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Triangle relocation thread


harringtonhouse

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anyone have any examples of georgian or federalist homes?

Not an expert but both existed in roughly the same time period, Georgian being a bit older (1690-1820) than Federal (1760-1820) Both are symetrical and heavy looking. Georgian has more extra touches like columns and pediments and Federal is more serious and plain looking. Notable Raleigh examples of Federal architecture are the Haywood House on New Bern Place, and the Credit Union also on New Bern Place. The White-Holleman House on New Bern is a Georgian House. Many of the same features can be found in both styles.

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  • 1 month later...

Moderator's Note: Generally this isn't a forum to ask for relocation advice - but it is my custom to let these posts stand, in the coffeehouse forum, after being moved to this thread.

Hi corey, welcome to the forum.

I'm curious why you've decided on somewhere between Apex and Chapel Hill? Is this where you'll be working? (RTP)

Make no mistake about it - Briar Chapel is "out there." Some people like that, but just be aware of everything that comes with it. 15/501 was recently widened north of the 64 bypass so it may seem like traffic isn't a problem, but rest assured the problem will come back, especially as more of these developments like Briar Chapel spring up along it.

Heading north towards Chapel Hill onto 15/501 towards Durham or 54 to I-40 and RTP, and you will definitely run into traffic. Head east on 64 towards Cary and Raleigh, and there are plenty of bottlenecks there to bog you down, too.

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thanks for the info and sorry about the misplaced post. i'm interviewing in chapel hill tomorrow and am interested in staying on the westside of the city for convenience sake. my wife will most likely find work in RTP and we have friends in Apex.

thanks for the traffic heads up, very good info there. i'm hoping to escape the crush of people here in NOVA, and wouldn't want to get myself in the same situation.

i'm okay with 'out there' as long as it's not too big a hike to retail & grocery stores. 15 minutes is about the furthest i'd like to travel. we're focusing on apex for the most part, but the briar chapel page interested me.

i was mostly curious about the logistics of the development. seems most folks in this forum are very planning-oriented so i'd hoped that i would get feedback on a)what it will REALLY be like and b)is it really going to happen and c)what impacts will it have on traffic/culture/economics, etc.

thanks again for everything!

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Another development to look at is Davis Park

http://www.davisparkrtp.com/ It looks pretty big, and relies heavily on I-40 as opposed to Hwy 64 and 2-lane country roads.

Good suggestion, dmccall, assuming corey is looking for new construction rather than an established neighborhood.

This one is just starting construction. It will be very near to RTP, and also close to a future regional rail stop. The problem with Davis Park in the short term, however, is that Davis Drive north of Morrisville-Carpenter Road (through RTP, in other words) is at least 2 years from being completed. Construction starts in July.

I live on Davis Drive now, and northbound traffic in the mornings backs up at the NC54 intersection before I-40, while and southbound (Cary-bound) traffic backs up at McCrimmon Parkway in the evenings. But then again, the short-term traffic problems may make your purchase price cheaper and the eventual resale value higher once things are straightened out (especially with the rail station...)

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I live on Davis Drive now, and northbound traffic in the mornings backs up at the NC54 intersection before I-40, while and southbound (Cary-bound) traffic backs up at McCrimmon Parkway in the evenings. But then again, the short-term traffic problems may make your purchase price cheaper and the eventual resale value higher once things are straightened out (especially with the rail station...)

Orulz,

What do you think about Carpenter Village? It's kind of a good location for someone wanting to span the Triangle on a daily basis, too.

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OK, Davis Park is the Metro Center stop. OK, I didn't realize it was approved and moving forward.

