Warehouse District

[RaleighRob]

Started a new thread because I just couldn't find any existing one specific to just the Warehouse District (though plenty for just about all the other downtown Raleigh ones). If I'm wrong, moderators please move this to appropriate one, thanks.

Interesting article came out this week on Raleigh's Warehouse District. Q-Notes--which is the statewide Gay & Lesbian newspaper for NC & SC---has now written that the district is the Carolina's first "Gayborhood" : http://goqnotes.com/6047/raleighs-avenue-q/

Granted, this probably isn't really new to anyone familiar with the area ...but with White Rabbit moving into Hue and the LGBT Center of Raleigh setting up shop just behind Jibarra recently, I guess the gay media decided to make it more "official".

Interesting reading, nonetheless.

[RALNATIVE]

It definitely feels like the Warehouse district is Raleigh's gayborhood. I live at the Dawson, and this has become quite apparent over the last few years. The Burrough downstairs has become an unofficial gay bar, and the Clarion across the street seems to be the unofficial hotel.

[Jones_]

It has been for 20 years at least with Cameron Court being known as the gay ghetto forever and Boylan Heights being a central location going back to the 70's. Legends has been there since at least 1996 or so. In fact, it's a normal trend for downtown renewal to follow on the heels of the LGBT communitie's pioneering efforts to settle in otherwise abandoned downtowns.

[RaleighRob]

^Quite true. Like I said, it is probably old news to most of us already familiar with the area.

I guess the point of the article is that things have gotten a little more concentrated lately (White Rabbit's move, plus Dawson & Hue residential)--along with the new LGBT Center wisely choosing the district for their location---makes things a little more obvious.

But obviously the Warehouse District as a whole isn't all that gay....those waitresses with the short skirts at Flying Saucer will testify to that.

[Euphorius]

Legends has been open for 16 years and The CC has been open for 33 years. Flex opened after The Fallout Shelter closed a little before I moved here in '99. As far as I can remember the Alliance of Aids Services has been in the Warehouse District as long as I have been here, and White Rabbit wasn't too far away when they were still on Martin Street. Things used to be kinda wild in the Warehouse District back in the late 90's early 00's. I lived at the corner of Hargett and Boylan and seen lots of things go on that would certainly land you a front page spot in The Slammer now. It seemed like it was very rare to see police cruising the area back then. Wicked Smile, now 5 Star, almost always had a group of party kids either waiting to get in or just partying it up in the street. It was not uncommon to see transsexual or male prostitutes walking in the blocks around the gay clubs. Things have changed quite a bit since then. It isn't nearly as wild. The CC, which was a gay Country/Western bar when it first opened, has had several different reincarnations. For a while it was mainly the 30+ crowd, and now it is mainly a black and latino crowd. They have Hip Hop night on Thursdays and Latino night on Fridays with all the other nights being a pretty good mix of people. Legends has added on a couple times. First they opened The View, the video bar section of the club. The View was followed by the opening of the game room. Then, lastly, The Spotlight Theater opened as the new home for drag shows and bingo. Flex has pretty much stayed the same. They cater to the bears/leather crowd and have the popular Trailer Park Prize night with campy drag. Obviously The Warehouse District is no Castro, but it's a decent start. I just wish there were a few more late night eateries and/or coffee shops in the area.

[Jones_]

I remember Wicked Smile, West End, the old Humble Pie and Vertigo as the key warehouse district areas. In fact, I'd say those places plus the Rockford more or less got downtown going again after 5pm. Greenshields I guess came in that wave too but it was part of the City Market safe zone. Pour House too was about then.

[RaleighRob]

^Yeah, and I'd include Berkely Cafe as one of those pioneers, too.

Legends has added on a couple times. First they opened The View, the video bar section of the club. The View was followed by the opening of the game room. Then, lastly, The Spotlight Theater opened as the new home for drag shows and bingo.

Yeah, and they expanded the patio some as well (including outdoor bar in summer). I'd say since the mid 90's, they've at least tripled the size of the place and there are plans for more, from what I've heard (prior to the recession).

Flex has pretty much stayed the same.

Well, they've added a smoking patio so that they can better comply with the new state nonsmoking law. (The only major bar in the area that's having difficulty with that is CC, which has nothing more than a sidewalk.)

I just wish there were a few more late night eateries and/or coffee shops in the area.

True. I think you can eat at the Borough as late as 2am (correct me if I'm wrong) and the Berkeley serves their menu till about 2:30. After that it would be up Glenwood to go to The Diner. (Though, wouldn't a late night diner like that be GREAT in the old Joe's Place spot?!?)

As far as coffee shops, with Helios and Morning Times both reasonably close, I dunno if one will open anytime soon. Though, didn't I hear the Second Empire folks were gonna put one in the little storefront between them and The Clarion, to get some business from Campbell Law students?? Wonder whatever happened to that.

Frankly, I would think with the new digs for White Rabbit, they should do like many other bookstores do and put in a coffee counter. I would bet they'd get some business increase from that.

