big vision for nash square it seems - new project alert
This plan will recognize Nash Square as not merely a park, but as an enduring public square and extension of Raleigh’s new Civic Campus. The project will take a broad view of the square and its surroundings, promoting holistic urban design strategies to create a more cohesive and seamless transition between Nash Square and the surrounding urban context.
If they come slaughter all the trees there I’ll never forgive them.
Sometimes you simply gotta read the link provided lmao:
Plan for the Future: Develop a management strategy for the long-term resilience and relevance of Nash Square, including a comprehensive management plan focused on the protection and preservation of the historic tree canopy.
Not constructive for the thread at all, but I feel needed.
Let’s not get this thread also relegated to the 2 hour slow burn please.
Let’s start a new topic. How do you like my teaser? Discuss.
When I first clicked on the document posted the other day, I saw that tree canopy protection is one of the 3 key objectives.
In the project overview, we see this:
It functions as both a destination and a crossroads, a shady respite and a space for play, home to memorials of the past as well as a time capsule for the future.
It seems to me that they are not interested in clearing out the trees a la Moore Square. That said, there also needs to be plan to manage that tree canopy over time because trees don’t live forever.
I’ll be interested to see what they come back with but on the surface I’m skeptical this is a priority outside of some spruced up landscaping, some additional places to sit and maybe resurfacing the paths. The biggest issue I see with both Moore Sq and Nash Sq is the immediate perimeter that surrounds both is not near activated enough.
City Hall, Nash condos and (don’t hold your breath) N&O redevelopment would do more to improve the vibe than anything you could do to the park itself IMO
I agree that whatever improvements are done will be minimal. From Nash Square, Dix Park is a 30 min walk or 10 min by bike.
It’s been a while since I walked through there at night but I seem to recall a big push ages ago (like the Meeker years) that a main public opinion for improvements in there was better lighting. The dense number of trees often block the light coming from the various lampposts through there leading to lots of dark corners. Was that improved any, or is it still an issue?
I’m glad to see this. Nash Square is definitely underutilized. It will be interesting to see how much change is coming: a big transformation (doubtful), a modest refresh, or something in between.
My initial guess is some moderate changes to landscaping and possibly paths, maybe a new piece of public art, improved lighting, etc. I think it would be nice if there were another focal piece in the square.
In today’s afternoon council meeting, TJ McCourt with the Raleigh Parks Dept. answered a question from Jane Harrison about tree protection and conservation in the comprehensive plan for Nash Square. He committed to prioritizing the tree canopy and called them the square’s great asset, and said that they’d be at the forefront of the process and all the way through the process. He said first there’d be a tree health and risk assessment, and a prioritization of those in good health for protection, followed by a tree succession plan for the future. Silver then questioned McCourt about the measuring the understory and sight lines through the park for safety reasons. McCourt confirmed that it would include those sight lines. McCourt confirmed that the analysis includes the realm of the 4 sides and those streets and sidewalks.
I just haven’t seen much “tree succession planing” from the city which is why I’m so negative on this. I watch them remove old trees from The middle of glenwood (which were dying), then they simply leave rotting stumps there and replant nothing. Even if that is not the best place for trees I would like to see stumps removed and then more proactive tree planting in other city locations. The loss of trees ITB over the last 20 years is very substantial.