Raleigh's Fayetteville Street

[DanRNC]

I would imagine that sites 2 and 3 in front of the Progress Center for the Arts will be used for expansion of this center.

[ChiefJoJo]

2 & 3 will likely be mid-rise condos, retail, and maybe a health club. Here's info on sites 2 & 3:

charette results

[ericurbanite]

does anybody have any new construction images of fayetteville street???

[ncwebguy]

It is nice of the article to not mention Prarieview and Capitol Park (open for years), Carlton Place (under construction) and Chavis Heights (installing utilities) while stating there is no affordable housing. On Fayetville Street proper, there is affordable senior housing in the Sir Walter Raleigh. WTVD's studio is under a few floors of expensive condos, but that doesn't mean everything downtown is in that price range and will be forever.

The Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex could expand on its side of South street by building along Wilmington and Salisbury streets. Sites 2 and 3 could be slightly shorter versions of Site 1. The residential/office mix will depend on what needs are greater in 2008 when the CC, hotel, and site 1 come on line. I think the mix would lean toward restaurants due to its location, but retail (mabye high end?) could be intergrated as well. Requests for proposals for that area are still a ways out.

I have some construction pictures, but I need to download them off my camera. I can not speak to their quality either.

[Flash]

"Lets get this started." "Where are those Apaches" "I'm going to miss Seinfeld!"

All in all, I think it was a great event. My only complaint was that there were not enough available places to eat- vendor wise.

Thanks for viewing.

[CSP]

Superb Photos!

[Durhamite]

Those are some incredible photos. Your photos seem to capture the essence of a moment, similar to Norman Rockwell paintings. Hated I missed the event, but will venture downtown Raleigh sometime this week or weekend.

[yoga]

Wow there are some great shots in there! Wish I had a connection to a rooftop for next year's.....and I hope it is NOT in July!!!!

[dmccall]

.and I hope it is NOT in July!!!!

I dunno. By now people are getting sick of the beach, sick of their pool, sick of their patio/deck. However they aren't getting that last vacation in either. The timing seemed perfect. The weather really smiled on Raleigh. It was a miserably hot weekend except for Sat. night.

[orulz]

I think July can certainly work out - but I'm upset that Raleigh has picked the same weekend as Bele Chere.

It would be nice if Wide Open could morph into a day-long (or multi-day) event but I'd hate to see it competing for market share with my hometown's main event...

[DigitalSky]

wow looks like a lot of fun. nice job!

[ChiefJoJo]

City Council Approves Design Process For City Plaza Area.

At the recommendation of City Manager Russell Allen, council members endorsed creating a design team that will work with consultant Kimley-Horn & Associates on drafting a schematic design plan for the City Plaza. The design team will include representatives from Project for Public Spaces, a nationally known consultant on urban design and public spaces, and DesignBox, a local creative design collaborative. Also on the design team will be representatives from the City

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I'm sure whatever it is they do now will be.......boring

[dmccall]

...but I don't really think that the exact location, tucked into the Hannover buildings, has to be a gathering place anymore. It made since when it was the end of the F St. Mall, but the context of that place on F St. has totally changed, and so should its function. We have several other places to make a groundbreaking place. This one just needs to be implied and functional rather than a showcase.

[sax184]

FWIW, Project for Public Spaces is a terrific group, among the best in the country, if not THE best, for designing public spaces. Getting the local DesignBox people involved is a good step, too. Whoever told Russell Allen to do this deserves a pat on the back.

It looks like the City may actually want to get this right in the end. Of course, they need not to be terrified of whatever PPS and DesignBox recommend.

Nevertheless, the process going forward and parties recruited to participate is a promising combination of national-quality expertise and local talent.

Now, if we could get the N&O to stop running to Smithfield for commentary on the designs...

[raleighfan]

Now, if we could get the N&O to stop running to Smithfield for commentary on the designs...

[ChiefJoJo]

I know a few people at DesignBox who I worked with on SparkCon... I bet it was Dan Douglas, the Urban Design Center Director. I think this may actually produce a better product for that space (with the street down the middle) than what Plensa had in mind.

[carynative]

IMO less is more in between the 2 Hannovers. Whatever is designed should be extremely walkable and attractive considerign the location and heavy foot traffic that area will see.

I'd still like to see an implementation of (i think it was dmcall) of a roundabout at the end of the future Fayetteville Street and the Progress Energy Center. There is definitely the space and I think it would be a great place to give Raleigh a "grand plaza downtown."

While i'm thinking art and plazas and such. I'd also love to see a greater use of the grassy mall on the State govt complex. What a wasted resource we have right here in downtown.

[serapis]

IMO less is more in between the 2 Hannovers. Whatever is designed should be extremely walkable and attractive considerign the location and heavy foot traffic that area will see.

I'd still like to see an implementation of (i think it was dmcall) of a roundabout at the end of the future Fayetteville Street and the Progress Energy Center. There is definitely the space and I think it would be a great place to give Raleigh a "grand plaza downtown."

While i'm thinking art and plazas and such. I'd also love to see a greater use of the grassy mall on the State govt complex. What a wasted resource we have right here in downtown.

Roundabout? You mean more like a cul de sac in the middle of DT. We should really steer away from DT having suburban aspects. No disrepect, because i know you're from Cary and all. However I think Fayetteville street should connect back with Lenior. We need as much connectivity as possible DT.

[pdxheel]

A round about is not a cul de sac. Its a traffic circle.

[carynative]

I'm sorry that my post was confusing. There is a difference between a roundabout and a traffic circle. I do have some knowledge of these devices due to work.

A traffic circle is a large, circular intersection- think the one in Pinehurst or Pittsboro with the courthouse.

A roundabout is a smaller version used mainly on urban streets that is a good substitute for many stoplights and/or stop signs. The one on N.C. State's campus for instance.

Also, I was meaning the proposal that would extend F-street through Lenoir all the way to South Street in front of the Progress Energy Center.

[plus2]

I agree with the roundabout/traffic circle idea in front of the Memorial Auditorium. With the proposals still to come for Sites 2&3, a newer better plaza could be developed there with those developments in mind.

[NCMike1981]

When I lived in MA we called roundabouts "rotaries" I'm assuming they are the same thing, I wonder why northern people call them something different....They are everywhere up there, alot of main intersections were converted to them years if not decades ago while in NC they seem to be a relatively new concept aside from a handful of exceptions like downtown Pittsboro and Graham. Is rotary the old way of calling them while roundabout is the new south way?

[JTsaysToYou]

Maybe the roundabout could be around that funky fountain in front of memorial auditorium.

[RaleighRick]

When I lived in MA we called roundabouts "rotaries" I'm assuming they are the same thing, I wonder why northern people call them something different....They are everywhere up there, alot of main intersections were converted to them years if not decades ago while in NC they seem to be a relatively new concept aside from a handful of exceptions like downtown Pittsboro and Graham. Is rotary the old way of calling them while roundabout is the new south way?

Roundabout is definitely not the new southern way. Here is an explaination and history of "roundabouts". Link