I think its all tenative until the goal is reached....no credit/debit cards are charged until the goal is met....I believe

1/23/2013 2:35:52 PM

A small part of me wants to give them $1k to hang my bike inside. Thankfully the rest of me is a sane individual.

1/23/2013 7:12:53 PM

DO IT

1/23/2013 7:33:57 PM

Quote :

"The N&O is also reporting that downtown Raleigh is getting another coffee option. Café de los Muertos, a roaster and café that will take up space in the Hue apartment building on West Hargett Street. Look for an opening this summer. Get a peak at them here. "

Good addition to the Warehouse portion of Hargett St.

http://www.cafemuertos.com/

1/25/2013 12:36:22 PM

I can't believe nobody thought to put a coffee shop there before now.

1/25/2013 4:15:58 PM

not downtown, but i do encourage anyone who hasn't visited the Jim Hunt to do so

NC State has truly broke forth in the way a library will be... it's not even done, but the students rolled in and started working (cause, frankly, if you were born past 1992, you don't care about books and you feed from the internet) ...the light alone is amazing at certain parts of the day.. it's really about the way the human and their computer exists in an environment

http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/myhuntlibrary

1/25/2013 6:10:28 PM

also robots bring you books and you cannot understand how many until you go look at the bookbot viewing area

i got a book the other night.. took like no time... irony (alanis is it?) that it was an anthology of science fiction from 1952... no flying cars or jet packs, but damned if a robot didn't search a 20th century area and bring me back an artifact

[Edited on January 25, 2013 at 6:13 PM. Reason : +]

1/25/2013 6:11:06 PM

More interesting news for the warehouse district:

http://www.wral.com/raleigh-guarantees-affordable-housing-for-artists/12024926/

1/25/2013 8:26:25 PM

Cool project, but not in the warehouse district. You confusing E Davie and S East with W Davie and S West.

1/25/2013 10:38:54 PM

They will look back at this in 10 years and think of it as a mistake.

1/26/2013 2:02:54 AM

Who will and why?

1/26/2013 2:12:46 AM

Cup O Jane:

http://cupojane.biz/location.php

1/26/2013 12:18:47 PM

^^^you are right, I saw Davie and warehouse together and it cased some confusion.

Why would anyone regret this?

1/26/2013 12:33:55 PM

Quote :

"Why would anyone regret this?"

Because there is now way to limit it to bohemian artists, so it will turn into more shitty government housing

1/26/2013 12:57:51 PM

Wait, I was thinking West Davie St as well. Nevermind, this will be fine.

Thanks, WolfMiami.

[Edited on January 26, 2013 at 1:57 PM. Reason : ]

1/26/2013 1:54:15 PM

^^^^ bunch of creepy dudes prowling their Facebook, which isn't exactly surprising

1/26/2013 2:27:05 PM

I'm not sure I want that much exposed skin around something I'm going to ingest.

1/26/2013 4:29:21 PM

Kindred boutique is going under after 3 months.

1/26/2013 4:47:34 PM

I am pretty sure Cup-O-Jane is a food truck set up as well. Strange location, but I am guessing they get enough local blue collar workers to walk by and grab a coffee.

1/26/2013 4:50:00 PM

"FrappOjane" should of named it "FappOjane"

1/26/2013 5:22:48 PM

^^^I want to know the reason for Kindred closing down in basically a day's notice. I went to the So & So Poetry reading which was held at Oak City Cycling tonight, and the people from Kindred were there (it was also the "launch" party sorta for Birds LLC press). I think they might have talked about Kindred closing down at the beginning, and I was late so I missed it.

Also:

Quote :

" Because there is now way to limit it to bohemian artists, so it will turn into more shitty government housing"

That's what I was going to bring up in this thread--since they can't discriminate or qualify an "artist," and this is still in a desired area, there's no way it won't just be crummy subsidized housing. I'd be interested in a studio artist focused community but it's just not feasible on the state dime is it?

1/26/2013 11:19:42 PM

I don't think it's feasible as private either, it would require asking questions you are not allowed to ask

1/27/2013 9:09:30 AM

They would have had better luck attracting artists with an art studio and then allowing the community to build up around it on its own.

