Raleigh Fire Headquarters and Central Fire Station

I’m creating a separate thread for the future relocation of the Raleigh Fire Headquarters and Central Fire Station since it was brought up in the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council Meeting on June 19, 2019.

According to the Council Meeting the process is still in place and is being funded so it will happen eventually–probably hear more about this in the next 3 years.

According to this very detailed blog below, the blogger speculates that the new Raleigh Fire Headquarters and Central Fire Station will be apart of a multi-story project somewhere near the Convention Center: https://legeros.com/blog/new-raleigh-fire-headquarters-and-central-fire-station/

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Supposedly at the 200 block of W South St.(at the corner of S Dawson St).

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I’m guessing we’re talking about the North West corner of that block?

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The city owns the lot on the southeast corner. Currently a gravel lot.

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South East… the parcel currently addressed as 0 W South St belonging to the City of Raleigh. I think that they use it currently to allow big vehicles to park there for Convention shows.

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Whoops, got it, thanks! I was looking at South/McDowell instead of South/Dawson.

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Yet another gravel lot! But not owned by the city. That one appears to be owned by the Anderson family that owns Sir Walter Chevy.

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This location was confirmed by a reputable source. Apparently it’s going to be a pretty cool modern design.

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Looking forward to the renders.
To compare, I was looking at the new downtown Durham Police HQ.


It’s a bit blah - a short boxy structure (nice brick finish, though) with a giant separate car garage (the garage is taller than the office!).

It will be interesting to see what Raleigh comes up with.

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New city website has a projects page and has this project listed. Conceptual massing rendering as well. Although says design phase winter 2020 - summer 2021. Construction complete winter 2024. Long ways out.

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Is that this corner? Google Maps

…or THIS corner? Google Maps

I was assuming this one since owned by the City.

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That makes the most sense, just the orientation of the massing image had me confused.

3 stories here is disappointing. I have always dreamed about some height and reinvigorated street level experience on this and the gravel lot across from Red Hat (just north of the lot you’ve highlighted). Especially with the potential gateway project, Five Horizons, and Downtown South - it would be needed to fill in gaps between these highrise developments (IF any/all of them are actually built)

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Maybe not allowed to make it a private-public development? Those air rights are worth tens of millions in the future. :thinking:

There’s not much you can do with a fire station. I’m guessing people wouldn’t want to live on top of it.
This is a perfect use for this little space, essentially trapped between two little highways. I assume this will result in the closing of the Dawson Firehouse which will be a prime plot for re-development.

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This location seems pretty good IMO. The fire department would have direct access to both Dawson and McDowell streets from that wedge shaped block.

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True - worthy trade-off if the current Central Fire station gets some HEIGHT! Just as long as they don’t touch the OG Union Station (which I believe is designated historic, so they probably cannot anyway).

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And Western/MLK for East/West travel is right there too.