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Raleigh Eyesores and Disappointments


RALNATIVE

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We all have our definition of an "eyesore," but to me, any bldg that stands out significantly and does not blend in with its surroundings meets the description. Over the last several years, we've all gotten excited everytime a new new building was annouced, hoping that the next big thing would take Raleigh's architectural image to the next level. It seems as though in most cases, that excitment quickly turned to disappointment. My biggest fear is that Raleigh will eventually become one of those cities known for lame archtitecture, if this trend doesn't change.

The two bldgs that immediately come to mind are the Hue and the new Harris Teeter complex at North Hills. My primary issue with those bldgs are the contrasts in color. Is Raleigh trying to become the next Miami? I'm no design expert, but I honestly think that the exteriors of those bldgs could have been better designed to blend in with their surroundings.

Does anyone else have examples of hideous Raleigh architecture? If so, please elaborate on why you feel the bldg meets the description of an eyesore.

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I think that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The two buildings you stated I have absolutely not problem with and there are probably buildings that you like that I hate. Everyone has different taste...

As for that Audio Buy building, I always thought it looked kinda like a building that was built on stilts, as if they were expecting a flood.

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The new McDonald's on W Peace St. Every time I drive or walk by, I think about what a massive urban design failure it is. That site, more than any recently, sums up a lot of the barriers to achieving good achieving urban planning and development outcomes in Raleigh. I didn't follow the issue very closely, but I recall that the applicant claimed that having a piece of the drive through support adjacent to the sidewalk met the intent of the urban design standards (ped friendly, short setbacks, etc) of the overlay district in that area. That a real estate attorney somehow successfully argued that tenuous case shows how broken the process is today. Hopefully, the new UDO will help solve the problem.

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I love Audio Buys and imagine a cool retro condo or hair salon with prettied up glass and such beckoning you to look up and in to it. (as an aside the first 5 points Piggly Wiggley faced Whitaker Mill where Audio Buys is)

To me hideous is the Paramount and West. They are to condos what the Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer is to trucks and 4wd vehicles in my eye.

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I for one never cared much for the Clarion. As a child I thought it was meant to rotate and was just broken all the time. Disappointment from the beginning, lol. But seriously, I love that it's round but can't they fix it up a little and make it prettier?

And as long as we're updating it, I'm still not against it rotating.

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I for one never cared much for the Clarion. As a child I thought it was meant to rotate and was just broken all the time. Disappointment from the beginning, lol. But seriously, I love that it's round but can't they fix it up a little and make it prettier?

And as long as we're updating it, I'm still not against it rotating.

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The new McDonald's on W Peace St. Every time I drive or walk by, I think about what a massive urban design failure it is. That site, more than any recently, sums up a lot of the barriers to achieving good achieving urban planning and development outcomes in Raleigh. I didn't follow the issue very closely, but I recall that the applicant claimed that having a piece of the drive through support adjacent to the sidewalk met the intent of the urban design standards (ped friendly, short setbacks, etc) of the overlay district in that area. That a real estate attorney somehow successfully argued that tenuous case shows how broken the process is today. Hopefully, the new UDO will help solve the problem.

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As a side question, does it say something about Raleigh that there are Clarions in these large and well known cities AND Raleigh? Like, does that speak to Raleigh's fame? As opposed to if you had listed a bunch of places no one's ever heard of...

?

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I find it humorous that this topic has turned into a discussion on circular-tower style hotels that at some point in time are/were Holiday Inns. I like it. This is why I like these forums; I had no idea there were more cities with hotels like the one here in Raleigh. :thumbsup:

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I guess it's not the ugliest thing around, but there's just something about that beige color that I really don't like. If the whole thing were made of glass that'd be a big improvement but I guess that's not happening. It's no 30 st mary. God can you imagine if Raleigh got something that architecturally interesting and beautiful?

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I guess it's not the ugliest thing around, but there's just something about that beige color that I really don't like. If the whole thing were made of glass that'd be a big improvement but I guess that's not happening. It's no 30 st mary. God can you imagine if Raleigh got something that architecturally interesting and beautiful?

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