Raleigh's Fayetteville Street

[jlblaes]

go to www.wraltv.com

click on the "traffic" button at the top of the page, next to "weather" and "sports"

click on the "+" symbol over downtown raleigh on the map

click on "3" for camer view #3

JB

[ChiefJoJo]

Here is an article on how some of the businesses are losing money during the construction... I hope they can wait about 9-10 more months.

[NCMike1981]

I didn't know there was a Hallmark store downtown on Fayetteville St. I know of Chick-fil-a, CVS, I heard somewhere there was a Quiznos, and maybe a Port City Java, unless I'm hearing things. What other chains exist on Fayetteville St?

[willrusso]

I didn't know there was a Hallmark store downtown on Fayetteville St. I know of Chick-fil-a, CVS, I heard somewhere there was a Quiznos, and maybe a Port City Java, unless I'm hearing things. What other chains exist on Fayetteville St?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There in fact IS a Port City Java, but I'm not sure about Quiznos.

[NCMike1981]

Hmmmm according to their website Quiznos has a restaurant at 1 Exchange Plaza, downtown....so it sounds like technically not on Fayetteville St...

[st8fan]

I went downtown this past Monday to check out the Urban Design Center and see how Fayetteville St. was coming along. The vista down the street to the Capitol is quite impressive and I know it will be really nice once it is complete. I couldn't help but notice how run-down some of the old buildings really looked since the trees were taken out, the trees really helped them out. Hopefully, all of the owners will take advantage of the facade upgrade grant to really improve their appearance. Quiznos isn't on Fay. St., but their signs for it are. They direct you down through the Exchange Plaza courtyard to their entrance on Wilmington St. In all, walking down the Fayetville St. sidewalks and hearing and seeing the construction taking place gives you a feeling that reopening it to cars is really going to turn that stretch around, sooner than later.

btw, i'm new to urbanplanet, glad i finally got on here

[urbanvb]

Welcome to the group st8fan.

[Justin6882]

Hey everyone, just got in from an afternoon walk and took some pictures of the Fayetteville Street construction. The sidewalks look waaay bigger than I thought. They are putting in the granite curb on the block infront of the Progress Energy buliding. Anyway, here are some pictures...

[orulz]

Thanks for the photo update, Justin.

I've heard some people say that they think the sidewalks are too wide, but I disagree. The Fayetteville Street corridor is far from narrow, and the sidewalks are pretty wide, but I think that's a good thing. That way restaurants can set up some tables outside and create a neat environment. It also leaves plenty of room so that things like bike racks and benches won't get in the way. The street doesn't really GO anywhere so it's not like they'll need more lanes to handle the traffic or something- even when construction is done it will only stretch for six blocks!

[NCMike1981]

It's coming along nicely

[urbanvb]

Looking good. Is everything still on target to open by May 06?

[Justin6882]

I think I read somewhere they were slightly ahead of schedule, but you know how stuff like that can change. Hopefully it'll be ready to go by may!

[ChiefJoJo]

The curbs are starting to go down in the 400 block, so you can see where the road will be relative to the sidewalks. I think the SW is going to be 20 ft wide on each side with about 40 ft for the roadway including 2 11 ft lanes and 9 ft parking lanes. If you ask me, these are perfect proportions. The road won't carry much traffic other than than to access the businesses and condos along the street, and alowing for wide sidewalks provides plenty of room for pedestrians in the area. I think a lot of people criticised this project as being too expensive, but it has already paid dividends with RBC relocating (wonder when they'll announce???) and wil continue to do so.

[romec]

If I recall an announcement should be coming soon. I think I remember an announcement being "2 months away" at the end of August and thinking that's near Halloween.

[ncwebguy]

I was excited to see the granite curbs, and it looks like they'll be part of the whole stretch of Fayetville St, since there was a lot on the 300 block south of Martin St.

Concrete curbs are probably cheaper, but the granite gives a sense of permanence and character to the area, built to last for a long time.

In other Fayetville St. news, it looks like the New Orleans place that is going into the old Hardees is still slow going, despite getting help from the city. I don't know what issues they have, but it doesn't look like much has changed in the last month or so.

