The controversial proposed school reassignment plan (.pdf) is intended to keep students closer to home and minimize long-distance student commutes. The plan looks logical for nearly every school in the system, however it certainly breaks down for Joyner. Under the proposed plan Daniels would be fed by Root, Stough, York, and Jeffrey’s Grove. Martin would be fed by Lacy and Olds. I don’t have access to the number of seats in those eight schools, but it seems strange that Daniels would be fed by four schools and Martin would be fed by only two. Perhaps Martin is smaller than Daniels, but from what I have heard they are roughly equivalent in size.

If the plan aims to keep students in the same part of the county as their residents, then sending people in the Five Points area to the shadows of Triangle Town Center, just inside of I-540, seems completely counterproductive. If the plan moves forward, the property values of houses along Anderson Drive will plummet while houses along Ridge Road in Raleigh will skyrocket. This is why there ought to be a very strong showing at this meeting tonight. There is much on the line for people who live in the Northeast quadrant inside of I-440.

There will also be meetings at Sanderson (Wed, 9/14), East Wake (Thu, 9/15), and Millbrook (Mon, 9/19). For more information see the WCPSS website.

In a press release

Each year AAA awards Four and Five Diamond ratings to the finest hotels in the nation. The Resnaissance joins this list of Four Diamond hotels in North Carolina:

• ASHEVILLE:  1900 Inn on Montford (2009), Albemarle Inn (2003), Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville (2009), Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park (2010), Inn on Biltmore Estate (2001), The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa (2001),
• BOONE – Lovill House Inn (1997), 
• CASHIERS – Innisfree Inn By-The-Lake (1994)
• CHAPEL HILL – Carolina Inn (1997), The Siena Hotel (1996)
• CHARLOTTE – Hilton Charlotte Center City (2007), Marriott Charlotte SouthPark (1989), Omni Charlotte Hotel (2001), The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte (2003), The Duke Mansion Historic Inn & Meeting Place (2005), The Westin Charlotte (2004)
• DURHAM – Arrowhead Inn Bed and Breakfast (2003), Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club (2000)
• GREENSBORO – Grandover Resort & Conference Center Golf & Spa (1999), O. Henry Hotel – (1999), Proximity Hotel (2008)
• HIGHLANDS – Old Edwards Inn and Spa (2005)
• LAKE TOXAWAY – Greystone Inn (1986)
• PINEHURST – Holly Inn (2002), The Carolina Hotel (1982)
• WILMINGTON – Graystone Inn (1999), The Verandas (2002)

The state has three Five Diamond Award winners:

• CARY – The Umstead Hotel and Spa (2007)
• CHARLOTTE – The Ritz-Carlton (2010)
• FEARRINGTON VILLAGE – The Fearrington House Inn (1994)

Offering a full bar, full service restaurant, private suites, projection TVs, and a midnight bowling experience at all hours, Sparians takes a bowling up a level. We began our evening with a meal in the restaurant. The menu offers sandwiches, a few entrees, burgers, and a large selection of appetizers. We ordered a burger, ribs, veggie wrap sandwich, homemade potato chips, and french fries. While nothing was noteworthy, all were adequate and despite Sparians’ reputation for being expensive, all were presented with reasonable value (~$13.60pp w/o alcohol).

We sat in a C-shaped booth that featured an embedded touchscreen entertainment system. There were some fun games (Mouse Trap was particularly addictive), music videos on-demand, select YouTube videos and more. All of the content we experienced was edited to a PG level. (still can’t figure out why Katy Perry is naked in a candy land, but that’s beside the point). The speakers for the entertainment system are embedded in the headrests of the booth, so one’s selections don’t contribute to the overall cacophony in the dining area. While Sparians’ restaurant is not on par with North Hills’ best restaurants, it isn’t a bad offering at all – much better than the Fox & Hound. In addition to the touch-table offerings, Sparians’ diners get priority integration on the bowling ally’s waitlist. So Sparians benefits its diners similar to the way Goodnights Comedy Club does.

