LOL… nice shot? =)

It looks like a shot taken from the Beltline, somewhere close to the Hammond Rd exit, but I have been wrong before Maybe Tryon Rd, or Hwy 50/70.

The power of zoom is deceptive on this one. The location is an estimated 8.5 miles south of downtown.

Maybe around the 401 and Ten-Ten rd intersection??

I did the math using Google Earth, and apparently, using the South Street Deck as a starting place and heading straight south, I came to the Crowder Road area, just south of Lake Wheeler. Is this correct?

I will guess somewhere in the vicinity of Hammond Road also. That is an area I almost never visit (in fact, I was down there for the first time 2 or 3 weeks ago) and was a bit surprised to catch a view of the skyline from there. Unfortunately, I’m not good enough to guess within 15 feet of a specific spot. lol Looks like it might be inside the beltline – it’s kinda not a fair question, not knowing how much zoom you’ve used!

I think it is exit 303 off 40- Jones Sausage Road.

Here is the location:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=rand+road+raleigh&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=35.654814,-78.63315&spn=0.002907,0.005976&z=19&layer=c&cbll=35.654811,-78.63311&panoid=s_Ks3-1f35VX7rkNq0-TBQ&cbp=12,358.62764671715973,,2,-2.292352557844116

Rand Road between Ten Ten and 50. There is a small notch in the trees the give a brief glimpse of Raleigh’s three tallest buildings. I believe since Lake Benson is nearby to the north, it clears the sight line to the city. It is very easy to miss.

The focal length on this photo is probably equivalent to 1000mm (400mm cropped down).

Ah, well. At least I was close.

Thanks for sharing the location with us. Most definitely, such angle requires a serious telephoto lens, or some good cropping. If The Edison gets built at least as tall as planned, this angle will be truly interesting.

No way! I had no idea Rand Road had that kind of Downtown perspective. I’ve been looking at that area for my next house… maybe I can some RE positioned juuuuuust right

Rock Quarry Rd & Auburn-Knightdale Rd.??

WHAT IS THE EDISON?

Google it.

Alton,

The Edison is the largest project ever envisioned for Raleigh. It is a cluster of 4 highrises, two of them standing 38 stories/574ft tall and the other two 28 stories tall. They are planned for the same block with Cooper’s BBQ and will be split by the recently completed parking deck. It is a huge project, for any city, and will be completed around 2018.

2018 is a long way away =( I dont see our skyline becoming significantly larger until then.

Well, if the economy doesn’t improve any time soon, 2018 will not sound as bad. However, one tower every 2 years may not be as bad. We have to encourage successful projects and not just for the sake of filling up downtown. On the other hand, other projects should carry the load of improving our skyline, too. Charter Square, Clarence Lightner Public Safety Center, the new county Justice Center and One Glenwood are some of the other visions that should come online long before 2018. Add 1-2 components of The Edison and sooner than we think we may see some improvements. It all boils down to how fast we can clean up the mess that the banking industry left us with.

Ernest whats One Glenwood? I haven’t heard of that one.

One Glenwood is a proposal for the SW corner of Glenwood Ave and Hillsborough Street – the Eastern half of the block, bounded by Morgan Str, Glenwood Ave and Hillsborough Str. The developers are Andy Sandman and David Furman’s company (Boulevard Centro) and it is rumored to be between 20 and 40 floors, with condos, office space, plus retail space. The developers are solid, so don’t think of this project as a pie in the sky. Currently, the developers have been re-working the plans; originally it was going to have about 200 condos, but due to the economy office space would be necessary to make the numbers work.

Renderings for this tower were accidentally leaked through the designer’s website, but they removed the link to that page because the developers are not quite ready to release information – for a very good reason. If the renderings are an indicator, get ready for a new tallest and a VERY modern design for Raleigh’s standards Unfortunately, I cannot put those renderings on my website – which I am getting close to update, whether you believe it, or not – but I was “promised” that as soon as a decision is made I will receive the final renderings.

