OUTSTANDING!!!

OMG AWESOME MAN! Nice coverage! I can’t wait to see what it will look like when finished!

What can I say? Amazing work!!! I knew you would be there to cover this moment with your camera and you didn’t let me down RBC Plaza is beginning to look really nice, even though the design is not much to talk about. The glass exterior, especially when seen from the street level, is simply gorgeous!!!

I was in Moore Square drinking some polish mead when I saw the crane in action. Thanks for the coverage, I really couldn’t get a good look at the event from inside a tent.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

RBC plaza is gonna look so hot…

I walked around the building today and it really does look good with the crown on top. From the renderings it kind of looks like crap but in reality I think it actually will look pretty sweet when it’s all lit up (hopefully) at night. They have the staircase going up the center of the spire and I think that will facilitate customization of the interior make-up. I saw a guy today sittin up there with his legs dangling off the side… I don’t feel jealous often but man that must be a sick view from up there.

I agree with JR… The renderings didn’t do justice to the building. Sure, it is not the most innovative design, but the outcome will be nicer than most people thought by looking at the renderings.

I think the RBC crown will have a memorable effect on the Raleigh skyline. People will see it, love/like/hate it but also remember it. If an image of that crown comes up on TV, internet, wherever, I believe most people will remember it and think “yeah, I saw that in Raleigh”. You do not get that effect with bb&t and wachovia towers.

that’s my husband taking the shot in the next to last one! that’s actually my camera he is using i really like your work, i tried to get some shots myself the day of the parade, got a few… but YOU obviously have some access – nice job…
and people need to remember – that’s what photography is all about – you have to remember you’re looking at a skeleton – the unfinished body… and you are showing the creation, representing the work in process.

not for publishing on website please! would you sell me a copy of that picture of my husband? one with the dryvit t-shirt

Matt, I as well as the rest of the crew that are working on this project appreciate the awesome coverage, and all the positive feedback that this project is getting. It motivates us beyond measure. Thank you. P.S. The view up there IS AWESOME !!!!

Uhm, okay, I heard nothing but all of this hype how RBC was going to be the tallest building in downtown Raleigh. It is obvious that stupid old looking BB&T building still is the tallest. How pathetic. Why would they just not add more floors in the beginning. I am sure more condos would have sold in the building. Again, Raleigh downtown will never have a dramatic skyline. THe building sucks.

T SMITHERS, RBC Plaza IS taller than Two Hanover Square (BB&T Building). Check your facts, jack. Two Hanover Square is 431 feet tall, while RBC Plaza, with the addition of its spire, is 538 feet tall. BB&T is beat by over 100 feet. And, even without its spire, RBC Plaza is still 427 feet tall. And Two Hanover Square is not “that stupid old looking BB&T building”. It was built in 1991 FYI. Reply and tell me what you think know.

T SMITHERS, rbc plaza is an amazing piece of architecture, and it really illuminates raleigh’s skyline. sure, it may not be new york or los angeles, but our little city is growing fast. the skyline is still beautiful, and this building really improves it by filling the gap between the Wachovia and BB&T buildings. and you can simply tell by looking at the skyline that RBC Plaza is most definitly taller than Two Hanover square, which is not a stupid looking building.

matt wrote: “it may not be new york or los angeles”
shoot, have you been to LA? It might have tall buildings but they’re all bland as crap. I still think BB&T would benefit from trees and hanging vines on all of the exterior landings.

Well TSMITHERS every city has to start somwhere. Lets not forget that two buildings just as tall or taller than RBC plaza will go up behind it. And considering that Raleigh has a better housing and condo market than all but three city’s in the U.S, I’m sure that more development will continue into the future.

There’s a reason this city is in or near the top 10 fastest growing cities in the states for the last 5 years at least. The trend shows no signs of slowing down. RBC Plaza is simply the first of the new wave of skyscrapers to go up downtown, I think it’s just fine as it is. Enjoy whatever skyline you are near and we will enjoy ours.