After a few text messages with the bowling ally’s waitlist manager, we smoothly transitioned into our gaming experience. Of course, all of the equipment is new, so the shoes were extremely comfortable and the lanes were well-treated. The lanes incorporate some new game management technology offering a different experience per bowler if desired (rails-up for specific bowlers, etc).  The lighting is dark, with spinning, flashing lights all over the place. At first it is an inviting experience, but ultimately becomes an over-stimulating distraction. I implore those with a seizure disorder to avoid this experience at all costs!

Mounted on the walls above the pins are several projection TVs showing various sports channels. This ultimately becomes another flashing light novelty, though, as the constant rotation of bowlers provides interruption from focusing on the televised game. Therefore I do not recommend trying to bowl while watching an important game on TV.

With all of the flashing lights, TVs, loud music, and high bowling fees, I don’t foresee Sparians becoming a destination for serious bowlers. The lane was so dark that it was difficult to see markers. Back in the 70’s we had two facilities for serious roller skaters. When Sportsworld opened it offered a different experience than we had ever seen to the roller skating world, and Sparians reprises that role exactly. Sparians is strongest as a facility for parties. There were several office groups, condo associations, and birthday parties enjoying their time at Sparians. During our visit the suites were being used by a local speed-dating group.

While we had an excellent overall experience, my only complaint that really needs to be dressed is the unsanitary situation in the bowling ally. There was a group of 12 adjacent to us having a fun evening. They ordered nachos, wings, and pizzas, which serve a small party perfectly. As I watched these people eat wings, throw their bowling balls, and return to the food without interruption, it made me shudder to think about what is inside those finger holes, and how easy it is to get sick eating with dirty bowling ball hands. There were no sanitary wipes or hand sanitizer anywhere around. So, unfortunately, the fungi that are being controlled in the rental shoes are not getting attention in the balls. As with any bowling ally, one should avoid eating and wiping their eyes and nose, and wash their hands after bowling. This is simple CDC stuff that unfortunately does not jibe with the model at Sparians. When you think about Herpes virus living 4 hours or enteric and sore throat bacteria (i.e. S. Pyogenes) lasting 3 days on a dry surface, it casts a new light on eating with your hands while bowling.

This was my first time bowling in a couple of decades. Bowling was a tired experience, and the facilities were largely outdated and difficult to access until Sparians opened in North Hills. Its opening is a risky venture, but fills an entertainment need in North Hills extremely well. As the economy improves, I look forward to several years of success and even better days ahead for Sparians.

The bowling is said to be expensive, ranging from $8-$14 depending on the time, compared to other bowling allies in Raleigh. However it should be noted that this price does include shoe rental.

Sparians will be closed this coming Thursday afternoon, but has normal operating hours of:

• Mon-Sat: 10am – 2am
• Sunday: 11am – 2am

Raleigh on Ice  will offer families and visitors the opportunity to skate at chopping centers:

• November 20 through January 2 at North Hills Commons. The event opens during North Hills’ annual Christmas tree lighting event.
• November 14 thru December 10 at Brier Creek Commons
• December 13 thru December 26 at Triangle Town Center

Winterfest returns to downtown Raleigh

• Real ice rink
• Opening at Winterfest’s grand opening, Saturday, December 4
• Dates, hours, prices, and policies are still unannounced

Awards are offered in 11 different award categories, including new residential, commercial, or institutional construction, plus historic preservation, sustainable design, and tree and landscape conservation. The award for “Maintained Outstanding Appearance” honors appearance contributions by projects 5 years old or older. The “Individual” award is presented to a citizen who has consistently worked to preserve or improve city appearance.

The deadline for entries for the 2010 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards is Friday, July 9. Nominations for the can be made online at or by completing a printed form available at City government offices. In addition to project information, six or more digital photos of each nominated project or individual, submitted on CD or flash drive, are also required.

