This one? https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/szy6n3/picture222723375/alternates/FREE_768/RusBus.jpg
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You might be right. I actually just checked the RFQ (my office is going after the project) and the section on zoning is pretty vague: “Presently the site is zoned for DX-12-SH, which encourages mixed-use development and a maximum allowable height of 12 stories. GoTriangle is actively pursuing a rezoning of the property to maximize flexibility in the development of the site.”
The shortlist is being announced this month, with RFP to follow.
@Mitch: yup, that’s the one. The RFQ also reiterates that these renderings are purely conceptual development designs and do not indicate a preference for the physical design or mix of uses. (I’d be pretty happy if they did though… the massing/site strategy is pretty nice).
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I’m trying not to get excited about a big tower here but idk guys to me this rezoning means big things could in fact be coming. Didn’t Gotriangle put out a request from different developers to make their pitch? What if some developers or one idea that they want to go with requires the rezoning? They could simply being trying to win that request before they reveal which developer and plan they decided to go with. Just a thought
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My understanding is that they haven’t picked the developer team yet, nor have formal pitches for what to actually put on the site been made. GoTriangle has so far released an RFQ (request for qualifications). The RFP will be released to four shortlisted design/developer teams this month, and then those four teams will submit proposals. The final team will be selected in December.
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The N&O story this morning did mention a very mixed use building, with the buses, retail, offices, and housing - but market and Affordable! Remember, the rezoning allows up to 40, but its also required if you only want to go to 21.
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I think this is what is actually happening. All of these zoning requests up to 40 don’t necessarily mean that a 40-story structure is necessarily in the works. The media runs away with the narrative that all of a sudden, multiple 40-story buildings are proposed and that’s the part people hear. It could very well be that adding just a few extra floors beyond the seemingly arbitrary 20-story limit changes the economics of these projects significantly.
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To add to what @CanesFan said, I agree 100%, let’s remember the height limits here too. 20-story or 250 feet and 40-story or 500-feet. What a huge jump here.
I’d also like to think that with plans for more affordable units, a bump in height limit allows for the economics to play in their favor. With shorter height restrictions, they may make 1-bedroom affordable units work but that doesn’t do much when you want people to live in, grow in place. I think you’d need 2-bedroom, affordable apartments to really make a difference here.
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When the UDO first came out, I thought that was an odd jump as well. IMO, there should be 20, 30, and 40, and the heights of each should be adjusted for commercial reality. We should at least have 15 ft. nominal floor to floor heights. I’d propose:
20 floors or 300’ to the roof
30 floors or 450’ to the roof
40 floors or 600’ to the roof
Or, we can just get rid of the floor counts altogether and just call by building height.
In all cases, crowns shouldn’t count or we’ll only get flat top buildings from here on out.
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I had actually been thinking about this issue the other day, and I guess this thread is as good of a place for it as any, so here’s a serious question I have: Once you get beyond a certain point, and 20 stories is certainly well beyond that point, what is the supposed benefit of even putting a height restriction on how tall a building can be?
Like, even I, noted zoning skeptic, totally understand why there are rules against building a skyscraper right next to some little old lady’s single family detached home, and I appreciate the benefits of encouraging the market to put the tall buildings in proximity to one another, so I get why there are certain parts of town where you have height restrictions.
But I’m not sure I see the point in telling developers, “You can build 20 stories here, because 20 stories would be very cool and good, but you absolutely can’t build 21 stories, because 21 stories would be, I don’t know, bad or something.” Or that they can build 40 stories, but definitely not 41, because 41 would be terrible.
Once you get beyond 12 stories or so, why isn’t the zoning code just DX-If-it-feels-good-do-it? Is that 41st floor really going to make that big of a difference somehow?
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Control. We can’t just let developers build what they think is best without having a council of a few tell them if they’re right or not.
BTW, I completely agree with your perspective, @daviddonovan. I think there should be areas of downtown proper that have X zoning and let’em build it! Now, if we’re over near some of the older neighborhoods, like the Oakwood/Kane on Cabarrus, I get being sensitive to height, but you cross the tracks into the warehouse district, all caps should be off. Smoky Hollow, no cap (and other areas).
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…you’re not saying that “some people” on the city council like and want control for the mere act of wielding it? Lol…
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Packed house indeed on June 3. This rezoning will be discussed alongside a few other big ones.
https://www.raleighnc.gov/home/content/CommServices/Articles/CAC/CentralCAC.html
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Anyone have any data, experience with rental car facilities? As much as I want a highly functioning transit system I think in the short-term some kind of access to rental cars within easy walking distance to Union Station is a good amenity that I perceive to be useful.
It’s the response I tell people who say, “I’d love to ride the train but what do I do when I get there?” I always respond with, “Do the same thing you do when you get to an airport.”
Maybe the numbers don’t work though.
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Well the enterprise car rental has to move or shutdown because I think it’s turning into a courtyard Marriott, so maybe it could move. I imagine they will need a parking garage to make it work though and curious what the roi is. Maybe makes more sense to have a remote park and valet cars in?
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Maybe the first parking level over bus area could be made into a car rental area, kind of like at airports just on smaller scale.
I still think working with railroads for air-rights so parking could be extracted over the tracks and not use up a lot of building height in parking. AND make the footers in parking strong enough to support future high-rise building.
Could support train, bus and downtown residents that need a car for out of town trips.
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I believe there is also an Avis at the Mariott on Fayetteville St. We get cars from there for work. They don’t deliver from the airport (1.5 miles away) but will drive them out to Morrisville from DTR. SMDH
Where would we find a parking garage near the Union Station?? 
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I don’t think a full blown rental car facility would be needed but perhaps dedicate a few parking spots in a nearby parking garage for people to rent them (perhaps a service like Zipcar or Audi Silvercar that let’s people unlock cars by just scanning a QR code so someone isn’t physically required to assist you with getting keys etc…)
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Or the Marriott could also host a car rental company. We rented a car from an agency working out of a hotel in Adelaide, Australia. The cars were located in the hotel’s parking facility.
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Man I want a downtown Alamo location. They’re the best car rental company.