Oh, trust me I know about that and totally agree.
It was supposed to be even broader than the Peace St. Streetscape Project. Boylan was supposed to be a Green Street (or something like that), and nothing ever happened there either. In fact, the two projects that were built near me (one on Boylan and one on Peace) are utter disappointments in how they address the street. Revisn on Boylan and 615 Peace both have the saddest looking streetscapes one could imagine. Google Maps
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Glenwood South grows taller as Raleigh approves 12-story zoning for theater
North Boylan Avenue and West North Street. The 0.15-acre site at 309 N. Boylan Ave. is going from office mixed use up to 3 stories to commercial mixed use up to 12 stories.
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The rezoning will allow an improv theater to operate on the site and joins a host of properties in Glenwood South now primed for taller buildings.
I would like to believe that this means this will be a single-use 12-story improv theater.
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This is @John’s “downtown” movie theater, it’s a 12 plex, one tiny movie theater per floor.
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I can’t help but wonder if the owner of the property is just buying time with this parcel and building something shorter initially for the improv theater, and then selling it later for condos or apartments?
It’s not hard to imagine a luxury condo tower with one unit per floor on such a tiny parcel.
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The owners of the three adjacent properties to the south, Byrd-Cannon, are proposing a 10-story development. I don’t know if this rezoning is also related to this proposal.
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This architectural marvel features a sleek, modern design with expansive glass facades and contemporary materials that reflect the vibrant energy of the area.
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Even more interesting:
A spacious underground parking garage allows for easy and seamless access to parking for residents and guests alike.
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Come on 200ft height…
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Yeah, I do like that it’s proposed with underground parking, but I’m not holding my breath. These sorts of things end up getting value engineered out of projects. If they can get away with just one level of parking, and if they are able to leverage slope of the property, it might not be too difficult to achieve.
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Well, that’s both an encouraging and discouraging article at the same time.
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I thought this was kind of funny from Jane Harrison
“we also have vape shops, dispensaries, late night hookah and bars that I wish didn’t exist,” she said in a council work session on Tuesday.
Yeah, because they are up against SFHs in Glenwood-Brooklyn
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Isn’t that the definition of a mixed-use neighborhood?
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I know I am much more of an enjoyer of the nightlife scene on GWS than you are @John and so you probably are not surprised to hear me say that I do hope any incoming regulations are not too overbearing; GWS, for the purposes of nightlife, is a huge destination for college kids and other young adults in the region. It has a reputation of being a really fun place, because often times, it is. And I think that’s really good for the city (though I certainly recognize that the headlines about shootings are not). I don’t think reducing the density of bars is the answer; that’s part of what makes it great is going to all sorts of different spots in such a short walk. It’s very lively. And I don’t think that is what is contributing to the crime.
But the shootings and other crime issues are real and a problem. Not to mention the traffic it attracts, especially the loud modified exhausts which love to flock to that area at night. (I say this as someone who, too, lives right next to GWS and is super annoyed by the loud cars).
I still maintain that enforcement and infrastructure are the answer. I think it’s great that the street is closed off to cars after 10pm, but unless you’re quickly crossing the street, you can’t actually walk in the street or the police will shoo you off. And the super skinny sidewalks get extremely crowded and that’s where a lot of trouble starts. I remember the city acknowledging this, but I know the current GWS safety pilot does not account for wider sidewalks. I think there was a survey that went out that hinted at the idea that it could be fully pedestrianized at night in the future, with some major streetscape changes, which I hope comes to fruition.
But even now I feel people should be able to walk in the street. Maybe close off the intersections too if that’s the issue? Cars can currently cross Glenwood, just not turn onto it. I’m not sure.
I posted here about my trip to Medellin some time ago (please read!) and I thought there is a lot that could be used as inspiration from what they’re doing in their nightlife district. They completely close it off to traffic and have designated ingress points that are essentially big canopies you walk under with a cop stationed at it, plus a table with some free water. It was nice and made it feel safe. And it is safe!
All that to say, I recognize the need for change, but I think it would be a big mistake to limit the density of bars and clubs, specifically, on that street.
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everyone wants walkable mixed use neighborhoods except when its businesses they don’t like
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I mean yes? People want businesses that contribute to their neighborhoods rather than burdening them with externalities and little benefit? Not sure what the problem with that is. The only way vape shops contribute to affordability is by making living in vicinity objectively worse.
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