Raleigh’s Urban Design Center will be moving out of its current location and heading down the street to the Briggs Hardware Building.
The center has been located in the Masonic Temple Building on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett streets since 2006. Empire Properties, the owner of the building, has opted not to renew the city’s lease.
Empire Properties’ Andrew Stewart confirmed that NewBridge Bank will be opening a full-service branch in that space. According to a NewBridge Bank press release, the branch is due to open at the end of the year.
The center will be moving into its new location on the second floor of the Brigg’s Hardware Building by the end of the summer.
“It seemed to be a good fit,” said Gregg Pollard, the city’s real estate services manager.
The building is in a prominent downtown location, which Pollard said would continue to provide easy access for the public.
The city recently entered into an agreement to take over daily operations of the Raleigh City Museum, which is located on the first floor and in the basement of the Briggs Building. Pollard said that while the city didn’t purposely choose the location because of the museum takeover; he said there is potential for the two departments to share some common space.
The move would also offer the city some savings. Pollard said that the city currently pays $17.73 a square foot, whereas the city will pay about a dollar less in the Briggs Building.
The all-inclusive lease will start at $60,159 for the first year and escalate to about $67,709 in the fifth year of the lease.
The Urban Design Center is responsible for planning and designing a better built environment for the city. Urban planners in the center work with the public to discuss Raleigh’s design future.
