Development Archives - Page 3 of 8

Development Beat: Calavera Returns, Work Begins On Jolie

Published on May 14, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Calavera opens in new location

Seaboard Wine tasting events

Work begins on Jolie

Two new tenants for Union Station

Sir Walter Raleigh Award Nominations

Just Salad coming to Lake Boone

New Social Security Office building coming to Raleigh

Work begins on Raleigh’s latest Lidl

Purchase tickets to the Women’s ICC held August 15th and 18th at WakeMed Soccer Park

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Calavera Opens In Former Home Of Moonlight Pizza

Calavera is now open in the former home of Moonlight Pizza. The empanada and tequila bar was previously located at 444 S. Blount Street until early 2018.

The restaurant closed in 2018 after being approached with an offer they couldn’t refuse. Co-owner Kenneth Yowell shared his thoughts at the time, “Our kitchen and its small size has kept us from really growing the menu and allowing us to change and add where we would like. We’ve entertained the idea of looking for a location more suited to what we want to do for awhile but have never found anything that matched our needs and wants. We were out of the blue approached with an offer to sell, and while we weren’t actively exploring that, with our new restaurants on the horizon we felt this was the best time to step away.”

Calavera had plans to move into the former home of Tasty 8’s on Fayetteville Street. Those plans changed and Calavera found a new home in the space at 615 West Morgan Street.

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HUGE SHOUTOUT to everyone who came out for our Cinco de Mayo pop-up yesterday!! We had an absolute blast!! We’re going to take the next few days and finish up some odds and ends in this awesome new space, and we’ll be back for good by the weekend!! See everyone again soon!

A post shared by Calavera (@calaveraempanadas) on May 6, 2019 at 8:02am PDT

After holding a pop-up on Cinco de Mayo, the restaurant is now open for dinner and will be open for lunch in the next few weeks. We’re confident they’ll do well in their new home.

Seaboard Wine Events

Our friends at Seaboard Wine are hosting Giuseppe LoCascio of GLC Wines this Thursday, May 16th from 7:15 – 8:30 pm.

As the nephew of the famous Leonardo LoCascio, Giuseppe grew up in Sicily entrenched in wine culture and knows every aspect of the business. Giuseppe works as the export manager for fifteen wineries. Come join Seaboard Wine for a seated, guided tasting with one of the best dressed men in the business. Tickets are $25.

A free wine tasting will be held this Saturday, May 18th. Join Claire Allan of Huia Vineyards, New Zealand from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Claire Allan and her husband, Mike, own Huia Vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand. They produce superb organic wines under both the Huia and Hunky Dory Labels. Claire will be at Seaboard Wine pouring a range from sparkling to white to red during the free Saturday tasting.

Work Begins On Jolie

Work is now underway on Jolie, a classical French restaurant from five-time James Beard Award semi-finalist Scott Crawford that will be located on 620 North Person Street.

Crawford announced plans for the new restaurant in the summer of 2018, and we were able to take a look at some renderings of the space a few months later.

One of the most visible changes to the existing building will be the addition of a new rooftop terrace seating area, which is called out specifically in the permits that were recently issued.

The $177,388 renovation is being handled by Southeastern Properties & Development out of Sanford, and will also include significant upgrades to the building’s exterior, including new doors, windows, lights, and paint schemes.

Offering classic French dishes including rabbit cassoulet, souffles, steak frites, scrambled duck eggs, and more, Jolie is named after Crawford’s daughter and set to open next door to his existing restaurant, Crawford & Son. An opening date has not been announced, but we imagine it will be some time later this year.

Two New Tenants For Union Station

Union Station will be getting two new tenants, ORA Architecture and SpecOne Specified Systems.

ORA Architecture is a commercial architecture firm in Raleigh that serves clients across the Southeast region. ORA Architecture, P.A., intends to utilize the space for office purposes and will occupy 1,211 square feet of space located on the Grand Hall (Suite 108-A).

SpecOne Specified Systems is a local company that supports the design and construction industry by offering both interior and exterior products from nationally recognized manufacturers. SpecOne Specified Systems intends to utilize the space for office purposes and will occupy 777 square feet of space located on the Grand Hall (Suite 108-B).

