Wow, in your 3rd pic, that whole side is supposed to be lined with retail, which will then connect to the new Boulted Bread and Raleigh Denim storefront locations on the same block. This is REALLY gonna activate more of the South side
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Yeah I’m looking forward to seeing this once its finished. I didn’t realize how big this is going to be. I wont recognize this area once this & 320 South are completed.
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Does anyone know what’s up with the little patch of trees on the SW corner, or how they’ll be incorporated into this project?
That’s gas line infrastructure that can’t be relocated. I’m sure they’ll do their best to mask it while keeping it serviceable.
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Well dang. That looks… in the way.
Hey, I’m not mad about keeping some trees on the corner!
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We’ll see. Kane’s reps kept telling us that retail won’t work here (and that was before the pandemic) and the commercial spaces will be “creative office” whatever that means. 
I hope we get something more interesting.
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It’s in the last renders that were released
I’m not in loop about this project but I wouldn’t put much stock in renderings. A lot of projects in Durham that got rendered/advertised with retail never materialized. 555 Mangum is just office on the ground level, and looks like The Vega condo building will do the same. You never know for projects that are a bit outside established retail corridors, unfortunately.
For this one specifically though, with the Boulted Bread and Raleigh Denim storefronts literally down the block, and Rebus Works just a ways up from there, adding retail along this building would quite literally establish a retail corridor. Truly hope they don’t just turn it into another dead zone, UGH.
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Agreed, and with what should be very little traffic coming through here, a very desirable/walkable area. I suspect most “traffic” traversing The Platform development including retail shoppers in cars will enter/exit from Cabarrus. I believe there’s an entry/exit from Dupont, but connectivity to go places from there won’t be as advantageous I don’t think (don’t hope).
I know what it seems like and I agree, but the horse’s mouth told the neighbors who were asking for retail that it would not work in this development because they’re isn’t enough traffic. They said creative office, end of story. Their words, not mine.
I hope they were just under promising, but I don’t take them to be the the types to do that.
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They could create traffic for retail with more housing.
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That’s exactly what I was thinking. You’d think the few hundred additional housing units right ON TOP of those new retail/creative office spaces would make a difference…
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If a place is built out accessible via car or other transportation retail can work anywhere. Its all in promotion, what type of retail you put there and what demographics are in the area your targeting. People just need a draw to bring them in. So we shall see how creative they get
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Do you remember if that comment was pre or during Covid? I feel like I remember it sounding like they were going to put whatever there was demand for, which at the time they thought would be creative office space. It would be interesting to see if that’s changed based on what’s happened in the past few years.
I’m crossing my fingers for not office space 
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I’m fairly certain there’s ground floor retail.
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It’s the only thing they’ve ever said in any of the meetings, including the ones held when they were trying to do the PD. So, both pre and post pandemic crazy times world. I remember because we were disappointed and it seemed like ridiculous reasoning with hundreds of apartments being built.
All that said, they haven’t really provided an update on the commercial spaces in a while. Obviously, things can change, and I hope that the fact that other local businesses are setting up shop nearby will help the cause.
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This is all ground floor commercial/retail. Basically all of the 1st floor of all 3 buildings of this phase.
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The grease interceptor is exciting… means they are thinking food service 
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