Of course, we should remain calm and optimistic about most of the proposals we know of. Sure, tough economic times dictate changes, but it is the smaller developments that will be eliminated before the big ones. This would create additional opportunities for developers who actually have the ability to deliver. I am anxious to see what will happen with Site 4, but just like most of you I have a feeling that the city will release a new RFP. I wonder if Winston Hotels will be interested in it, as they expressed interest a few years ago for the convention hotel RFP, but missed the deadline for submitting the application. Whatever goes to Site 4, it should be no less than 20-25 stories. We must cover that Marriott Hotel eyesore from the money shot, at ANY cost :LOL:

ernest, how many of those projects are still on track? i feel like there’s a lack of updates on sites that keep tabs on all of this….
has everything stalled? either way, do you know the most recent approximation of deadlines for those projects you mentioned? i feel like a year and a half ago i was all excited to be moving to Raleigh because of all the new things going up, but the rbc plaza/conv ctr/hotel opened and now everything else seems to either have been scrapped, delayed, or is a mystery. i’d really like to see some new stuff before 2012….

Jeff,

Since my site is one of those that failed to keep up with posting updates, but still happen to be aware of the statuses I can tell you this: It is easier to track the projects that have low probability of happening than not. Currently, it is more about limited funds available for loaning, along with brutal terms… Who is going to put 40%+ down? I don’t care how successful you are as a developer, your money would be more tied in assets and other investments than in cash.

Anyway, here is a small list of [important] projects that may either not happen, or will take an act of God to get off the ground:

* The Hillsborough – I am sure someone else will take over, but for now it is as dead as Disco.
* Lafayette – I have to join the “I’ll believe it when I see it” crowd. Very unlikely, particularly as Empire Properties are having a hard time even getting the L Building off the ground. It was a lovely proposal, and I was glad to see a local developer envisioning it, but not under the current market conditions.
* Winston Tower – I assume that two things may be happening, besides the market conditions: a) the developers really want to add the 200+ condos, so they are waiting until things improve, or b) they are anxious to see what will happen with Site 4, so they can bid for it; same for Sites 2 and 3. Winston Hotels can provide additional hotel space for the conventions, but they have to be closer to the convention center.
* News & Observer HQ – At this point, your guess is as good as mine. Is it stalled indefinitely? Is it canceled? Will it happen eventually? Only time will tell, but the N&O will have to move its printing facilities first and then they may work with a developer to redevelop the SE corner of that block.

On a more upbeat note, there are projects that appear to be solid, although they may take a little longer to begin:

* Charter Square (South Tower) – The developers have committed to the 20-story tower (North Tower), but there is no deadline for the second one. This is fine with me because the market will eventually improve and the South Tower may even get taller.
* One Glenwood – It will be a pleasant surprise, but the developers are trying to keep it as quiet as possible.
* County’s new Justice Center – While the demolition of the existing structures doesn’t mean much, it sounds like things will move along with this project, regardless of the revenue shortfall.
* Clarence Lightner Justice Center – This is not a project with a definite deadline, but it sounds like most city leaders want to see it going forward, regardless of the financial risks involved. It might take an extra year, but it will happen.
* The Edison – Solid as a rock. The developer is very conservative in his moves and will not take risks for nothing. He wants a successful project, not rush to the deadlines just to please people. The official ground-breaking may take longer than expected, but I am not sure this will affect the anticipated date of completion.
* 414 Fayetteville/Sheraton Tower – Again, we have some solid developers, who know what they are doing. Given the current failure in getting their 4-story building in the Five Points Area, due to resistance from the nearby residents – F*ck the NIMBYs – I am sure they will focus more on the bigger visions. They never put a deadline on this tower, but they seem to be anxious to get this project off the ground as soon as the market turns.
* NC SECU Tower – Assuming the state government will not push this project to 5-6 stories – because of their regulations, not that they have any saying on this project – the 14-story tower should help a little. I have a feeling that financing will not be a problem