An independent jury will meet in July to review the nominations. Award winners will be selected based on specific criteria, including exhibition of a new standard of excellence, awareness of land stewardship, innovation, conservation of natural and/ or historic resources, and exceeding applicable ordinances. The Raleigh City Council will confirm the jury’s selections in August. Awards will be presented in October.

Spring Rolls

map it

Unfortunately there is no word on changes to the parking garage, parking surface lot, lack of an escalator, small elevator, and placement of cafe tables adjacent to feminine hygiene. Howevver this is a start.

Lisa was instrumental in starting the St. Timothy’s School Spring Sprint, and rightfully, the school is dedicating the Sprint in honor of her. The event will take place April 17. Here is the press release about the event:

The St. Timothy’s Spring Sprint is an annual 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run and NEW this year, a 50 Yard Dash. Adults and children from the school and the community participate in this event.  The race course winds through the North Hills neighborhood (NEW FLATTER COURSE this year), beginning and ending at the school.

Registration information:

**Complete registration by April 1, 2010 to guarantee a Spring Sprint t-shirt.

**T-shirts are available in the St. Timothy’s School front office to try on for sizes.

• Log onto www.sportoften.com to register online and pay by credit card, or
• Complete an entry form and return it with payment to St. Timothy’s School

Click here for a full Brochure or  Click here for an Entry Form only

Register early to enter for two drawings:

• 1st Drawing will be on Wednesday, March 17: All St. Timothy’s students, faculty and staff who register before 9am on Wednesday, March 17 will be entered into a drawing.  Click here for the list of prizes
• 2nd Drawing will be on Tuesday, March 23: All St. Timothy’s students, faculty and staff who register before 9am on Tuesday, March 23 will be entered into a drawing.  Click here for the list of prizes

To be fair Harris Teeter has done an outstanding job stocking the new store. Along with their full compliment of non-perishables from their distribution centers, the store also stocks an impressive array of fresh food. The produce section is outstanding, and stocks some exotic fruits and vegetables that aren’t typically seen at even high-end grocery stores. A prepared foods bar and salad bar are positioned to rival that seen at Whole Foods, while fresh pizza and made-to-order sandwiches at a reasonable price add some value to the store over others in the area. The fresh breads are superior to Whole Foods, while the cheese and meat counters pale somewhat, but are still outstanding in their own right. This somewhat to be expected for a new store, and it will be interesting to see how the store is stocked once the constant clientele settles in.

That said, the rest of the store is a complete failure, and it goes back to the design stages. In residential real estate older houses blessed with a charming design and strong foundation, but need some cosmetic work are said to have “good bones”. On the other hand there is this Harris Teeter, which will stand for decades as an example of “bad bones”.

Most notable is the two-story design. I am all for breaking paradigms to find new solutions. We didn’t get where we are today without some people taking some risks, and to that, Harris Teeter and Kane Realty are to be commended. This implementation of the vertical big box concept, though, is horrible at best.

The second story hovers over the left half of the store, and contains aisles of housewares, baking goods, cereals, cosmetics, pet foods, and juices. It essentially is all of the stuff that exists in that 3rd, 1/4th of a normal grocery store. The problem, however, is that in order for one to get their cart upstairs, they must use an elevator, which in this instance, is not a glass elevator and only holds two people and two shopping carts. During fairly busy times, there is a line of people trying to get on at the top and the bottom. The design team did not account for this, and did not allocate an adequate space for the queues.

The aisles feel tight. While the central aisles in a store like the Cameron Village store are also tight, the end aisles are wide, and there is a high ceiling. Not so at North Hills. The end aisles are just as narrow as the grocery aisles, the ceiling is low, and there is no natural light entering the space, creating a nightmare for claustrophobic people.

The store did a poor job with signage inside the store. Brown aisle makers with small, beige type are hard to read from the end aisles.

The upstairs section consists of about 7,500 square feet of stock space. One has to wonder of the store would have been better served by a North Hills design that just implemented 8,000 more square feet of space on their footprint. It isn’t like there is a scarcity of land that required this usual design. It would have made an enormous difference in the convenience level for this store.