Well said, aperson!!! Like JR also said, Raleigh’s strength lies in the economic prosperity of this region. Skyscrapers is only a matter of time, just as soon as corporate relocations to DT Raleigh become frequent. Only a matter of time. As for RBC Plaza, the final height will be 538ft, although it is through cheating Architecturally, it may not be the most gorgeous building, but it is a step up from where we were. Not everyone would like it, of course.

what i meant by saying “its not new york or LA” is that it may not have the biggest skyline, or the tallest, but that doesnt mean its not still a good looking skyline

Fantastic Photos! I enjoy seeing the progress every week. I think the RBC Plaza will be the best looking tall building in Raleigh. I hope the crown is illuminated at night like the artists rendering in the N&O on 4-21-08.

Hey Phil I just looked that up. The night rendering looks real nice. I hope they light it up bright and maybe do something like the BB&T building does around Christmas time. The skyline looks so much more complete now with this tower in the middle – we’ve said it before around here but to reiterate I sure hope they light it up tastefully because of its significance.

I had heard a rumor that they considered adding more condo floors when they the units were going so quickly, but that they were too far along to do so. Who knows how much credence to put in something going around construction circles, but it would not surprise me as they are sure to have left tons of money on the table with their quick sellout.

and then there was joe…

The crown looks nice!

I wanna live in that steeple!

No city will ever look like NYC or the older cities because we have building ordinances now. New York City was created when there were no rules about greenspace and blocking neighbors sun, ect.

Yay for the spire!!!

Hey look, T SMITHERS ran!

I stand corrected. The building is taller. But look at the last picture on this series. Which building appears to be the tallest? Raleigh has many great things going for it…..but a modern or dramatic skyline is not one of them. The first mistake ever made was to put the RBC Plaza out in the middle of a cow field. Do you know how many people come to this town and laugh at that? If that would have been built in downtown that would have done amazing things for DT Raleigh. Imagine the hotels, the bars, nightclubs. Then, council approves for Raleigh’s largest building to be built in a flood plain by a mall. That building will look odd there. Do you know how that building would help to make Raleigh’s skyline if DT? But I hear that it was given the go ahead and would not look odd because it will give Raleigh a more Houston or Atlanta feel. Whatever! See, things just don’t come together for DT Raleigh. Sad, but true. =(

No SMITHERS….The tower is being built in the “flood plain” because of PRIVATE INVESTORS. That is the location that THEY wanted..the city of Raleigh would have liked it downtown, but it wasn’t a city funded tower. So please do your research before you give an opinion..otherwise you will continue to seem rather ignorant.

T SMITHERS, I think the RBC Arena (not RBC Plaza) and Soleil Center arguments are getting a little old… It should not be very difficult to see why the arena ended up where it did. It was much easier and much cheaper. At the same time, DT Raleigh had little to offer in terms of… pretty much anything at all. Accessibility was a big issue. As you can see, RBC Arena didn’t bring the investments we thought it would, and the same could have happened in downtown. Also, try to propose an arena in downtown these days and you will see the real obstacles. From NIMBYs to legal issues, there will be a ton of issues, and that was also the case back when the RBC Arena was first proposed.

As for Soleil Center, why shouldn’t the city approve this tower? The whole flood plain issue has been addressed to everyone’s satisfaction, so it doesn’t really matter if you put a 10-story, or a 40-story building there. It will be a gorgeous tower and a wonderful addition. It will require no public investment and will bring a substantial amount of tax dollars to the city. Sure, I would love to have Soleil Center in DT Raleigh, but this won’t happen. For one Westin Hotel is the problem. THEY do not belive in DT Raleigh, yet, therefore it would be hard to convince them without our downtown maturing. Last, but not least, Soleil Group doesn’t own land downtown… Not yet.

If you truly wish to complain, look no further than the convention hotel… If you think that a sports arena belongs downtown – and I agree with this – first ask whether our city leaders are capable of bringing us quality… If the Marriott Hotel is an indicator, I fear that any great investment would be nothing less than a waste of public funds. Until our leaders begin to think big, we cannot talk about arenas and other similar projects coming downtown. Don’t mean to be argumental, but the convention hotel would be a better case to argue against, IMHO.

I think it is the most beautiful building I have seen and a fantastic addition to the Raleigh skyline.