Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates

Category: Glenwood South (Page 8 of 14)

Why the West Won!

December 13, 2012 /

When my husband and I decided to buy a condo in downtown Raleigh, we wanted a building with concrete construction and double walls for noise control (drywall, insulation, air space, insulation, drywall) and a pool. During the summer of 2007, after shopping around and doing our homework, we were thoroughly impressed with The West.  The West has 8-inch concrete in the floor and ceiling with double walls between units and the heated pool is on the rooftop. There are no units overlooking the pool so you don’t have people watching you from above and you don’t have to worry about disturbing your neighbors when cranking the tunes and getting rowdy. So the pool is open 24/7!  The Community Room and the Fitness Center, also located on the rooftop, has free Wi/Fi (great for working poolside-lol!), tv, music, full kitchen, and a gas grill-great place to hang out and have social events.

The West has great floor plans-good design and utilization of space.  We love our corner unit with the master suite separate from the main living area, the private balcony, and the huge windows providing lots of light and fabulous views-it is the best kind of art!

The Glenwood Agency real estate agents were friendly, knowledgeable about the building and downtown, helpful, NOT pushy, highly respectable, and professional. They made buying the condo easy, fun, and exciting.

I asked my neighbors why they selected The West. Here is what they had to say:

• Prime location, close to Glenwood Avenue.
• Feeling of safety due to building security and doorman.
• Two parking spaces and covered parking.
• Younger/more fun crowd.
• Easy to get in/out for work.
• Basement storage.
• Best value for the money.
• Building’s quality.

The West is an urban, dynamic place to live and that is WHY THE WEST WON!

[Article Reposted from July 2009]


 

“Generation Rent” pushing demand for Downtown apartments

July 5, 2012 /

You’ve probably noticed the constructions sites that have sprung up everywhere you look in downtown, from Cameron Village to St Mary’s, to Hillsborough Street.  Having seen past booms that saturated the market with too much office space, too many spec homes and condos that sat empty, some are questioning the wisdom of developers who have jumped into the present apartment building craze.  Here is some perspective for the next time this comes up in a conversation with other downtowners…

This time is different!

Developers and the banks behind them are not taking risky bets this time.  Developers are focusing only on rental units, catering to ‘Generation Rent’.  And Raleigh is part of a national trend, as downtowns have begun growing faster than suburbs for the first time in 100 years!

Rents will not be cheap given downtown land prices, but unit sizes are smaller (lots of one bedrooms), and most important – no downpayment required!  After seeing the generation before them loose so much equity in their homes, renting appeals to young professionals who want more freedom and mobility.

Many of the apartment buildings underway (or planned) fall into the 5-6 story category, which keeps building cost per square foot down compared to taller buildings.  And they’re also mostly located on the periphery of downtown, where land prices are a bit more reasonable.

The one big exception is the recently announced Skyhouse Apartments, which is 23 stories and located in the heart of Downtown’s Raleigh’s business district.  It’s too soon to see if others will follow this lead and bring out more ambitious projects, but it’s worth noting that Charter Square  after some time is finally being actively leased.

Late last year this blog included a post on the planned apartment projects in or near downtown Raleigh.  So how are these projects coming along six months later?

Recently announced

 .
Started construction
.
Active – construction not yet started
.
No activity?

 

If you have any updated information on any of these projects or ones we may have missed, please let our readers know.

Downtown investment is key to keeping taxes down while supporting Raleigh’s population growth

April 1, 2012 /

Underutilized tract of land - northeast Glenwood South

Joe Minicozzi, a new projects manager of a firm which drove the revitalization of downtown Asheville has taken his show on the road, convincing other cities:

If you’ve got underutilized buildings in your downtown, do anything you can to fix them up, because that’s where your wealth comes from.

The bottom line is that per acre, high density areas have the potential to generate much more public wealth than low-density subdivisions or massive suburban malls.  Taking into consideration the revenue they bring in, downtowns cost considerably less to maintain in public services and infrastructure.

Growth in low density development works like a pyramid scheme. 

Low density development isn’t just a poor way to make property-tax revenue, it’s extremely expensive to maintain.  In fact, it could only be feasible if we’re expanding development at the periphery into eternity, forever bringing in revenue from new construction, helping to pay for the existing subdivisions we’ve already built.

It would take 600 single-family homes on a 150-acre subdivision to equal the tax base of the 30-story Wells Fargo Capitol Center downtown.  And it sits on 1.2 acres of land.

This simple math is important for residents to understand, and particularly for those still hesitant to support investments in public transit.

Transit authorities are currently holding public forums to inform residents about the Wake County Transit Plan, and to build local support for its approval.  Improved availability of public transit is a critical part of the infrastructure necessary to encourage higher density development and attract more residents to live in urban areas like downtown Raleigh.

Higher density development downtown keeps taxes low.

This is the simple message for all those who complain that the city is investing too much inside the belt line or in downtown Raleigh.

And while Raleigh has not been as hard hit as other cities, property values and their associated tax revenues have fallen.  By utilizing the economics of land use, Raleigh can continue to grow and avoid the need to raise taxes or cut city services.

 

Information included in the post taken from an article posted in the online publication from <www.theatlanticcities.com>.

The Simple Math that Can Save Cities From Bankruptcy

One Month to Weigh-in on Plans for Capital Blvd Corridor

March 19, 2012 /

The opening statement of the Capital Blvd Corridor Study Report describes it as “the most travelled and least-loved gateway into Downtown Raleigh.” Now is the time to consider options that will make this road system into an entranceway that invites a more pleasant, pedestrian and commuter friendly gateway into Downtown.

The city has just issued its updated vision and recommendations for the corridor, and opened a one month public comment period.

  • Download the report here.
  • Ways to submit comments listed here.