The lease spaces will be located in the far east end on the main floor of Raleigh Union Station. Two additional prime retail spaces remain available on the main floor. Raleigh’s Wine & Design is in the process of relocating its corporate headquarters to Union Station.

John Koonce (johnkoonce@yorkproperties.com – 919-645-2765) is handing the retail leasing and Brian Wallace (brianwallace@yorkproperties.com – 919-645-2773) is handling the office leasing. York is also handling the management and will coordinate the event space leasing.

Nominations Open For Sir Walter Raleigh Awards

Nominations are now open for The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards. You are more than welcome to nominate ITB Insider for any of these awards, which recognize outstanding new contributions to the character, environment, and appearance of the City of Raleigh.

Award categories include: Residential, Commercial, Rehabilitation /Historic Preservation, Education, Public Facilities, Public Spaces, Landscape Design and Community Impact.

This is your chance to recognize any individuals or projects that have contributed excellent design to our city. Nominations are now being accepted through June 14th at 5:00 p.m. Anyone can submit a nomination through a quick and easy web form that can be found on the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards website.

Just Salad Coming To Lake Boone

If you’re the type that would prefer a salad over one of Guasaca’s delicious Arepas, well, we’ve got good news for you. Just Salad will soon be making its way to the Marketplace at Lake Boone.

The Mrketplace at Lake Boone is already home to a number of much better dining options, including Buffalo Brothers, Vic’s Italian Restaurant and Pizza, Which Which, and the aforementioned Guasaca.

Permits issued to R.E. Crawford Construction indicate Just Salad will be moving into a 1,785 square-foot space right next to Guasaca that was previously occupied by HealthSource of Lake Boone Trail, a chiropractor’s office.

The $131,025 renovation is described simply as an interior alteration, and while we imagine less work is required for a salad joint than a restaurant for normal humans, it’s probably going to take a bit of work to turn a former doctor’s office into an eatery.

New Social Security Office Building Coming to Raleigh

The one-time home of the Cokesbury United Methodist Church on Poole Road may soon be transformed into a glistening, two-story office building.

Rooker, a Georgia-based development firm, filed site review plans detailing their intent to construct the OHO Raleigh, a two-story, 46,464 square-foot office building with underground parking.

Although the plans describe the project as a “Federal Government Office Building,” they don’t specify which branch of the government it will house. A quick Google search for “OHO Federal Government Office” turns up the Social Security Administration’s “Office of Hearings Operations,” which handles disability hearings.

We don’t want to say for certain this will be its intended purpose – Rooker develops office buildings for all sorts of federal agencies – and besides, Raleigh already has a “SSA Disability Adjudication and Review Office” in Raleigh, on Falls of Neuse.

As for the building itself, the plans don’t contain much information on the office space but they do go into great detail on the site’s new landscaping: 34 “shade” trees and 49 evergreen shrubs – Blue Cascade distylium shrubs, to be exact.

Work Begins on Raleigh’s Latest Lidl

It’s been more than two years since we first reported on Lidl’s acquisition of land in North Raleigh, and now work is finally underway on Raleigh’s second location of the German discount grocery chain.

The new 29,114 square-foot store will be situated at 4115 Buffaloe Road at the intersection with North New hope. The store is being built by the EMJ Corporation out of Tennessee for a cool $3 million.

Lidl (pronounced lee-dil) opened its first Raleigh location in November of 2017 on Wake Forest Road just outside the beltline, and immediately set itself apart from that *other* discount German grocery chain, Aldi.

At the time, I reported that “the store was bright, clean and modern, with an aesthetic that seemed more borrowed from Ikea than Aldi’s apparent muse of a bodega. On Sunday night, the lot was packed and seven out of the eleven available registers were open; a delightful ratio rarely seen in today’s cutthroat retail environment. Heck, even the shopping carts were nice.”

We imagine the same will be true for the new Buffaloe Road location, and if the construction turnaround time is anything like it was for the first store, it could be open by the end of this year.

