I think that Olde Raleigh NC’s having a little fun at David Cox’s expense…
Pictured is the northeast corner of Wilmington and Martin Streets c. 1912. The W. H. King Drug building seen across Wilmington Street on the left is extant and now houses Carroll’s Kitchen. The building in the foreground is long gone, this corner now occupied by Beasley’s Chicken + Honey.
This photograph appeared, along with many others, in a report to the Raleigh Woman’s Club Planning Committee from renowned urban planner Charles Mulford Robinson. This snapshot is presented in the report as an example of cluttered and unsightly advertisements. Its caption reading, “Disgracefully disfiguring signs that have not even the merit of advertising Raleigh-made goods.”
Robinson goes on to say, “The law gives to the community little right to dictate with reference to private property, unless the public health be endangered. But the case of the sign-covered building is different because such displays cannot be expected to cure themselves. There is need that some external force awaken civic pride and prick the latent social conscience.”
Robinson was a well-respected and pioneering urban planning theorist from Illinois. He was a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and one of the first people in the US to teach urban planning. At the time, the only other institution teaching the discipline was Harvard. His report, titled “What to do in Raleigh”, is a survey of the city’s missteps, triumphs and untapped resources. The report’s great value lies in its unique perspective of a burgeoning city from a trained and unbiased outsider. It is fascinating to read if you’re into that kind of thing.
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ORG.73.Bx8.F6
From the Woman’s Club of Raleigh Records Collection, State Archives; Raleigh, NC.
Now, I don’t imagine that we’ll likely go down that path. But, with all of the building accent lighting which has happened around DTR, Dr. Cox might be worried that Raleigh could become Times Square…
But, I would give a thumbs up for holographic building wraps like ‘Ghost in the Shell.’
OMG, you guys, this is so sad and pathetic. Like, I can’t even be mad anymore, it’s just so pitiful to read this stuff.
BTW, this nonsense from the NIMBYs about Saige’s last name really needs to stop. I’ve never personally heard Martin refer to himself as “Saige Martin-Moore” but his husband’s last name is Moore, so, yeah, mystery solved, dude.
Actually, because of some really questionable color scheme choices on the Technician’s website, I was having a hard time reading the names of the commenters. I thought @pierretong was referring to Cox’s devoted lackey, Tim Niles, and his post on the board. But now I see that David Cox is also running around commenting on student newspaper articles, which is just another level of sad and pathetic.
Did you know that David Cox is the duly elected representative of District B? Duly, I tell you.
I truly truly hope the new council gets rid of these height restrictions. It’s ridiculous we have to rezone so many times for every single project even if you wanted to go a floor over. It’s ridiculous. And those oak wood residents should stop complaining, the zimmer for example is literally a mile away
Moved this comment since I mentioned the new mayor/council.
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I just finished reading Chuck Marohn’s new book “Strong Towns“ - I think it would be good if the entire city read it - including the incoming Mayor and City Council - and then have a book discussion at the Convention Center led by the author.
Would be an amazing event to organize (and fundraise) to make that happen here locally. I think @ADUsSomeday and I were discussing it at one point. Can’t remember when/where.
I’m reading the book now, and it’s not disappointing. I would absolutely be on board with helping to organize a Strong Towns date in Raleigh.
They’re doing another leg of the book tour in the spring, but no dates have been announced for this area. Unfortunately I missed the Pittsboro date in October, so I emailed Strong Towns to see when they might be coming back and got this reply:
Regarding future dates: we have received several tour stop dates across North Carolina, all of which we’ll look into come 2020.
It’s unknown where those tour requests are coming from, but it’s probably not too late to add Raleigh to the list. It wouldn’t necessarily have to be a part of this book tour, either. They do events all the time.