It looks like the Metro Center portion is going to be developed in a later phase (doesn't "light up" in the displays). It really does look like a nice new yurbanist type of neighbrhood. Good density, interconnected streets, mixed use, and transit integration (hopefully!).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Living in East Baltimore for the past 10 years I have witnessed enormous change. Although it is unfashionable to have reservations about New Urbanism I will express mine. What attracted me to Baltimore was what I like to think of as the Sound of Surprise---a radio show on the local pacifica station but also a mind set. An urban environment ought to have some of this. A certain ramshackle quality will always be a crucial component of this arrangement. Sort of like a truly great bar that has a patina to it that is TRULY organic. While I agree that planning our cities is important, we now run the risk of creating predictable patterns and eliminate the possibility of the unpredictable and the improvised. Stuever Bros. is Baltimore born and have done some very creative work here. However, the old Baltimore is falling away fast and being replaced by some sort of Gap world. The irony that cities are becoming standardized is not lost on me. . Anyway, I am considering a job offer in Raleigh and intend to reside in Durham. I seek a neighborhood that is not too cute or over-planned, maybe has some good mexican food, and is cheap. Hope I can find one when I arrive.

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Anyway, I am considering a job offer in Raleigh and intend to reside in Durham. I seek a neighborhood that is not too cute or over-planned, maybe has some good mexican food, and is cheap. Hope I can find one when I arrive.

Thanks for dropping in! You'll love it here. First off, why Durham???????? :blink: I don't mean to sound snotty, but living in Durham and working in Raleigh will present a host of problems: Relying on the I-40 artery 10X a week, and the relative scarcity of shopping options. By that I mean that pretty much any time you want to buy anything in Durham, you'll likely find yourself at the new Interstate-side mega mall or on 15-501, a nightmarish divided highway lined with strip mall junk. Durham has a fine number of good restaurants per capita, but the growth in Raleigh of this element, especially downtown, is far more interesting.

That aside, there are 3 established areas I'd look at closely, in generally descending price:

A) Hope Valley - gorgeous neighborhood that is home of the grandest houses and the most venerable country club in durham - most convenient location of these three to good shopping.

B) Forest Hills? - I THINK that is the name of the area. It also has some great old houses. It is a little tighter as it is older than HV, but still has plenty of nice houses. I think Mike Peterson lived in this neighborhood, so there are still some biggies there. Close to downtown and Duke and the 147 expressway down to I-40.

C) I don't know the name of this neighborhood, but I call it the Club Blvd area. It has some really charming pre WWII cottagey houses that are in the 2,000 square foot size range. The area is probably full of younger people as the houses are not quite so big. It is the farthest from good shopping, but very close to Duke and the 147.

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Good point dmccall. Due to Raleigh being almost twice the size, it has much better shopping, entertainment, and nightlife options then Durham. Raleigh also has a MUCH lower crime rate. Personally, I also think Raleigh's road and street network has a much better layout. Durham's can be rather confusing to newcomers. But anyways, to each his own.

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Thanks for dropping in! You'll love it here. First off, why Durham???????? :blink: I don't mean to sound snotty, but living in Durham and working in Raleigh will present a host of problems: Relying on the I-40 artery 10X a week, and the relative scarcity of shopping options. By that I mean that pretty much any time you want to buy anything in Durham, you'll likely find yourself at the new Interstate-side mega mall or on 15-501, a nightmarish divided highway lined with strip mall junk. Durham has a fine number of good restaurants per capita, but the growth in Raleigh of this element, especially downtown, is far more interesting.

That aside, there are 3 established areas I'd look at closely, in generally descending price:

A) Hope Valley - gorgeous neighborhood that is home of the grandest houses and the most venerable country club in durham - most convenient location of these three to good shopping.

B) Forest Hills? - I THINK that is the name of the area. It also has some great old houses. It is a little tighter as it is older than HV, but still has plenty of nice houses. I think Mike Peterson lived in this neighborhood, so there are still some biggies there. Close to downtown and Duke and the 147 expressway down to I-40.

C) I don't know the name of this neighborhood, but I call it the Club Blvd area. It has some really charming pre WWII cottagey houses that are in the 2,000 square foot size range. The area is probably full of younger people as the houses are not quite so big. It is the farthest from good shopping, but very close to Duke and the 147.

durham vs raleigh? when i drove through durham while visiting my sister in wake forest it seemed somewhat like baltimore in composition---ethnic diversity. had lunch had a funky mexican place. seen little leafy bungalows on craigslist for pretty cheap. club blvd? forest hills looks like a blue haired/historical society deal with a croquet club. deal-breaker for me. don't require big time shopping options. food co-ops, coffee, bookstore, baseball, brewpub--- had a few pints at a bull durham brewpub 10 years ago--- are what i favor. ninth street?.... raleigh seems establishment and durham seems as if it might harbor a few radicals!