Development Beat: New Tenants and Hours for Transfer Co. Food Hall

Published on May 5, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Transfer Co. Food Hall unveils new tenants and hours

Seaboard Wine tasting event on May 11th

Moore Square grand opening date set

New tapas bar open in former Taste space

Work begins on Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls at North Hills

Changes coming to Oak Park Shopping Center

State seeks designer for massive new DHHS campus

Home2Suites hotel coming soon to Crabtree

Purchase tickets to the Women’s ICC held August 15th and 18th at WakeMed Soccer Park

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Transfer Co. Food Hall Unveils New Tenants, New Hours

Transfer Co. Food Hall will expand their hours and begin holding events leading up to their grand opening later this summer. They recently announced two new tenants (Mama Crow’s, Alimentari by Left Bank), an expanded Burial Beer can shop, a ballroom/event space, and a coworking hall.

Starting on May 7th, the new hours will be:
Tuesday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

We’ve compiled a thorough list of the restaurants, along with incredibly detailed descriptions of what they’ll offer.

Alimentari at Left Bank: Italian. Pasta by the pound.

Mama Crow’s: salads, burgers, house-made cheeses, fries.

Longleaf Swine: barbecue

Bul Box: Asian cuisine

Locals Seafood Market & Oyster Bar: Oysters. Seafood.

Burial Beer Co.: Beer

Benchwarmers Bagels: Bagels. Bread. Coffee. A collaboration from the masterminds behind Jubala Coffee and Boulted Bread.

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Finally made it to @benchwarmersbagels. Fantastic bake, great scramble, excellent mouthfeel. 5 out of 5 beltlines. @transfercofoodhall #ITBonappetit

A post shared by ITB Insider (@itbinsider) on Feb 15, 2019 at 9:17am PST

Che Empanadas: Argentine-style baked empanadas

Chhote’s: Mumbai street-food

Captain Cookie and The Milkman: cookies, shakes, made-to-order ice cream sandwiches

Dank Burrito: tacos, burritos, bowls

Sweet Peas Urban Gardens: an urban farm cultivated in large shipping containers

Burial Beer will expand its current 670 square-foot hallway to 2,000 square feet, linking the connection between the food hall and Longleaf Swine BBQ.

A rentable 3,000-square-foot ballroom/event space is now accepting bookings. The space can accommodate gatherings from a five-person luncheon to a 350-person concert — all with catering access to the food hall. The event space will also offer live music, pop-ups, artisan markets, and community activities.

A 50+ desk coworking hall with three levels of membership is also planned.

Transfer Co. will host a series of activities in May and June, including guest chef appearances, pop-ups, and musical performances. They plan to hold a grand opening by late summer of 2019.

Wine Tasting At Seaboard Wine May 11th

Our friends at Seaboard Wine are hosting a free wine tasting this Saturday, May 11th. Join Mark Vlossak of St. Innocent Winery, Willamette Valley, Oregon from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Mark Vlossak started St. Innocent in an industrial storage space in Salem, Oregon. He makes exceptional Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir which will be featured during the Saturday tasting.

Now through Mother’s Day, Seaboard Wine is offering a selection of six FREE bottle gift wrap options. Remember, Seaboard Wine is ITB’s exclusive retailer for ITBlessed wine glasses (perfect for Mother’s Day)!

Moore Square Grand Opening Date Set

As if serving as this columnist’s birthday month wasn’t enough to mark August as the best of them all, the City of Raleigh announced last week that Moore Square will officially be reopening on August 3, 2019.

The Grand Opening Ceremony will take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and feature a “plethora of activities that highlight the unique slate of programs and events planned for the Square. There will be vendors, entertainers, activities and Moore!”

In addition, Artsplosure will be curating an art market, and a hands on project by Kid Lab will be on display. The event will feature performances from bands such as Raleigh Rockers, Oak City Voices, Sandbox Band, Shiloh Hill, and, for some reason, Ja Rule.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance recently announced that they were working with the city to “produce a Moore Square Market,” described as a new farmers market that will open June 5th. The temporary new location in City Market will move to Moore Square Park when the renovations are complete. The market will be open every Wednesday from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm through October 16th.

Uninhibited Opens In Former Home Of Taste

The Triangle Food Guy recently reported that a new tapas-style bar, Uninhibited, is now open at the former home of Taste on Medlin Drive.

According to its website, Uninhibited is more than a simple tapas restaurant: “Chef Goldberg has always been fascinated by crossing culinary boundaries whether by technique, ingredients, or both. Out of this idea the concept of being uninhibited was born. In other words, the genre of this restaurant is that there is no genre and no boundaries.”

