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The Hillsborough (Reynolds Tower)


monsoon

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I have heard a few rumors in the works there are plans to build a new tower in downtown Raleigh. This tower may reach the 40 story height (either in floors or decorative crown) range which would make it the tallest skyscraper in the Carolinas outside of Charlotte.

Does anyone any any details?

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I have heard a few rumors in the works there are plans to build a new tower in downtown Raleigh. This tower may reach the 40 story height (either in floors or decorative crown) range which would make it the tallest skyscraper in the Carolinas outside of Charlotte.

Does anyone any any details?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is what I could find (2 articles):

32 stories for city, maybe; A developer plans to eclipse Raleigh's tallest buildings, but first he must convince the city

A vision grounded in a bank

(cut-and-paste articles removed and replaced with links - orulz)

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I have heard a few rumors in the works there are plans to build a new tower in downtown Raleigh.  This tower may reach the 40 story height (either in floors or decorative crown) range which would make it the tallest skyscraper in the Carolinas outside of Charlotte. 

Does anyone any any details?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only (potential) project of that scale that I've heard of is Ted Reynolds's tower at 309 Hillsborough Steet across the street from the Clarion Hotel (the round one). 309 is currently a large parking lot. Reynolds would also purchase and demolish a small city-owned building at 301 Hillsborough St. to make room for this building. At the moment, he has until (I believe) February 2006 to submit a site plan for the parcel, or the city will buy it back from him and ask for proposals from other developers.

Somebody on this forum heard "through the grapevine" that this one will have 32 stories, although I don't know what the plan for the crown is since no renderings have been released yet. I'd speculate that the developer is in the negotiation phase with a tenant, although I don't know who it is. It'd be nice to have a new tallest building in Raleigh.

Right now most of the skyscrapers in Raleigh are clustered along the south end of Fayetteville St., near where the new convention center is being built. The Wachovia Capitol Center building is sort of in the geographic center of downtown. The Reynolds project will make the Raleigh skyline even more spread out than before because it's further north than the Wachovia building, but it will also give downtown some depth because it's several blocks west of Fayetteville. This building will be located halfway between the State Capitol and Glenwood South, and also a quarter-mile from each of the two downtown regional rail stations.

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Suntrust would love to make a move into the NC Banking world. They are still smarting over what happed with the Wachovia/First Union takeover. They are left with doing it the old fashioned way, so I could see where they might build a signature tower. (they would no doubt want to name it after themselves however)

I'm not as certain about RBC/Centura. Since the real mover and shakers of that bank are in Canada now, I don't see them building a tower, but you never know.

I wish there were a few renderings.

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Suntrust would love to make a move into the NC Banking world.  They are still smarting over what happed with the Wachovia/First Union takeover.  They are left with doing it the old fashioned way, so I could see where they might build a signature tower.  (they would no doubt want to name it after themselves however)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Didn't Suntrust buy CCB, and put their name up on the old CCB building in downtown Durham?

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"32 stories for city, maybe; A developer plans to eclipse Raleigh's tallest buildings, but first he must convince the city"

This is exactly whats wrong with Raleigh. Why should anyone have to "convince" the city??? This should be easy...build the stupid thing. Mark my words, if the rumors are true it will take the city ten years to make a decision...lol

This is why when I graduate I will be looking for work in Charlotte or somewhere else!!!

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I must say that I like the idea for a new tallest bldg, but I don't like that site for a bldg of that size. I could see a 15 story bldg or so, but anyhing in the 25+ story range needs to be in the urban core near Fayettevillle St. As for the city's involvement, it is important, as we can't just allow developers to do whatever they please, even if it will be an image boost for the city. I suspect that given past voting record of the council that it would be approved, even at 32 stories. I guess we'll see.

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ChiefJoJo, you make a very good point. If a 25+ story tower is built in an area that does not have many other towers, then it would look out of place. The tallest building in the city needs to be in the central core of the city, not on the outskirts. The only positive i see about building there is the future development it would bring, but there might not even be anything remotely tall enough to compliment it.

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To the last two comments I say boo. I was driving into downtown Raleigh today via South Saunders, and noticed those new 4 story apartments on the left. And past that is the typical downtown shot. All The buildings clustered up in one spot "Fayetteville street" I imagined in my mind a building near to where the crane is currently constructing The "Forum Centre" and it wouldn't look out of place at all. It would make the skyline have a much grander presence.

Raleigh city leaders are always afraid to make the next big step. That's why I admire Charlotte and other more progressive cities. There leaders arent' afraid to move forward with new ambitious things. That's why Margaret Mullen "Former head of Raleigh Alliance" left last week going back to phoenix where people aren't afraid.

