I have no idea why this mural is/was so initially jarring and offputting to me.
It’s objectively an attractive mural, and there’s no reason a mural couldn’t or shouldn’t be placed here. Yet something dug its claws into me and I felt noticable disgust when driving past this new mural on Briggs
I’ll spare you guys a diatribe, but the pro change and preservationist in me are really going at it with each other right now haha. Gonna try to open my heart to it and whatever other new changes comes as Dix evolves.
My comment isn’t intended to change how you’re feeling, but that was the “theme” or “slogan” of the Gipson Park and Play kickoff at Sunday’s ground breaking.
Help us plan for these impactful connections: the South Park Heritage Walk and the Chavis-Dix Strollway, connecting important places - South Park Historic District, John Chavis Memorial Park, and Dix Park. There are two sessions to learn more and to provide your input. Registration is encouraged, but not required.
The Cary downtown park will be a game changer for the area, but you aren’t lying. This phase of Dix is ‘only’ 18.5 acres and the entire Cary park is seven acres
I’d be happy if they just repaved the existing street, added crosswalks and a multiuse path in an easement granted by Duke Energy beneath the powerlines.
Interestingly, the 2014 parks bond for $91.775M is only 75% complete with 15% under construction and 10% in design/permitting. Prior to that, there was a bond referendum in 2007 for $88.6M, in 2003 for $47.25M, in 2000 for $16M, and in 1995 for $28M.
The project website has a pretty cool visualization tool that I don’t think I’ve seen used on other similar projects. It’s the first link under “Virtual Open House Items” on the project page.
There are some distribution lines parallel to Lake Wheeler on the east side that might get buried as the adjacent single family homes are redeveloped into mixed use. But all the lines that run on the Dix Park side of Lake Wheeler (basically the ones visible in the rendering) are high voltage (230,000 volt) transmission lines that supply power to a large portion of downtown Raleigh. Those are going to stay right where they are forever, so you better go ahead and get used to them being there.
The above is a medium-voltage distribution line. Observe the itty bity insulators where the wire connects to the pole, the pole-mounted transformer, street light, telco utilities, etc. These are possible to bury. Not cheap! But possible.
The above is a high-voltage transmission line. Check out the chonkin’ insulaltors separating the wire from the pole, and note that the pole usually isn’t shared with anything else. These can be moved, and it does happen occasionally, eg to accommodate road widening or construction - but it’s expensive because they require a dedicated easement to provide clearance. They are basically never moved for aesthetics, because while moving them like 30 feet to the side is feasible, it doesn’t usually solve the aesthetic problem. And as a rule of thumb they are absolutely never buried.
Gonna try to open my heart to it and whatever other new changes comes as Dix evolves. 