They’ll be open 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Monday – Thursday, 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm Friday and Saturday, and closed on Sundays.

Work Begins On Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls At North Hills

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls should open later this year in North Hills. The seafood franchise offers authentic Maine lobster rolls, served in a roll, in bisque, on salad, or with mac and cheese.

Permits were recently issued to Management Resource Systems for the “first time interior completion” of a 1,538 square foot space at 4121 Main at North Hills, next to Bartaco. The renovation will cost just under $110,000.

Mason’s has seven other locations in Maryland, Delaware, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Changes Coming To Oak Park Shopping Center

The Oak Park Shopping Center on Glenwood Avenue will soon be expanding with the addition of a two-story, 8,727 square-foot retail building.

Architectural renderings indicate an addition will be built onto the side of an existing retail building. Plans also call for the building’s facade to be freshened up. The addition will include a number of high-end accoutrements, including decorative railings, structural columns, herringbone brick, black, standing seam metal roofing.

Located at 6005 Glenwood Avenue, the Oak Park Shopping Center was originally built in 1965, and includes a number of popular retailers and restaurants, including The Peddler Steak House, FRESH, Local Ice Cream, Capitol Comics II, and Casa Carbone.

We don’t know what new shops this addition will bring, but we’ll be sure to keep our eyes open for the fit-out permits.

State Seeks Designer For Massive New DHHS Campus

The State of North Carolina is seeking a design team that will help to design and develop a new campus for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Located on a 36-acre parcel of land off Blue Ridge Road (near the art museum) the campus will be built out in two phases. The first phase will support the relocation of about 2,299 DHHS employees from the Dorothea Dix Campus, and will include approximately 420,000 gross square feet of new office buildings.

The second phase will bring in about 2,000 more DHHS staffers, and involve an expansion to the Phase I buildings, along with internal site streetscapes with amenities.

Home2Suites Hotel Coming To Crabtree

Long-term visitors to the Crabtree Valley area will soon have a new option for lodging: a Home2 Suites by Hilton.

Home2 Suites is a mid-range extended-stay hotel that offers suite-style rooms that come with small kitchens and a full-size refrigerator.

The chain currently operates a location near the RDU Airport, and its new location will likely face stiff competition from the nearby Candlewood Suites, another mid-range extended-stay brand.

Site review plans for “Home2 Crabtree” were filed recently by a subsidiary of RK Investors, a Charlotte firm that “invests in hotels, single family and multi-family residential new developments and acquisitions.”

The five-story, 130-room hotel is proposed to be built on an empty lot at 2101 Century Drive, more or less directly across Glenwood from the Hilton Garden Inn.

Development Beat: The Flourish Market Moving and Expanding, Bird Scooters Sticking Around

Published on April 30, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

The Flourish Market is moving and expanding

Updates on The Wade

Residential project planned for Blount Street

Bird scooters sticking around for summer

Citrix Cycle ribbon cutting ceremony this week

Two Roosters opens on Person Street

Groove In The Garden announced

New GlenLake office building planned

More apartments for Crabtree

Purchase tickets to the Women’s ICC held August 15th and 18th at WakeMed Soccer Park

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

The Flourish Market Is Flourishing

The Flourish Market announced that they will be relocating from their Glenwood South location at 713 Tucker to a new space in the Warehouse District. They will also be launching The Locality, a co-working space for female entrepreneurs.

The new shop, set to open May 31, will be three times larger than the current Tucker Street location. According to the shop’s owners, the new 3,500 square foot location at 307 W. Martin Street will offer “double the world changing selection of everything: clothes, jewelry, bags, and accessories. A huge new “gifties” section: unique + meaningful finds for every woman in your life” and much more.

They’ll also be adding a coffee lounge that is a “serve yourself, donation based system” where the donations go to a different local nonprofit each month.

The Locality co-working space will launch on June 3rd and will serve as a hub for 50 triangle based female entrepreneurs.

You can read more details about the expansion on their blog. It’s great to see a local business not only succeeding, but flourishing to the point it needs to expand to a space three times the size.

The Wade Springs Forward

Our friends over at Beacon Street Development just released one of the hottest videos of 2019. Featuring updates on The Wade, their condominium project located on Wade Avenue, this video has it all.

We last checked in on the progress in December, and things seem to be moving along on schedule.