I for one hope that building gets built. And while there at it they should built a few more about that size downtown. After decades of being asleep Raleigh needs to wake up. We are not a small country city any more. And the numbers prove it.

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I don't think it's a question of being "afraid." It's sound planning. A bldg should fit in with it's surroundings as much as possible. If you ask me, the Wachovia Center sticks out too much as it is. Like I said, if it goes to the council, I would expect that they would approve it, given the history of such projects, even if it violates the small area plan established by the city/community.

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Im trying to figure out how this is out of place?? You have the clarion, the new quorum center, and the reynolds building right near each other. Not to mention glenwood on the back side of it all. Land in that area is valuable!!!!!!! Nobody is going to buy an acre of land for that price and build a 2 story building. You would never get a return on your investment, the city should realize that or developers would look elsewhere to build. This area has a lot of opporutunity its already revitalized (glenwood south area). Why would someone build in the core take a huge risk on a development. I think we will see more development over towards glenwood once these buildings are finished it will create more excitement for this area, and developers want to be where the excitement is. And really if though think about it the reynolds tower would only be like 2-3 blocks from the capital so is it really that far from the core????

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I don't think it's a question of being "afraid."  It's sound planning.  A bldg should fit in with it's surroundings as much as possible.  If you ask me, the Wachovia Center sticks out too much as it is.  Like I said, if it goes to the council, I would expect that they would approve it, given the history of such projects, even if it violates the small area plan established by the city/community.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I saw the proceedings in City Council regarding the 309 Hillsborough lot on government access TV, the city manager mentioned that the comprehensive plan states that Hillsborough St. and Fayetteville St. are the most appropriate places for the tallest buildings to be built. In order for this building go against the plan, city council would first have to change the plan to make it so.

It would definitely stand out, although it is right across from the Clarion Hotel, and it's not too far from the Wachovia center either. Something definitely needs to be built at 309 Hillsborough, but I would see a 32 story development be located further to the south - such as in the area near the new convention center, on the block between Salisbury and Mcdowell. At any rate, in the There are still some surface lots around Hillsborough that could be redeveloped (although a lot of that surface parking is church lots - good luck on that one.) There's even some space on the same block as the Clarion, but good luck getting something to look good next to that 'rocket ship'. Anyway, I hope this building will encourage more developers to join in the fun, rather than set an impossibly high barrier for market entry.

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it is not a matter of its placement more so than what will be around it. Where it is going is hot right now, but who is to say that in ten years it will still be the place that everyone goes to. until it can get more, much more, development, it will just stick out. all i am saying is that we need to start slow with maybe 14 - 18 story towers that will be built around the area, and then proceed with the taller tower. ericurbanite, you make the exact point i am tryin to get across. there should not be only 2 - 4 story buildings around all of this development.

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I doubt anyone is saying that the site would support 2-4 stories, but that's a far cry from 30+. Rufus, I agree wit you that a mid-rise bldg would be much more appropriate there than a 32 story high-rise. One good thing about growth in that area is it's proximity to the future TTA DT station and Govt. Center station, which would likely help support that system.

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I think that there are many valid points in this thread. I also think, that many points of view concerning location have been expressed from where people view (literally) downtown from. I believe that many of us see downtown from the South Saunders trademarked view that's on all of our phonebooks and some of these comments may have been made from the standpoint that anything not in that view may be a waste of development (elephant in the room**the new Progress tower can't even be seen). When the Quorum and if the Reynolds project comes about, then I think there may be a whole new extended view of downtown. Throw a few mid-rise condos in and your looking at a whole new Raleigh!

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I agree with Tay that placing a significantly tall building would look good at the spot where the Quorum crane is, coming in from South Saunders. It would really shift the skyline and improve things. I could really visualize it there.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know if the site of the proposed Reynolds tower has been purchased by the city? It was my understanding that this was the option the city had as of November 2004. What is the current status of this project? Are there any renderings?

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  • 5 months later...

I was thinking about this project again, so I thought I'd bring it back to the top. Anyone have any info on it?

I believe the project, if it's to go forward as a larger building (close to 30 stories) , plans must go forward by Feb 2005, which is the city's deadline for Reynolds exercising it's purchase option on 301 Hillsborough St. With RBC out of the picture as a major tenant, and the DT hotel market increasing, but still with an uncertain near-term potential (with the Marriott and the proposed Empire Properties site 4 boutique hotel), I wonder whether it will end up being anywhere near 32 stories.

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