We already have renderings of these areas.
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Kane needs to go ahead and steal Zimmerâs design and use it for smoky hollow phase 3 because those renderings were niceđđ˝.
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Can I be the Debbie Downer and mention that for something that got top billing, I was kinda underwhelmed with this. There are some odd height / shape decisions in here, e.g. Acorn Apartments looking like 15 stories. Itâs a nice visualization but I think I really built it up in my head
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Yeah I noticed that all the current in-dev buildings on this map are about twice as tall as theyâll actually end up IRL hahaha
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Itâs an illusion. Itâs the pleatsâŚin the pants
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Not sure where to put this, but even though development activity is at record levels, the process is taking longer. An opinion article in the N&O today highlights some of the reasons the planning and permitting process is taking so long in Raleigh.
It essentially comes down to staffing, with 27/193 department positions currently vacant. The City isnât able to match the salaries paid for similar positions in the private sector, and has seen a lot of turnover in recent times. They are attempting to retain employees with bonuses and âstay interviews,â and have adopted a more customer-focused approach.
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Even Bizjournal has started to notice that barely any dirt is moving in Raleigh even with all the rezonings.
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I feel this article comes a bit premature. Pre-pandemic, developments still took years to start construction. Now, after one, they should start building them faster? Come on.
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I mean, I know Iâm personally having the same impatience and want all of this approved stuff to start going. But logically I understand that itâs a mix of future proofing rezonings, rezonings for projects that have real plans but take time to get started, and definitely a few that seem stalled. Itâs unreasonable to expect a rezoning approval in October that they mentioned to be under construction in December.
What would be a better article (and worth paying for) is if they made a comprehensive list of all rezonings that have been approved but not started in the last 3 years, and then got status updates from each of the owners.
(Maybe they could send someone on here to ask us to do it for them tooâŚ) 
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If the subject of the article was an Oct rezoning that hasnât started construction yet, I discredit the writer and publisher for having any understanding of the development process. Thatâs nuts to expect. You donât even have a design prior to rezoning, much less any kind of funding, architectural review , approval, permits, demo, permits.
Iâm sorry I even wasted the last 3 minutes of my dwindling 2022 calling out how silly that is. Lol
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I agree. The Creamery is one glaring example. Development does move faster in other cities. I think financing and demand has become a problem downtown.
The site plan and building permit approval process has also slowed way down. The Creamery has been tied up for months.
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For example, the site Vela Longview will be on was granted 40-story zoning in April 2021. However, it took until November 2022 to get plans more set in stone & renderings presented, and it still wonât start construction for a few months as it awaits its ASR approval.
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The developer did not acquire the parcel until December 29, 2021, so the project is moving forward at a faster pace than it appears at first glance.
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Wish we had a normal process like other cities. Seems like towers are announced and go up the same year in Austin, Nashville, and even Charlotte.
Vela Charlotte is going up before Raleighâs too according to some sources.
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Our process is ânormalâ but deeply understaffed as far as I know. Some problems you just have to throw money at.
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I donât see this council doing that, maybe if we organize next year for 2024. Perhaps thatâll change. Not saying it wonât happen this year.
So now that 320 W South looks to be really happening, and since site work is well underway, Iâll assume RUS Bus / âUnion Westâ is on track to be next, Iâm curious what everyone thinks will be the next planned 20+ floor tower to go vertical. Admittedly, Iâm still shocked that our past three 20 story buildings are 320 W South, 400H and 301 Hillsborough.
(I think I set it so you can vote for 2âŚ)
Next planned 20+ story tower to go vertical will be
- Hammell Drive
- Park City Phase 2A
- Vela
- Salisbury Square
- S. Wilmington St (Lincoln block)
- 330 W Hargett
- 300 Hillsborough / Klimpton
- Creamery
- Bloomsbury Apartments
0 voters
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The Kimpton I thought wasnât getting started until like late 2024. I really hope something goes up before that! I felt like the Creamery shouldâve been started by now, but who knows. I keep worrying that one will fall through.
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Vela seems like a near certainty to me now. Especially considering the processes theyâve gone through
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