Raleigh has also since built a new highly secured public safety center off of Westinghouse Blvd which houses the 911 Center, IT infrastructure, etc… all of that was supposed to be in the Lightner building…
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Which is why I am hoping for a good combination of office, retail, outdoor pavilion, meeting space for the general public, parking included etc 
The new campus almost has to have retail and plaza space. The downtown plan dictates that that very block do it. If you watch the video of the discussion of the plans for it, they suggest that it will.
If they don’t do it, I think this community has an initiative to speak up and hold them to it. Hargett is a very important retail street. (of the future)
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I realize it’s too late for this, but I had envisioned as a perfect spot, the NCAE site. It would sort of tie together the new Exploris site and the Duke Energy Center. Those two sites will/are very people interactive. I think a municipal campus that is a place where people laze a little is a good thing. Walk through. Eat some ice cream. Toss pennies in a fountain. Philly and Alexandria VA come to mind. That Exploris will be very modern, and Duke is very classical, would make this campus site an excellent candidate for that Hearst Tower/Chrysler Tower style fusion of the two. Space age like. Invoking technology and the future with some vague nod to the past. Alas…
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Not for nothing, but the Exploris builders did say their long-term plans for the site included at least one 20 story building and something they referred to as an “iconic” structure that would welcome people approaching from the south. Here’s the relevant quote from TBJ
City Gateway is also expected to be the first phase of a much larger innovation center that Ferris and his partners foresee for the property in the future. Early schematics for the property show enough space to for a second office tower of 20 to 25 stories high, one or two hotels of up to 400 rooms, and space for what Ferris describes as an “iconic” building to anchor the city’s southern gateway into downtown. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/03/01/plans-renderings-unveiled-for-10-story-downtown.html
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What’s the latest on this? They haven’t broken ground yet, right?
It’s still in committee. Long story short, they need to decide which option to go with and how to phase into the new development. I’m sure it’ll be a slow moving process.
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Doesn’t sound like the 2019 completion date I recently saw is going to be possible.
@PotentialRaleigh Yes. I’ve envisioned something like LA City Hall in downtown Raleigh. Whatever it looks like, it should be grand. Not just another office tower.
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The city council agenda for Tuesday August 21st includes a 11:30 am work session on The Central Campus Project ! The Economic Committee unanimously recommends option # 1 , the 20 story tower plan !
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@nipper.dwight
That’s really good news in my opinion!
Thank you!
Looks like these are the two options for final decision. Interesting that the RMB is staying now for ~10 more years. And the parking garage is staying as is for the time being (they just spent 300k on repairs 3 years ago for maintenance). I kinda like how unique the RMB building is and like the idea of renovating it in the future. (maybe cladding it with blue/green glass mosaic to pay homage to the old Garland Jones buildng). I guess no more mixed use and residential component?
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You never build for at capacity, what a waste of money.
As I said, this area is going to continue to grow for decades, if anyone thinks it will not, your wrong, this is not the Raleigh I moved to in Han 1991, and in 10-20 years, it will be bursting at the seams if you e do not get dense, go above 40-50 on all future development and get mass transit yesterday (canine widen roads anymore, it is rediculous, mass transit options are needed, build it and most wil ride!!)
I would guess that the council is “scared” of being voted out in the next election if they “go to far” or are “too creative”?
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Looked further into the documents. They have replacing the parking deck in phase 2 or 3 of the master plan. They recommend leveraging the land for a developer to build mixed use with a shared parking deck (similar to city’s agreement with Dillon).
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Now that option 1 (20 story City Hall) has all but been officially approved. What will be the next steps? Will the city first have to sell the properties that will fund the project or will the city place a loan and start construction–payment of said loan subject to selling of said properties?
As I understand it, the council will have to issue an RFP for design of the building. They’ll also have to hold a public hearing. I think the council also wants to set up additional opportunities for the public the provide input and they’ll have to decide how to finance the project.
I thought they had already contracted SOM to design the building?
Don’t think so, but I could be wrong. When I watched the video of the council committee (Growth and Economic Development?) that recommended Option 1 to the full council, city staff stated the council would have to issue the RFP for design.
If only there was a building already designed for THAT corner of THAT block… add three floors to the base (for the “public plaza”) and the Lightner Center is a go. OR we can do the Classic Raleigh thing and delay this for another 5 years and then do nothing. UGH. 20 years after I moved here (and left and came back) and the COR is still playing the same games with my hopes and dreams for DTR.