Naturally, these are all speculations, although based on facts, not wishful thinking by me. ANYTHING can change, but in either direction… Projects can be scaled up, or down. Some may be eventually canceled, while new ones will be proposed. I am sure that by 2012 the skyline will look better, one way or another. While The Edison is the main focus, due to its size, we should not discount other projects, as they could make some impact. By 2012 we should be able to see the public projects completed, Charter Square (North Tower) and at least one of The Edison towers. It may not alter our skyline beyond expectations, but it will be a healthy growth. Raleigh has always taken that path, as opposed to getting flooded with excess space, like we did back in 1991, when Two Hannover Square and Wachovia Capital Center were completed.

As I am trying to gather some more information on projects, I have promised myself to update my website and at least offer y’all a place where you can read the latest and greatest. Believe me, it has been an uphill battle getting any good status updates on projects, but as of late I’ve made some good contacts and I hope this will help me provide solid updates through my website… We’ll see, as I have promised too much in the past

wow, thanks for the in depth reply! i appreciate it. interesting stuff

You are welcome, Jeff Anything I can do to help…

i envy your connections ernest! Thanks for all the information!

Nothing to brag about, brandon, but thank you Most developers and architects are just as simple people as we are, and they are eager to share their visions, provided they can trust us. They need our moral support and encouragement, and more often than not they want us to offer constructive criticism that could potentially improve their projects.

I think you need 2012 + many more years to even get a skyline in Raleigh. Thre are THREE buildings in downtown. THREE. And those are only 32 stories. Not a true skyscraper. I visit that city often for work and I as surprised how tiny it is. I have read a few articles in Forbes, etc about Raleigh-Durham an up and coming place. If it is drastically bigger than previous years, I would hate to seen that town then.

I am bored to tears there when I fly in for work. Lets see, there is the mall, oh, another mall (with the same stores) and boring nightlife in Glenwood East (or is is south?) Raleigh has a loooooooooooooooong way to go. If you like living there thats great! But I prefer the city life…Raleigh is not it.

“I think you need 2012 + many more years to even get a skyline in Raleigh. Thre are THREE buildings in downtown. THREE. And those are only 32 stories. Not a true skyscraper. I visit that city often for work and I as surprised how tiny it is. I have read a few articles in Forbes, etc about Raleigh-Durham an up and coming place. If it is drastically bigger than previous years, I would hate to seen that town then.

I am bored to tears there when I fly in for work. Lets see, there is the mall, oh, another mall(with the same stores) and boring nightlife in Glenwood East (or is is south?) Raleigh has a looooooooooooooooong way to go. If you like living there thats great! But I prefer the city life….Raleigh is not it.”

Signed,
Jared Princeton
Eagle Rock, NC

um, this site isn’t really for fans of some big city to be impressed. it’s for locals, possible newcomers, and the general public who is interested… raleigh isn’t a big city, but it has its good points, which is why people move here. boston (where i’m from) is a much cooler, more interesting city, but it’s virtually unlivable unless you’re either rich or like tiny, cramped spaces. to each his own, but raleigh will be bigger eventually, and this site documents the growth and the beauty that is around

Having a long way to go is not necessarily a bad thing, unless the city is static. The growth here is steady and happens everywhere. The city limits are not extending much, but density is increasing. Raleigh is not a big city, nor it tries to fool you with creating an image larger than the city’s true value. Those of us who moved from big cities – I moved from NYC, myself – developed an appreciation for Raleigh that most visitors can’t feel.