There are still a few residences available, but we can’t guarantee that you’ll be neighbors with ITBlake.

Residential Project Planned For Blount Street

The long-vacant Carolina Coach site at 1201 S. Blount Street could finally be getting a new tenant: a five-story housing complex with rooftop terraces.

Stanley Martin Homes has filed a rezoning request for the 3.86-acre site at 1201 and 1208 S. Blount Street that would change the allowed development from industrial mixed-use with a cap of three stories, to a “Planned Development.”

The planned development designation would allow for up to 10,000 square-feet of ground-floor retail space, and would cap the maximum number of residential units at 100.

According to the rezoning documents, the property is “located within the ‘focal point’ of the South Park Small Area Plan, which encourages residential and commercial uses in order to create a neighborhood focal point and an economic development opportunity for the South Park area.”

Located less than half a mile from the center of downtown, the new development would also “diversify the available housing options in the area,” and would bring “neighborhood retail to serve the local community.”

No word yet on when construction will begin on the new Carolina Coach Planned Development, but considering it needs to get rezoning approval, then site review plan approval, etc. etc., we imagine it’s at least two years out at this point.

The Birds of Summer

The Birds are back in town, sort of. After being shunned by the Raleigh City Council, Bird had planned to pull their electric scooters from the Raleigh market on April 30th.

In late March, The News & Observer reported that both Bird and Lime planned to leave Raleigh as a result of regulations created by the City of Raleigh. Those rules capped the number of scooters that each company could offer at 500, and set a fee of $300 per scooter (most cities charge the companies fees from $50-$150 per scooter).

The city also asked companies to submit proposals to operate scooters in Raleigh after July 1. Five companies (Bolt, Gotcha, Lyft, Spin, and VeoRide) submitted proposals. Bird and Lime did not submit proposals.

Bird released a statement saying: “Unfortunately, Raleigh city officials refuse to amend their burdensome regulations on e-scooter providers, and it no longer makes sense for us to provide our service under the city’s restrictive leadership. Our time in Raleigh must come to a close, but we hope to return in the future when city officials are ready to be more amenable to our business and industry as well as the needs of their constituents.”

In a stunning turn of events, Bird announced this week that they will continue to operate in Raleigh through the end of July.

Looks like @BirdRide pulled a fast one and decided to remain in Raleigh into the summer, while @limebike departed? Scooter wars #ralpol pic.twitter.com/RQn0ECY166
— x – Travis Bailey (@Sigmandis) April 30, 2019

Love them or hate them, Bird scooters will be in Raleigh for a few more months.

Citrix Cycle Ribbon Cutting This Week

In other transportation news, Citrix Cycle will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony this Thursday at Union Station.

Join @CitrixCycle this week as they host their Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday and a Launch Celebration on @FirstFridayRal (this Friday, May 3)! #bikeraleigh #downtownraleigh @RaleighMoves pic.twitter.com/lbBt6xpU8m
— Downtown Raleigh Alliance (@DowntownRaleigh) April 29, 2019

The long-awaited bike share program is now up and running. You can find more details on the location of stations, pricing, and more on the Citrix Cycle website.

Two Roosters Celebrates Grand Opening

After opening in the Summer of 2018 as a “pop-up” shop in the Person Street Plaza, Two Roosters Ice Cream celebrated the official grand opening of their second brick and mortar location over the weekend.

The space, once home to Lumina Clothing, had been closed for renovations since last summer. The $90,000 renovation of the 1,329 square-foot space was handled by Heritage Construction out of Raleigh.

Two Roosters was started in 2014, and for years operated solely as a food truck and as a stand in left field at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. In 2017, Two Roosters opened its first brick and mortar shop at Greystone Village off of Lead Mine Road.

💥¡SHOP 2 GRAND OPENING!💥
Our shop in Person Street Plaza will be hosting a Grand Opening party this Sun 4/28, 2-9pm!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We’ll have bluegrass, barbecue, & beer feat. @CountrClockwize and @Longleaf_Swine plus lots of ice cream! 🎉🎉
📷: Raleigh Foodie pic.twitter.com/09bv9AzZz6
— TwoRoosters IceCream (@two_roosters) April 22, 2019

Groove In The Garden Lineup Announced

Our friends at Raleigh Little Theatre have announced the lineup for this year’s Groove In The Garden. Held in the Stephenson Amphitheater at the Rose Garden, the festival will feature eight live performances on two stages.