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Some folks define quality of life differently than others.

I agree with your assesment, august west, it sounds like Durham is the place in the Triangle for you. Some folks are made for Carrboro and others are nauseated at the prospect, some folks are made for North Raleigh and find it wonderful but others would feel trapped or suffocated. The same thing holds true for Durham.

I think Durham's a very interesting town. It feels kind of like a rust belt city to me. And like any rust belt city, Durham is not without its problems, not the least of which is a history of bitter racial tension- but then North Raleigh has its own set of problems too.

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not the least of which is a history of bitter racial tension-

Thanks august west for defining your needs a little more! The Triangle definitely has many pockets which are vastly different ways of life from each other, so that's cool.

I HOPE that everything stays level-headed in Durham through this trial. I don't like what I was hearing this week, though - threats of taking justice into people's own hands if there isn't a conviction, etc. If people don't play cards right, it could turn into a Rodney King-like powder keg, which would drive real estate down for a while, especially in the older parts of Durham. :(

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durham vs raleigh? when i drove through durham while visiting my sister in wake forest it seemed somewhat like baltimore in composition---ethnic diversity. had lunch had a funky mexican place. seen little leafy bungalows on craigslist for pretty cheap. club blvd? forest hills looks like a blue haired/historical society deal with a croquet club. deal-breaker for me. don't require big time shopping options. food co-ops, coffee, bookstore, baseball, brewpub--- had a few pints at a bull durham brewpub 10 years ago--- are what i favor. ninth street?.... raleigh seems establishment and durham seems as if it might harbor a few radicals!

I have to admit, the bungaloe's neighborhood in Durham are cool and much less expensive than Raleigh

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As an NCSSM graduate, part of me wants to move back to the 9th Street/Oval Park area. It is well laid out, with a lot of mature trees, sidewalks, etc. I would even consider Walltown if I knew things were getting better in the area.

For better or worse, the city of Durham doesn't let go of the past. Good in projects like American Tobacco, West Village, Hayti, Durham Athletic Park rennovations, etc. But bad in the "well we used to have the black wall street and tobacco factories, what do we do now?" inability to move forward. Duke tries to be a good neighbor, but the haves vs. have nots mentality won't go away on either side any time soon. The school board screaming matches, gun violence on buses, and new black panthers are difficult to ignore.

As noted in another thread, Durham, especially south durham, has done little to capitalize on its close proximity to RTP as well. The voting public likes the "quiet, sleepy town" vibe, so that is what it gets.

For better or worse, rush hour traffic on I-40 highlights where the RTP workers are choosing to live. Durham is happy to not have such problems.

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Public schools and the DCPSS are disapointing. Whether you have kids or not, this does affect things. Many of the mid/ upper class folks there send their kids to private schools. This not only hurts diversity but removes a part of the community from the public school system. This results in diminished interest and support which makes things worse. The school board meetings in Durham are sad to watch.

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Fellow forumers,

I'm glad I clicked on the coffee house thread, as I didn't know there was a thread on relocation. I was born in Fayetteville, and travelled extensively to Raleigh over my 40 years. Along the way, I have lived in Charlotte, Columbia SC, and Orlando FL. Currently I own a condo in South Beach, and have grown to enjoy the ability to walk to a variety of shops and entertainment. Circumstances demand that we open an office in the triangle, and the "where" is somewhat up to me. My plans are to live very near the office and quit driving 10 miles each way as I do now, and the idea of a mixed use building appeals to me as we might have the office there as well. I met with someone from White Oak Properties about the new Site 1 developement, but of course it is over 2 years away. So this weekend, I went condo hunting in downtown Raleigh with the idea that we'd just sign a 2-3 year lease on an office in an existing building until Site 1 or RBC is finished. Here the story takes a turn.

