so, what spooked them? I still wonder if it even would have been a smart move to begin with. It's so close to North Hills in the eyes of people in the outskirts of Wake County.

At least Fenton really stands as a replacement for Cary Town Center.  If Crabtree had gone on the offensive like this, what would the impact have been on North Hills and Fenton? I even ponder what North Hills would have been had Neil Coker been able to do his project at Wake/Oberlin in the '90s.

The first image blocks the main buildings, as viewed from above, and the second is a rendering of what it would look like looking east, down that garage-top mall, when exiting the mall's second level at Belk (H).

Edited January 13 by dmccall

[dmccall]

Here is a video I made 1/2/2003 driving around North Hills mall just before demolition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYyYRN9F21Q

[Rufus]

2 hours ago, dmccall said:

Here is a video I made 1/2/2003 driving around North Hills mall just before demolition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYyYRN9F21Q

I remember this proposal from the old Livable Streets website...god that was my first foray into urban planning, so long ago. 

Back to Crabtree, I remember when it was privately owned and it felt like a mall that was able to take risks and be a mix of local and national retailers, and it felt great. I went there during this last Christmas, and it felt like it had lost some of that character. Even the food court feels...staid. 

[dmccall]

Thanks for remembering, rufus!

I completely agree about Crabtree. I was at Crabtree a few years ago and it hit me that nearly everything for sale there is clothes. Back before 2000, that mall had a huge array of items: electronics, home furnishings, cooking, good gift shops, sporting goods, an arcade,  toy stores, etc. 

Given that Madewell and J Crew seem to be moving to North Hills' newest area, here's a discussion point: If Crabtree closed today, where would those retailers end up? Lego, Forever 21, H&M, Apple, Altar'dState, Brooks Brothers, Coach, J Jill, The North Face, and Tommy Bahama are 10 prized retailers that would probably still want a brick&mortar presence in this side of the Triangle. Would Fenton expand and take them all? Would North Hills get them all? Where? in the North Hills East expansion?

Edited January 16 by dmccall

[Rufus]

12 hours ago, dmccall said:

Thanks for remembering, rufus!

I completely agree about Crabtree. I was at Crabtree a few years ago and it hit me that nearly everything for sale there is clothes. Back before 2000, that mall had a huge array of items: electronics, home furnishings, cooking, good gift shops, sporting goods, an arcade,  toy stores, etc. 

Given that Madewell and J Crew seem to be moving to North Hills' newest area, here's a discussion point: If Crabtree closed today, where would those retailers end up? Lego, Forever 21, H&M, Apple, Altar'dState, Brooks Brothers, Coach, J Jill, The North Face, and Tommy Bahama are 10 prized retailers that would probably still want a brick&mortar presence in this side of the Triangle. Would Fenton expand and take them all? Would North Hills get them all? Where? in the North Hills East expansion?

I would say Fenton is too far for most of Raleigh, and not to mention that one of the pulls of Crabtree (before Triangle Town Center was built) was its accessibility to Eastern NC . If, IF Crabtree were to close, I would say Lego, Apple, Brooks Brothers, Coach, The North Face, and Tommy Bahama would move to North Hills. It's the best located and offers the same brand value as other existing retailers there do. IMHO, the only other option for those 6 is the Village District based on the wealth and design of the shopping center. The others would go to TTC, if they aren't there already. Why? Because even though TTC is kind of a dud, I still think its location and the growth to the east make it ideal for the reach of wider population. 

[KJHburg]

North Hills Innovation District announces new retail tenants.

""The North Hills Innovation District, a billion-dollar development that's under construction, has seven new retail tenants lined up.

Dose Yoga & Smoothie Bar, a popular Raleigh studio, will be opening its second location. The new studio will have a hot yoga room, a meditation room, contrast therapy and a smoothie bar. It will measure 3,565 square feet on the ground floor of the Channel House apartment building.  

HomeTurf, a cycling studio, will be coming to Tower 5, one of the new buildings in the North Hills Innovation District. The studio will offer indoor cycling and is owned by Julie Ferrer.

Makers Alley, a market of sorts with micro-retail spaces for small businesses, is also coming to the ground floor of the Channel House building. The retail spaces will range from 350 to 900 square feet and are designed for local purveyors, makers and artisans.

Five businesses have been announced as tenants: Amelia’s Flowers, The BalloonZ Shop and Teal HouZ, Green Rabbit Plants, Hellbent and Ky’s Kandles.

The leases in Makers Alley will shorter term, ranging from one to two years.""

North Hills expansion adds 7 more retailers to lineup - Triangle Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

[KJHburg]

great photo from the Kane website and this is not even all of North Hills

 

[KJHburg]

wrong thread 

 

Edited January 27 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

Photos from Kane's website or Loopnet.

I love the look of One North Hills building probably my favorite Kane has done at North Hills Midtown 

[RALNATIVE]

Midtown Exchange first tower looking grand this morning. Soon will be ready for occupancy. Can't wait until the second tower is built.

 

 

[KJHburg]

17 story apartment tower and huge Lifetime Fitness club coming to Midtown Exchange according to the Triangle Biz Journal.

""Life Time (NYSE: LTH) will open an 80,000-square-foot fitness facility, including a 35,000-square-foot rooftop beach club. The building will rise three stories and feature fitness class studios for pilates, cycling, barre and yoga as well as massage rooms.

The facility will also include a coworking lounge and a full-service LifeCafe.

The residential portion of the project will be the seventh Life Time Living location. The building will be adjacent to the fitness center and have 17 levels and more any 250 apartments. The units will be for lease and will range from 650 to 1,550 square feet. The apartments are designed to promote health and wellness. The building will have work-from-home spaces, a private dining room, outdoor amenities and a golf simulator room.""

The Exchange Raleigh adds Life Time fitness club, apartment tower - Triangle Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

This looks great!   We have one of those mega size Lifetime Fitness centers in south Charlotte and it is very popular.  This will do great in conjunction with their apartment tower.