My biggest issue with the comedy club building is that the one way street all but prevents you from appreciating it when you drive down Morgan. Just as you are getting to it, you have to steer away from it. I think that, because of that, it’s totally under appreciated. The brickwork is really quite nice, with different patterns, corbeling and textures, especially on the central facade.
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Well if this has the same timeline as 400H then Goodnight’s should be around for a long time
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Unfortunately, there appears to be more financing available for this type of project.
I have great memories of the “Old Bar” in the CG basement from the early 90’s. There was a large safe in there and we would do safe diving into the packed crowd.
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Those were the days!
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Alright all; I made a stink about this on my FB page and tagged a bunch of comedy friends, and one notable local comic made a call to the former manager of GN (but still current employee of Helium Comedy, the larger company that owns GN and a few Helium Comedy locations around the country) and she informed him that the idea of selling the GN building has been in talks for a while (we all remember when the idea of developing the parking lot around the building had been brought up), but that the developer that they interviewed in that BizJournal article was only discussing what they could do with the site, but that it’s not necessarily set in stone. Still, the GN owner came to the agreement and is the one that stated they will “continue to operate elsewhere” so it seems like demo of the building is all but guaranteed. However, they apparently still have 4 years left on their lease/contract, so it’s not going anywhere anytime too soon. This gives me a glimmer of hope that if enough of a stink is raised, perhaps we could convince city council and/or the Historic Commission to consider trying to protect this building or at least try to work with the developer to save it. I really don’t want GN to move from that location at all, but even if they still do- I’d still really rather not lose this building. It is nearly 100 years old and still in fantastic shape, there is truly no need to demo it. I really would LOVE to see the surrounding parking lot developed to its fullest potential - absolutely - but there is ZERO reason they can’t do that and just build around the current existing structure.
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What if we crowdsourced a plan that had more units and does not tear down the current building, then we started a community lead rezoning to request that? I believe you can request a rezoning for a building you do not own, but it cost $600. I will donate $60 to that.
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I wonder if the developer isn’t expecting them to move out sooner than that though. Maybe they offered to buy out some portion of Helium’s lease if they move out early. It would be unusual to draw up and submit renderings 4+ years in advance, wouldn’t it?
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Do you know what the current zoning allows? @mike had a pretty damn good idea for a plan that includes a 12 story and a 7 story building 865 W Morgan Street (Goodnight's Comedy) - #52 by mike
I know, that was one of my thoughts too. Those 4 years certainly could be shortened. But just gives a glimmer of hope that this isn’t something that’s happening next week
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I think that sketch that @mike drew up is pretty good. With adding a lot of new residences to that area with minimal new commercial space, the existing commercial spaces along Hillsborough and Morgan will see even more customers keeping those establishments busy. I really hate seeing new commercial spaces sitting empty for years and years before any tenants move in. Let’s maximize what we already have by doubling the current customer base in the immediate area. AND the giant shared parking deck would be a good buffer between the resicnetial buildings and the railroad tracks (and prison beyond) PLUR it would keep the Goodnights building in place 
Win Win Win IMO
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I think the main building is clearly worth saving. Not so sure about the warehouse part of it. They are on separate parcels with currently different owners. And if the apartments get built where will the cars be parked at for visitors to these establishments?
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I thought the TBJ article said they were trying to start site work this quarter.
Correct. It says plan to start site work this quarter and hopes for approval by the summer.
So who do we contact to NOT APPROVE without some conditions - namely, PRESERVING the historic structure?
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Story on WRAL now too
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@ADUsSomeday I don’t really see that as being in the realm of possibility here. The request would be for the developer to start over with a completely different construction type, and building two structures rather than one, which is going to screw up their financials and schedule beyond reason. It would be completely starting over.
The developer probably wants to stick with a single 5-over-1 stick-framed apartment building, and probably doesn’t want to throw their design out the window. What I do wonder is how much of an impact notching the building around the existing structures would have. It’s hard to say if it’s even feasible without a site plan. If they could use 80% of their current drawings but modify the approach at this corner, that to me seems like a more reasonable approach. Even better if they could just move those units around to maintain the number of htem.
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I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for the sort of conversations that likely happened among the developer’s team, among the designers’ team, and between both teams. Assuredly we can’t be the first ones to recognize the value in trying to save that building!
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Well I don’t want to “Keep Raleigh Boring” that why I’ve been for the amusement parks and everything, and a second profesional sports and that’s another topic. But they could’ve maybe demolish and include and new comedy club. Or for example that popped in my head the Greensboro museum where the sit-in happened the actual café is on the second floor instead if the first they could’ve retrofitted the building to keep this iconic nightclub, and added floors if they wanted 40 something stories. But we must remember every major city went through a time where they had to destroy something iconic to get where they are!!!
Does anyone remember back in 2003ish (I think) that Goodnight’s was going to move into the bottom of the parking deck next to Red Hat on Wilmington Street?
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