The festival will celebrate its fifth year when it returns on Saturday, September 21st. Advance tickets are $15, day of tickets are $20, an advanced four pack of tickets is $45, and kids 5 and under get in free. Tickets are available at grooveinthegarden2019.eventbrite.com

We can’t confirm or deny a special appearance by Earth, Wind, and Fire, who will perform one of the top 5 greatest songs of all time.

MAIN STAGE LINEUP:

700pm: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – (Outlaw Country)

545pm: Kooley High – (Hip Hop)

430pm: Hot at Nights 17 Piece Orchestra – (Jazz)

315pm: Urban Soil – (Americana, Rock, Soul)

200pm: Arson Daily – (Alternative Rock)

GARDEN STAGE LINEUP

515pm: CaseyMagic – (Punk Rock Magic)

400pm: Clint Roberts – (Modern Americana)

245pm: Into The Fog – (Newgrass)

Groove in the Garden is produced in partnership by The Pour House Music Hall and Raleigh Little Theatre and is sponsored by Mims Distributing Company, Foothills Brewing Company, Citrix, GoRaleigh, O2 Fitness, Alamo Drafthouse, WKNC, Logan’s Garden Center, Raleigh Heating & Air, 2112 Percussion, Sonitrol Security, Weaver Street Market, Monarch Realty Co, UNation & Unleashed the Dog & Cat Store.

New GlenLake Office Building Planned

Site work is now wrapping up for GlenLake Seven, which will actually be the fifth office building in the GlenLake Office Park.

According to a pre-leasing flier, GlenLake Seven will encompass “125,000 square feet of Class A space with highly efficient floor plates and beautiful park views.”

Each of the building’s five stories offers about 26,000 square feet in available office space (the first floor has only 23,000 available), and tenants will be able to utilize covered parking.

Although we were a bit confused as to why the fifth building was dubbed number seven, it turns out the existing buildings are numbered one, four, five, and six. As seven total buildings are planned for the office park, it’s likely the future buildings will be numbered two and three.

Sitescapes, LLC was listed as the site work contractor for GlenLake VII on a set of permits issued last week.

More Apartments For Crabtree

A new apartment building is coming to the crowded Valley of Crabtree.

Site review plans filed by Cresleigh Homes out of California call for a 5-story, 300,520 square-foot building that will include 149 residential units: 92 one-bedrooms and 57 two-bedrooms. 310 parking spots will be provided.

Designed by JDavis Architects, it appears that Cresleigh will be priced at the higher end of the rental spectrum. The Cresleigh will be built on a 4.92 acre lot at 5301 Homewood Banks Drive, behind the mall and near the McDonald’s.

Development Beat: Is Fosters Returning?

Published on April 23, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Is Fosters returning?

NC Courage Event at Union Station Thursday, April 25th (buy tickets to the Women’s ICC)

New building planned at Meredith

Uncle Julio’s restaurant coming to Crabtree

Restaurant coming to former Burger King on Hillsborough Street

South Street getting a Mini-Mart

Year-Over-Year rent increases higher than average in Raleigh

Music for Me Fine (4/26) tickets available – click here to purchase

Brewgaloo (4/26-4/27) tickets available – click here to purchase

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Is Fosters Returning?

We have received countless text messages and questions regarding the recent work being done at the former home of Felson’s (Fosters + Nelson’s).

It’s like looking into the Titanic for the first time.

Is Fosters coming back? Are they preparing for another block party? Is the dance floor being remodeled?

Sadly, Felson’s is not returning. The headline we used is called “clickbait.” It’s supposed to attract clicks, even though it can sometimes be misleading. But hey, that’s showbiz baby!

What’s actually going on is a massive renovation project at Raleigh’s most beloved Harris Teeter. Many years ago, Harris Teeter took over the space that was once home to Felson’s. They are now gutting Felson’s as part of a larger renovation to the store.

More than 20 separate permits were issued to Ashland Construction for the project. The total combined value for the 24 renovation permits comes to a staggering $5,239,200, or roughly one snow day’s worth of sales at Harris Teeter. We’ll have a separate post that details the changes coming to the CVHT in a few weeks. Yes, there are rumors of a pizza island, and yes, they are true.

