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See but I’m not being paid to do that, key difference! 
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Yeah, agreed. I only chimed in because @evan.j.bost asked what I thought about the design. I’m still glad to have something happening here.
It truly boggles the mind that this hodge-podgey mess has somehow become ‘standard’…
Your (NODA) example may not blow anyone’s doors off from a design perspective but there’s some comparative elegance in simple, purposeful material choices…
Choosing that can’t really cost (or shall I say, limit profitability) that much more, can it?!?
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Maybe we can get some rankings of everyone’s most to least favorite of these designs so I understand better what to build:
:
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Any of those stand up against the aformentioned hodge-podge.
I’ll take the penthouse of F, when ready LoLs. Bring on loads of E as we need more of the aesthetics of these mid-scale infill buildings but drop replicants of the rest at any point…
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E would be tricky in all brick from a cost standpoint. The value engineer solution could be black brick and dark red cement board, but keep the black window trim and use black cement board below the windows - would that suffice?
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We already have A and C all over the Triangle…
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For me the brick is the selling point. It feels way more authentic than a colored cement board. We need more spaces that feel thoughtfully designed and provide a sense of place. There’s just nothing about cement board that does that. It’s flat and texture-less.
However, I also recognize people need to be able to afford these places, so compromises need to be made. It’s just a bummer that the easiest way to cut costs is removing the best qualities.
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We have a lot of flexibility in development, balancing economies of scale and necessary compromises. When certain trends (like cabinetry styles) are in high demand, mass production allows us to obtain those items more affordably. On the flip side, some materials are inherently costly due to their nature or installation requirements (tile showers, brick cladding).
Every project has a budget, and there are numerous ways to meet it. However, we find it most effective to maintain a balanced approach—if we choose mid-range siding, we should also opt for mid-range flooring, rather than pairing high-end siding with low-cost flooring to stay within the budget.
In development, my focus is on building the “core” of buildings with lasting quality. Elements like insulation, door height, wall spacing, and window size are long-term features that won’t easily change. On the other hand, finishes and interior details—such as wall colors, cabinets, or door styles—can be altered more cost-effectively over time, making them easier to adjust to future trends or preferences.
Buildings with brick exteriors are often located in districts where such facades are required, and their costs are built into both the budget and the sale or rental prices, which can reflect this added premium. However, in areas where brick isn’t mandated, a developer who opts for the higher-cost brick facade could face financial challenges if another nearby developer uses lower-cost materials. This is because they may offer lower rents or sales prices since they have a lower cost basis, creating a competitive disadvantage for the brick structure.
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I appreciate the insight! It’s unfortunate that developers have to think more about the competition, and less about the neighborhood and residents that live there.
I’m not blaming developers, they need to put food on the table too, I just wish the incentives didn’t create an environment where it’s better to build cheaply at the expense of character.
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I appreciate that you put money into the bones. As you say the trappings can be changed/upgraded over time, and will as styles change, but the core is what counts long term. Thanks for your insights!
100% agree! @raleighdeveloper I hope my post didn’t come off as hostile. I understand it’s a balancing act.
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I think that the initial reference to 5 over 1 spoke to type 5 (V) construction over type 1 (I). This meant combustable wood frame over a non combustible (concrete/protected steel) base. It just so happens that codes now allow up to 5 floors of type V. It makes it confusing. This is especially true when you have 2 floors of type 1 (I) construction at the base.
It’s not that developers are intentionally “building ugly environments,” but more a reflection of American consumer behavior. For instance, if you place a local burger shop next to a fast-food chain, the local spot is likely to struggle because most people opt for the cheaper option. If more buyers and renters prioritized quality and aesthetics—or if it were enforced, like in cities such as Charleston, SC—then we’d see more beautiful, thoughtfully designed structures.
I would love to build all the stunning facades you see in those examples. Even with advancements in manufacturing, costs have significantly increased. Brick facades, for instance, require expensive materials, highly skilled bricklayers (rightfully well-paid for their craft), and scaffolding for taller buildings, all of which add to the expense.
When people start coming to the market willing to pay for quality, we’ll see more incredible designs. But for now, many buyers still focus on finding lower-priced options, and if developers can’t make a project profitable, it simply won’t happen. As a society, we often have champagne taste but a beer budget!
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This is going to be something to really watch over the next decade. 5 story’s of wood framing is a pretty American concept and the insurance companies are not very impressed with it lately. Wood is a great material for small structures like a single family home, but large commercial projects are being heavily impacted by the disadvantages of wood. Besides the obvious like being very flammable, it’s constantly under attack by insects, and can be seriously damaged by water. Long story short, insurance companies are pretty much forcing developers indirectly to use non-combustible building materials.
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Never mind that a 5over1 under construction downtown (The Metropolitan) went up in flames several years ago.
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Raleigh has witnessed firsthand in the past decade the potential dangers of large wooden commercial buildings. Nationally, you have:
In December 2023 - Fire at under construction 405 unit apartment in Aurora Colorado that caused $150M in damage
In February 2022 - Under construction 325 unit Canton at Classen Curve in Oklahoma City was destroyed by a fire started from incorrectly connected electrical transformer
In May 2023 - Under construction Modera SouthPark apartments in Charlotte where tragically 2 workers perished in the fire
In Aug 2022 - Under construction apartment complex in Dallas Texas burned down
In January 2021 - Under construction 206 unit apartment project in Las Vegas was set ablaze by an arsonist
In July 2020 - Under construction waterfront apartments in Everett Washington caught fire and was a total loss
This isn’t a full list and excludes existing buildings that have caught fire and displaced the residents
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Obviously, there has always been some level of conformity to the design trends of the day, but I feel like a lot of modern society is trying harder than ever to look “trendy”. The issue is that when those design trends change, everything that was designed around those looks out of date at best, and completely ridiculous at worst. I realize that especially with housing there are often municipal design standards that have to be adhered to, but if you look at other things like cars, there are fewer models out there that still look good a decade later. The ones that do age gracefully are typically higher end models that stick to time-tested design cues, and tend to use genuine materials instead of cheap knockoff stuff.
I realize this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but when I look at the BofA Corporate Center and compare that to The Ellis (both in Uptown Charlotte), the BofA tower looks like no expense was spared in terms of design or materials, and the design still looks remarkably elegant. The Ellis looks like any corner that could possibly be cut was cut from a design and materials perspective. Like the windows shift over just slightly every 5 floors and the materials look cheap.
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