Now, skyline-wise I think that we all agree here that we have a long way to go. No big deal. At the end of the day other things matter the most. Sure, I would love to have a skyline that represents the size of our city and its great quality of life. For those who are “forced” to visit, I really feel sorry…

The purpose of the site, as I understand it, is to give the average concerned citizen input and insight into what is going on in the development of the city by airing concerns and points of view that would otherwise have no voice. We can’t all go to city council meetings and know these things first hand. I also moved here from a larger city (DC) and was initially struck with the lack of amenities, or at least obvious ones you find in larger cities. Raleigh has already come a long way in the 3 years I have lived here and if reading Forbes, Kiplingers, US census bureau statistics tells us anything, it will continue to do so at a rapid pace. We can see this all around us. It will take about 10 more years until the city is ’sexy’ by outsiders’ standards, which is fine. Skyscrapers do not make a city, after all, people and memorable places do. and we certainly have enough of those around here. Comparing Raleigh to a city like Boston, which has been a metropolis for hundreds of years, is not really fair or indicative of anything. Sorry to the guy who is bored to tears. You should get out more

I have a love/hate relationship with Raleigh. Raleigh is thriving in spite of a local government that tries to run Raleigh like it’s a population 400k Mayberry. They dropped the ball by not locating the RBC Center closer to downtown. The TTA submitted those absurd plans for a transit that didn’t even stop at the airport. They want want to make the Dorthea Dix land into a park!

It takes just one visit to Charlotte to see how things were done right. And please, I don’t want to get into Charlotte vs. Raleigh thing (as often crops up on this website). I’m just stating my minor frustration of living in Raleigh.

I agree with the previous statement about the TTA submission. This is the most egregious failure of local government I have seen since moving here. A metro area approaching 2 million with no light rail, no way to get to the airport, the neighboring cities, or RTP without a car or 2 hours+ to spend on buses. This is criminal. and I’ve just seen a proposal to take another 10 years to get something like a light rail up and running by 2019- and it only goes from N. Raleigh to Cary! I can’t understand what people are thinking and how provincial this is- 400K Mayberry is not too far from the truth. Lack of vision in local government about building a great 21st century city seems to be rampant here. and by the way, in spite of these things I like it here. go figure…

Not to sound overconfident, but I think that however valid your concerns may be, there are factors outside Raleigh’s powers – rather, perceived powers. TTA’s failures are directly related to cooperation between the “players”. TTA walked alone, we cannot deny that. Only when the insane requirements were [naturally] ignored by the feds – I would have done the very same thing – the “players” decided to throw their support. Among them, RDU Authority, Duke University and the town of Morrisville… Without cooperation, what can we expect? As for the RBC Arena, Raleigh’s role was minimal, regardles of what some people tend to say in the forums. Blame NCSU and Wake County for it, as they were responsible for the push. Quite frankly, I am glad it ended up where it is because it would have turned out to be an eyesore. Sorry, but I envision a more inspiring design, and definitely nothing that shares the same colors with Two Hannover Square and the Performing Arts Center. Enough of that green-beige combinations

Also important is the fact that sunbelt cities always grow big before they get big city amenities… Any comparison to [insert_your_favorite_sunbelt_cities_here] would probably show that Raleigh is ahead of them when they had population below 400,000 people. I admire the positive steps that other cities are taking, but I am not sure they were doing better before they reached the 600,000 people mark. Maybe we can find examples that prove otherwise, but to this day I only see rustbelt cities having the amenities I would love to see in Raleigh today.

Maybe things will change for the better if Raleigh gets a full-time mayor and city council, but I do not see this happening any time soon.

OK, first off, Raleigh isn’t exactly “Mayberry” (I grew up in Mount Airy, NC, Andy Griffith’s hometown, rhumored to be the real Mayberry.) I do agree that the Raleigh is stuck in a rut between being a small town and a larger city. I went to college in Raleigh 10 years ago, moved away, then recently moved back. There are some big differences in 10 years, 1) I-540 is built and congested and I-440 isn’t so bad anymore, 2) 2 new towers downtown, with lots of stalled plans for others, 3) North Hills Mall is unrecognizable from 10 years ago (yea it is a mall) but it is also a potential Mass Transit hub (look at the stops along the DC Metro in NOVA… If you build it, they will come… We have arrived, but where is the train?)