We realize a lot of you are in a state of shock and/or mourning right now after thinking Fosters was possibly returning. We’ll leave you with this;

International Champions Cup Event At Union Station Plaza Thursday

The International Champions Cup (ICC) is coming to North Carolina on August 15th and 18th, and the NC Courage are ready to defend their title. This Thursday, April 25th, the NC Courage will join fans at Union Station Plaza to celebrate the upcoming tournament.

From 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, fans can meet the players, get autographs, play games, and more. The event will also serve as a celebratory sendoff for Courage players departing to prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer.

Held on August 15th and 18th at WakeMed Soccer Park, the Women’s ICC will feature four of the top clubs in the world, including the NC Courage (who won the tournament in 2018), Olympique Lyonnais, Manchester City, and Atlético de Madrid.

This year’s Women’s ICC, considered the premier women’s international club tournament, will feature two official Women’s ICC ambassadors, World Cup winner and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Heather O’Reilly (NC Courage) and the first ever Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyonnais).

Fans can purchase tickets for the Women’s ICC at the event on Thursday. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 26th. Use code ITBSOCCER to purchase tickets early, starting at 10:00 am on April 25th. Buy tickets here.

In addition to their 2018 Women’s ICC championship, the Courage won the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship and the 2018 NWSL Shield (an annual award given to the team with the best regular season record). The Downtown Raleigh Alliance, in partnership with Relevent Sports Group, the owner and operator of the Women’s International Champions Cup, will host the event with the North Carolina Courage.

Meredith Expands Communication and Exercise and Sport Science Programs

Meredith College announced that its Board of Trustees had approved “construction of a new academic building on the College’s Hillsborough Street campus.” The vote took place at a meeting held March 20-21, 2019.

According to the press release, the new facility will be constructed near the Weatherspoon Gymnasium/Lowery Fitness Center, and “will replace Weatherspoon Annex, providing new, cutting-edge instructional space for Meredith’s growing communication and exercise and sports science programs.”

The release goes on to note that enrollment in Meredith’s “undergraduate communication and exercise and sports science programs has increased by 29% and 52% respectively” since 2011. Construction is expected to be completed by the Fall of 2020.

New Restaurant To Replace McCormick & Schmick’s

For the longest time, we thought McCormick & Schmick’s was a law firm. Apparently, it was a seafood restaurant, but none of that matters because it’s gone now. Uncle Julio’s, a high-end chain specializing in made-from-scratch menu items, will soon be moving into the space previously occupied by McCormick & Schmick’s.

A pair of permits with a combined value of more than $625,000 were issued to the Florida-based construction firm RCC Associates for the fit-out of the 8,527 sq. ft. restaurant and accompanying 132 sq. ft. entryway. Uncle Julio’s recently opened its first North Carolina location at the Streets at Southpoint in Durham.

Hillsborough Street Burger King to Become Vietnamese Restaurant

For more than 20 years, the building at 3701 Hillsborough Street served as a Burger King. Since the King left the building at some point in late 2016/early 2017, the longtime restaurant has sat vacant, its signage stripped away but its surroundings well kept.

The property was eventually sold in February 2019 to a well-regarded physician living in Raleigh, who will be turning the place into the Hieubowl Vietnamese Kitchen.

Permits were issued for the $136,284 transformation of the 2,324 square-foot space into a Vietnamese restaurant. The work is being handled by SBC Contracting Inc. out of Wake Forest.

South Street Mini-Mart

Our friend Dan Meyer recently shared a photo on Twitter showing a banner advertising a new Mini-Mart coming to South Street in what looked to be the Extra Space Storage Building.

An ABC Inspection Permit – typically one of the final bureaucratic hurdles a business owner is required to jump through if they intend on selling booze to the public – was issued for the space last week. While this isn’t definitive proof that the new South Street Mini-Mart will be open by, say, the end of the month, we’d say it’s still a pretty safe bet.

Renovations had begun on the space back in February after US Structures Corp received a permit valued at just under $75,000 for the interior alteration for a new convenience store.

Raleigh Rent Increases Outpace National Average

Our friends over at RentCafe put out a report detailing the average year-over-year rent increases across the country; on average, rents in March 2019 were up 3.2% over March of 2018.