It’s a 65 page report, so I’ve identified some of the key items likely to be of most interest for residents who live, work or play in the northern end of Downtown Raleigh, in and around the Peace Street Corridor.

Capital Blvd Interchange at Peace Street

The present speed limit and design of the roadway make it difficult to safely access businesses adjacent to the southern end of Capital Blvd, and for pedestrians within the Peace Street corridor.

Recommendation: Integrate this area with the urban grid by extending Johnson Street and Harrington Streets as a “quadrant roadway interchange”. Reference page 30 in the report.

Devereux Park

Devereux Meadow

The area on the northwest corner of Peace Street and Capital Blvd was once a baseball stadium, and until recently the home of the City’s Solid Waste Services Department.  The adjacent West Street is “off the beaten path” with very little car and pedestrian traffic.

Recommendation: Create a new park and greenway trail straddling a restored Pigeon House Branch at Devereux Meadows between Wade and Peace Streets.  Reference page 44 in the report.

 

Recommendation: Extend West Street north to Wake Forest Road to create a local access street that would run adjacent to the park and form an alternative route into Downtown Raleigh.

Future Residential / Business Growth

This road configuration promises a huge impact on the growth of the northern end of Downtown. By improving the infrastructure of access roads, the city can both restore vitality to an area that is presently under-utilized and support centers of commerce like Seaboard Station.  Case in point is the current State of Seaboard Station.

Recommendation: Facilitate pedestrian and bicycle access and improve traffic safety along the Peace Street Corridor.  Reference the associated Peace Street Visioning Study.

I applaud the city for acknowledging the need for “significant changes to the infrastructure of the corridor, not just land use policies.”

Take the time to read through this important report.  The study’s recommendations will truly shape the walking and biking accessibility of Downtown residents to local businesses,  with the first cluster of projects labelled the “downtown express” (page 51).

In my view, restoring the Peace Street intersection to the grid is a necessary first step to creating a new Capital Blvd.

Previous DLA blog posts relating to Capital Blvd:

Peace Street Corridor: Picture a “complete street” with a new park and greenway connections

Re-Imagining Capital Boulevard

Pigeon House Branch, A ‘New” Downtown Raleigh Waterway

Glenwood South’s Northeast Corner – Frontier of Possibility

Peace Street Corridor: Picture a “complete street” with new park and greenway connections

December 11, 2011 /

Anyone who has traveled by foot, car or bike along Peace Street near the interchange with Capital Boulevard knows the difficulty of navigating this congested area.  There’s no question that it’s badly in need of a make over.  Good news!  There are plans underway to not just fix problems, but to transform this northern end of Downtown Raleigh into an attractive, vibrant place to live, work and play.

What starts with required bridge replacements over Peace Street, ends up driving a huge redevelopment opportunity with a new city park.

Here’s what’s in store.

 

It all starts with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) replacing the “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete” Peace Street bridge.  Built in 1948, the bridge is nearing its useful life, so this action is unavoidable.  A public hearing on the bridge replacement project is planned for fall 2012, with construction projected to start in 2016.

Roundabout OptionIn conjunction with replacing the bridge, there is an urgent need to rethink the the interchange with Capital Boulevard, which carries 54,000 vehicles per day, forecasted to increase to 77,000 vehicles.  Various new loops are being considered, including using roundabouts.


In reworking the vehicle interchange, the new NCDOT policy “complete streets” requires new street designs to accommodate all users, including pedestrians and bicycles.  So while pedestrians and bikers navigate this area at their own risk today, in the future they’ll be able to take advantage of the new Downtown greenway connection.   
 

 

This downtown area is set to become a link to the greenway system and hub for rail stations.

We talked about the 3-mile greenway that will connect the Crabtree Creek Greenway and the Downtown in our previous post Re-Imagining Capital Boulevard.  Here is a map of a proposed route.

This area of Peace Street is also featured prominently in the city’s rail plans, as the location for both commuter and light rail stations.  The commuter rail station is to be located at Peace Street (Seaboard), and the light rail (Government station) would be located on nearby Harrington Avenue.
   
Now consider adding a park!  

      

Devereux ParkDid you know that Devereux Meadows, located on the area bounded by North West Street, Peace Street and Capital Boulevard, was once a minor league baseball field?  Today the area, where development is limited by the fact that it sits on a flood plain, is used by the city to park their waste services trucks and other utility vehicles.  But the city agrees that this under-utilized area is perfect for an urban park, featuring a restoration of Pigeon House Branch waterway.  Imagine a new downtown waterway with the new greenway running alongside. 

 

Once transformed, the area will become a magnet for redevelopment.

 

This new pedestrian-friendly area with nearby transit and green space will become very attractive for redevelopment.  The Peace Street Visioning Study laid out some ideas for high density redevelopment, including the realignment of Harrington Street to intersect with Peace Street and create new development lots.

 

The adjacent area along the northern end of West Street is also prime for redevelopment.  In addition to running alongside the new “Devereux Park”, the City Planning Department has identified West Street to become a future north-south connector into the city and major link to Union Station.  Plans include the realignment of North West Street to favor development north of Peace Street, extending the street to Fairview Road.

 

And finally, we can also imagine the Peace Street Corridor transformation becoming a driver to spark the redevelopment of the adjacent area on Glenwood South’s northeast corner. We talked about this “Frontier of Possibility” in a previous blog post.

This is just one more example of how Raleigh city government, residents and businesses are shaping the quality of Downtown life.  As a resident, I look forward to walking with my granddaughters on this greenway, feeding ducks in Pigeon Creek, and popping on the light rail to have a bite of lunch.  I look at the view from my condo terrace at 510 Glenwood and feel excited about all I know is coming.

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