What gets me is the amount of sprawl in this city. I live 4.5 miles from my office. It takes me 10 minutes to get to work, but 30 to 45 minutes to get home everyday. I could walk to the rail line b/w Raleigh and Wake Forest from both my home and office, but there is no train. They are re-developing an old golf course off of Capitol Blvd that backs up the the railroad tracks. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could pop in a mass transit stop while they are building it? However the way Raleigh government is run they have already missed “the train” to “get onboard” and actually do something pro-active rather than reactionary.

Another thing… There is a lot of underutalized land inside the beltline that backs up to the rail lines that connect North Raleigh and Wake Forest to downtown. Why in the world hasn’t a developer snached up that land and popped in low/mid rise offices, apartments, and condos? There is a GOLDEN oportunity if they would ever build a light rail line to some great infill development inside the beltline. When I drive down Capitol Blvd b/w Wake Forest Rd, and Peace Street, I shake my head and say, “What a waste.” Forget about RTP, we need to re-focus on filling in the city rather than sprawling out more and more. In my opinion, RTP was the biggest mistake that could have possibly happened for both Raleigh and Durham. It stole all the jobs and stuck them out in the middle of nowhere, then forced everyone who works there to be permentatly dependant on their cars.

Welcome to Raleigh… Hope you enjoy sitting in traffic.

Raleigh does not have traffic. Atlanta, DC, Houston, Chicago, NYC have traffic. I get a little tickled when people say that it is so busy and traffic is bad here. Yes, rush hour here seems to get somewhat busy with an occasional back up here and there, primarily on I-40 East, but that is b/c it is not a big area and have lots of freeways. As for mass transit, it is spread out when looking at Trianlge as a whole. But then again, the roads are not congested here and I just wonder if light rail would be used a lot?

I agree with the poster who mentioned that leaders don’t do anything right in this town. When I first came here and went to an event at RBC I was shocked it is in a cow field. That should have been placed in downtown, but downtown is not big enough to have a big arena in it. Still, I think having that in downtown would have benefited hotels, restaurants, bar, etc. BIG time.

I commend the people on this board. You love your city and that is all that matters. You are also very intelligent! It sounds like to me each of you need to run for office and throw the less intelligent government officials out!

on a related subject- did anyone notice today that Obama unveiled his vision for high speed rail lines linking metropolitan areas across the country?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090416/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_rail_12

two lines will converge in Raleigh, one going to Atlanta and the other to Miami. There will have to be a major rail hub in Raleigh to accomodate this. If Raleigh doesn’t simultaneously build a regional transportation network to link the rail hub to its own metro area won’t this be rediculous? What are people supposed to do after they arrive in Raleigh on the bullet train if someone here doesn’t ‘get a clue’ and fast?

I don’t want to beat the light rail thing to death but this is just another example of the sense of urgency some of these infrastructure questions need to have. Thoughts?

Nick, you are exactly right about RTP having sucked potential businesses from locating to Raleigh or Durham. In my opinion, RTP’s success keeps Raleigh’s downtown from being a hub were people want to work and live. I mean, I would love to live in downtown Raleigh, but then I would have to schlep down route 40 to get to my job in RTP. That’s not too appealing. Only if you work at Progress Energy, NC state, or NC goverment, can you really enjoy working in and living in the same urban setting.

Hello all!! I am currently in the US Army. I used to post ALL da time when I got back from Iraq..but now I’m in Korea!! LOL. I see, and hear complaints about the NIMBY folks. I am SERIOUS when I say that I will change that mentality when I run for MAYOR of RALEIGH in a few years. I will be 28 years old this year, and in my early 30’s when I run..Raleigh NEEDS a young mayor, not a NIMBY!! The city image will be one of my focuses, along with mass transit and public safety. JUST TO NAME A FEW!! VOTE KEDDRICK CLARK in a few years!!!

keddrick, I will vote for you… as long as you run as an independent :LOL: Seriously, though, the ONLY way to beat the NIMBYs is to make sure you do not depend on Central Raleigh for votes – the area that technically gave Meeker his victories. If you can get the North Raleigh folks on your side, rest assured that the victory is in your pocket That is the largest area in Raleigh, without a doubt, but people up there do not seem to care about voting