Second to the disastrous 2-story design is the store’s strange parking-deck-only entrance. The only way to access the store is from the parking garage. Did I mention claustrophobia? While I tend to favor parking garages for their relatively constant temperature and always dry settings, this parking garage design is horribly inefficient and dangerous. There are two stories of the garage that are designated for Harris Teeter shoppers. Cars coming from Six Forks enter the upper level, which is a simple ring with a downramp in the middle. The bombastic lower level is accessed also by the St. Alban’s Drive traffic. All traffic entering the lower level moves in a counterclockwise direction, and there is only one way, one lane out of the deck’s lower level. What happens when some big SUV wants to back out of a space? The entire line of traffic leaving has to wait. What happens when a second car backs out? Urge to kill rises.

To top it all off, before reaching the garage’s exit, this steady stream of exiting traffic makes one final sweep, right by the store’s front doors where the pedestrian concentration is highest. It is a design that is so bad and was so preventable, that is makes me wonder if the architect who is responsible for this should be allowed to stay in his/her profession.

Because the store sits on the ground level of a 7-story apartment building, I was only able to get spotty cell phone and internet service on the store’s main floor, and had absolutely no connectivity on the second floor, where all of the cafe seating is. This is a solvable problem, but a big one as while shopping I like to access my recipes and rolling shopping lists in Evernote as well as call home to check on current pantry inventory.

So what is the shopper’s best plan of attack? During hours that are likely to have light traffic, just park in the lower level. It won’t be that dangerous. During times where the store is likely to be crowded (and this morning is an example of that. The store was far more crowded that the old North Hills store ever was), though, I recommend parking in the upper ring and using the parking lot elevator. This upper ring can be accessed two ways: from the main entrance on Six Forks Rd, and from the State Street entrance. (State street is a little one-block long street off St. Albans, parallel to Dartmouth Drive, perpendicular to St. Albans.)

I also don’t like the store’s placement as it pertains to the entire North Hills development. The North Hills master plan would have been better served by putting this store at the Dartmouth/Six Forks corner, facing St. Albans with its back to Six Forks. The store could have been the base for a very functional, attractive building that would join the flow of the existing North Hills to the new East. As it stands now, one of the major advantages to living in The Alexan, an accessible grocery store, is gone.

I fear for the store’s future as I have heard nothing but thumbs down so far. Judging by the people I overheard and talked to in the store, most ITB shoppers will go to the Harris Teeters at Glenwood Village and Cameron Village, as well as the big, nearby Kroger. Those to the north are most likely to use this HT store, but that is not the demographic this particular store aims to reach. It is a BIG problem that the boys in Charlotte will have to address (most likely by eventually removing all of the labor-intensive, short-life fresh-cooked items that make the store special). As it stands now, the architects picked by Kane have done a great disservice to not only the Harris Teeter corporation, but also the residents in the North Hills region of Raleigh.

That store location, the one that has fed me for most of my life, closes at 6pm tonight. With it go many memories: watching the live lobster tank, shouting on the store PA from my child’s seat, the Long Island woman singing about bagels (whatever those are!) on the P.A., racing out to the parking lot to repark our car that had drifted away in neutral, and meeting employees who would become close personal family friends. The memories aren’t just the old ones, either. The Indian store manager has been one of my little girl’s favorite retail personalities. (He, incidentally, is moving back to the Glenwood Village location). The store, while not stocking the wide range we have all had the luxury of knowing in the modern era, was still great for staples and extremely convenient.

Tomorrow everything changes. A new, 48,000 square foot Harris Teeter will open across the Mississippi (Six Forks Road) literally in North Hills East’s parking garage. The store is two-stories, but don’t worry about that second level. It reportedly will contain coffee, flowers, and gift cards. (How long until they recognize that sales of those items will be non existent, and move more necessary household items up there?). The stock from the Lassiter location will be divided among 12 different Harris Teeter locations. Managers and their staff will come in and take an aisle-a-piece in order to distribute the merchandise and offer North Hills customers a turnkey experience during the transition.

