While I agree with the overall sentiment of wanting to have smaller retail and restaurant spaces downtown, I’d be really happy to see these particular spots finally come back to life somehow.
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The conundrum with growing a retail scene is foot traffic. I too would like to see more small businesses downtown, but those businesses survive on foot traffic. The reopening of Moore Square helps a lot in that regard, but it doesn’t generate enough foot traffic alone. There will have to be a combination of factors to increase it including more housing and offices in the walkshed, and more weekend foot traffic imported into the area. This is why having a destination retailer can be so important to activating a place like City Market. Once City Market gets established as a destination, small businesses will have a better foundation for their success. The trick is convince a landlord to create more small parcels for these businesses when they could just make it easier on themselves by having fewer larger parcels.
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I have also long thought that if City Market built itself out similar to the Transfer block and added residential where that parking lot is, that would help round out the live/work/play aspect around there.
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Well, Skyhouse is across the street!
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City Market used to be more of a destination when the main building was in use as a restaurant and open to the public daily. At one time it was even a food court. Now since it’s an event space it is mainly deserted during the day and is only used by the select few that rent it for various celebrations. To me this is not an efficient use of such an historic building.
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Oh the potential of this location, wish someone with deep pockets could help us realize the beauty of this semi-unpolished gem.
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Would be awesome to see what John Kane could do with this area. Preserving the old and adding in some new (residential) in the periphery. I have a feeling it is only a matter of time before the area south and east of Moore Square really takes off.
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I think Kane is too predisposed to tear stuff down. Maybe as a team with James Basnight.
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Goodnight would be the perfect foil for this area IMO, but it’s a larger scale than he seems to’ve tackled previously and based on observation, takes his sweet time on those projects he does.
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City of Raleigh wants to sell a portion of their city market properties (the parking lot). Rezone up to 12 stories with a stipulation that affordable housing should be included.
I don’t know how I feel about this. Seems like a bad plan. City Market should eventually be owned 100% by the city and expanded. This will just break it up further even if we gain some development quicker.
Rezone to 12 stories? Sure. Sell the land? No.
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I think cities in general are looking for ways to fill funding gaps from last years losses.
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I don’t know that I am flatly against selling that land. City market proper has its back completely to that parking lot. I’m more concerned that the two historic structures on Martin St. remain.
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I think this is pertinent:
https://twitter.com/RaleighGov/status/1394701957386866689?s=20
…and excluding from the petition those portions of 226 and 230 E. Martin Street that are developed with historic structures and zoned HOD-G. The purpose of the rezoning is to set the stage for property disposition and development for subsidized affordable housing.
Those will remain.
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Pretty much. @Francisco posted the City’s memo yesterday up here: Historic City Market - #72 by Francisco
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whoops missed that. thanks!
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Other than the 2 service buildings that face Moore square I don’t believe there has been anything on that dirt for quite some time. That wasn’t part of any original market and the cost of matching the original probably makes build out prohibitive. What am I missing here? What does it matter who owns it
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TBJ posted an article describing the details of the rezoning more clearly. States the affordable housing component at this specific location isn’t a deal breaker and the funds would more than likely be used towards a future affordable housing development elsewhere. Also their rezoning map includes the Horse Barn and Norwood House, somewhat lost potential for what could have been with either property.
"Young said the funds may go to a future affordable housing project on the site, but that does not necessarily have to be the case.“It’s a really difficult site for affordable housing,” Young said. “If we can get it on the site we’ll get it on the site, but we realize the constraints on that (property).”
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One parking lot down.
I wish the state would look at selling some of their lots.