I couldn’t agree more. Our skyline needs depth, ASAP. This is one of the reasons why Winston-Salem has a very impressive skyline, especially for the city its size. Asheville follows a similar pattern with W-S and it looks really cool.

The good news is that outside Reynolds Towers 1 & 2 and the Winston Hotels project, there is also a residential high-rise envisioned/planned for the SW corner of Glenwood Ave and Hillsborough Str. My understanding is that this tower may rise between 15 and 20 floors, but since the city changed the zoning, we may see something even taller, especially when we consider a parking deck as being part of the structure. So far, this plan is merely a speculation, like everything that hasn’t reached the Planning Dept yet, but it is indeed a solid vision, by the companies that delivered The Paramount. We’ll see.

The Warehouse Distrcit has a certain charm to it. I would hate to see that going, but if we can slowly transition that area into a more mixed-use and urban district, I won’t miss what’s there now. So far, there is one major project that is being considered: The new Contemporary Arts Museum and the adjacent residential midrise (8-12 floors, last time I heard about it). The Hue, although at the edge of the Warehouse District, will certainly add a considerable amount of residents and some retail with entertainment, but we need more. There are several opportunities for infills and redevelopments, particularly some underutilized parcels. There is room for several buildings between 5 and 20 floors, and I will be very excited to see something happening. I do not foresee the replacement of some attractive warehouses with taller structures in the nearest future, but if this is the price we need to pay in order to create some true ubranity, then so be it. For the next few years, Portland’s Pearl District is a better model for this section of downtown. Check out the link below for more information:

http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=663

The idea of having two skylines is pretty attractive, especially when considering that the section between Peace Str and Martin Str is pretty long, something that Fayetteville Str cannot offer. Even the two workhorses (Salisbury and Wilmington Streets) cannot become recipients of a long skyline because of the State Government complex. I am a state employee, but I must admit that the state government has absolutely no clue how to take advantage of its properties. Mark my words, the two huge blocks to the East of the museums are going to be underutilized and even become yet-another-state-government-sponsored eyesore. The block between Wilmington, Jones, Blount and Edenton Streets could VERY easily get two high-rises between 20 and 25 floors, if not more, without even affecting the transitional character of the other lot (between Blount and Person Streets). I am afraid to even envision what could go there

By the way, very nice rendering!!! It shows clearly how this area can benefit from high-rise developments. The lot directly to the North of Clarion Hotel is golden. Anything around 25-30 stories would be ideal, although I wouldn’t mind seeing something around 40 floors