The other properties nearby…
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Please tell me they are not planning to destroy those 2 fantastic historic homes next to Wye Hill??!!!
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Indeed, they are. Indeed.
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No they’re replacing 2 dilapidated old homes with housing for a couple hundred people.
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They’re not in pristine condition, but certainly salvageable. And the quality of construction and materials can’t be found in most modern buildings.
Not to mention these houses provide multiple units of workforce housing for people who likely work in the downtown service industry. Those units aren’t being replaced. And we wonder why the service industry is having a hard time hiring.
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Ironically, from the article:
“The company also owns 118 S. Boylan Ave. across the street and 115 St. Mary’s St. Plans for those properties have yet to be finalized, but Coleman said they are hoping to bring workforce housing – in the form of apartments – to those sites, as more and more lower income people are pushed out of downtown amid rising housing costs.”
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I hope they stick to it. We’ll see.
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In this developers defense, from that TBJ article, they do state that the next phase of their plans for the surrounding blocks includes “workforce housing” and they directly state in the article:
Plans for those properties have yet to be finalized, but Coleman said they are hoping to bring workforce housing – in the form of apartments – to those sites, as more and more lower income people are pushed out of downtown amid rising housing costs.
“Everyone loves living in downtown Raleigh, and we do too. Our offices have been here all this time,” Coleman said. “We love all the great things that are happening. We also recognize that those things won’t keep happening if everyone has to live 35 miles away to do their jobs – from waiters and cooks to cashiers.”
Now, I will believe this when I see it, because how many times have we seen “we want to bring affordable housing” only to get… $1500/mo studio apartments instead lmao
EDIT: @GucciLittlePig beat me to it!
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Exactly. I feel like the terms “workforce” and “affordable” are subjective and not well-defined in terms of housing. But I hope that the developer is serious because the people who currently reside at these properties contribute to making downtown what it is.
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“Workforce”…translation: has a job.
That leaves a lot of room for “affordability”………meanwhile demolishing 2 historic mansions that could be saved and made into fantastic restaurants for instance…….here’s to hoping they will have them moved and restored like the State buildings.
I can guarantee with 100% certainty that these homes are in better condition than most of those were.
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Exactly! These homes are Sooo fantastic that knowone decided to keep them up smh, I rode by there today they look like complete trash, if they were keeped up I might be singing a new tune, but there not, so either move them or bring on the wrecking ball.
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This building reminds me of St. Mary’s Sq apartments
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Better…thank you for the picture!
I really like how they “raised” the road in this photo…lol 
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Let’s hope that it’s actually better than that!
Wait so there’s going to be a gap between this lot and block 83’s phase 3 lot?
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Yes, 117 Boylan will remain undeveloped for the time being. Don’t look at historical photos if your an old home architecture fanatic.
Here it is either way:
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Ugh, so the two cool old houses and the existing retail are all being torn down for two separate projects, but the overgrown empty lot is remaining undeveloped?!
I’m mostly okay with both projects, but that is a poor outcome.
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My house was “dilapidated” too before I fixed it. We can add density without sacrificing history. Also, the building they are proposing is shit. 
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