Comments on: Designing A Better Downtown - Part II http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/ The Latest in Retail, Entertainment, and Development in Raleigh Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:57:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Ron B http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-867 Ron B Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:39:12 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-867 Sorry to be late to the "party", but the Wilmington face of the city's Convetion Center parking deck *can* be converted to retail fronts. You can see where the wall can be "punched out" in the second Wilmington St. picture, which could be close enough to connect to Fins at the Wilmington/Davie corner. Also there are two storefronts behind the photographer in that picture in the base of BoA/One Hannover. One is currently used as a Hannover fitness center and the other is "avaiable". And Site One will hopefully add to street life here, though its renderings always showcase the F Street side. In the AT&T building, there is some office space on the Hargett side, though it always seems empty. They coudl daylight some of the McDowell side, at least at street level, with glass on upper levels to give some kind of feel to the block. The N&O will do something with their block eventually, which could either enliven the McDowell raceway, or turn it into a superspeedway. Sorry to be late to the “party”, but the Wilmington face of the city’s Convetion Center parking deck *can* be converted to retail fronts. You can see where the wall can be “punched out” in the second Wilmington St. picture, which could be close enough to connect to Fins at the Wilmington/Davie corner.

Also there are two storefronts behind the photographer in that picture in the base of BoA/One Hannover. One is currently used as a Hannover fitness center and the other is “avaiable”. And Site One will hopefully add to street life here, though its renderings always showcase the F Street side.

In the AT&T building, there is some office space on the Hargett side, though it always seems empty. They coudl daylight some of the McDowell side, at least at street level, with glass on upper levels to give some kind of feel to the block. The N&O will do something with their block eventually, which could either enliven the McDowell raceway, or turn it into a superspeedway.

]]> By: gogoraleigh.com» Blog Archive » Designing A Better Downtown: Part III http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-320 gogoraleigh.com» Blog Archive » Designing A Better Downtown: Part III Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:39:33 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-320 [...] Designing A Better Downtown - Part II [...] […] Designing A Better Downtown - Part II […]

]]> By: chuck till http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-213 chuck till Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:04:50 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-213 The AT&T building is indeed filled with equipment. But more importantly, there are tens of thousands of copper wires and probably a hundred fiber optic cables that come up out of the ground into this building. It would cost a fortune to relocate this facility. The AT&T building is indeed filled with equipment. But more importantly, there are tens of thousands of copper wires and probably a hundred fiber optic cables that come up out of the ground into this building. It would cost a fortune to relocate this facility.

]]> By: Ernest http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-206 Ernest Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:47:49 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-206 Dana, I think you touched all the important points. DT Raleigh does have a few areas where immediate improvement is needed to remove that horrible appearance we see in the photos you posted. Out of all the areas you mentioned, I think that the one near Two Progress Plaza is the most promising. Not only Site One, but two more sites may help improve the overall picture: 1) the lot adjacent to Lincoln Theater (owned by Empire Properties) and 2) the lot adjacent to One Progress Plaza, owned by Progress Energy. These two can change significantly the fabric of that location. Of course, adding some destinations to the ground level of the parking deck would be ideal :) Dana,

I think you touched all the important points. DT Raleigh does have a few areas where immediate improvement is needed to remove that horrible appearance we see in the photos you posted. Out of all the areas you mentioned, I think that the one near Two Progress Plaza is the most promising. Not only Site One, but two more sites may help improve the overall picture: 1) the lot adjacent to Lincoln Theater (owned by Empire Properties) and 2) the lot adjacent to One Progress Plaza, owned by Progress Energy. These two can change significantly the fabric of that location. Of course, adding some destinations to the ground level of the parking deck would be ideal :)

]]> By: Rafe http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-202 Rafe Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:28:17 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-202 I've wondered if that AT&T building is occupied not by people in offices but by machine rooms with telephone switching equipment. I can't imagine people work on the windowless floors. I’ve wondered if that AT&T building is occupied not by people in offices but by machine rooms with telephone switching equipment. I can’t imagine people work on the windowless floors.

]]> By: Lisa Jeffries http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-199 Lisa Jeffries Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:41:36 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-199 I've always thought that AT&T building would be miserable to be inside of... no windows?! WTF. I’ve always thought that AT&T building would be miserable to be inside of… no windows?! WTF.

]]> By: Rafe http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-198 Rafe Sun, 24 Feb 2008 01:52:09 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2008/02/23/designing-a-better-downtown-part-ii/#comment-198 The other day I was walking down Davie Street from Fayetteville St to The Pit and definitely did not enjoy walking by the south side of the building with the county jail that has the ambulance dispatch on it. It's stunning how unwelcoming the effect you're talking about is. (As far as I'm concerned, Wilmington Street ends at Davie St for that reason as well.) Great observations. The other day I was walking down Davie Street from Fayetteville St to The Pit and definitely did not enjoy walking by the south side of the building with the county jail that has the ambulance dispatch on it. It’s stunning how unwelcoming the effect you’re talking about is. (As far as I’m concerned, Wilmington Street ends at Davie St for that reason as well.)

Great observations.

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