Development Beat: Renovation Roundup

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James Borden

3915 Western Blvd

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Build

Friday, July 15, 2016

First listed for sale last summer, the former home of Brewmasters (and Cherry Bomb and Joe’s Place) at on West Martin was the site last week of an ABC Inspection for the site’s newest tenant, the Parkside restaurant.

As reported in the News & Observer last week, the new restaurant will be run by a longtime Sullivan’s Steakhouse manager, Todd Henderson who also worked for a time at Greg Hatem’s Sitti. His three years there was a likely influence on his decision to bring on as Parkside’s chef Matt Scofield, a former executive chef at Sitti.

Henderson told the N&O that Parkside will be a “gastropub with an upscale menu that is approachable and affordable.” Now that the ABC Inspection has been completed, the restaurant should be able to open by the end of August.

Also receiving its ABC Inspection last week was a new WingStop at 4531 New Bern Avenue, a site that previously housed a Quizno’s sub shop. As we noted last month when the renovation permits were issued, switching from a Quizno’s to a WingStop is a pretty serious upgrade, so them serving booze is just icing on the cake for locals eager for a new eatery.

Speaking of booze, the Lincoln Brewing Company will apparently be opening a new bottle shop in the Planation Point Shopping Center on Capital Boulevard near the intersection with I-540. The shopping center, which now houses everything from BJ’s Wholesale and Petco to a Dollar Tree and a Lifetime Fitness, also hosts a year-round farmers market every Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Just before the farmers market,a  weekly, free Yoga class is held from 8am-9am in one of the storefronts.

LIncoln Brewing Company

LIncoln Brewing Company

The work on the new Lincoln Brewing Company shop, which will occupy an 8,926 square-foot space, will cost $200,000 and be done by Waddell Industrial Services out of Angier.

Those who’d rather smoke than drink their problems away should be excited to learn that a new Hookah Shop is coming to 3915 Western Boulevard, not far from the site of a former Pizza Hut turned AAA Auto Center.

3915 Western Blvd

James Borden

3915 Western Blvd

Funny thing about this site: on Monday I started a new series about vacant/empty sites that seemed prime for development, and 3915 Western Boulevard was actually one of the places I’d planned to write about. Formerly home to the Triangle Vineyard Center, the building has sat empty for what appears to be quite some time; the small lot in front cracked and overgrown.

When I was out there taking pictures, someone came over and asked if they could help me. In all the time I’ve been doing this column and going out taking pictures businesses and buildings around Raleigh, I’ve only been hassled twice. First time was at the new Greyhound Station, where one of the employees went absolutely ballistic about my being on “private property.”

This was the second. I have no idea who the guy was, but if he’d had a bit part in a movie, it would’ve been as “Mobster #4” or “Tough Guy #2.”  I think what had really bothered him was the way I’d pressed the camera right up against the glass so I could get some shots of the interior. Oh well.

After explaining myself three or four times, I finally just said, Well, let me get out of your hair and backed away. It was the first time something resembling a smile crossed his face, although it was almost as intimidating as his angry face.

Not that I blame him. Running across some weirdo snooping around taking pictures of vacant buildings is enough to make anyone a little testy.

Taking this picture almost got me beat up, probably

James Borden

Taking this picture almost got me beat up, probably

While an old Facebook post seems to indicate the Fellowship shut its doors last August, we did notice another nearby building with the same signage, but at that point the main focus was on fleeing. The fellowship was listed online as both a food pantry and a homeless shelter; and archived version of its website is pretty sparse on the specifics, but here’s how they described themselves:

What we do as a church isn’t just with our own two hands; our hearts are engaged. We serve God and our community with our heart, body, soul, mind, and whatever resources we might have on hand. We believe that what we do is ministry — not just charity. We want to facilitate people meeting with God. We want to serve. Come and see what this looks like! 

Work on the 2,430 square-foot space will be handled by AAC Construction Services for the surprisingly low price of $92,000.

Before we move on, a quick disclaimer: the tenant and work description both peg this place as a Hookah Lounge, but another note on the permit refers to this as “Wings Over Raleigh.”

My money’s on a Hookah Lounge, but we like to cover all our bases. During my stammering explanation outside 3915 Western with a guy whose name I can only assume was Sal, he mentioned that the owner “had plans” for the property, but he wouldn’t tell me what they were. Sal looked like he had some plans for me, too, plans involving brass knuckles, a baseball bat and a dark alley. That’s why I fled!

There were only two other projects of interest from last week: barbershop renovations for Eilte Styles Barbershop at 1100 North Raleigh Boulevard, and the conversion of former offices at 114 South Person into classrooms for the Longleaf School.

The Elite Styles job for the renovation of a 1,400 square-foot space at the Raleigh Boulevard Plaza, will be done by Sigmon Construction for $75,000. The Longleaf School project, for the 4,175 square-foot space on South Person, will be done for $37,242 by American Enterprises.