Comments on: Crowning RBC Plaza - Update: 3rd Section http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/ All things Raleigh Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:51:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Ernest http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7878 Ernest Fri, 23 May 2008 15:56:42 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7878 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. 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.

]]> By: Anonymous http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7873 Anonymous Fri, 23 May 2008 13:34:44 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7873 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. 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.

]]> By: T SMITHERS http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7872 T SMITHERS Fri, 23 May 2008 13:06:09 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7872 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. =( 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. =(

]]> By: Ari http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7861 Ari Thu, 22 May 2008 22:19:07 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7861 Hey look, T SMITHERS ran! Hey look, T SMITHERS ran!

]]> By: Brian http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7704 Brian Wed, 14 May 2008 19:58:57 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7704 Yay for the spire!!! Yay for the spire!!!

]]> By: Arthur http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7703 Arthur Wed, 14 May 2008 19:43:35 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7703 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. 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.

]]> By: Paul http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7513 Paul Thu, 08 May 2008 01:56:09 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7513 I wanna live in that steeple! I wanna live in that steeple!

]]> By: tom http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7480 tom Wed, 07 May 2008 17:39:26 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7480 The crown looks nice! The crown looks nice!

]]> By: chris http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7360 chris Thu, 01 May 2008 03:44:21 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7360 and then there was joe... and then there was joe…

]]> By: Lee http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7341 Lee Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:32:25 +0000 http://raleighskyline.com/content/2008/04/26/crowning-rbc-plaza/#comment-7341 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. 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.

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