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Five Points in Raleigh


Gard

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that room being supported by the cantilever has been sagging over the stream forever. Most of the area is a closed permitted landfill from a list someone linked us too a while back. Two different ones actually with Brookside being one reference point and Dunkin being the other reference point. Nature would not leave such a steep-sided stream in this area without some of mankinds help.

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  • 1 month later...

In Jack Hagel's article on Wendell, there was this blurb:

Developer Bobby Lewis last week filed preliminary site plans for The Fairview on 1.1 acres next to the post office on Fairview Road. The four-story, 55,500-square-foot project would take the place of three houses-turned-shops that sit on the property. The project would belly up to Fairview with parking in the back and would include up to 42 residences over ground-floor shops.

Here's the site plan for "The Fairview". Three stories of residential over retail (facing Fairview Rd) with parking underneath.

I think this was posted earlier, and it's an old rendering, but it's likely a good sense of massing of the site nonetheless:

FivePoints-lg.jpg

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This is a pretty neat project. I do like the houses that will be torn down quite a lot, but I'm not opposed to this project like I am to teardowns for McMansions. I would like to see the houses moved, but there aren't a lot of open lots nearby (how far along is the Country Club Homes redevelopment?), and as I recall the houses have a lot of stone / brick masonry that would make moving them difficult or impossible. I'd also rather see Audio Buys and the old Piggly Wiggly shopping center redeveloped first, but the increase in density and activity in Five Points is worth the loss of the historic houses.

As opposed to the rendering, the site plan shows that the building has the same setback as the other buildings on that side of Fairview closer to the Five Points intersection. Looks like the setback will be filled with hardscape (sidewalk, sidewalk cafes, etc.) so this is definitely a good thing. The site plan also shows parallel parking, but the setback would allow for continuation of the angled parking should the city request it.

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I really hope they get going soon on this. I live just a couple houses down from there on the Wachovia side of the street. Five Points has so much potential, hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

Has anyone here been to Five Points in Columbia, SC recently? That's what I'd like to see our Five Points evolve into, except with less students as USC isn't right next door to it. Although NCSU is just down the road.

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  • 2 years later...

I like it! And more importantly, I think it has the potential to get built (i.e. not meet too much opposition from the neighbors). Looks like some expensive living though, hopefully they fill up.

I think the bank at the corner and at least one of the three(!) gas stations at the intersection should also be redeveloped into 3-4 story mixed used buildings as well. And I think the Rite Aid property has the potential for a grocery store. Love the neighborhood now, but also think there is tons of potential to make it is own (even more) walkable district.

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I think high/mid density residential is the correct transition to low density residential from retail so the project fits and I hope it gets filled up. First Citizens won't ever move off that corner unless they stand to make a huge buck though. The original Piggly Wiggly was about where Rite Aid is...it fronted Fairview though (as seen in a picture in The Point). The whole area though, will forever be a gentrified monolith with the dozens of tear downs in the east Whitaker area, loss of Whitaker Park apartments, reduction of late hours at Third Place, and closing of Sting Ray and Five Points Pub ten years ago.

I do hope the houses being replaced are salvaged by Habitat and not just plunked in the landfill.

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  • 9 months later...

Two of the those old houses have been torn down for the Fairview Row project - but doesn't appear to be much movement since then.  http://www.fairviewrow.com/

 

I saw the announcement that Publix was looking at locations in Raleigh for expansion into this area.  I thought a good location would be in the Five Points area that is kind of in a no man's land of grocery stores.  My ideal spot would be at the Enterprise car lot at the intersection of Capital Blvd and Fairview Rd.  Quick access for downtown residents and Five Points residents - the two largest markets without easy access to nearby stores.  It could work with either the current roadway configuration or also with Fairview dead-ending into extended West St as proposed by City of Raleigh planning.  As an advocate for urban-form development, I could also see adding 3-4 floors of residential space above the grocery - but I realize that is a huge undertaking for a grocer just trying to get their foot in the door for the market.  Although, something like that would definitely help them make a name for themselves (and add a built-in customer base).  Ok.  End of dream rant.