The transportation issue is too big to exhaust here. It may raise eyebrows, but I will say this: ALL Raleigh leaders want to have a good transportation system in place, but it boils down to financing. Light rail is a risky proposal, and so is an extensive bus system. Unless we can come up with a way to fund a good public transit, or turn Raleigh into Portland, OR, I don’t see an easy fix. Raleigh is still the densest of North Carolina’s major cities, and before we grow even further, this is a good time to create transportation hubs that could potentially attract larger population numbers around them. North Hills is a great example, and only those who have seen the full scale vision – trust me, 99% of the people have seen the smaller scale site plan – can appreciate the future impact of that area. Kane has done a wonderful job integrating a bus stop as part of the New North Hills, and I am sure he will find a way to do something similar with his North Hills East vision. The latter is moving fast, BTW

On the top of my wish list is the redevelopment of the entire Capital Blvd stretch into an urban strip. MASSIVE potential, particularly as those shopping centers age – normally, they have a life span of 30 years, so we’ll see what may happen. A light rail line would be a great addition, but it must be connected with downtown, otherwise the city will feel divided. Maybe in the next 20 years…

Raleigh is not a large city, nor is it small. True, we don’t have the traffic of Atlanta, Houston, etc., but do want that congestion that is all pervasive in those cities. What we do have is an educated population, liveable environment, great colleges, and a downtown growth that is steadily increasing. When the recession eases, the plans that are on the drawing board for downtown will flourish. Magazines such as Fortune look at us in an objective way and like what they see. I’m always reading in national magazines about the great restaurant scene in the triangle. People from around the country are moving here for good reason.

King of Raleigh is back!!! You have my vote king!!!

Another possible transportation hub :could: be by RBC Center/Carter Finley Stadium/NCSU area…

Also, I’m quite excited about the possibilities of One Glenwood

All right, Anonymous… I see we are getting enthusiastic over One Glenwood Indeed, it is a magnificent vision and possibly a new tallest for Raleigh. Hopefully, more such towers will arrive, although it is a smaller version of the NY Times building, much like 333 Corporate Plaza and One Progress Plaza, which have bigger brothers in NYC.

Horatio, well said!!! There is an online video where this guy from California speaks about his friends back home, who wish to move to Raleigh even without having securing work. It is crazy, but it is true.

Yes Ernest..I am Independent.. BECKY!! How are you!?? I am shocked that you remember who I am!! I will be at Ft. Bragg in November, thats when I leave KOREA!! Im gonna be in Raleigh EVERY chance I can, like every weekend! OH, A city DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA has an area called Centro Palace.. like the proposed 4 tower Edison plan back home in Raleigh.

keddrick, just for serving our country, you deserve my vote Only a person with military discipline can stop the NIMBYs BTW, isn’t Centro Palace a 7-tower project? In terms of floor height, the tallest one reaches 43 floors and the shortest around 20, right?

What is one glenwood?

The high-rise envisioned/planned for the Eastern half of the block bounded by Hillsborough St, Glenwood Ave, Morgan Str and Boylan Ave. Solid developers, with good backing, but VERY low profile. Renderings were leaked by accident, but the architect pulled them out fast. Not a pie in the sky, for those who love to get depressed through negative thinking. From an architectural standpoint, think of NY Times Bldg, in NYC

How tall? When does it start?

It started as a small mid-rise, went up to 20 floors, moved the 20-30 floor count and as it stands now it is most likely going to be the new tallest for Raleigh Not by a large margin, but it should easily be the new tallest. Can’t say more for now, but regarding the official groundbreaking we are not exactly close… Not while the economy is in this shape. However, the developers have altered the original idea significantly, going from strictly residential to mixed-use – think of RBC Plaza, with more retail. The “when” is a question that nobody can answer. They have been on the designing phase for a while, but such a project is large for any city, let alone Raleigh. I do not expect to hear anything for another year, though.