Much like the closing of the Cardinal Theatres, the closing of a grocery store in old North Hills Plaza means the end of an era for North Raleigh. Perhaps the store will be filled with books in the moderate future. Perhaps it will be something equally serviceable. What it won’t be is food, and it will never quite be the same. As they say, “the only constant is change”.

Kane kindly responded that wheels were already in place for a very similar project, which was a huge relief to my family. The letter became the seed for the Raleighing.com project, but has not made an appearance on gogoraleigh. So, to celebrate gogo’s 2nd birthday, here is what started the whole blogging thing for me:

September 7, 2001

Dear Mr. Kane:

I am ecstatic that you are interested in redeveloping the North Hills Mall property. I grew up in the mall’s back yard and always felt that it could do more for our area. It is GOOD to have local ownership again!

I am troubled by the recent events with Neal Coker’s Oberlin project, and fear the same from some of the similarly short-sighted neighbors of mine in the North Hills subdivision. When I hear of residents intending to treat the 100-foot buffer like a forest preserve, I worry that logic is being trampled by an emotional fear of change. North Hills Mall is a dump, and it is time to put something there that makes Raleigh a better place to live.

One of the most cherished locations in the Triangle is Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street. It amazes me that more people haven’t tried to recreate that feel with other commercial properties. The area is pedestrian-friendly, slow-moving, and tree-lined. Unfortunately several developers in the area have blown opportunities to create another charming destination by choosing to slap down big boxes and a sea of parking spaces. A trip out Capital Boulevard reveals countless instances of uninspiring, faceless properties that will offer Raleigh no benefit in 20 years. You have the chance to develop a project that will shine over all of those anonymous boxes.

Enclosed is map of the property. I have no idea if it is even close to scale, nor do I know if the buildings portrayed are a workable size. I am a dentist and admittedly have NO CLUE how much square footage of rentable space it will take to make this work, nor do I understand any existing contracts, zoning laws, or current environmental issues concerning the property! However, this is an idea that can be far more charming and successful than the laughably-neon Cameron Village.

The concept basically extends Currituck and Dartmouth into the property and adds one street that extends from the back side of the existing plaza straight through the mall property. In this example the street is named after Isaac Hunter, whose land was near this property. Of course, all existing buildings on the mall portion of the property will be demolished.

The project incorporates two peripheral, yet convenient parking decks, a large hotel, and 13 buildings of varying sizes and functions:

Buildings A-D: This is the heart of the village. The intent here is to recreate a slightly urban version of the intersection of Franklin and Columbia Streets in Chapel Hill. The existing driveway contains the tree-lined vista that could be the cornerstone to the urban-town feel. All four of these buildings should have street-level shops and restaurants.

Building C is interesting. Its triangular shape can actually make it an architectural centerpiece of the project. It’s presence could easily be felt from the beltline, and would be a natural home to a business wanting to display its name on the South side of the building (a la Ernst & Young’s Highwoods presence). All of these buildings could be from 3-10 stories, yet still maintain the charm found on Franklin St. The street isn’t the only place a marquee restaurant could be found. Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill has been a remarkable 3^rd story success. A similar restaurant could easily be perched high on building C (as shown) or building B.

Buildings A, E, G, F – These are more street-level shops, especially buildings A and E. G and F could be whatever is needed from Barnes and Noble to a multiscreen theatre (which ought to be named The Cardinal!).

Buildings I, J, K – These are more street level shops with condos upstairs. Two-story condos above the street-level shops featuring rear balconies overlooking the beltline might be a big hit.

Building H – This could be a big-box store such as Target, Best Buy, or J.C. Penney. Since none of these stores really fit in the urban setting, this secondary location would work perfectly.

Building L – More street-level shops with offices or condos upstairs. This is the current location of the U.S. Post Office building.

Building M – Existing shopping plaza with storefront parking.

