Village District Developments

[Brandonq]

This is an awful intersection for cars and pedestrians. It really needs to be redone at some point.

[John]

Yeah, I was totally fan-boying about the Clark Townhomes, not the ones up Oberlin.

[John]

Got a screenshot today of the notice that went out to the “Cameron Park” residents. The votes are in and the new name of the neighborhood will be Forest Park. #meh

[Buck]

Try as we might, we’d like to ignore history - that the original developers named their subdivision after a slaveholder- known to own more slaves than any in the area, prior to reconstruction. It’s the ugly truth, and if we ignore history, we’re prone to repeat It. Cameron Park cannot erase its history, we should all be reminded of it.

[John]

I’ve read this a few times, but I’m unsure what you think ought to have been done.
Personally, I don’t mind that the neighborhood decided to change their name. I just don’t care for what they chose.

[Street_Grid]

I think it is completely adequate name. Certainly better than the previous one!

Imo changing a name is completely different than trying to erase history.

[Kanatenah]

Changing the name of a neighborhood does not erase history. Just like the Artist Formerly Known as Prince did not erase Prince’s history.

[GucciLittlePig]

I don’t think we’re going to reinstitute slavery because we have things named after slaveholders. But I don’t have any affinity for any of these people and am happy to see their names taken out of our public consciousness.

[oakcityyimby]

Questionable usefulness of changing the name aside, every replacement name has been the most generic thing imaginable. It’s like a city in a video game with really lazy writers.

[John]

That’s sort of how I feel about it. I mean Raleigh is the state capital, and the city deserve better than generic. Forest Park has some cool road names in it that could have been elevated, and we could have had Hillcrest Park, Woodburn Park, or even Groveland Park. It also could have picked up the St. Mary’s name and been St. Mary’s Park.
On the other hand, at least Raleigh hasn’t gone down the generic rabbit hole and named everything after itself a la DAP, DBAP, & DPAC.

[trueurbanist]

I’d love for this district to be more dense and less car-centric and more like this area in National Harbor, MD. It would also be great to see this type of design be considered if the city plans to redesign Fayetteville Street.

[John]

I’ve been to a convention there, and that area feels more like North Hills than like something that is close to a city center.

[colbyjd3]

It’s an odd spot. Very neat and somewhat impressive (especially the hotel), but I probably wouldn’t visit it again.

[paytonc]

There are a few other early (1940s) shopping centers that have been successfully updated. Recently saw Suburban Square in Ardmore PA, which has some great new streetscapes:

Suburban Square - Mahan Rykiel Associates

@John

Groveland Park

FWIW, I used to live near a Groveland Park in Chicago. It’s a subdivision that was developed by (and is still home to the remains of) Stephen Douglas, who took the wrong side in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. So while it’s a neat name, it might not have solved the problem at hand!

Chicago Patterns

[John]

There are a few other early (1940s) shopping centers that have been successfully updated. Recently saw Suburban Square in Ardmore PA, which has some great new streetscapes:

One can argue that The Village District has been slowly improving its experiences over time with more periphery dense development with more walking credentials. It would be nice to keep make progress in that direction.

[pBeez]

getting rid of the upper parking decks was a hugr step forward.

[rhinson]

Yes, those things were hideous. You couldn’t see the stores for the parking decks.

[sthomper]

for the stop/start bike routes thru raleighs current system, ebikes can easily help change perception. 320 lb total load limit and with 2 batteries i get 70 miles of assist.

[John]

When I get older, I want one of these!

[Christopher]

Interesting story here. Former City Council member Russ Stephenson is opening a historic property he and his wife own on Oberlin Road to the public on April 3. Tickets cost $5 and benefit the Raleigh Garden Club.

The property features a home, outbuildings, and a garden that date to at least the 1930s. The City tried twice in the 1970s to widen Oberlin Road through the property so it would meet with Pullen but their plans were thwarted by the owner, Stephenson’s grandmother from whom he inherited it.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article259591164.html#storylink=mainstage_card2

Of course, this is Russ Stephenson we’re talking about, so there’s also this part about building shadows:

While Henderson’s house and gardens look much like they did 80 years ago, the city is ever changing around them.

Over the back fence, the large homes on Maiden Lane, long rented to college students and fraternities, were recently replaced by three-story apartment buildings. And next door, just beyond the perennial garden, N.C. State University has replaced an old warehouse building with a gravel parking lot. Stephenson doesn’t know what the university’s long-term plans are, but he hopes it’s not a tall building that would shade the gardens.

And that points to another reason that Stephenson and Longino periodically open their home to the public.

“Part of what I’m doing is to keep people aware of the value of what’s here and the amazing story,” Stephenson said. “It’s all about raising that awareness so people will have an appreciation and respect and not have the city or other development people do things that will attempt to destroy it in the future.”