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NC State Govt Complex: what are the plans?


citiboi27610

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On 2/18/2017 at 10:11 AM, ctl said:

All other shortcomings of McCrory notwithstanding, he seemed to have a particular interest in renovating state buildings. I wonder if Cooper is as enthusiastic about that.

Yes, so many of the buildings are in terrible shape. I support the selling of the run down buildings on the NW corner of the Caswell building, and I think some other state buildings should be replaced such as the dreadful historical records buildings next to Albemarle building (NE corner of Lane and McDowell).

There are so many other properties that could be sold and would pay for renovations. Just south of that building I've daydreamed about the parking lot on the north side of the administration building (SE corner of Lane and McDowell) being redeveloped with a parking deck wrapped on 3 sides by 6 floors of residential on top of ground floor retail (similar to The Edison residential would work well there). 

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13 hours ago, InitialD said:

Yes, so many of the buildings are in terrible shape. I support the selling of the run down buildings on the NW corner of the Caswell building, and I think some other state buildings should be replaced such as the dreadful historical records buildings next to Albemarle building (NE corner of Lane and McDowell).

There are so many other properties that could be sold and would pay for renovations. Just south of that building I've daydreamed about the parking lot on the north side of the administration building (SE corner of Lane and McDowell) being redeveloped with a parking deck wrapped on 3 sides by 6 floors of residential on top of ground floor retail (similar to The Edison residential would work well there). 

So I'll say politically I lean left, but after being in State gov't for almost 17 years, 11 in management, some of the accounting under Democrat administrations was questionable at best. A couple of folks were immediately let go who I think should have been. Also, immediately, where previously we were told there was no money for this and that, building renovations began...during the same budget year. Things like the Salisbury St pedestrian bridge went in, and a fancy artistic bridge at that. Elevators were repaired. Floors buffed and walls painted. Old homes on Blount got paint and new roofs. There were also other things that might earn me a subpoena so I'll stop there. 

So I became a fan of the administration's tact on building supervision and maintenance right away. I was rooting for the Caswell Square buildings to be sold too, since under State "ownership", they will almost certainly be torn (or fall) down. And as you all know, I am a staunch historic preservationist...the cry to keep Caswell Square in public hands for historic reasons did not resonate with me, but that 1898 industrial building is a beautiful belle to me. 

The parking lot on the north side of the Administration also is on my mental fairy tale land...I envision a new Legislative Office Building with an enclosed pedestrian bridge (second story of the proposed building to the ground level of the legislature) connecting it to the Legislature and a parking deck in the center of the block. This way 1) the legislature can walk to their chambers in bad weather, 2) the executive and legislative branches can be grouped together for ease of working relationships, and 3) the current L.O.B can be repurposed to house other State offices that say, are paying leases elsewhere in town (the Forum folks and NCDOT IT on Capital Blvd come to mind). 

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Saw a blurb that Raleigh City Council was talking about soliciting for developers to build affordable housing on the block east of Moore Sq and/or on the 1/4 block parking lot behind city market.  At either location, I hope they go for height to get the most bang for your buck rather than the pseudo-townhome style they seem to favor everywhere.

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On 2/24/2017 at 2:58 PM, Jones_ said:

If ya'll get a chance, swing by the Albemarle building...the renovated ground floor looks a ton better...

I go by it every day. The ground floor looks so much better. But the glass and gray material clashes a bit with the beige of the rest of the building. As I've said I'd preferred if they could have just reclad the whole in that greenish glass to look similar to Charter Square South. I'll snap some photos this week. 

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On 2/27/2017 at 0:42 PM, InitialD said:

I go by it every day. The ground floor looks so much better. But the glass and gray material clashes a bit with the beige of the rest of the building. As I've said I'd preferred if they could have just reclad the whole in that greenish glass to look similar to Charter Square South. I'll snap some photos this week. 

Seeing the picture now I agree. It looks a bit odd.  Wish they would have continued the glass straight up.

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Looks to me as the upper floors are trying to crush the 1st.  Most well designed building have a base, that looks to be supporting the rest, and cap to let you know it's finished, like a Greek column. While on that subject I also do not like the 301 Hillsborough building and (do not recall address off hand) a building that's planed for east side of downtown that's just a glass box for same reasons.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/16/2017 at 8:24 AM, InitialD said:

In talking with a acquaintance who works adjacent to the Albemarle building, he said he has heard a Dunkin Donuts will possibly be coming into a ground floor retail space once renovations are complete later this year. I haven't heard much about retail space in the building, has anybody else heard anything on it?

So my budget, in the know, person, said Starbucks was the rumor for the ground floor. I guess we'll see soon...

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52 minutes ago, Jones_ said:

So my budget, in the know, person, said Starbucks was the rumor for the ground floor. I guess we'll see soon...

I'm okay with whatever but in any case I'll be spending money on stuff I'm sure. If they could just get a sub shop back in the vacant place at McDowell and Lane this part of town will be booming.

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  • 4 weeks later...

They are starting to move employees back into the Albemarle building this week but still looks like a lot of office work is going on inside. I still haven't heard anything about ground floor retail but I think that would be on the Salisbury street side which I never see so maybe I'll walk around it and look. 

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