3/4-story apartment buildings like the Lynde (anything up to 70’ tall) can be done as low-rise Type VA. Multifamily: $117.40 PSF
6-story building is mid-rise Type IIIA, stick built with masonry staircases, additional fire walls, sprinklers. Multifamily: $133.71 PSF. Note that this is usually atop garages/shops which are built as Type I.
8+ stories (85’+) pretty much requires Type I, steel or concrete frame. Type IA multifamily: $167.27 PSF.
The article I wrote was specific to DC, which has a 90’/130’ height limit – so the choice is largely between 6 stories (Type IIIA) and 8-12 stories (Type IA). But the choice that was posited was between 3 Type VA and Type I, which is 42.5% more expensive ($167.27 ÷ $117.40). So, not quite 50% as of Feb 2020, but a whole lot more expensive. (Note that local costs vary a lot; I’ve seen even 4 story buildings in Chicago done from steel, since it’s cheap with all those nearby steel mills.)
None of “The Three Little Pigs” had to stick to construction budgets. In our world, homebuyers (and the developers who sell things to them) do, so a lot of things end up as sticks.
Not sure the % increase either but it makes a huge difference in value to me. I looked that the Clark townhomes this weekend and they are very nice. Same developer as Lynne. I told her price per square was just too high for wood from floor to floor.
Cost was too high for Lynde or for Clark Townhomes?
For me, it’s not just about the $500/ft for Lynde, it’s also about how horrible those floorplans are. If I’m spending top dollar, then I at least want a nice home, not just nice finishes.
Excited to see this space redone…however I always wanted someone to turn this into a Cuban restaurant. I don’t know why, but it just feels like that’s what it should be. Leave the chimney, that worn-out wall and those doors as is, replace the right side with all windows and a few outdoor tables. Leave gravel parking out front.
In the back a big yard with picnic tables and a wood-fired grill. Light above and Cuban music playing live on the weekends. Dancing allowed.
Anyways, the market and maker space planned is cool too.
Yeah it’s unfortunate. I have enough capital to have opened an Arroz con Pollo food cart this year–think a Mexican version of Halal Chicken. I also wanted to have a sugercane juice pressing station on the cart as well.
Nope, neither are allowed. No point in even starting an application.
CoR is really shooting itself in the foot.
Dear City of Raleigh, more food options in downtown means more people will go to downtown for food, which means more business for everyone including restaurants. A person might go to downtown for some food cart food and then decide to instead grab some sit down sushi. Or a group of picky eaters might decide that downtown is the best place to meetup because there’s a wide selection of food choices.
There’s a reason why pharmacies and gas stations are located close to their competition.
Super unfortunate. Last year I looked into this as I wanted to sell something other than hotdogs to the late night Glenwood crowd as a little side gig. Found out quickly that anything unique ain’t happening with the current rules.
Do they provide some explanation as to why it’s basically only hot dogs? I would assume it has something to do with food safety concerns, or maybe restaurant owners don’t want the competition?
That’s silly. I knew kids from Long Island who would take the LIRR into Manhattan just to grab the amazing chicken and rice from 53rd and 6th food cart.
As a lover of hot dog content, this is hilarious to me.
“Dear City of Raleigh, I have devised a new food pushcart that specializes in handmade, delicious street tacos and would like to do business in downtown. I am requesting a permit, here is my money-”
CoR: Does it serve hot dogs?
“No, as I’ve stated, it’s a food pushcart that serves tacos”
CoR: Impossible. Pushcarts can only make hot dogs.
“No… here, look, I can show you how I make my delicious tacos using the built in grill on my pushcar-”
Hi Leo, Jonathan Melton actually responded to my tweet about this regulation and I have sent him an email stating some of the benefits of rewriting this regulation. I appreciate that this is technically a county permit and inspection process, however I’m sure the city could layer their own rules and regulations specifically for DTR, especially since the bulk of pushcart vendors in Wake co. I’m guessing are DTR.
There are rules about pushcarts being tied to a commissary kitchen, or other permitted kitchen, for food equipment cleaning, safe food handling, etc. etc., but I’m sure these rules are over-engineered. It is currently permissible for a pushcart to sell packaged foods other than hotdogs that are prepared and packaged in a commercial or commissary kitchen. I think the gaps that need to be filled are:
There needs to be a pathway for other cuisines and pushcarts to be permitted and regulated. This may require at first 1 county inspector to take on the new pushcart guideline inspection and enforcement duties. As more diverse pushcarts come to market (and pay their permit fees) more inspectors could be trained and hired to specifically deal with pushcarts (long term)
A pushcart commissary kitchen would likely need to be provided for pushcart operators to lease (like a food hall) to have access to commercial food storage and cleaning equipment. This is probably the biggest hurdle for microentrepreneurs that do not have access to a commercial kitchen, however this would not be needed for Five Star to begin operating a pushcart, for example, as they would operate out of their already permitted kitchen.
I’ll keep the community abreast of what councilor Melton responds with.
I love the idea of restauranteurs taking a portion of the product offerings to the streets through pushcarts! Talk about having something that could really help Raleigh’s brand!
