Charter Square Enters New Chapter with Announcement
Today city officials and developers joined together to announce the new plan for Charter Square. The 11-story project will contain 225,000 square feet of commercial space in a single glass tower. Currently 35,000 of the space is committed. Some of that space will be another ground floor restaurant by Echelon Hospitality. Construction is set to begin this fall, with a 1-year construction window.
The newest chapter in Charter Square is led by developer Dominion Realty Partners and architect JDavis. The site occupies the east half of the footprint of the former Raleigh Civic Center and was once referred to as “Site One”. The project vision was for a two-tower mixed use development with one tower containing residential and the other commercial. As part of the development of the Convention Center and Marriott hotel, the City of Raleigh moved forward with the underground parking garage construction for the Charter Square plan.
Then 2009 happened, and the economy hit developers in every city hard. The new project will still be built on top of that investment. Thankfully the climate is such that progress on this site can move forward once and for all.
Ben Folds Five, Guster Joining BNL at Red Hat Amphitheater
Ben Fold Five announced today that they will tour this summer with Barenaked Ladies and Guster. The “Last Summer On Earth Tour 2013”. The 29 date tour’s apocalypse comes in Brooklyn, but not before the tour’s penultimate show at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater on Sunday, July 28.
will be available tomorrow (Tue, 3/19) at 10am. Citi Cardmember presale is Wed at 10. LiveNation’s presale is Thu at 10.
The National / Dirty Projectors Coming to Raleigh
On Monday, June 10, comes to Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater. The band announced today that they will be supporting their first CD in three years, to be released on May 4. will open the show, a full 15 months after the release of their brilliant Swing Lo Magellan CD.
, the presale begins Wednesday (2/27) morning at 10am (pw: dazzle), while the General Public sale comes Friday morning at 10.
Lincoln Theatre Announces Slate of Big Shows
Recently the Lincoln Theatre announced a nice group of shows to their late Summer/Fall lineup:
- 8/2:
- 8/12:
- 8/18: (on the Street Stage)
- 9/13:
- 9/15: Lynch Mob
- 10/1:
- 10/9:
- 10/20:
- 10/26:
- 11/3:
- 11/5:
…and others!
Oro Opens Sunday
Here is the press release for the first restaurant to open in the base of the PNC Plaza in downtown Raleigh.:
located in the PNC Building in Downtown Raleigh, opens for dinner on Sunday, May 20, 2012. ORO, meaning “gold” in Spanish and Italian, features generously portioned, sharable tapas-style comfort food re-interpreted for a modern palate.
Executive Chef and owner Christopher Hylton is a global traveler who brings tastes, textures and flavors from around the world to ORO’s eclectic seasonal menu. Guests can dine on Fried Softshell Crab with Apricot Jalapeno Vinaigrette served with Mango Jicama Salad, Filet Mignon in Sake Brine with Crispy Onions, or Red and Golden Beet Salad with Pickled Watermelon and Smoked Goat Cheese, all for under $15 per item.
In addition, ORO features a custom vertical wine carousel and an innovative 16 wine on-tap system pouring extraordinary wines by the 2 oz., 4 oz., 6 oz. or 8 oz. glass. Guests can opt to try three different wines or hand-crafted cocktails at once by ordering ORO’s customizable samplers.
“ORO was born from love, patience, and a desire to bring a big city dining feel to Raleigh,” said co-owner Cara Zalcberg Hylton, who along husband Christopher Hylton has spent the past three years painstakingly selecting every detail of the restaurant to create just the right experience.
From soft and supple white leather chairs to striking, signature vintage glass chandeliers, ORO’s look and feel is a seemingly effortless balance of elegance and comfort that, like its food, is meant to be savored and shared.For the high-tech inclined, or anyone who just wants a perfectly timed meal, ORO is using a first-in-North Carolina that enables servers to send orders to the bar or kitchen instantaneously from the table.
Owned and operated by Hyton Hospitality, ORO is located at 18 East Martin Street in the PNC Building (at the corner of Martin and Wilmington Streets in Downtown Raleigh). Monday through Friday, ORO serves lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, ORO serves dinner 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The restaurant is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday and 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.
City Council to Pick Site 4 Developer
In February, the Raleigh City Council released a Request for Proposals for development of the storied Site 4 location in downtown. In (video stream), the Council will select a developer to build a new hotel on the site.
A boutique hotel was once planned for the site, however funding was unobtainable by the developer within a reasonable period, and the city retracted their selection and waited for the economy to recover. Now there are three developers proposing projects for the site:
- Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd.
- Raleigh Prime Investors, LLC
- Noble DLR Group
A selection committee of city staff and others reviewed the proposals and recommends the plan to build an -designed Residence Inn of about 9 stories.
It’s been a long, long while since there has been this much (any) activity in the private sector, so we should probably just be happy that something is being built. However this building will be around a long time, and will contribute to the downtown Raleigh “Money shot”, so while the hotel doesn’t have to be a lavish design, it should stand for quality instead of just meeting a budget.
Overcash Demmitt has some interesting projects and some monotonous cookie cutter garbage. Hopefully we’ll see a project that more closely resembles the than the (College Park, GA). Given the standard that has been set by hotel design in those blocks, well…we’ll see.
NCMNS Nature Research Center Gala, Grand Opening Set
The expansion of the the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is almost open! On April 20 and 21 the museum will host , a 24-hour celebration. The facility will house four research laboratories used by scientific staff from the Nature Research Center (NRC), the museum, UNC System, and visiting scientists. Visitors can observe these spaces as well as participate in interactive and multimedia exhibits. There is a slate of events scheduled for the opening, and all events are free to the public.
