Looks like they’ve been having some troubles with power transmission line easement and the current design. Alternative design submitted.
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This is an Administrative Alternate Design application. These usually don’t mean that the developer has encountered something unexpected and had to change plans (although occasionally that is involved.) In this case, it doesn’t seem like a change from the original plan, but rather just asking permission to do something that they always planned to do, but doesn’t adhere strictly to the letter of the law in city development codes.
Essentially, they are just requesting to set the building back 29’ back from the R.O.W. instead of the usual maximum of 20’, in order to stay out of the utility easement.
Complying with the ordinance would require relocating the lines and easement, which would be expensive. The development ordinance specifically excludes 230kv transmission lines from any build-to requirement, but this is a 115kv line so the regulation would apply. It’s not in the city’s interest to force the issue and have the developer spend money relocating the line, because:
(1) The developer is proposing an alternative of pushing the building back by just 9 feet
(2) This 9 feet will be filled with things like plantings, plazas, cafe spaces, sidewalks, seating areas, street trees, etc - things which contribute positively to the urban environment, and which are spelled out specifically in the AAD application
(3) This is the only building on the block, so an extra setback won’t break up an existing street wall in any way
The money that the developer would have to spend moving the utility line could otherwise be spent to make a better project, so the decision seems pretty cut and dry.
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Does anyone else think that these look a lot more like the apartments by John Kane? 
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Certainly pretty generic but of good quality. The underground parking is a massive plus especially in this city.
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I agree wholeheartedly
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So absolutely every single damn apartment building built in Raleigh over the last 10 years ?
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We could be Charlotte USA where everything is made of synthetic stucco. Epicenter, and a lot of recently built downtown structures there look terrible already. That city will not age well.
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Is there any real difference in the way we build? Its all junk if you ask me.
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As long as they look good when ClineDesign and JDavis take their portfolio pictures. That’s all that really matters.
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Ugh, trying too hard with the “facade articulation” again. WTF is up with that three-story “bay window” projection? That side facade, with one second-floor apartment singled out for different windows & color?
The facade treatment at each corner is perfectly fine, so what’s wrong with just continuing one of them across the entire facade? This 5-over-1 podium apartment building in DC just owns the fact that it’s a block-long box – so it just wraps the entire facade with good brick divided horizontally (not chopped up vertically!) into a base-shaft-capital tripartite arrangement, just like the big brick industrial buildings around it. Won multiple AIA local awards, too.
https://www.rent.com/district-of-columbia/washington-apartments/77h-4-64351227
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TBJ reported today that construction on the first phase is expected to begin within the next 1-2 months with expected completion in Q3/2022.
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They also included a little information at the bottom concerning the RUSbus Tower.
" In addition to its massive Seaboard Station development, the company has also been named the preferred developer on GoTriangle’s bus station and tower project and has already begun some design work on the tower. Construction on that project is expected to begin next year."
Hopefully we will see a rendering before years end.
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BJ not always accurate. GoTriangle said themselves they will have a 2022 timeline. I guess they mean pre-construction activities in 2021. Isn’t this property a brown site? That will take some time to remedy.
new page on the developers website for this project… Seaboard Station |
I had to laugh at the chandeliers hanging above the street:
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Classy neighborhood!
A nice project. But…
It seems that everyone, read developer seems to want to copy NH’s. 
I guess that the old adage is still in vogue, “Nothing breeds success like success” ? 
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Original R+D - rip off and duplicate 
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To be fair, North Hills didn’t invent this type of development. Also, a differentiator for this project is that it’s happening downtown. IMO, it’s more akin to Smoky Hollow than it is to North Hills.
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Not sure if anyone caught the presentation last night from Hoffman and Associates. A few takeaways:
- They will be proceeding with Block B first due to uncertainty w/ hotel market currently (Block A)
- 1st phase will start Nov 20th. Will include demolition of Block A and B and construction of Block B
- Block B includes 30,000 retail, a fountain, and 298 residential units. Parking will be built for Block A with Block B (so lots of parking in Block B)
Site Plan:
Block B:
Woonerf for Alley between Block B and C:
Block A:
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