28 replies to this topic

[Jones133]

The converse of this that never gets realized because realtors have drilled in us the need to increase our property values to keep their economy strong is that some people don't want to move and therefore benefit little from increased property values...sure neighborhoods with rising property values tend not to decay and see increases in crime, but there are stable neighborhoods aplenty, and people are quite happy with the status quo and have no reason to pay double their property taxes to maintain their sufficient status quo. I can see west Durham being exactly that.

[ncwebguy]

Not sure about the dates earlier in this thread, but by the fall of 89 when I started at NCSSM, Ninth Street already had "funky" stores that seemed like they had been there -- 9th Street Bakery (currently Elmo's), Poindexter Records, Books Do Furnish A Room, The Regulator (I think), Bull City Pizza (mmm, bull whips), Brugger's, Steve's Ice Cream (which closed a few years later), and the 24-hour laundrymat.  Edit:  McDonald's drug store was still going strong, even with the closure of the nearby mill.  Not sure if Sam's Quick Stop counted too or not.  Back when the Freeway ended at 9th/Erwin.

I understand that the neighborhood doesn't want Erwin Square II plopped in on the west side of 9th Street.  I also undrestand the property owner's desire to put in a parking deck, but I don't think train commuters will park there and then walk to the station if closer options are available.  The deck will only be for 9th Street's customers.  There should be enough room to hide stacked parking behind storefront retail and a couple of stories of apartments/condos.  If the George's Garage was incorporated into the ground floor of a building/parking deck as well, there could be a very urban, pedestrian friendly experience that wouldn't have to be overwhelming.  It would be nice if Duke redevloped their large nearby parking lot on Hillsborough Road and maybe some around their buildings on Broad.

They wouldn't have to go that high to get a decent return on their investment.  Unfortunately, they want to maximize profits by maximizing building height, at the expense of the environment that has been built on 9th Street.  They did give away their parking, but that was a choice they made.   They could have made their spaces metered and not much would have changed.  Parking on the parallel street to the west is a *lot* safer now than it was 10+ years ago.

Sandford's group had a seat at the table during the charettes.  Whether or not they filled their seat is up to them, but that does *not* give them the right to throw a wrench in the procedings in the 11th hour because the area plan didn't turn out to their liking.  If the city caves in, people who played by the rules and gave input through the public process may feel disinfranchised with the process.  I hope that doesn't happen, as it will be harder to solicit input for other projects later on, though that may be what the developers are hoping to acheive.

Edited by ncwebguy, 20 August 2008 - 04:30 PM.

[foxymohommed]

ncwebguy, on Aug 20 2008, 06:27 PM, said:

Not sure about the dates earlier in this thread, but by the fall of 89 when I started at NCSSM,

o/t but i went to ncssm too!  go uni's!

[Atlside]

Here's what Ninth Street looks like (Flickr photos)












Station Nine : Downtown Durham Apartments
Urban loft-style living and forward-thinking sensibility, luxury apartments situated in the heart of Durham's Ninth Street District

http://www.stationnine.com

Edited by Atlside, 20 August 2008 - 10:48 PM.

[ChiefJoJo]

Taking out the issue of process here (and I know I am engaging in drive-by planning here) it seems to me that limiting buildings along the west side of 9th St frontage to 35-45 ft is overreactive to the concerns of the community that the funkiness will be gone with new development.  I know they are using form-based codes here, so why not just keep the height limit on the east side at 35 ft and bring the west side up to 75 ft or something more appropriate for higher transit oriented density?  If they focus on ground floor retail and quality architectural details with specified form, the product will be an asset to the community.

If they want to protect and preserve the east side from redevelopment, it seems to me there are better tools to use than to restrict the west side, which is mostly made up of surface parking (the places where we ought to encourage development) and is ripe for TOD near the station area (near stations for two future rail lines).  Besides, when transit comes through Durham, property values will rise and the area will gentrify regardless, so to some degree the resistance to density is counterproductive.

[pack-man]

ChiefJoJo, on Aug 21 2008, 06:14 PM, said:

Besides, when transit comes through Durham, property values will rise and the area will gentrify regardless, so to some degree the resistance to density is counterproductive.

agreed, these people that are happy with the status quo need to come to terms with reality.

[DanRNC]

This construction has just begun. A hotel was proposed but I don't know where that stands now.

http://www.liveninthstreet.com/

http://www.bizjourna...1/12/05/CL17078

[DCMetroRaleigh]

wow, this looks like a huge development. I am shocked I haven't heard about it before.

[RaleighRob]

^ I know!  Seems to have just popped out of nowhere!