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The identity of the Triangle


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Yes, the Triangle is a great business region, it's creative here, and it's truly beautiful. However, this sidebar on the downtown is going to be hard for the Raleigh CVB to deal with. Do they just conveniently leave this out when claiming what a great region we are?

It basically screams to what we all know who live here. Raleigh and Durham are just now getting a clue, and frankly Durham is more on the right path in some regards. As much as it hurts though, the truth needs to be told. You can't just not tell the whole story. Hopefully this will light a fire.

http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2005/0523/130sidebar.html

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Well, on the bright side growth IS happening down there right now as the article mentions. I just got back from Artsplosure (one of the BEST weather days this year), and it's exciting what is in the works. The area does have some true character and there are some burgeoning places like Moore Square, Glenwood South and the Warehouse District that this writer didn't mention. There are a tremendous amount of things that are happening, and as the article mentioned in the ballpark of 1 billion dollars worth (with likely a lot more here shortly).

I did think that it was only fair that this is just now happening should be mentioned. RDU is always making these "best cities" lists, which it does deserve. The resources here are matched by nowhere I can think of for a place this size. But the downtowns are having to counteract the suburban sprawl that is very prominent in sunbelt areas...that is something you rarely see in these fluff pieces that come out every year. Austin is the one place in the Sunbelt that truly is on top of the downtown game as far as a new emerging metro. That place has more nightlife than both Carolinas combined in my opinion.

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Austin is the one place in the Sunbelt that truly is on top of the downtown game as far as a new emerging metro. That place has more nightlife than both Carolinas combined in my opinion.

Pretty hefty claim....with all uptown Charlotte, Greenville's Main Street, Columbia's Five Points and the Vista, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Chapel Hill, and the Glenwood South area of Raleigh combined, Austin STILL beats the Carolinas? WOW.

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I went to my brother's wedding in Raleigh (actually in suburbia near the RTP) a while back and paid a visit to downtown Raleigh. I was struck at how little development has occurred downtown with the Triangle's explosive growth and the new urbanism trend in American cities currently. I was also struck at how VERY similar Raleigh and Columbia SC are if you look at just the downtown/intown areas. They are both state capitals, have major downtown state universities, have the state capital building at the end of "main street" layout, and have similar buildings and high rises. That was surprising given how much larger, faster growing, and high profile Raleigh's greater region is. I think RTP's suburban location and the multinodal nature of the Triangle has really hurt Raleigh's central core. I admire the universities and high tech economy of the Triangle, but that area gives a new meaning to sprawl (and I'm from Atlanta which is a poster child for sprawl). I think downtown Raleigh has potential. There is some great historic architecture, a nice grid layout, and some wonderful old neighborhoods surrounding downtown. But the jobs are suburban. That is where I see the difference between Raleigh and say a city like Charlotte. I recently visited Charlotte and was amazed at the downtown housing options and the vibrant street life right in the heart of downtown on Tryon. The well paid workers in Charlotte work at banks downtown. But the well paid workers in Raleigh work out in suburban settings (state workers would probably be pressed to afford a pricey condo). Greater Raleigh definitely has the demographics to have a downtown market, but why hasn't it happened yet? The city seems to be behind others in the region.

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UrbanSoutherner, very well put. I basically agree with every thing you said there. Especially the multinodal aspect. If you read the weeklies around here, the Triangle is BURSTING with things to do..but they're spread in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill largely instead of only Raleigh. I agree that Raleigh has a bright future, and I think in time it will become the central focal point in the area as it grows.

Moonshield, check out Austin sometime if you don't believe me. That place has the nightlife of a city about 10 times it's size, and a reputation as the de facto music hotbed in the US right now. If you think there is more nightlife anywhere around these parts, go and you'll know what I'm talking about. They don't call it the live music capital of the world for nothing. Why is Austin this way? I'm not sure, but UT is there (largest university in the country)..and it has a little bit of that "Wild West" flavor. I think that alone tends to make things more over-the-top than in conservative NC/SC (Chapel Hill notwithstanding). Sixth Street is world-famous in Austin, but there is also the Warehouse District, South Congress, and Red River. There are a MILLION things going on down there. People have flocked to that city in droves for about three decades now, but the 90's was the true boom. I'm not trying to call out the Carolinas...I love it here. I just think honesty is good, because if you go---you're gonna find out.

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University of Texas had the highest enrollment from 1997 through the fall of 2004. The enrollment numbers for fall 2004:

Ohio State University - 50,995

University of Minnesota at Twin Cities - 50,954

University of Texas - 50,377

raleightransplant, I totally agree with you. There is nothing like the music scene in Austin. Plus many many music and arts festivals throughout the year. Theres always something going on.

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raleightransplant, I totally agree with you. There is nothing like the music scene in Austin. Plus many many music and arts festivals throughout the year. Theres always something going on.