Grand Opening:
Gala
The weekend before the grand opening, however, is the . The event, which takes place on the evening of Friday, April 13, will feature performances from the TFC Band, Mark Wells QUartet, The Magic of African Rhythm, Mickey Mills Steel Drum Band, and Infinity Circus. There will be food and an open bar at this black tie optional event. Tickets are $200 each and include the After Party events.
The Gala After Party begins at 10pm and includes a late night menu, test tube shooters, an open bar and dancing to , , and (a video DJ) in the three-story surround screen “Daily Planet Disco”. Tickets for this event are $75.
Gala:
The NRC will be an excellent addition to downtown Raleigh this year, and its stellar grand opening isn’t to be missed!
Pour House Going “1989” Friday Night
Have a yearning for what life in the Triangle was like in 1989? Head to the Pour House as the revived The Veldt and The Connells will play. The real question is: a) will anyone young enough to not remember the CCCP be in the audience and b) know the words to CCCP? I’ll give ‘em a price.
(maybe this time The Veldt will actually SHOW for a gig they $%^&ing BOOKED…but I’m not one to hold a grudge…for decades…)
The Edison Redesigned: Service, Not Brilliance
. Previously the plans for Gregg Sandreuter’s development called for four towers of 30-40 stories each, containing office and residential components on a retail base.
It is disappointing to see the project being scaled down, but frankly, with the bath that Sandreuter ended up taking on the oversized West at North Project, it is obvious that banks are putting pressure on Sandreuter to do something with the land. The truth is that the economy is worse than the media is portraying, and a project like the one originally proposed for The Edison is now probably more than 20 years away for Raleigh. In fact it will be at least 12 years before anything changes the Raleigh skyline.
With conditions as they are, we are lucky to see something proposed for this land. As it stands now, the block stands as a blank and a few run-down old buildings in the middle of a downtown that has much organic energy. We are now at the 3-year mark of a development drought in downtown Raleigh, and if we get too arrogant, we will lose all of the roaring momentum that Raleigh had six years ago. In other words we cannot afford to be too choosy now about downtown projects. Given the number of empty lots in downtown, we can afford to put up some bad projects because the momentum is what will eventually bring good projects, not our own stubbornness. Too much of that will make us a has-been. We need energy on the street, and this project does that.
Much hand-wringing has been going on over the last two days regarding the design of the project. I will caution readers, though, that the proposal looks more like a massing portrayal than a specific design, so even with this sized project, it can be something appealing. That said, the images look waaaaay too much like the horribly bland project on Glenwood where Tobacco Road is.
Hopefully the mass of building can be broken up with varied materials, colors, window frames, and window heights. Designers at North Hills East attempted this kind of breakup with windows and color on an EFIS-faced building, but forgot that relief also has to be in the design. Some sections should set back, others protrude. Another facet ignored is massive projects is the window height. North Hills is a godo project, but could have been great if the windows for each section were at differing heights. IT would have added some authenticity badly needed over there.
Nevertheless, I’m glad to see something going forward. I just hope that developers will still have some sense of pride in their developments while they try to please banks. Perhaps the name of the project should be renamed The Gillette, as the focus has clearly gone from being a brilliant idea to being something serviceable that we will one day throw away.
Oktoberfest Coming Saturday
This Saturday marks the first ever . The event runs from 4pm to 9pm and takes place at the corner of North Person and Pace Streets (near Pie Bird and Krispy Kreme) and features beer as well as German sausages and sides (from PieBird), Swabian style pretzels (Café Prost), and Klausie’s Pizza Truck. There will also be a bounce room for children and a “side area for them to run around”. The $5 wrist band for entry includes one beer ticket.
deja fest to Bring 27 Bands to Downtown Raleigh
On Friday and Saturday, July 22 & 23, several downtown venues will host . The event is free, and features 27 bands. Here is the schedule:
Friday
- (tir na nog)
- (tir na nog)
- (Pour House)
- (Pour House)
- (Pour House)
- (Slim’s)
- (Slim’s)
- (Slim’s)
- (Kings)
- (Kings)
- (Neptunes)
Saturday
Lincoln Theatre Outdoor Stage Street Party
- Lord Walrus
- Thien
- DJ Forge
- Lord Walrus
- DJ Spclgst
- Chocolate Rice
Lincoln Theatre Inside Stage Dance Party
- F#@% The Biters
- Nixxed
- Thien & Lord Walrus
Gallery C Moves Downtown
Recent Stories
- North Hills Beach Music Season Begins Tonight April 18, 2013
- Summer Bringing Great Triangle Concerts April 17, 2013
- Did Chef Wanted’s Portrayal of Coquette Go “Afowl”? April 15, 2013
- Charter Square Enters New Chapter with Announcement April 11, 2013
- Southern Living Taps Durham as South’s “Tastiest Town” April 9, 2013
- Download/Subscribe to the Durham Bulls Calendar April 9, 2013
- Download the Wake County School 2014 Calendars April 7, 2013
- Coquette Featured on Tonight’s “Chef Wanted” April 4, 2013
- Help From Down Lo’: Remembering The Cardiac Pack April 4, 2013
- Pondering Greensboro’s Future April 3, 2013
- Cirque’s Quidam Coming to PNC April 3, 2013
- Blockbuster Video Closing Another Raleigh Location April 2, 2013
- WRDU Returns to Air April 2, 2013
- Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson Coming to TWC Pavilion April 2, 2013
- Durham Discusses New Tower April 2, 2013