Big Ideas

[Merboy]

Just saw that there was a meeting at Tir Na Nog last April 2008 asking for "big ideas" for Raleigh. Whatever came of this? Was it all just "wouldn't it be nice" stuff or did it actually serve a purpose?

[i withdraw this part]

[RALNATIVE]

Just saw that there was a meeting at Tir Na Nog last April 2008 asking for "big ideas" for Raleigh. Whatever came of this? Was it all just "wouldn't it be nice" stuff or did it actually serve a purpose?

And furthermore, why don't we have a current thread going with current big ideas! I for one would like to see a garden district somewhere downtown with huge trellises covered in flowering vines and all kinds of stuff like that. Elaborate ponds and fountains with constant live music and little bistros. Something uniquely Raleigh but nodding to european traditions. And this garden thing would be large, like a huge work of art made out of plants and flowers and such. Right in the middle of downtown. Raleigh's version of Central Park.

[Merboy]

Well currently, Raleigh is the city where big ideas come to die!

On a serious note, a thread like that is needed.

[Captain Awesome]

Just saw that there was a meeting at Tir Na Nog last April 2008 asking for "big ideas" for Raleigh. Whatever came of this? Was it all just "wouldn't it be nice" stuff or did it actually serve a purpose?

And furthermore, why don't we have a current thread going with current big ideas! I for one would like to see a garden district somewhere downtown with huge trellises covered in flowering vines and all kinds of stuff like that. Elaborate ponds and fountains with constant live music and little bistros. Something uniquely Raleigh but nodding to european traditions. And this garden thing would be large, like a huge work of art made out of plants and flowers and such. Right in the middle of downtown. Raleigh's version of Central Park.

[Spartan]

Ok people, let's try that again, this time with out acting like children. Anyone have anything constructive to say about Captain Awesome's comments?

[Gard]

All the downtown projects (Edison, Charter Square, etc.) have just been put on hold pending the economy from what I understand, so they will rear their heads sooner or later. Raleigh came through the recession much better than most cities. As for Raleigh's "Central Park," that is one issue I'll take up when it comes along. As of right now, the state hasn't, and hasn't shown any interest or plans to sell the Dix property, so it really is a dead issue and anything beyond that is just speculation at this point.

[Captain Awesome]

I wasn't referring specifically to the Dix property - I was referring to multiple projects that people seem to speculate on where it would be "Raleigh's Central Park" or "Raleigh's Riverwalk" or "Raleigh's Mt. Washington Incline" .

I think we need to get better at expressing our Big Ideas for our city not in terms of projects in other cities, but in our own terms. It seems like those who hold the purse strings and pay their taxes scoff when you present an idea like "Raleigh's Lake Michigan" as unrealistic or even silly.

So to RALNATIVE's idea, a new downtown garden would be pretty nice - not as a type of Central Park - but as a uniquely Raleighesque Downtown Garden.

And I'm sorry if I touched off a crapstorm. This seems like it will be a very fun thread but the characterizations of Raleigh's projects in terms of other cities' projects has always irked me a bit and seems a bit self-defeating.

[Merboy]

I wasn't referring specifically to the Dix property - I was referring to multiple projects that people seem to speculate on where it would be "Raleigh's Central Park" or "Raleigh's Riverwalk" or "Raleigh's Mt. Washington Incline" .

I think we need to get better at expressing our Big Ideas for our city not in terms of projects in other cities, but in our own terms. It seems like those who hold the purse strings and pay their taxes scoff when you present an idea like "Raleigh's Lake Michigan" as unrealistic or even silly.

So to RALNATIVE's idea, a new downtown garden would be pretty nice - not as a type of Central Park - but as a uniquely Raleighesque Downtown Garden.

And I'm sorry if I touched off a crapstorm. This seems like it will be a very fun thread but the characterizations of Raleigh's projects in terms of other cities' projects has always irked me a bit and seems a bit self-defeating.

[Jones_]

I was at the 2008 Tir na Nog forum, and know Chief Jojo and possibly DMcall was too. I don't recall everything, but remember my group drew up the thing that Dan Douglas (also a user here) had an article in the paper about recently ....a gigantic park and gridding of streets from Peace, northward to Fairview Road with Pigeon House Branch as the focal point of the long park.

I also feel Raleigh lacks *wow* architecture. Nothing wrong with pleasant buildings (I am a fan of endless rows of brownstones), but Raleigh has enough 222, West, Paramount and Dawson (sorry RALNATIVE!!) alternated tan stucco panels for me for a while. Edison would look great, though I have previously stated concerns about bulldozing a row of buildings built in the 1870's. I too would like more green space downtown and the garden sounds nice. Some of my architect friends share my disappointment that the amphitheater is concrete....we had thought we were getting a grassy embankment, that when not being using for concerts (what a grand 10-15 per year?) it would serve as a place to picnic, throw frisbee etc. Great replacement for Burke and Caswell Squares being snatched by the State years ago. Also, I have heard that some folks are talking up a park on one of the vacant lots on Hillsborough Street, but not sure which one exactly, or if there is any support from anyone with the wherewithal to make it happen.

[Merboy]

I was at the 2008 Tir na Nog forum, and know Chief Jojo and possibly DMcall was too. I don't recall everything, but remember my group drew up the thing that Dan Douglas (also a user here) had an article in the paper about recently ....a gigantic park and gridding of streets from Peace, northward to Fairview Road with Pigeon House Branch as the focal point of the long park.

I also feel Raleigh lacks *wow* architecture. Nothing wrong with pleasant buildings (I am a fan of endless rows of brownstones), but Raleigh has enough 222, West, Paramount and Dawson (sorry RALNATIVE!!) alternated tan stucco panels for me for a while. Edison would look great, though I have previously stated concerns about bulldozing a row of buildings built in the 1870's. I too would like more green space downtown and the garden sounds nice. Some of my architect friends share my disappointment that the amphitheater is concrete....we had thought we were getting a grassy embankment, that when not being using for concerts (what a grand 10-15 per year?) it would serve as a place to picnic, throw frisbee etc. Great replacement for Burke and Caswell Squares being snatched by the State years ago. Also, I have heard that some folks are talking up a park on one of the vacant lots on Hillsborough Street, but not sure which one exactly, or if there is any support from anyone with the wherewithal to make it happen.

[paletexan]

Big ideas can cost little to no money. On a recent trip to Paris, i saw that local artists painted bricks and tiles in the theme of space invaders on the sides of buildings throughout the city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invader_(artist)

I would love to see this done around the NC State campus with all the bricks they have. But maybe instead of space invaders, it could be something more local ... but not quite sure what??

[Jones_]

Speaking of European, how about some awesome manmade streams and water features somewhere? I recently saw Wicked at the dpac and saw the stream they made there. It's sooooo nice! I LOVE it!!! I wish we had something like that!!!!

[vitaviatic]

Well currently, Raleigh is the city where big ideas come to die!...