1/27/2013 10:21:06 AM

Affordable housing doesn't have to be crummy, and is extremely important. Of course, that doesn't mean this won't be crummy, but something shouldn't be written off just because it's affordable housing. As more people continue to move downtown and more "upscale" condos and apartments continue to get built, this will become even more important.

1/27/2013 11:32:25 AM

It will be a great place to buy pot.

1/27/2013 11:45:38 AM

Artists should takeover the projects at S West and S Saunders, those feed a lot of the problems in that southwest corner of the city.

1/27/2013 12:30:05 PM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/24/2631022/downtown-raleighs-former-wachovia.html

Quote :

"RALEIGH -- Within weeks, a New York developer plans to start an $8 million renovation of the 10-story former Wachovia building downtown, aiming to create an entrepreneurial hub similar to American Tobacco Campus in Durham. LRC Opportunity Fund put the long-vacant bank headquarters under contract in November. The building had been on the market since a 50-year lease between Wachovia and the owners of the land expired in January 2011. Howard Lavitt said his firm will start gutting the old financial offices later this month. He’s recruiting entrepreneurial businesses, ranging from software to financial companies, to fill the 110,000 square feet of space. He expects the Fayetteville Street location to be a major selling point, and one that they’ll play up by rebranding the building 227 Fayetteville. LRC will create a more open floor plan that maximizes the building’s windows and offers a modern office dynamic. John Warasila of Alliance Architecture, who designed much of the American Tobacco Campus, is drawing up the plans. High-speed elevators will connect businesses that take up multiple floors. And an underground tunnel already offers a walkway to the Moore Square parking deck, where tenants will lease spaces. They’ll leave the ground floor atrium that once housed a spacious bank branch. The floor will house a mix of retail, office space and possibly a restaurant. “This building is timeless and it can work, whether it’s 1964 or 2024,” Lavitt said, adding that its high-quality materials wouldn’t be affordable in today’s construction market. Outside the building, Lavitt wants to revamp the entrance on Fayetteville Street and partner with the city to design the plazas on each side. On the north side facing the Exchange Plaza building, he envisions a small performing arts stage that could host events. The south side facing First Citizens Bank could have a marketplace with street vendors, he said. LRC thinks the timing is right for the renovation, because the downtown office vacancy rate is around 6 percent and tech firms Red Hat and Citrix are moving in. “There’s a dearth of space in downtown,” Lavitt said. “Raleigh has exhausted its Class A space.” 227 Fayetteville will welcome its first tenants in early 2014. Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/24/2631022/downtown-raleighs-former-wachovia.html#storylink=cpy"

1/28/2013 11:22:15 AM

^great news/great article.

Not sure how much its going to be like the American Tobacco Campus, but I guess the comparison is multiple start up/tech companies sharing one building. Either way, its great news for downtown.

1/28/2013 12:02:59 PM

Quote :

"And an underground tunnel already offers a walkway to the Moore Square parking deck, where tenants will lease spaces."

was not aware of this. really want to check it out now

1/28/2013 12:27:06 PM

Renderings of the renovated building can be found here: http://dtraleigh.com/2013/01/innovate-raleigh-opens-up-227-fayetteville-street-renovations-underway/

1/28/2013 1:34:56 PM

Quote :

"Legally though, Joines can’t limit the complex to artists. “These units will be open to everybody that meets the income criteria,” he explained at a community meeting last week. That means anyone who makes less than 60 percent of the area’s median income can apply."

http://www.midtownraleighnews.com/2013/01/15/22383/will-artists-live-in-stones-warehouse.html

Hmmmmmm

1/29/2013 12:04:47 AM

Quote :

"But community activist Danny Coleman is skeptical. “We see the arts being pimped and there’s no connection to the arts community,” he said."

QFT

Quote :

"Several months ago, Joines and Landmark offered the city $350,000 to buy the property, far below the appraised value of $2.4 million. Raleigh leaders decided to pursue a long-term lease instead. The city council was expected to approve the lease terms on Tuesday; the developers would pay $2.6 million over a 99-year period. Joines would invest $6.6 million in the property, restoring buildings that are little more than empty shells. He expects to get $4.1 million in low-income housing credits, $470,000 in historic development credits, and $75,000 from the city’s housing development loan program – with the final $2 million from a private lender."

Does anyone know how that 99 year leasing works? If its not front-loaded like crazy then that is ONE HELL OF A DEAL. (~26k a year).