Well, even if it is about the same size as RBC height wise, that will still be a good thing as we need more bulk in the skyline, especially away from the Fayetteville St corridor. Sure, a 60 story tower might be nice, but a bunch or 30-40 signifies a healthier downtown and will lead to more true density and critical mass of people. IMO.

I couldn’t agree more. If we had corporations that (a) desire a strong image, and (b) have deep pockets, then we could “demand” the 60-story towers, but at the current state of things we should be – IMHO – more eager to see successful projects coming to fruition rather that image-building visions that fail at most other levels.

As for One Glenwood – assuming it gets built in its most recent incarnation – it will definitely be taller than RBC Plaza, and possibly The Edison. While I would LOVE to see a taller skyscraper, the location may not be the best for the image building most of us care about. There are a few locations that a signature tower above 700ft would probably work better for our skyline, but we have already talked about it and I would hate to bore you even more I need to point out, however, that One Glenwood will not be visible by most angles. It will definitely be visible from the Duke Hospital parking deck, in North Raleigh, though.

I think everyone is missing the point. If a new tallest were built away from the usual fayetteville st. area, others will follow suit and want to build more in that area, and even in between someday. When developers see that building there, they might see major opportunity being missed in the warehouse didstrict and start building highrises there (which would be more likely if the “good CAM plans” came to fruition). Which I totally hope happens.
Not that I care what other cities think, I just think they’d laugh to see us “preserving the historic WAREHOUSE DISTRICT”.

JRD, I am with you, and I do agree that most of what is considered downtown is fair game. In fact, what I am saying – although not very clearly – is that a new tallest in the West end of downtown would probably hurt someone’s pride enough to built a 700ft+ tower closer to the main portion of our skyline. I have never been a big fan of the “everything tall should be along Fayetteville Str” mentality. I think there is a lot of potential along Salisbury, McDowell and Dawson streets, and we MUST explore that territory. Please, no more Hues I have no problem with the building itself, but such a great parcel was wasted on something short.

The Warehouse District is a revitalization effort similar to other cities, especially big cities. Do some of you remember Long Island City before the Silvercup Studios were opened? The similar, but in smaller scale can happen here. The good news is that we can preserve some of the older warehouses, while redeveloping a few of the unutilized parcels. A combination of new and old buildings will not hurt. Something like Pearl District in Portland.

I agree about the Hue. I just think that if a seriouse developer wants to build something, I dont see the point in standing in the way to save an old warehouse. Sooner or later the warehouses will go down for bigger and better things. I just dont see the point in standing in the way of progress.

But standing in the way of progress is what we do so well at in Raleigh.

I can’t say that Raleigh does great only when it comes to stopping progress. We may see slow improvements, but there are lots of cities that remain stagnant, overall. I think that we expect too much from our city, but I will agree that we need leadership with guts and vision. Currently, most of our leaders are listening too much to their big contributors. Instead, they should be listening to the majority or the Raleighites. Let’s be fair, though, the economic climate doesn’t favor fast growth right now. When the finance sectors stabilizes, a lot of the stalled visions will materialize and many of our perceptions will change.

I can’t wait for the economy to get moving again. Not to be impatient, but I’m ready to see some new projects start happening… lol

I wasn’t aware of the rail link proposal – if Raleigh does indeed become the convergence point for the Miami and Atlanta corridors, that would indeed require a better train hub than what we have now. Hopefully it will get done right.

I took advantage of the great weather last night and spent some time walking around Glenwood South – wow, what a great evening experience. I saw a lot more walking around on foot than I’ve ever noticed in the car. It’s something I definitely plan to do more.

It appears I am behind on development news, I need to do some net surfing and catch up. Ernest, I stopped by a couple of weeks ago and you were off – I will try to catch up with you sometime soon!

Matt K., I am there on Wed, Thu and alternate between Fri and Sat with the other person – this week I will be there on Sat. You are right about Glenwood South, it feels very different by foot. A few spots here and there need new venues, but still it is a pleasant experience. Considering that people try to save on entertainment expenses, too, Glenwood South is still strong.