Raleigh Skyline

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Great picture! Thank you! A shame that the Wells Fargo building couldn't have been squeezed in...but nice all the same. :-)

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Agree with you about First Citizens I do...great place for a 40+ story cone/round/non-square building...new HQ for First Citizens Bank? Only in my wildest dreams I know, but you have to dream! ;-)

[Spatula]

I'd like to see the original historic Citizens building rebuilt in its spot.

 

http://goodnightraleigh.com/2012/10/fayetteville-street-looking-north-raleigh-nc/

 

It was Raleigh's tallest building for 25 years. You'd think that would've merited some historic protection. Sadly, not.

[ctl]

By First Citizens you mean the 4-story black building at 233 Fayetteville? Noooo, that's another heritage building from Raleigh's modernist era. AIANC named its annual gold medal award after Carter Williams who designed this building. Details at page 17 of http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/nr/WA4309.pdf.  

 

In any event, the building has been owned directly by First Citizens since 1990. Somebody would have to make them an offer for the land that they couldn't refuse.

[Jones_]

I normally can find a place in my heart for modernist stuff but the current First Citizens doesn't even have windows above the first floor facing Fayetteville St. What a great idea Mr Architect guy. I also personally hate First Citizens as an institution for imploding the Commercial Bank building that was across the street. 

I do really love the old Citizens bank and often admire the Trust Building in Wilmington as the closest thing like it left in NC. Edit, actually Winston has a couple sort of like it but I never make it there anymore. 

Edited December 18, 2014 by Jones_

[RALNATIVE]

This skyline shot would look even better if the spire on PNC were illuminated red.

[BHennington]

Great picture! Thank you! A shame that the Wells Fargo building couldn't have been squeezed in...but nice all the same. :-)

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Most kind, thank you for the updated picture!

[RaleighHeelsfan]

No need to ever get our hopes up. Downtown Raleigh will never build big. Forget Portland style too...with all these concrete one entrance, no window government buildings...downtown Raleigh will always seem dull. Lets just hope some other part of downtown can grow and do things right. Maybe we can have a cool warehouse district over near the new Citrix building...maybe. I think downtown Durham will be way cooler than downtown Raleigh in the future. Lots of positive things happening there.

[RALNATIVE]

 

I've noticed Raleigh's skyline in the background of a number of commentators on CNN recently. Here's one from tonight's broadcast.

 

I'm wondering if these people actually live in Raleigh or if CNN selects certain skyline images to display in the background.

 

Any thoughts?

Edited January 20, 2015 by RALNATIVE

[DanRNC]

It's generally from the studio (city) they are being filmed at.

[RALNATIVE]

I realized after I posted this that the commentator actually runs a successful business in the area.

[InitialD]

Source: https://twitter.com/liftaerial/status/556688309947478017/photo/1

[The ATX]

Raleigh's skyline is coming along nicely. 

[RALNATIVE]

Source: https://twitter.com/liftaerial/status/556688309947478017/photo/1

 

A city on the rise...

[RALNATIVE]

Matt Robinson's most recent Raleigh photo series has some of the best shots of downtown that I have seen thusfar:

http://raleighskyline.com/content/2015/07/21/summer-in-the-city-raleigh-2015/

[DPK]

Wow nice!  Some of those have to be using a drone for the elevations.  Well done.

[Rufus]

Source: https://twitter.com/liftaerial/status/556688309947478017/photo/1

I'm gonna bump this one again.  I seriously think this needs to be our new skyline picture vs the South Saunders snap.  It really is an incredible vantage point that few see.  The density in this pic is awesome, plus consider the Edison Tower and Charter Sq N in these pics, and it gets even better. 

[Green_man]

I'm gonna bump this one again.  I seriously think this needs to be our new skyline picture vs the South Saunders snap.  It really is an incredible vantage point that few see.  The density in this pic is awesome, plus consider the Edison Tower and Charter Sq N in these pics, and it gets even better. 

I agree.  One of the driving points for my idea of adding an observation tower as an attraction to this and other city parks.  Otherwise, you only enjoy the view by photograph through a drone.  https://www.facebook.com/AboveTheOaks

I can imagine residents, families, and tourists spending a Saturday making the 8 mile bike loop to five parks (Chavis, St. Agnes, Devereaux, Pullen, Dix) and climbing each tower for 360 views of the skyline and tree canopy.  Grabbing pastries at Boulted Bread in the morning, picking up supplies at Standard Foods for a picnic at Devereaux meadow.  It also might help make a bikeshare program feasible for the tourist participation.  The system would definitely be unique and seems to fit the brand that Raleigh is trying to establish.  I also think we'd be able to come up with some pretty cool and unique architectural designs given our design and entrepreneur  community.

[Spatula]

I think a ferris wheel in Chavis or Pullen could be pretty fun, as far as observation decks go. A greenway connection cutting through downtown is long overdue, as well.

[Jones_]

 

I agree.  One of the driving points for my idea of adding an observation tower as an attraction to this and other city parks.  Otherwise, you only enjoy the view by photograph through a drone.  https://www.facebook.com/AboveTheOaks

I can imagine residents, families, and tourists spending a Saturday making the 8 mile bike loop to five parks (Chavis, St. Agnes, Devereaux, Pullen, Dix) and climbing each tower for 360 views of the skyline and tree canopy.  Grabbing pastries at Boulted Bread in the morning, picking up supplies at Standard Foods for a picnic at Devereaux meadow.  It also might help make a bikeshare program feasible for the tourist participation.  The system would definitely be unique and seems to fit the brand that Raleigh is trying to establish.  I also think we'd be able to come up with some pretty cool and unique architectural designs given our design and entrepreneur  community.

Curious...has St Agnes been floated as a park site or is this your idea? I dig it...interesting that your loop is very similar to the last Hepcat, which had extreme points at Lions Park, Wetlands Center, Dix and Cameron Village.

[Green_man]

Curious...has St Agnes been floated as a park site or is this your idea? I dig it...interesting that your loop is very similar to the last Hepcat, which had extreme points at Lions Park, Wetlands Center, Dix and Cameron Village.

St Agnes site is just my idea for a city park.  I think the area could use a park surrounding the building.  And the building could be renovated using the shell and have a museum of the history of the site or community center space or even artist studios or rentable event space or all of the above.

A while back there were plans for renovation for the St. Agnes Health Disparities Institute.

[InitialD]

I took a pic during some big event:

[RALNATIVE]

Found this aerial of downtown on YouTube:

 

[InitialD]