After learning how WFH-heavy our region is, I’m hopeful that all the new units coming online will help with this.
Anecdote time: my wife and I (we both work form home 100% of the time) went to work at the new Sir Walter Raleigh location with a friend (100% WFH) who lives in 511 Faye. As the day wore on we became a sort of informal impromptu coworking group as our friend invited various other people she’s made friends with who also live at 511 Faye who also WFH from between 1-5 days a week. And lots of other people I have met who live downtown seem to have a similar schedule (1-5 days WFH per week).
I still hopeful that more employers will move or stay downtown. But if Raleigh retains this many WFH jobs in the long term, it may not be strictly necessary for downtown’s daytime businesses to thrive. The new Sir Walter location seems pretty dang busy every time I have walked by, day or night.