[Jones_]

^I'm pretty sure 5-Star serves food until 2am.....as does Snoopys on the weekend and I think Flying Saucer does too.

[Euphorius]

It's true. You can get food pretty late at night in downtown. Of course, if you don't leave the club until 3-3:30am pickings are pretty slim. The old Joe's Place spot would be perfect for a 24/7 diner. Second Empire is supposed to be opening a bake shop in the building next door. A good friend of mine is the asst pastry chef there and can't wait for the bake shop to open.

[RALNATIVE]

The old Joe's Place spot would be perfect for a 24/7 diner.

I always thought that this spot was severely underutilized, considering its location. Even when Joe's Place was there, I never saw anyone in there. A diner, or even a decent bar, could do very well if managed properly.

[Jones_]

The lime green building next to Crank Arm has been renovated into something....not sure what though....small company office? Restaurant? Its hard to tell even by glancing in the window....its very modern inside....anyone know what it is? Its so close to being done I suppose a sign could go up any day now...

[Green_man]

The lime green building next to Crank Arm has been renovated into something....not sure what though....small company office? Restaurant? Its hard to tell even by glancing in the window....its very modern inside....anyone know what it is? Its so close to being done I suppose a sign could go up any day now...

 

Company is "Baldwin&"... sounds like an advertising, marketing company?

 

Really cool renovation though and a rooftop patio - I'm sure it has great views!!

[Green_man]

Citrix also seems close to finished.  Anybody have any insight when they will start to occupy?  Man, I would love to take a tour of that building to see all of what they did.

[Euphorius]

It is a marketing and advertising company. They have some really big name contracts. They are the ones behind the cool Cree ads. Burts Bees, BMW, Kingsford and The Umstead are some of their other clients.

[Jones_]

Cool. Good fit for West Davie St. I'd say. Thanks for the info all... 

[DanRNC]

Nice write up in the N&O about the arts district flourishing downtown. While sometimes it appears that Raleigh moves slowly on some things, the natural development occurring is far superior to a group of suits focus testing what is cool and making a Disney-Vegas style entertainment district.

 

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/08/23/4076830_downtown-raleighs-arts-district.html?sp=/99/100/&rh=1

[RALNATIVE]

Its great to see Raleigh getting recognition as having one of the most prominent and diverse arts districts in the country. The city really has come a long way.

[DanRNC]

And here is the original article.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/experience/america/best-of-lists/10-best-city-art-districts-around-the-usa/8807535/

[Jones_]

I just returned from 9 days in Oregon including several in Portland. Their renowned Alberta St arts district and several other strips in east Portland are very organic indeed. The scale is very different from Raleigh. But I have come to appreciate what is going on here. Its not all that different. Just a smaller scale. 

[DanRNC]

This could have gone in the Citrix section as well but the article seems more focused in the development of the area as a whole. 

 

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/10/08/4218123_citrix-systems-injects-new-blood.html?sp=/99/104//&rh=1

 

Interesting that another IT firm is possibly looking to relocate 450 employees there. 

Edited October 9, 2014 by DanRNC

[Justin6882]

More interesting that Greg Hatem wants to put a 30 story tower right behind Citrix.

[RALNATIVE]

The article also says that Hatem is planning a tower up to 30 stories tall at 600 W. Hargett St. This is the first i've heard of this development.

[Jones_]

600 west Hargett is the old Ace Towing lot I think. Not to be a downer, but thats not a great place for a 30 story building. I am sure the Boylan folks would fight it. I guess it could have Hargett St frontage and also Morgan Street frontage on like the 3rd story or so which be an interesting layout. I wonder if the 450 IT employees are supposed to go in that building....the article isn't exactly clear (it meanders around other things too like selling a Dillion building that either is or isn't the Citrix building...) but it seems like it'd be impossible to get financing for anything that big without such a commitment of pre-leased space. 

[RALNATIVE]

I totally disagree. Because of the proximity to Union Station, and with Citrix also being a catalyst, the entire Warehouse district will see explosive growth over the new several years. Developers will be jumping on any vacant lots, and since properties with large amounts of space are few and far between, developers will be looking to go upwards. We may have a hard time envisioning it now, but that area is slowly transforming and I predict that you will see even more proposals for highrises in that area.

[Jones_]

I don't disagree with the general thoughts but my thinking was that particular lot sucks. Maybe I associate it with 100 dollar cash-only to get your car back, but its wedge shaped and the arms of the wedge are rail lines...I take back my Morgan St frontage thought....the lot disappears at the bridge, so its Hargett st access only. The selling point is clearly proximity to Citrix and Union Station. Either way, it seems like this would be one of the very last lots in downtown anyone would ever want and the warehouse district still has acres of parking lots beyond this one...also perhaps I/we are too fixated on the "30" part of "up to 30", and the truth is more like a 15 story building, in which case a lot accessible from 4 or even 2 sides is less necessary.