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speaking of music and arts festivals, i hope that some of you raleighites got to venture over to artsplosure this weekend. it was a blast and the N&O article i read said 70,000 to 75,000 were expected to attend. i hope that the numbers lived up to that and surpassed it. for those who don't know about artsplosure -- http://www.artsplosure.org -- it's probably the biggest arts and music festival in Raleigh and it takes place in the moore square arts/entertainment district. if Raleigh had more of these types of street festivals throughout the year, it would certainly help.

another great downtown event i went to on saturday (it doesn't quite pertain to this post) was "the art of downtown living" tour put on by the raleigh urban design center -- http://www.raleighnc.gov/hometour -- which really made me excited about the downtown housing opportunities that are slowly arising here.

basically, the point is, after reading that article, going to those two events kept my hopes alive for whats to come in downtown raleigh. we all have to make sure that we are patronizing the events and festivals that do take place downtown. lately, i've really made a point to try to spend the majority of my money and time in downtown businesses. it feels good knowing you are supporting those businesses who have taken the risk to locate downtown instead of in suburbia.

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Considering that with the N&O's puzzle party last week, there have been two solid weekends of bringing people into the core. The more we can bring to the growing core AND have them enjoy it, the more people that will support DT projects in the future.

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One problem I had with the article - "metropolis of 336,000"?  Give me a break.  The much of the article focuses on sprawl yet only considers the city limits for our population.  That's just a pet peeve of mine (1,268,000)

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I noticed that and completely agree. Sprawl is the unfortunate side-effect of RTP being between four cities, and to truly understand that, you have to look beyond the City of Raleigh and towards the region as a whole. Sprawl is an awful thing, yes, and our leaders (some of them) are finally doing things to counteract it, but if it weren't for the success of RTP, how much sprawl would we really have?

Their articles leads one to believe that Raleigh really isn't that large of a place (a little 336,000 city) and we can't even handle our sprawl problem. Thanks blueize74.

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I noticed that and completely agree.  Sprawl is the unfortunate side-effect of RTP being between four cities, and to truly understand that, you have to look beyond the City of Raleigh and towards the region as a whole.  Sprawl is an awful thing, yes, and our leaders (some of them) are finally doing things to counteract it, but if it weren't for the success of RTP, how much sprawl would we really have?

Their articles leads one to believe that Raleigh really isn't that large of a place (a little 336,000 city) and we can't even handle our sprawl problem.  Thanks blueize74.

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It's one of the reasons I left Raleigh. I felt it to be one of the most sterile cities I have ever been to. I felt I was stuck in permament boredom living there.

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  • 5 months later...

Raleigh. One of the finest cities in America. Raleigh has gone through a transition, that many refer to as the "New South". Northern Tranplants and new southern thinkers, have made this city grow in exponential numbers, but the problem lies with this, we have the populace, but do we have the amenities?

It's funny. When I travel to other cities most give me a firm sense of where those cities are going. They have something simply known as an image. I believe a cities amenities, ie attractions, shopping,and natural landscape, makes a true city. For instance even in cities which are much smaller such as Norfolk,Richmond,Savannah, and even Winston Salem. These cities have enough amenities to match their population. Raleigh on the other hand is a sleeping giant. Raleigh has a definite imbalance of amenities. Even though there have been many new projects and developments, if you're not from here you would swear it was a city of just 200,000. When I go to cities like Nashville or Atlanta, Raleigh pales in comparison, even though this city is of similar size.

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Perhaps it is because Raleigh is such a sprawling city with a very small urban core. The cities you spoke of - Norfolk, Richmond and Nashville - are all urban cities with larger cores (or at least more high rises) than Raleigh. I hope Raleigh continues to grow inwardly especially in its urban core as to help establish an image.

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I hope so too, because I think Raleigh is capable of becoming a international city. I used to get upset when the only cities that Raleigh would compare itself with was Greensboro or Durham, cities that are on a much smaller level. I think if Raleigh is to get anywhere in the New South ballgame, is to fiercely compete with Charlotte, Nashville, and ATL. Think about it What will Raleigh be like 20 years from now.

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Perhaps it is because Raleigh is such a sprawling city with a very small urban core. The cities you spoke of - Norfolk, Richmond and Nashville - are all urban cities with larger cores (or at least more high rises) than Raleigh. I hope Raleigh continues to grow inwardly especially in its urban core as to help establish an image.

Yeah, were establishing an image alright...one of big box retail, ugly gas stations, fast food, cookiecutter subdivisions. harris teeters, walgreens,....big buildings miles away from the core..ugly office parks miles and miles away form the core...morrisville..cough

How much more identity do we want? lol :angry:

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Raleigh has never been as awesome as it is today. It struggled to be more than a state capital and college town for a long time. The fabric you speak of is being woven as we speak... Places like Norfolk and Richmond, and even Winston-Salem had a "name" long before Raleigh even had a freeway passing nearby. Size doesn't really matter so much. Winston-Salem has never been as big as it is today, yet it seemed to have a firmly established identity a long time ago.

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By amentities what do you mean? I would say Raleigh has one of the best school systems in the country so K-12 education far surpasses any of the other cities you mention. Economic growth and job creation surpasses the other areas. The populace is more educated than the other areas you mention. Median income is higher than those other areas. Cultural opportunities are better than most if not all the other areas you listed. Recreational opportunities are better than most of those areas as well.

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