Hotel – The hotel could be something as nice as a Ritz-Carlton. Something on the order of 6 to 9 stories would work well. A hotel of this caliber would have a restaurant of regional stature, a rooftop pool on the back, and would make the North Hills project a focal point for travelers to the entire Triangle. The front door and driveway would be on the Hunter St. face of the building, and the alley between the hotel and building B would offer quick access to the parking deck for valet parking. The hotel would have a second floor access to the parking deck.

Parking Decks – Certainly some street-level parking can be offered throughout just as it is in some areas of Franklin Street. Parking Decks are located within a block of anyone’s destination, and should be easily accessible from these locations. Entrances to the D/H deck could be from Hunter St. and directly from Six Forks Rd. The main exits could be onto Dartmouth and Six Forks Roads. The B/Hotel parking deck could be accessed from an alley between B and the Hotel (for hotel customers only), from Currituck, or directly from Lassiter Mill Road. A pedestrian tunnel from the B/Hotel deck directly to building C can provide safe, sheltered, easy access for employees in the C tower. The tunnel could also be used by shoppers who want to cross Dartmouth safely. It is this kind of easy access (from parking to storefront) that will make North Hills a viable shopping destination.

What will make the D/H Deck really shine is a pedestrian bridge crossing Dartmouth over to building G. This would reduce the pedestrian traffic in the fast-paced entry segment of Darmouth and, if designed with charm, can be a fantastic gateway to the project from Six Forks Rd.

Parking around buildings I, J, K, L, and M should be diagonal storefront parking such as that found on Fairview Rd. approaching Five Points. Residents of buildings I, J, and K could park on the back side of those buildings.

Traffic Circle – There is a traffic circle at Hunter and Dartmouth. A large fountain or sculpture in the middle of the circle could act as yet another symbol for the project. Actually a circle could keep traffic flowing better than a signal if estimations of the Hillsborough Street renovations are correct. Also notice that the flat faces of buildings A and C compliment each other, as do the notched faces of buildings B and D. This architectural balance adds to the intensity of the center’s focus. Imagine the sense of place one would feel sitting at a sidewalk café in building B’s notch!

Service Access – All trucks could be restricted to Currituck Street and the alley between E and F. This should provide adequate access to all buildings quite well while providing a pedestrian-friendly, truck-free zone on Hunter and Darmouth.

The two biggest political problems will be the approval by those residents on Lassiter Mill Road and the overall traffic impact. Putting the main height of the project across Lassiter Mill Road should help minimize the impact on neighbors. If neighbors object to the hotel’s location, building D and the Hotel could be swapped, as long as the Dartmouth/Hunter face of the hotel still contains street-level shops and restaurants. (The main garbage collection area could be placed adjacent to Lassiter Mill Rd. if the neighbors complain about the possibility of a hotel!)

Traffic flow should not be a problem. Because this is a truly mixed-use development, there should be no particular swell in traffic like that seen on Capital Blvd in the afternoon. Offices and stores will cause much traffic during the day, while restaurants, bars, and movies tend to generated nighttime traffic. Because tenants of the project will be generating a mix of traffic flow throughout the day, the distribution of the traffic load will be even. This project will actually be safer than the existing situation because the additional traffic signal at Hunter and Lassiter Mill would reduce the accesses to Lassiter Mill Road in that area from the current 3 to 2.

There is growing resentment in the Triangle concerning the proliferation of strip-mall lined arteries. Several Durham residents already resent the plan for The Streets at Southpoint because they feel it will mock the struggling Downtown Durham. The North Hills project is different. It is not on virgin land, and it introduces a mature, eroding area to a more responsible use of land. If the project is architecturally charming, it could easily win over the hearts of Raleigh residents.

Regardless of what plan is enacted we will be excited to see the continuing progress at North Hills. Good luck!

I am certainly more out of touch with Crabtree than ever, but I can only think of Hudson Belk, Kanki, Merle Norman, and the Hallmark store as being the only remaining original tenants in their original spaces. Is there one I’m missing?