Wilmington & Fayetteville St.

[Redman84]

After riding down the new Fayetteville St. numerous times and thinking about it, there really doesn't seem to be that much available space for new tenants such as restaurants/bars or small shops. It had been years since I had actually gone from the Morgan St. side of Fayetteville St. down towards the old civic center...the closest I would get would be going to Alive After 5.

As nice and clean as the area is, I guess I'd have to say that I was disappointed to see at the moment that there didnt seem to be room to add many new places to draw people in to downtown. Everything seemed to be taken by a business or something already there. I do really like the WTVD studio with the red carpet, spotlights, televisions, and news ticker. Kind of gives off a feeling of the ABC studio in Times Square in NYC, just on a much smaller scale. One thing I would really love to see is a revitalization of the Sir Walter Hotel keeping the same classic look just with a high profile tenant like a hotel.

Beyond that, the next thing I feel like Raleigh needs to focus on with downtown is the Wilmington Street between Davie St. up to Morgan St. Its a prime area for the restaurant, store, bar/nightlife that the center of downtown Raleigh needs. Between those blocks there are plenty of run down looking businesses that give it a rough look, especially at night with the dim amber glow of the street lights. I have noticed a few new places popping up along there, but I'd love to see that improve to a more friendly and inviting area.

So with that said, does anyone know of any plans to give Wilmington St. a new fresh look similar to Fayetteville St. or know of any new tenants coming to Fayetteville St. or anything exciting about the area to look foward to.

(I've just come back from vacation in NYC last week, and being in a place like that makes me all the more excited about Downtown Raleigh becoming the place that it should be and deserves to be.)

[Justin6882]

Well the street level activity should be pretty heavy towards memorial auditorium after the Marriott and Site 1 are complete - I believe both will have a reasonable amount of retail in them.

[plus2]

I think a lot of the fate of Wilmington St. depends on the potential development of the block north of Progress II. There was some scuttle earlier this year about some preliminary plans for the block.

[reed]

Wilmington St has seen the recent additions of Riviera, that deli in the Hudson building, and the forthcoming restaurant in the old Heilig Levine spot. These, along w/ the Raleigh Times (right off Wilmington) are steps in the right direction.

[Redman84]

Went to Raleigh Times last Thursday night with a few friends. Loved it. I'd love to see more places like that and shops in that area. Anything that is actually going to bring people to Downtown both day and night. However I do feel that one thing that MUST be done without a doubt is lose the amber street lights and replace them with the white lights similar to the ones along Fayetteville St. I don't know about y'all but the amber lights just aren't bright enough and leave the area feeling somewhat dark and unsafe as well I do not find them very attractive.

[ncwebguy]

Wilmington Street is poised to get a ripple effect from Fayetville Street, since it is also close to Moore Square and City Market.

Site 1 will front Wilmington where the old convention center was. The retail spots at street level of Bank of America have been empty for a while, but with all the activity in the area, that is sure to change. Fins is coming to the groudn floor of Progress Energy II fronting Wilmington. Coopers Barbecue, Sosta, Pharros, and Wild Ginger are all on Davie just off of Wilmington.

There is a lot of "wait and see" due to afore mentioned Progress Energy plans for the block north of PE II. The UPS Store and Gandalfo's Deli are now open in the Wilmington side of the Hudson, and RBC Tower will have something in a couple of years.

In addition to that, this thread discusses a potential residential tower at the northeast corner of Martin and Wilmington. It could build into the air rights above the entrance to the Moore Square Parking deck and add retail to the street. Already on/near that block of Wilmington is Mecca, Quiznos, Brass Grill, Slim's, and various clothing stores. They don't look "pretty", but not all of downtown should be.

This thread discussed restaurants coming to dowtown, with most of them near the Wilmington Street corridor. News has changed over time, but the area has improved significantly in the last year and a half, with the completion of Progress II and now Fayetville Street.

[Redman84]

Since its right off Wilmington Street.....

Anyone know what kind of improvements they are making to the Lincoln Theatre? I know they closed it back in May to remodel the place, but I've never read nor heard what kind of improvements they were making. I did see a very nice mural painting on the side of their building of a 50's style car with the "Lincoln Theatre" script above it painted on the side of the building that faces Wilmington Street.

[ChiefJoJo]

I think a lot of the fate of Wilmington St. depends on the potential development of the block north of Progress II. There was some scuttle earlier this year about some preliminary plans for the block.

I think Wilmington St has a lot of potential. It's a lot more of a true commercial corridor I think, and (you might have missed it but) the city dropped a travel lane from Wilmington and added parking on both sides of the street (also did this on Salisbury) which is a step in the right direction for business development. Of course there is the proposed mystery tower near the Moore Square deck entrance as ncwebguy mentioned and the PE III development. I think something will need to move forward with PE III fairly soon, since I believe the deck there was to provide parking for RBC. For more discussion on PE III development (east of RBC and north of PE II) see this topic.

[only]

Anyone know what kind of improvements they are making to the Lincoln Theatre?

They're adding a balcony to increase capacity and installing a new HVAC system.

[yoga]

^^ also, Lincoln is scheduled to re-open the weekend of Sept 15. World Party and Little Brother are slated to play Friday and Saturday nights, although I can't remember which one plays which night.

[Cary NC]

Several Large DT have LoDo (ie Lower Downtown). In Denver, they have 75 restaurants and bars in the last 3.5 years in Lodo. They built two stadiums (Pepsi Center and Coors Field) in Lodo so after and before the game they get alot of business. Where would our LoDo be if we had one?

[bsutton1]

I think Wilmington St has a lot of potential. It's a lot more of a true commercial corridor I think, and (you might have missed it but) the city dropped a travel lane from Wilmington and added parking on both sides of the street (also did this on Salisbury) which is a step in the right direction for business development. Of course there is the proposed mystery tower near the Moore Square deck entrance as ncwebguy mentioned and the PE III development. I think something will need to move forward with PE III fairly soon, since I believe the deck there was to provide parking for RBC. For more discussion on PE III development (east of RBC and north of PE II) see this topic.

I'm so glad that PE has plans for that area. I can't stand to that empty parking lot with those weathered buildings alongside it.

[DanRNC]

No offense, but LoDo in Denver sucks. Nothing but chain garbage and touristy schlock. The area has absolutley no real character. Maybe its me but I can't stand these manufactured "hip" districts that are anything but. Its time Raleigh do its own thing and stop cutting and pasting which so many cities seem to do these days.

[Cary NC]

I recognized some chain restuarants down there but really not that many. Plus they have 5 projects being built there right now including two 60-75 story towers and renovation of the Union Station on the table now which is going to cost $750 million, so honestly they are continuing to revamp the old district.