Raleigh-area Mall / Life-Style Center / RTP Redevelopments

agree there’s lots to do in the AREA. Just not lots to “do” DOWNTOWN other than bars and restaurants. Sorry if I didn’t make my question clear. To me, your post reinforces why I enjoy access to hop un the car or uber downtown when I want to go there (like we did last night), but spend the vast majority of our time living and driving around in the burbs.

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Yeah I get what you’re saying. In contrast to John and I think a lot of people on here, I enjoy driving around to the different places in the general area. Downtown is one of them, and we all want it to do well and have more things to do. For me tho, breweries, cocktail bars, and restaurants are my favorite things to do when I’m visiting a new city. That, and just wandering around. And downtown is great for that. Walkable and plenty of little stops for drinks and snacks, maybe stop at a little store or two along the way.

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Let me clarify. It’s not that I don’t go to other places outside of downtown. It’s that I use this platform and community discussing downtown and how it can be better, etc., and I specifically don’t use this platform to poo poo it, identify its shortcomings, etc., without talking about “solutioning” for it.

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I just meant you don’t share my love of driving everywhere! :joy:

:red_car::taxi::racing_car::blue_car::police_car:

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Oh, that’s totally true. I try not to get in my car if I can help it. That said, I am going to use it if it’s raining, or if it’s late at night and I’d have to walk a good distance.

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Just across 440 from North Hills, a local developer called Atlas Stark is assembling land. Their newest investment is a 3-story office building with a parking deck:

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2021/02/28/atlas-stark-maps-office-building-near-north-hills.html

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Where is that going to be? Looks a lot like a new bank building that was just finished right around Computer Dr just over 440 off Six Forks

The intersection of Six Forks and Barrett Dr.

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When I moved here in 2005 it was mostly for things not directly related to DTR: Affordable housing, good place to raise kids, nearby beaches and mountains, solid job market, and not totally lacking in the cultural amenities I was used to. I didn’t have high expectations for the DTR experience. After all, if it had the vibe of a large successful city, the area likely wouldn’t be as affordable. However after I was here, I became really interested in how the area, and the city itself as the center, was evolving and growing. But it was more like icing on the cake, since the area in general already had what I mostly wanted.

The cultural scene (nightlife, dining, arts) is way better now than it was just15 years ago, and still growing IMHO. I wouldn’t lose sight of that fact. :slight_smile:

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Ok, right up the street then!

https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2021-03-04/biogen-announces-plans-to-build-a-new-state-of-the-art-gene-therapy-manufacturing-facility-in-research-triangle-park-north

More Biotech jobs coming to RTP with Biogen expansion.

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I wonder if those are “new- jobs/positions” to be filled locally or positions/people moving from there to here already with the company? Sorry only on my second cup. :wink:

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I imagine it will be a mix of folks already working there, and new hires. But for folks already working at Biogen, they would need to backfill their roles, leaving still an overall job gain.

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Took 440 to Capital from the East yesterday, and wow does North Hills have quite a presence when it finally appears in view from the beltline. With The Walter, it’s gonna look like its own city. I can imagine if someone who’s never been to Raleigh came around the corner and hadn’t seen the actual downtown skyline, they might see North Hills and think “oh there’s Raleigh!”

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The office building at the Lassiter Mill end is gonna have quite the effect on the feel from 440 too the way it extends out

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And the Midtown Exchange buildings will extend this Skyline 2 view even further east if they peek out over the tree canopy.

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I found my wife in VA and when I took her to Raleigh the first time from the east on 440 headed to capital, she asked if the North Hills Skyline was downtown.

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One time while eating dinner with family at Yardhouse, I told my Aunt and Uncle we would have to take them downtown to show them around next time they visited. To which my Uncle said, “this isn’t downtown?” They live in Greensboro…yes Greensboro NC.

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Not sure how much to read into this but the Fenton Wegmans location is no longer on the Wegmans website: Future Store Locations - Wegmans (it was previously listed and is still in the static map but it’s been removed recently)

Side note: If Wegmans goes away and Fenton doesn’t pan out as expected + Epic Games purchasing the property on the south side, is it still worth routing the Western Blvd BRT route that way?