Smoky Hollow Park

If done correctly, and if it was one large project in either a singular building or multiple buildings, it could become one of the most desirable places to live downtown. It is directly across the street from Kane’s project, next door to a new park, and will have killer views as the project ascends the hill on West.

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Indeed, as you imply there were two turning structures. The actual maintenance shop roundhouse was south of Johnson street about where the visitor parking deck is off Salisbury. The uncovered, turntable, is newer, and north of Johnson.

Looking over that design charette plan, I noticed “historic salt barn”. Uh…I am pretty sure that thing was built in like 1990.

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I hear you about the salt barn. Ugh.

That salt barn is historic? That’s the funniest thing that I’ve heard in a long time.

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I know right? There is absolutely no way. I am 99% sure my older coworkers remember it being built in the 90’s. I think some design student saw a barn and assumed it was part of the old Devereaux Meadows field complex (like before the baseball field, back when it was a horse pasture up until about 1900 or so). Alternately, maybe they want to leave some last bit of something so we can remember when the City’s various maintenance departments used this area.

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Yeah, the 90s makes sense. It might even be the late nineties as well. I moved into the Cotton Mill when it was initially renovated in 1996 and I am not sure that it was there then.

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Update on this project, still in the “planning” phase:

The Devereux Meadows Project page provides the following projected schedule:

Summer 2020 - Spring 2021___Construction Documentation and Permitting
Fall 2021___Construction (Likely first of multiple phases)

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Someone traveled back to the future…notice the “last updated” date:

image

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This is going to be such an important project for Smoky Hollow and the north entrance to downtown. I just wish there were better plans for connectivity to Seaboard Station.

Oh, and imagine those 2 ~40 story proposed buildings on either side of Capital. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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If some how the heights to the west were acquired, this would be a fantastic water garden, cascades coming down the hillside!! This would also act nicely to counter act the traffic noise coming from the Capital.

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When I first started looking at the Cotton Mill pre-renovation 25 years ago, I thought that the neighborhood had a ton of potential. FINALLY, a quarter century later, Smoky Hollow is happening. God help us of this park takes another 25 years to actually happen.

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I’d love to see more smoky hollow sized projects in this area. Especially projects with 10+ story buildings

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A bike/ped flyover from Dortch to Halifax Center would be pretty sweet. Fly another huge one over from Blount to Carson and all of sudden you can cover a huge area safely and quickly on a bike with neither tracks nor freeways to contend with.

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It’s been quiet on this thread for awhile, and with all the talk about the future of Dix Park, I would like to rekindle discussion about the planned Devereux Meadows Park. While admittedly the work on the Peace Street bridge impacted the original timeline (attached), I’ve not heard any updates about the park and the associated northern greenway connection to downtown.Devereux park timeline copy

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Wow! It would be nice to see that park completed in little over a year, but I’m not holding my breath. Even if it were delivered in Jan. 2022, that would feel like a win to me.

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The website I looked at showed a different timeframe. Construction in Fall 2021. I wish it were sooner! Here’s the link: https://raleighnc.gov/projects/devereux-meadows-project

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“That being said, the City may revise this vision for the site based on evaluations, findings, and recommendations of the consultant and input from the public.” :grin:

Input -

  • Put in another park just like Pullen Park!
  • Make the stream the focal part
  • Have a train that goes around
  • The Caboose could replicate the one they did in Durham in the American Tobacco Campus

This would be such a great location for a park like Pullen!!!

https://raleighnc.gov/projects/devereux-meadows-project

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My input to the City would be to get going on this, and not wait until Smoky Hollow is done to start 3 years of studies and planning.

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Right?!?
Like how about a preliminary park while we do all the studies…

  • Rip up all impervious surface
  • Stabilize soil and grade
  • Throw down grass seed mats
  • Once grass grows in, open to the public!.

Put up a sign that says: Enter at own risk. We haven’t studied this to death yet, so if you get radiation sickness from playing in this park, not our liability.

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And with 2 giant mills just up the hill, there very well could be contamination down in here. But that might work out such that disturbing it would make new buildings a bad idea and leaving it as open space the best way to live with the pollution just below the surface. Anyway, with all the new residents in the area and Caswell Square having been long long gone (1840’s gone) this corner of downtown really needs a park for dog walking, strolling and whatnot.

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