There appears to be a pizza/sub shop "coming soon" where Martin St. Music Hall (part of the Martin Street frontage of the old McCroys building) used to be. I know there was signs for a lunch kitchen going into it when it was Martin Street, so not sure if it is the same owners or what. A basement bar looks to be going in where Lizzies was.

Also, the UPS store has been open for a couple of weeks in the Hudson on the Wilmington Street side, and there's a "coming soon" sign for the deli next door.

In the new Progress Energy tower, the Iatreia (sp?) has been open for about three weeks now, but I don't go down there during weekdays, so I don't know how business is yet. The Pharros burgers and fries place looks like it has restaurant equipment but not much else. The coffee shop in there (La Joy) and Port City both don't open on Saturdays, but hopefully that will change next May!

While testing out my new Palm T|X, public WiFi on Fayetville St. seemed to be available at Carolina Cafe, Port City, the Shearaton, and "Raleigh WiFi" (which may be coming from the convention center?) though using those signals is difficult from outside. Woodys in city market was the strongest signal even from the sidewalk across the cobblestone streets.

[Justin6882]

Doesn't Woody's have their own WiFi network? I seem to recall seeing a sign.

[Justin6882]

There was a story in the N&O today about the Fayetteville Street conversion and just a general overview of projects going on downtown in that area.

Raleigh downtown changes

The work to return traffic to the street is on schedule. In May, officials hope a tree-lined street with wide sidewalks, granite benches and newly opened shops and restaurants will be ready for visitors.

[ralncdude]

I noticed that they were planting trees today!

[Eastwestrob]

I noticed that they were planting trees today!

Any updated recent Pictures of this? Anyone

[Justin6882]

I just took a walk up to Fayetteville Street and got some pics of the trees being installed...enjoy.

The first two with the Sir Walter hotel in the background realllly make me wish someone would convert that into Ritz-Carlton -- definitely wishful thinking at this point.

There are also a couple showing how large the sidewalks will be, as well as one of the intersection of Davie & Fayetteville Street coming together. I took one of one of the new stoplights as well.

Also, I noticed they had the old Checkerboard/Chessboard from the mall out waiting to be installed somewhere. Were they going to put them back on the sidewalks? or maybe inlay them into the sidewalk? Anyone know?

[urbanesq]

The first two with the Sir Walter hotel in the background realllly make me wish someone would convert that into Ritz-Carlton -- definitely wishful thinking at this point.

SO with you on that. It's a magnificent building, and has the potential to be a showplace again.

Also, I noticed they had the old Checkerboard/Chessboard from the mall out waiting to be installed somewhere. Were they going to put them back on the sidewalks? or maybe inlay them into the sidewalk? Anyone know?

I heard (maybe on this board?) that they were to be moved to Pullen Park, or maybe Chavis, but for some reason had not yet been relocated from the street. Dunno how accurate that information is.

[orulz]

Thanks for the photos Justin!

In that last photo, next to the Sir Walter, that Sheraton just looks so blah! That building is just one giant brick! And only one row of windows on Fayetteville Street! The streetscape is not very inviting either. I would do a number of things to improve it:

• Re-clad it in limestone or precast concrete at street level
  
• Do something with the top, like a cornice
  
• Put in awnings
  
• Glass in more retail space along Fayetteville Street
  
• Put more windows on the base and tower facing Fayetteville to lessen the blank-wall effect
  
• Add limestone sills and headers to every window
  

In other words, do something about all the blank walls and do everything possible to make this building look like it was built in the 1920s. As it is, that building would look right at home next to Lee and Sullivan hall at NCSU, although the high-rise dorms would actually outdo it from an aesthetic standpoint.

[Eastwestrob]

Thank you for those photos Justin.It will be so cool being able to drive Fayetteville Street again. I was in Jr High School when they built the mall

[NCMike1981]

Is Chick-fil-a open late for dinner hours or is it lunch only?

Btw great pictures, nice to see the street coming along!

[urbanesq]

Is Chick-fil-a open late for dinner hours or is it lunch only?

Lunch only. I've tried to get over there on more than one occaision to find the doors bolted at 2pm.

Which is outrageous, but when you think about it, why should they pay people to be there when they'd sell maybe 1 or 2 sandwiches after the lunch crowd leaves? Hopefully all our new residents in downtown will change this SOON!