Agreed with daylighting steam. I still look at pigeon house branch everytime I merge on to Capitol from wake Forest Rd coming into DT. I hope one day that those businesses along the North side of Capitol between new Wade bridge and wake Forest will be retail shop and restaurants along the bank of restored pigeon house branch. The highway would have to be concealed by a berm, or the restored Creek could be shifted North closer to the warehouses. The section that is currently daylighted is not bad looking at all
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Thanks @CarnifeX didn’t know about that BBQ championship, very cool. I still like the idea of an ACC Tournament viewing party at Dix Field with foodtrucks, kids activities, etc.
Are you referring to multiple proposals for city owned land? Because IRL, only the owner of a property really can ‘propose’ anything…the city doesn’t get any say-so in who develops any particular proposal and certainly can’t dictate who gets to own it (though in some cases cities seize property for themselves in the name of ‘economic development’ and pass it on to another developer, but that would never ever fly here, not even among most liberals)
I also agree with daylighting Pigeon House Creek. Very much an opportunity lost from one point-of-view. But I’m also excited about adding to the grid downtown and the urban feel the development will bring to that block. Also, really like the idea of a parking deck on Harrington for Glenwood South crowd.
Question:
Who owns the creek on that parcel? There is now a privately owned building over it. Does the city still own the culvert under the building? I know I’m responsible for water pipes going from the street to my house! (recently replaced them)
The southern parts surrounded by Peace St., Capital Blvd., Dortch St., and West St. seems to be mostly owned by the City of Raleigh (see the city’s own zoning map).
As for the part @evan.j.bost originally mentioned (along Capital Blvd., between Wade Av. and the Wake Forest Rd. interchange), the zoning map spat out this list of owners.
(for the PIN number column, go to maps.raleighnc.gov/iMAPS/?pin=###, replacing the “###” with any of those numbers)
| Address | Owner | PIN |
|---|---|---|
| 115 OLD WILLIAMSON RD | WILL 110 LLC | 1704659054 |
| 1108 CAPITAL BLVD | ESC PROPERTIES OF WAKE COUNTY, LLC | 1704659251 |
| 1200 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals A) | 1704750421 |
| 1210 CAPITAL BLVD | MOGHADASS INC | 1704751583 |
| 1216 CAPITAL BLVD | (individual B) | 1704752304 |
| 1300 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals C, D) | 1704753529 |
| 1302 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals C, D) | 1704753695 |
| 1310 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals C, D) | 1704754753 |
| 1312 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals C, D) | 1704755767 |
| 1380 CAPITAL BLVD | 1380 CAPITAL BOULEVARD, LLC | 1704756665 |
| 1318 CAPITAL BLVD | (individuals C, D) | 1704756856 |
| 1390 CAPITAL BLVD | URBAN MINISTRIES OF WAKE CNTY INC | 1704852906 |
| 1400 CAPITAL BLVD | PS NC III LP LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | 1704866145 |
| 1504 CAPITAL BLVD | HARRISPARK PROPERTIES INC | 1704962475 |
| 1538 CAPITAL BLVD | HARRISPARK PROPERTIES INC | 1704968654 |
Would the creek be considered part of a sewer easement?
The Capitol building is diminutive by history and that’s fine. However, it is only visible on Fayetteville Street. It would have a much bigger impact if the 2 or 3 trees in front of it on Hillsborough Street were removed. I love big old trees but these few trees hide the building and make it look even smaller and less important. The only thing you see driving down Hillsborough is the confederate monument and that is not a good thing. If the trees were removed and the front of the building uplit it would have a much bigger presence.
Unless diseased, dying, or posing a threat…never remove a tree in City of Oaks! 
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I agree but there are a lot of trees on the Capitol grounds. Look how much money we spent and how much we sacrificed to look at the side of the building on Fayetteville. We could get an impressive view of the front of the building if a few trees got a disease or something. Lots of hundred year old homes have to remove the hedge when it gets so big it hides the house.
Thanks for mentioning the Cherry Bounce… I will hence forth dutifully imbibe if I ever see it on the menu!
Raleigh’s nickname as the city of oaks is something I appreciate and find unique. Oak tree on the flag, NYE Acorn drop, trees on the beltline; its great.
How can city planners harness this urban arboretum identity for everyone? … wooden skyscrapers! Wooden skyscrapers could be the future for cities | The Economist - YouTube
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Almost the entire creek in the box you mentioned IS daylighted (the Dortch culvert being the exception). I’ve walked the entire thing. Its got a ton (well, thousands of tons) of crap pushed up to and dumped along its banks that hopefully will get removed with the park creation but that is super super expensive to dispose of and might contain hazardous stuff they don’t want to stir up. But you can get a sense for how it might have felt when Devereux was an actual meadow. There is even a tiny, like one or two foot, waterfall at one point.
It seems like to me the thing obstructing the view the most is the, uh, monument…seems like a perfectly fine reason to move it to me…
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Please, Please, Please don’t turn this into a conversation about something not related to the topic. I’m personally getting sick of it. We can’t fix history. Move the damn things if you must, but just stop talking about it. #DropsTheMic
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I love that we’re the City of Oaks and think we should continue to run with it. On that note, I’ve always wondered how this terribly ugly stretch of treeless sidewalk ever got approved.
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I walk by there frequently and the hotel side of that portion is bleak and unwelcoming. Could never understand it myself why it is this way…
That has to be one of the most bland sections in the heart of downtown.
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Isn’t that whole section basically a bridge? Any plantings would have to be in pots I would think.
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Wow. How did that not hit me all this time?
You’re right. There are tunnels below that go from the hotel to convention center.
Still, they planted these smaller trees on the west side so maybe one day they can dress up the east side.
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At least some of those potted plants that are along Fayetteville Street would be a major improvement.
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Talking about getting a better view of the Capitol Building there freindo
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