Interesting updated capacity numbers on the “Entertainment Venue”… I think we previously discussed it as being larger than DPAC, but the previously reported 3,500 capacity is 2,000 seats; DPAC is 2,700 seats. Still very exciting.
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A post was merged into an existing topic: Raleigh Stadium/Arena/Sports Discussions
2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Raleigh Stadium/Arena/Sports Discussions
Was just looking through this discussion and wanted to throw this out there about the concerns over DTS being isolated or too far from DT. Google maps shows the current walk from the red roof inn to red hat amphitheater being 31 minutes (1.7 miles) which surprised me in that it sounds pretty short. For reference, the walk from cowfish at north hills to smoky hollow is an hour and 30 mins (4.2 miles) and the walk from NCSU zaxbys to hillsborough st chargrill is showing 33 mins (1.7 miles). Central park NYC is 2.5 miles long and would take twice as long to walk past than going from DTS to the core of DTR, not to mention BRT is planned to run along this corridor and would be about a 3-4 minute ride. I have a lot of faith that DTS will extend the DT core south over the next few decades.
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Welcome, Mario. Nice first post!
Walking is often as much about the experience and perception as the time. Let’s hope that this becomes walkable to downtown, an extension rather than yet another separate nexus.
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Agreed and welcome @mario
Comparing the walk along Hillsborough to that from DTS to downtown really highlights its isolation. One would be hard pressed to describe the walk from DTS to the north as pleasant.
Also, the Zaxby’s on Hillsborough is on the far end of State’s campus. The walk along Hillsborough is also generally flat.
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Yes, it is no question that the walk today would be pretty unpleasant and therefore infeasible for the general public. I’m more so trying to get at the concerns of DTS being too far from DTR and taking away from downtown as a center. Saunders definitely needs a road diet and streetscaping if DTS is to be well connected, but I imagine the BRT project will do a lot of the heavy lifting for that by default. I think it is just a little too pessimistic to project that DTS will never be connected or is too far to be connected given its true distance in terms of mileage.
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Well, we shall see how this plays out. My bet is that walking between DT proper and DTS is not going to happen by even a modest amount. To make DTS work as an extension of downtown, there needs be walkable destinations between the two.
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That’s kind of exactly what the whole Park City South area is, no? It will take a while for the infrastructure and development to really stitch the DT-PCS-DTS corridor together into a cohesive whole, but this is clearly the direction that things are headed, and I have no doubt that we will get there eventually.
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Unfortunately that will be on the other side of S. Saunders, and I have little faith that the pedestrian experience crossing that road will get better in the near future.
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Let’s advocate for Wilmington Street to be that connector where you can easily walk back and forth from DTS to DTR.
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Can’t wait to scooter back up S Saunders after a show at the “music venue.”
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Pretty sure with the BRT they’ll be doing a road diet and cycle track so it’s definitely a viable option.
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MLB to Raleigh when that happens when Steve makes up his mind about the stadium. It will be packed.
No. No it’s not. The nature of the experience, especially along S. Saunders is not pedestrian oriented in the least. I know that there’s a prevailing desire for DTS to be more than I believe it will be, but I maintain that it’s going to be more North Hills & Fenton, and less actual urbanity.
If anything, Park City South is a more likely extension of downtown given the nature of what happens between it and the SW side of downtown proper.
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I agree that the questionably named Downtown South (more like South of Downtown) is simply an interchange development split into two pods north and south of the beltline.
Wilmington Street could use some bike/ped enhancement of any type. Currently a depressing slog for the homeless to support services located in a transitional industrial area. Electric bikes might be a viable hill conqueror. So perhaps a multiuse sidepath could create its own experience for users.
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Yeah, this exactly. Should be getting a similar treatment to New Bern, and I believe the busway will be center-running. Compile that with buses every ten minutes between DTS-DTR and proper TOD/infill development along Wilmington, and this distance will seem miniscule. You may not walk it, but it’s still going to feel close.
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Not to mention all the residential that is going to be added between DTR and DTS at the Saunders and Hammell projects - folks that will certainly perceive that they “live downtown” and yet are only 2,000 feet from DTS.
I know it’s a state road and thus not happening, but there is no reason for Saunders not to receive a road diet too. So many cars there likely just cutting through DTR for trips that could easily be handled by 440
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While all of this may happen, I am disinterested because at current pace it will take 20 years for it to become reality.
If the city made it a priority it could be done. Since I love doodling on maps, here’s an idea:
Add a signal at the intersection of S. Saunders Street & Prospect Avenue, and we’re in business.
This unfortunately doubles down on Western/Dawson/McDowell/Saundners as near-highways. A signal in place of the bridge might be possible, too - but I figure Dawson/McDowell will never be anything other than a car sewer, so making a route where pedestrians don’t have to cross that traffic at grade would be a plus.
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