I’m in favor of extending Fayettville street that block. I think it will open it up and make it more active. There would still be a fairly large public plaza in front of the PAC.
I’d also like a nice fountain. There is an ugly one there now. I’m not sure why the City of Raleigh seems incapable of putting a good looking, functional fountain downtown. They obviously just removed the failed ones at City Plaza.
Completely agree!
Extend F. St. this one last block and re-do the entire “block/area” directly in front of the Duke Center for the Performing Arts. Maybe allowing for some cross architecture review between what actually gets built on this site vs. what we want (fountain/grass/Acorn/etc.) on the Duke site?
If you were not for the extension of Fayetteville St then you would have to change your Street_Grid moniker.
With a username like @Street_Grid, I’m backing you on this. How about an extension of Fayetteville down this block similar to what they’re doing in Smoky Hollow (cobblestone type surface) with a roundabout in the middle of the block and a fountain there. Ties the two buildings together and discourages through traffic, but provides access. Pedestrian friendly with low traffic/low speed vehicle access.
The skybridge proposal is great. They just just look cool. Many cities are full of them (Houston, Toronto…).
Midtown Exchange made the skybridge a signature feature of their plan.
DTR could use a few of these.
Adding to my previous post but want to reflect after @KenAA’s rendering. Imagine a water feature that drops from the skybridge down to a receiving fountain below. This could maybe even expend to be a water wall movie screen I’ve been trying to sell to @John. Normal days would just be a single flow water falling into the receiving fountain below, but at night, or during a scheduled timeframe it would expend and have a light/water show! 
Somebody get busy on the rendering!
Edit: The closest I can find doing a quick search is the Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain.
I’m in the anti-skybridge camp.
As far as the Fayetteville Street extension, it certainly doesn’t need to be a ped plaza or a car street. A certain degree of both can be designed in there.
For example, I would love to see the entire block have the “level” paver style that City Plaza has and perhaps the northern half allow cars to access the lobbies of the hotel on the western block and the shopping mall and movie theater on the eastern block. 
It could widen out for a mid-block roundabout for easy pickups/dropoffs, perfect for ride sharing and plenty of space for scooters and bikeshare.
The southern half could be pedestrian only with public art and fountains. Lots and lots of fountains!
Anyway, lots of flexibility here but it doesn’t need to be one of the other.
I wouldn’t mind Fayetteville St being extended if ends up being proposed… but would be kinda sad that the plaza would get a bit more cluttered with the stuff for the cars.
I like the question ,“what is the current tallest building in Raleigh.”
I can only think of one reason to ask that…to be the new tallest.
But also, like, let me Google that for you
I can imagine a small counter-clockwise roundabout between these two buildings with a fountain in the middle. It could be entered and exited on the north side of the block, and possibly the south side as well. This would extend Fayetteville St. to limited traffic, provide a nice iconic termination to Fayetteville street, and create a special arrival experience for two iconic towers.
Downtown Raleigh already has one with the two museums the history and natural sciences.
Any sky bridge would need to be high enough so not obstruct the view of Memorial Aud. Done right, it could be a cool frame for the vista. But that is the key, “done right”.
Any why can’t Raleigh do fountains? We really seem to have a problem with them, in design and function.
EXACTLY is all about preserving the view and how it would add to the streets along with the two buildings.
@Street_Grid @orulz @Drew love those ideas, I like the idea of an underground tunnel connecting the CC with hotels. Sorta like the capital building and library of Congress tunnel in dc.
Any future or current fountain will take a lot of maintenance & constant review of its upkeep. Is/are the upkeep of city fountain(s) the responsibility of the City Parks & Rec?
I propose a fountain bond as the 4th bond on the ballot this November.
I believe No Time To Die has been moved to be the 4th Bond this November.
I don’t think a fountain or walkway will do it. You know by extending this part of Fayetteville street, and giving it a light district with scrim lights maybe, and luxury shops may do it for this. That’ll bring it well for these two towers which will be announced soon, which will be the one of perhaps the first of many 40+ plus story towers being built for Downtown Raleigh. So we need to make these inaugural 40 stories are important and embrace then with no interference.
With the southern end of the street (performing arts center) being at a lower elevation than the capitol building any sky bridge would need to be very high up, at which point it may lose part of its functionality. Probably better to have the underground connections instead. I agree they look cool in other places though but also don’t want to take away too much street pedestrian traffic as @orulz said.
