![\"Remote](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/remoteop1-771x371.jpg\")
<\/a>James Borden \/ Raleigh Public Record<\/p>
Remote Operations Center site<\/p><\/div>\n
Another major project, the $71 million\u00a0Critical Public Safety Facility<\/a>,\u00a0is scheduled to break ground nearby at the corner of North Raleigh Boulevard and Brentwood Road. Current plans have the facility opening in March of 2016, which is expected to cost about $900,000 a year to operate.<\/p>\n Work will also begin on the first phase of downtown\u2019s\u00a0Union Station<\/a>, planned for West Martin Street. The city is funding $6 million of the $66.25 million project. Phase one will relocate passenger rail service from the Cabarrus Street station to the Dillon Supply Company Warehouse.<\/p>\n While later stages of the project will enable Union Station to also serve as the city\u2019s central bus hub, it is unlikely the facility will be able to replicate the unique beauty and alluring aromas that are synonymous with present-day hub Moore Square.<\/p>\n Drivers should keep an eye out for the 10 major street improvement projects scheduled for FY 2015, ranging from the $150,000 renovation of New Hope Road to the $13.8 million widening of Mitchell Mill Road. Perhaps most significant, downtown denizens will now have the option of heading both west and east on Jones and Lane streets thanks to a $1 million two-way conversion of the roads.<\/p>\n The previously\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0upon and long-gestating Lower Longview Lake Dam project is set to receive the $1.8 million in funding required to rehabilitate the area. The project will increase the dam\u2019s capacity and re-open Albermarle Avenue, which was closed due to a structural failure in the dam.<\/p>\n James Borden \/ Raleigh Public Record<\/p> File: October 2013. Reporter Ariella Monti and Gloria Putnam walk down the closed portion of Albemarle Drive at the east end of the Longview Lake Dam.<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, that was one big Legends of Zelda reference. And no, I won\u2019t apologize.<\/p>\n Updates to the Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\/Baskin Robbins on Capital Boulevard just north of the 440 interchange has led to the store\u2019s temporary closure, forcing its regulars to travel a grueling mile and a half down the road to the chain\u2019s nearest location.<\/p>\n Journeys to the Crabtree Mall made by shoe-shoppers hoping to Payless for some serious Footaction will soon have a new option in the form of Zumiez, a shop that appears to specialize in skater shoes, most of which will likely be found buried in the dark recesses of their owner\u2019s closets and Footlockers upon graduating from high school.<\/p>\n A resident of the Five Points neighborhood is spending about $8,000 for a shingle replacement project; it is unknown at this time whether the shingle damage is related to the bear sighting from earlier this week. Police have set out a series of honeypots and picnic baskets in hopes of capturing the unctuous, urban Ursidae, but to no avail.<\/p>\n A new front has opened up in the never-ending battle between man and gravity, this time in the North Raleigh townhome development of Highland Creek. Taw Development Inc. is paying Sitescapes LLC almost $900,000 to construct a series of retaining walls, which allow for artificial grading of the land by preventing the retained material \u2013 dirt, mostly \u2013 from giving in to gravity\u2019s seductive ways.<\/p>\n Coming Soon<\/strong> The first was zoning case\u00a0Z-12-14<\/a>,\u00a0which would allow an existing bail bonds business to continue operating; it is currently in violation of zoning regulations. The case was explored earlier and in more depth by the Committee of the Whole, and after hearing a report, the Commissioners voted to recommend that City Council approve the rezoning.<\/p>\n The second item, master plan amendment TC-2-14, dealt with\u00a0sign restrictions<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Unified Development Ordinance<\/a>, both of which have become issues of contention in recent months. The amendment allows for signage amendments at the staff level, and Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval.<\/p>\n![\"union_station_layout\"](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/union_station_layout-771x498.jpg\")
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\nHappening Now-Ish<\/strong>
\nThe city issued permits last week for the six-story, 203-unit Link Apartments at Glenwood South, located in the heart of Raleigh\u2019s Hyrulian district. \u00a0Designed by Cline Design Associates, the wood-framed structure has, oddly enough, not adopted the Triforce as its signature logo. However, a grungy, bearded old man will wait in the lobby, warning residents before they leave that \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous to go alone!\u201d<\/p>\n![\"link2\"](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/link2-771x354.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"zelda\"](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/zelda-336x231.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"dunkin1\"](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/dunkin1-771x514.jpg\")
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\nIn the shortest Planning Commission meeting of this column\u2019s tenure \u2013 it ran for less than 10 minutes \u2013 Commissioners managed to address three issues in near-record time.<\/p>\n