Great Big Sea Coming to Fletcher
Newfoundland trio Great Big Sea will bring their brand of Celtic/Folk/Pop Rock to Fletcher Hall (in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts) on October 29.
Truth be known, their hit “Sea of No Cares” was one of my favorite songs of 2002.
111 Seaboard Project Canceled
Apparently the York Properties condo venture near the Seaboard area, 111 Seaboard, has been canceled due to “changing circumstances and uncertain timing.” Reservations are being released and refunds are being made.
City Plaza Battles Continue
Tomorrow’s City Council meeting (1pm – TWC channel 11) contains an agenda item that is critically important to the continued Fayetteville St. renaissance. Plans for the City Plaza, situated between the two former Hannover towers, aim to offer a living room for the city. However city leaders and one of the plaza’s owners, The Simpson Organization (an Atlanta-based real estate firm), have not been able to agree about certain undisclosed terms.
It has been speculated that the controversy centers around issues with the underground parking garage. The plaza’s opening was supposed to coincide with that of the new convention center Marriott hotel, but tomorrow City Manager Russell Allen will formally present a plan for the City of Raleigh to condemn Simpson’s land and move forward with plaza construction.
Simpson had earlier agreed to design, construct, and fund the four pavilions, as well as furnish other improvements to the space. It is unclear what Simpson’s involvement in the plaza’s construction will be should the condemnation proceed. Boyd Simpson, though, is clearly unhappy about the situation:
City Manager Urges Reopening Bids for Site 4
One of the main pieces to the Convention District redevelopment plan, Site 4 (.pdf file), has returned to the city’s microscope. The City currently has an agreement with Empire Properties for development of “Site 4”. The current plan calls for a 21-story, Stephen B. Jacobs-designed boutique hotel/condo project that would feature a rooftop restaurant and pool and an external glass elevator. The Lafayette was originally expected to open in 2009, however work still hasn’t begun due to financing troubles.
Empire Properties recently missed an April deadline extension to submit revised plans to the City of Raleigh. Now City Manager Russell Allen is calling for the removal of Empire as site developer and the opening of the site to a new bidding process. Allen claims that other companies have both expressed interest in developing the property, and requested reopening the parcel for public bids. Allen’s recommendations state:
That the City Council declare the Purchase, Sale and Development Agreement between the City of Raleigh and Empire Properties for the development of City Site #4, ratified March 7, 2007, and amended March 27, 2008 to be in default by the Developer, and direct the City Attorney to collect the Good Faith Deposit ($14,450) from the Escrow Agent as a reasonable liquidation, and upon receipt of the Good Faith Deposit that the City Council release the Developer of any further liability under the Agreement.
Authorize the City Manager to prepare and issue a Request for Proposals for the development of City Site #4, in general accordance with the mix of land uses and intensities included in the first RFP.
The topic is on the agenda for the Raleigh City Council’s meeting tomorrow at 1 pm. This should be interesting, folks. Empire’s president, Greg Hatem, is a close, personal friend of many on the City Council. Will the council grant Hatem, a proven renovation specialist, an additional extension on his project as they have to the Reynolds family (for their proposed tower on Hillsborough Street)? Will the city vote to stop losing money on a site going undeveloped for so many additional months (with no apparent end in site)?
No matter who ends up developing the property, the end result needs to be the addition of an architecturally significant, nice hotel in the Convention Center area.
Solas Set To Open Mid-July
Solas (Gaelic for “light”), the new 3-story entertainment complex on Glenwood Ave (next to Helios) is set to open on July 17. The new building replaces the old brake shop, and will feature a first-floor restaurant, second floor nightclub, and a third floor rooftop patio. The project is backed by Hibernia Entertainment, and was designed by New City Design Group.
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NOTE: We are apparently in the Twilight Zone. The above information was based on the countdown clock on Solas’ website. However, as of 10:35pm on 6/1/08, the site now reports that Solas will be open in 17 days, 49 hours, 24 mins, 21 secs. Apparently the clock is not actually functional. Oh well. We’ll keep waiting.
7/14/08 Note: Solas is shooting for an 8/10/08 opening, though this is contingent on permits going through.
Good Evening, Raleigh
Dusk falls upon Raleigh to end a perfectly beautiful summer day. The nearly completed RBC Tower, convention center, shimmer wall, and Marriott all wait for tomorrow.
Bob The Builder Coming To Memorial Auditorium
It looks like May 22, 23, and 24 (2009) are the big days for which Bob The Builder fans (warning: music) have been waiting. Check Ticketmaster for tickets.
Scott Fitzgerald To Take WPTF Morning Helm
WPTF (680am) has hired Scott Fitzgerald away from Cincinnati’s WLW (700am). Fitzgerald’s father, Jim Scott, has been the 40-year morning host at WLW, but Fitzgerald is putting his dreams of taking his father’s seat one day on hold. This will be Fitzgerald’s first full time on-air gig.
Noodles & Co. Coming to Cameron Village
As previously mentioned, Cameron Village is set to get a new noodle shop. Turns out that Noodles & Co. will be taking the spot formerly occupied by The Grape. The quickly growing chain outlet offers noodles in three styles (Asian, Mediterranean, and American) at rock bottom prices, according to the Durham location’s menu (.pdf file).
Francesca’s Collections Opens Monday
Cameron Village’s newest boutique offering, Francesca’s Collections, opens Monday. Located on Woodburn St. (in the strip that contains Talbots) Francesca’s features women’s apparel, jewelry, accessories, and gifts. This will be Francesca’s fourth North Carolina store.
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Art Institutes Finds Triangle
The Art Institute of Charlotte, a branch of the national Art Institutes brand, is opening a branch in the Triangle. Classes at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham will begin on August 21. The institute will occupy about 34,000 square feet in the American Tobacco District complex in Durham.
“I am excited about the opportunity for The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham to provide a career focused, market driven education to the residents of the Triangle and surrounding communities,” said Michael DePrisco, newly appointed president of The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. “We look forward to working with the many fine businesses and community agencies in the region to help meet their employment needs.”
Raleigh Wide Open Welcomes Lou Gramm
The Raleigh Wide Open 3 (RWO3) celebration, set to begin Friday, September 5, will be a 36-hour fiesta this year. The fun begins with a Noon ribbon cutting, while at 5pm that afternoon RWO3 will take over Fayetteville Street.
The celebration this year is focused primarily on the opening of the new 500,000 square foot convention center, where the International Flavor Festival will be running.
Saturday’s celebration begins at 11am and ends at 11pm with the music of Lou Gramm, lead singer for Foreigner.
WineStyles Now Open in Brier Creek
National wine retailer WineStyles now has a store open in Brier Creek’s Alexander Place (in addition to their Beaver Creek location). The old-world designed store aims to categorize wines not by origin, but by eight different taste categories.
Their aim is the be accessible, not a warehouse, yet offer competitive prices. A couple of customers have alerted me to this outlet, and I’ll have to check it out the next time near one of their stores.
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