1/29/2013 8:08:41 AM

Plus, after 30 years they can give up the low-income housing option and watch the property value skyrocket. Seems shady.

1/29/2013 8:26:29 AM

Not technically downtown, but urban nonetheless. Cool rendering of the future 19 story building @ North Hills east.

1/29/2013 1:14:51 PM

That is a very urban parking lot

1/29/2013 1:21:38 PM

OTB Raleigh Revitalization Thread

1/29/2013 1:22:22 PM

Quote :

"Affordable housing doesn't have to be crummy, and is extremely important. Of course, that doesn't mean this won't be crummy, but something shouldn't be written off just because it's affordable housing. As more people continue to move downtown and more "upscale" condos and apartments continue to get built, this will become even more important."

"Affordable" housing exists, just not in highly desirable urban locations. This kind of thing has been tried in hundreds of cities, thousands of times. The units will be filled almost immediately and there will be very little turnover. Who knows what could have been done with this land if it went to the highest bidder, but it's almost guaranteed that the alternative would have generated a ton more tax revenue for the city of Raleigh, and in general, would have contributed more to the city's economy.

An unwise decision that will lead to an inefficient use of the property.

Quote :

"The developers propose acquiring the property from the city for $350,000, below the appraised value of $2.4 million. The project will not be financially feasible unless the city is willing to transfer the property for below market value, Landmark Group president Richard Angino wrote in a letter."

Christ.

[Edited on January 29, 2013 at 1:50 PM. Reason : ]

1/29/2013 1:37:58 PM

North Hills is just the worst

1/29/2013 1:38:02 PM

Attractive buildings (I really like the one that is there already), absurd land use.

1/29/2013 2:51:47 PM

^^,^

amen

1/29/2013 8:22:59 PM

Just out of curiosity, could ^, ^^, and ^^^ expand on why north hills is "the worst", and how it is an absurd land use?

As someone who lived here before, it had deteriorated into a flea mall, and a sprawling area of rent controlled housing. That is literally all that was given up for 500,000+sq feet of office space, 600 rental units, 40 shops, 2 hotels, 17 story tower, target, grocery, etc.

1/29/2013 9:56:53 PM

I agree with ^. Had it not been redeveloped, it would have continued to degrade and the developers would have contributed to the sprawl outside of the outer loop. In my opinion, redevelopment and increase in density is a good thing in pretty much any form.

Not everyone wants to live in a condo downtown, and the real estate between Lassiter Mill and Glenwood Ave is very in demand and well to do. The population that lives in that area generally have obscene amounts of disposable income. North Hills fills a niche in that area.

1/29/2013 10:05:31 PM

it's a modern, glorified strip mall filled with national chain after national chain

just not for me

1/29/2013 10:49:50 PM

^the good news is you have a unique downtown 4 miles away from North Hills if that is what you want. There are also plenty of local stores sprinkled in, but most malls cater to the common tastes, and chain establishments.

I don't love the architecture, but the idea is great. Someday, 20 or 30 years in the future when we have mass transit in the area, areas like this will be hubs/stops linking other dense areas together. This sort of development is so much better than the sprawl we have been supporting as a city for the past 50 years.

1/29/2013 11:16:09 PM

Quote :

"20 or 30 years in the future when we have mass transit in the area"

Weren't people saying this 20 or 30 years ago?

1/30/2013 2:11:14 PM

20 or 30 years from now when we have fuckin' jetpacks and hover cars!

Also, I'm going to Poole's Diner tonight for the first time. All kinds of expectations.

1/30/2013 2:33:52 PM

^ For a first timer I'd say get the royale and the mac & cheese.

1/30/2013 2:40:24 PM

Definitely getting the mac, not sold on the royale. It sounds great and all, but considering how long it's taken me to go there for the first time, wouldn't the experience be better with something I can't really get elsewhere? Something like their rabbit dishes (if they're on the winter menu?) et cetera. Royale sounds great and probably different than Chuck's, but I'm not seeing rabbit confit on many other menus around town. It's an inexpensive entree by comparison... so maybe we'll get it anyway.

Trying not to break the bank, and it's two of us. But yeah, recommendations accepted thoroughly.

1/30/2013 2:52:49 PM

hard to not at least crack the bank while dining there

1/30/2013 2:56:08 PM

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to complain about the price.

1/30/2013 3:00:45 PM