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Two of the those old houses have been torn down for the Fairview Row project - but doesn't appear to be much movement since then.  http://www.fairviewrow.com/

 

I saw the announcement that Publix was looking at locations in Raleigh for expansion into this area.  I thought a good location would be in the Five Points area that is kind of in a no man's land of grocery stores.  My ideal spot would be at the Enterprise car lot at the intersection of Capital Blvd and Fairview Rd.  Quick access for downtown residents and Five Points residents - the two largest markets without easy access to nearby stores.  It could work with either the current roadway configuration or also with Fairview dead-ending into extended West St as proposed by City of Raleigh planning.  As an advocate for urban-form development, I could also see adding 3-4 floors of residential space above the grocery - but I realize that is a huge undertaking for a grocer just trying to get their foot in the door for the market.  Although, something like that would definitely help them make a name for themselves (and add a built-in customer base).  Ok.  End of dream rant.

The Five Points area is ripe for other types of retail development as well. I would love to see more commercial activity going on in this area.

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Publix does have a history of being willing to build in urban areas and as part of mixed-use developments, with downtown stores in Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale and currently considering one in Nashville.  So, if we do hope to see a more urban style grocery store in downtown, Five Points, etc in the future, Publix entering the Triangle market can only be considered good news.

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Five Points is a great area with a ton of potential.  I like the proposed condos and I would love to see some additional density added to the commercial offerings.  Replacing one of the gas stations or that underutilized office with a couple of businesses like a market or restaurants would be an excellent start.

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  • 2 months later...

The townhome infill development at the corner of Glenwood and Jefferson street has a bulldozer on site and appears to be starting site work.  Also, there's a website now with more renderings and information:  http://glenwoodvintage.com/

 

Fairview Row has completed clearing the site and looks to start construction soon.  Their website advertises "Move in Fall 2013" and "Selling Quickly!"

 

The city's streetscape program ranked the Five Points area & Whittaker Mill Rd as a pretty low priority.  I think it would help the appearance of the area a ton if the power lines were buried and sidewalks and street trees were more consistent.  I've also never understood why there's a random section of 4 lane road on Whittaker Mill - seems like a good location for a road diet with bike lanes, maybe on-street parking, and/or wider sidewalks & street trees.

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That 4 lane road section looks like it was a continuation added in the 50's. The housing styles along that stretch date to the 50's and thats when the 4 lane push started all over town. Whitaker Mill refers to the actual Mill on Crabtree Creek at Wake Forest Road and I think in the 1920's or teens the straight, two-lane Whitaker Mill Rd (looking at the housing styles) was put in as part of the evolving Hayes Barton platting and Nobel continued on down to the actual Mill from that original ending behind the County Home (homeless farm). 

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I noticed recently that the letters have been removed from the front of the First Citizens Bank at the Five Points intersection (at 2001 Fairview Road).  Does anyone know of any plans for this site?

 

Some quick internet snooping... the building and the parking lot behind it are on a combined .58 acres and is owned by "2001 Fairview LLC".  Being one of the most high profile properties at the intersection, if the site were to be redeveloped, it could be a catalyst for the entire area.  With such a large plot and a rundown existing building, this seems like the perfect opportunity for a mid-rise, mixed-use development.  The more density in this area, the more foot traffic there will be, which in turn will create a more pedestrian-friendly environment! 

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  • 3 months later...

A coworker of mine randomly said one day a friend of his off Jarvis Street in five points, had an old road bed in the woods behind his house. This corresponds to pre 1900 maps for its approximate location.

 

I think Oberlin and St. Marys were connected just south of Fairview (near Stone St) at one time to form the main northwest route out of Raleigh. Look on Google Maps at how Mcdonald Lane goes straight off of Oberlin and almost merges into St. Marys.

 

This is supported by this 1914 map: http://www.lib.unc.edu/dc/ncmaps/interactive/MC_099_1914b.html

 

Look at this map from 1935. It shows an old right-of-way labeled "Old Hillsboro Road" paralleling St. Marys behind those houses which lines up perfectly with Oberlin to the north and St Marys to the south.

Old_Hillsboro_Road_1935.png

The northern piece of this old alignment is modern day Mcdonald St.

 

This right-of-way can be seen as late as 1956: http://southwindssolutions.com/Old_Hillsboro_Road_1956.png

 

On the 1914 map, it appears that modern day Glenwood dead-ended right into the Carolina Country Club Clubhouse, which explains the rather abrupt westerly turn Glenwood makes at the CCC entrance to go down the hill to Oberlin.

 

Does anyone have any more information about this?

Edited by GradyWhite190
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I believe Glenwood (with trolley tracks embedded) ran to Bloomsbury Park which, subsequent to 1914, was folded into the Carolina Country Club tract. But there was soon a road continuing to the northwest from the country club; it became the short-lived NC 9, and US 15-A (later to become NC 50) tied in as well.

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