Jump to content

Wake Co. Justice Center


capitalapts

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 243
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • 2 months later...

Also in the N&O today they talked about leasable sq footage available in the cbd and how the demolition for this new court house should begin in 2009 and the new building should be finished in 2013, if I remember correctly. It is a shame to tare down two more of Raleigh's older building, just to satisfy the need for new space. I guess that's government for you! :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^ BTW, it's actually Wake County's building, and not the state's property. As a good rule of thumb, the state's property is mostly north of Morgan St. I merged the thread on the wish to protect the Garland Jones building in this topic since it's abviously linked to the new Courthouse plans, which is going to be a massive project BTW (over $200M). The new deck/Empire condos project HAS to be done by late '08/early '09 to meet the schedule for demo of Garland Jones and the old Wake deck to make way for the new courthouse construction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ChiefJoJo, thanks for the correction. It's a county-owned buildling.

Losing Garland-Jones and Lawyers is more than a shame, it's an absolute travesty. There's hardly anything remotely like Garland-Jones downtown, and at most a very few buildings like Lawyers. How can we get the county to change their minds?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why can't they tear down the existing parking deck that wraps around Garland Jones and start over? A newer parking structure with a few more stories (and a lot more spaces) could allow street level uses -- an easy to get to walkup counter for paying taxes and fees, researching property records, board of elections, etc. Retail would be ideal, but those uses would be a good compromise. The new deck would support an office tower, a la Progress II, providing the space the county seems to need in the area.

If they want to tear something down, why not start with the two story juvenile justice building in the 400 block of Salisbury Street? The building next to the postage stamp parking lot on the SW corner of Davie and Salisbury. It will be closer to the new "Empire" parking deck than the two buildings in question are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This really is a travesty. Both of those buildings add character to Downtown Raleigh, something I'm sure the new courthouse wouldn't be able to do as well, no matter how hard they try. Its a shame to see this architectural variations disappearing - like others have said, there has to be another alternative to tearing both of these down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The drawing looks like they are saving the inmate tower that faces Davie and the lobby out front. They built that in the early/mid 90s and won't be torn down too soon.

The "tower above parking" could provide the same amout of space and save the two existing buildings. Also, why do they want open space on the SW Martin/Salisbury corner? That makes no sense. The "open" space mid-block is rarely, if ever, used by outside pedestrians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

^^ I hoping this means the Lawyers building will not be torn down:

Construction on the new 440,000 square-foot building, which would sit on Salisbury Street across from the existing courthouse, could be completed sometime in 2012. Plans call for the county's judicial services building and parking deck to be demolished.

Can't find an L building thread but the projects are tied together so.....I think its cool for a few weeks to see the grassy hill where Kings was.....it gives a glimpse of what Raleigh might have looked like 200 years ago. From the Drie map it looks like this block was cut to a field by Joel Lane even before Raleighs street grid was laid out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ I hoping this means the Lawyers building will not be torn down:

Construction on the new 440,000 square-foot building, which would sit on Salisbury Street across from the existing courthouse, could be completed sometime in 2012. Plans call for the county's judicial services building and parking deck to be demolished.

Can't find an L building thread but the projects are tied together so.....I think its cool for a few weeks to see the grassy hill where Kings was.....it gives a glimpse of what Raleigh might have looked like 200 years ago. From the Drie map it looks like this block was cut to a field by Joel Lane even before Raleighs street grid was laid out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the red brick building in rooster's pictures is the judicial services building. It looks somehat skinny... couldn't they build "behind" it? Redevloping the old deck and surface parking will free up a lot of room.

A new deck could have McDowell entrance-only access and in/out access on Martin. The current Salisbury Street parking access could be the entrance to the new building/courthouse and go "back/west" as far as Garland Jones. Then have more structure above that.

It does sound like Garland Jones may be saved, but I wouldn't say for sure until they show renderings...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the red brick building in rooster's pictures is the judicial services building. It looks somehat skinny... couldn't they build "behind" it? Redevloping the old deck and surface parking will free up a lot of room.

A new deck could have McDowell entrance-only access and in/out access on Martin. The current Salisbury Street parking access could be the entrance to the new building/courthouse and go "back/west" as far as Garland Jones. Then have more structure above that.

It does sound like Garland Jones may be saved, but I wouldn't say for sure until they show renderings...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I must say, after thinking about this project some more, I'd much rather the county try to avoid tearing down these two bldgs. I always rather liked the Lawyers Bldg--but G-J, not so much... until I pondered the site this weekend on a Sunday walk. Ever since this discussion we had earlier about Garland-Jones' fate, I didn't consider so much the architectural rarity this building is, and how the diversity of design is something that we really need more of in this city--BADLY. Obviously the county deck is an eyesore, and must go right away, but I'm worried that if the county takes the remainder of this block, the new Justice Center will be just another large monolith, just like the old courthouse & jail just next door.

Here's another pic of the Lawyers & Garland-Jones Bldgs from Sunday--sorry about the glare:

2345741650098570895S600x600Q85.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ I was in Denver this weekend. Their, the GJ bldg would be renovated to have commercial space on the ground floor and some retro, mid-priced apartments for recent collage grads. The county actually seems to have maintained GJ pretty well since they have owned it. I wonder where the push to demo is coming from......someone at a table one day, with a pad of paper and cup of coffe, said "..I have a great idea. Lets..." That person needs to step forward and defend this idea publicly. The City would be smart to speak up as they do with the State.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hate to do a "bump" post... but has anyone heard any more about this lately? Last I heard, both Lawyers and Garland-Jones were going to meet the wrecking ball sometime in 2009. The county's plans say "These buildings are 40-80 years old and are therefore nearing the end of their useful lives." Yeah, I'd agree with that if they were utilitarian warehouse buildings in an unimportant location with no significant architectural features - then it would be OK to think of these buildings in such a cut-and-dry manner. But they're not.

I am not one who would advocate preserving marginally distinctive buildings at the expense of redevelopment just for the sake of preserving the status quo. But these buildings are not just mariginally distinctive, they are two of a dwindling number of historical mid-rises in downtown Raleigh, and the Garland Jones building in particular is irreplaceable and unique.

The issue of these two buildings, more so than any other issue facing downtown Raleigh right now, is something where I feel that us Urban Planeteers could organize, drum up support, and get the plans changed to save these buildings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The issue of these two buildings, more so than any other issue facing downtown Raleigh right now, is something where I feel that us Urban Planeteers could organize, drum up support, and get the plans changed to save these buildings.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^^ Absolutely. Don't just post these thoughts here-- it's one thing to lament about an impending loss and offer ideas into cyberspace, but UP seems like a great place for real-life advocacy as well. County Commissioners, historic preservation groups and business leaders ought to hear from UP members, and as many of their friends and family members they can rally about saving these buildings! It would be a shame to lose these structures, whether the replacement is a monolith or an architectural marvel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.