I visited the Hudson sunday afternoon, and other than being empty it had an appeal. I thought I would look at living on the Fayetteville Street Mall and get used to it before the new buildings were built. The chap that showed me around told me about all the new development planned, including a redo of Wilmington St. I liked that the arts district was within walking distance, etc. At about 5 I left the building and walked Fayetteville street, and saw the potential. I was walking back to my car, which was parked on Wilmington St., when it happened. I realized I was being followed. I looked behind me to see a young guy in a hooded sweatshirt approaching me with his hand behind his back. I quickly unlocked the car and got in, cranked, and started to pull of. He crossed the street right behind me and vanished down the side of one of the older buildings that front Wilmington behind the Hudson.

I have realized I'm just not an urban pioneer. I have never felt unsafe walking the block from my South Beach condo to the famous Lincoln road. But I'm just not ready to deal with this sort of thing in Downtown Raleigh. In the mean time, I've started looking online at Soleil Center and the Lassiter. I don't think the south Glenwood scene is for me, I'm a bit older than the crowd there, and I need to be in a business area (we are investment bankers). Dawson, etc seem to be only close to a handful of things, and would involve a car to get most places I like, and I don't think I would like the traffic noise on the weekends with the big dance clubs nearby (no prejudices though, in a younger day I have been inside Legends).

At the risk of sounding immodest, I haven't seen anything planned in Raleigh that would be outside of my price range. Any sage advice on the two above, or anything I may have missed?

Thanks folks!

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Sorry to hear about your experience downtown.

There's a chance that the encounter you had was with simply a panhandler (although it's not legal for them to follow you, that doesn't always stop them) but there's certainly a chance that the guy had worse things in mind - so it's a good thing that you took off in a hurry at the first sign of trouble.

At the moment, I'm hoping that after Fayetteville Street and the first round of new projects happening down there are done (2008-ish) the center of DT Raleigh will become a much more active area where nobody feels like they have to check their back every 10 steps. Right now, though, as you stated - it's mostly just potential and the lived-in and livable atmosphere just isn't there yet. Things will get a lot better when Fayetteville Street is done, but at least For the next two to three years, I see residential development in the south end of DT catering mainly to "urban pioneers." It's unfortunate, but DT Raleigh isn't quite ready for prime time.

As far as places to go where you don't have to be a pioneer, North Hills would be quite nice; you can't beat living such a short walk away from both a Target and a Harris Teeter. I wonder if there is any available office space in the complex itself? If not, you might be able to find something across the street.

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Thanks orulz, that validates my thinking. Fayetteville street will be Raleigh's answer to Tryon in Charlotte at some point, but it's not there now. And just for the benefit of any forumers who might be walking around down there, this guy wasn't a panhandler. He had something behind his back that I can only imagine was a weapon. I guess it was stupid of me to not pay closer attention to my surroundings. Mine was the only car on that block, and here I was walking and rubbernecking like a first day tourist, and my car has a florida tag (and its a luxury car). I guess I was asking for it, but that's no excuse. Be careful folks!

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Ive walked around downtown at all times of day and night, and yes from time to time there are some panhandlers, but I've never had an experience where I felt my life was in danger. The guy following you could have simply been walking in the same direction as you with his hand in his back pocket.

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Currently I own a condo in South Beach, and have grown to enjoy the ability to walk to a variety of shops and entertainment. Circumstances demand that we open an office in the triangle, and the "where" is somewhat up to me. My plans are to live very near the office and quit driving 10 miles each way as I do now, and the idea of a mixed use building appeals to me as we might have the office there as well.

Any sage advice on the two above, or anything I may have missed?

Thanks folks!

I tend to agree with orulz- I've never felt very unsafe in Downtown Raleigh like you did, but with much of the city having a "roll up the sidewalks after 5" atmosphere that is slowly but surely improving, an isolated moment with a questionable character can seem uncomfortable.

That said, if the walking around thing is important to you, and it won't mess with your business plan, you might check out the Chapel Hill/Carrboro main drag of Franklin and W Main St.

Since you said cost is not a problem, how about this: http://www.rosemaryvillage.net/

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