Raleigh and several surrounding cities exceeded this national average with Cary leading the pack at a 5.2% increase, followed by Durham at 5.1%, and finally Raleigh at 4.5%.

Development Beat: Wegmans Announces Opening Date, A Place At the Table Expanding

Published on April 16, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Wegmans announces September opening

Captrust Tower is for sale

Morgan Street Food Hall adds new vendor

City to lease back buildings at Dix Park

Brew opening in McNeill Pointe

Convention Center set for interior upgrade

A Place at the Table expanding

Music for Me Fine (4/26) tickets available – click here to purchase

Brewgaloo (4/26-4/27) tickets available – click here to purchase

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Wegmans Announces September Opening

The highly-anticipated Wegmans grocery store has finally announced an opening date for its location at SOJO (Midtown East Shopping Center).

The store recently announced an opening date of September 29th, 2019. While we’re interested to see why people are so obsessed with Wegmans, we’re disappointed that they didn’t choose September 21st as an opening date in order to incorporate Earth, Wind, & Fire’s classic “September” into their marketing efforts.

The “smaller-than-average” Wegmans – just over 100,000 square feet – will be located at the back of the property located off Wake Forest Road. Wegmans is part of a new shopping center that will include about 21 retail and restaurant spaces and a 700 space parking deck.

Captrust Tower For Sale

The Triangle Business Journal reported that the 17-story CAPTRUST Tower is for sale, with CBRE handling the transaction.

Built in 2009, the 300,000 square-foot mixed-use building is described in North Hills promotional material as, “9 stories of premier office space atop a 6-level parking deck and exciting street-level restaurant tenants like Yard House and World of Beer.”

The property was last sold in 2013 for $98 million to KBS Realty. The Triangle Business Journal says estimates for this new sale are as high as $150 million, a reportedly record-breaking number. We estimate the sale could be as high as $1 billion dollars, depending on the IQ of the buyer.

Morgan Street Food Hall Adds New Vendor

YoHo Hibachi & Sushi Burritos is the newest vendor to join Morgan Street Food Hall. We received an exclusive tip about this story from Melinda Jackson, the best publicist inside the beltline.

Offering contemporary Chinese dishes and Japanese sushi, YoHo will be located at the far end of the food hall next to Sassool Select. They’ll offer signature dishes such as their Hawaiian Burrito, Hibachi Steak, and much more at their grand opening April 18th – 21st, with the first 20 customers each day receiving their meal for free.

“We are so excited to bring our signature, fan favorite YoHo dishes from our Cary location to the Food Hall,” said owner Kenny Wang.” This is just one of the many new additions to the Food Hall, with more to be announced soon.

City To Lease Back Buildings At Dix Park

City Council today will receive an update on the status on the plan to “lease back” 5.41 acres of property at Dix Park that includes 13 unoccupied structures.

The structures include the All Faiths Chapel, three stone houses, a greenhouse, six cottages and two “historic” houses. The staff memo describes the City’s proposed plans for these structures. The chapel, for instance, will “stay for a future park contributing use” although it currently has “multiple code compliant issues and does not meet the City of Raleigh’s Park, Recreation and Cultural Resources standards for public use.”

Six cottages will be torn down, as they have been abandoned and are out of safety compliance. Before anyone goes chaining themselves to these structures to prevent their removal, here’s some legitimate reasons why the buildings are being removed.

Here’s why some would be demolished and removed. #ralpol pic.twitter.com/EquUrlPRDX
— Anna Johnson (@Anna_M_Johnson) April 16, 2019

According to The News and Observer reporter Anna Johnson, “The six cottages that are being recommended for demolition would need new roofs, lead treatment, asbestos abatement and more “life-safety” work.”

The greenhouse is also set for removal, since it is “not functioning and has been abandoned for several years” and would be quite costly to renovate and repair.

Our only hope is that the park works to implement more dinosaur themed attractions.

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We need this in Raleigh. @dixpark @raleighgov @mayormcfarlane @bonnergaylord

A post shared by ITB Insider (@itbinsider) on Apr 10, 2019 at 9:34am PDT

Brew Coming To McNeill Pointe

The popular coffee shop Brew is opening a location in McNeill Pointe this summer. We discovered this news from our friend Triangle Explorer on Twitter.

Brew Coffee announced today they are opening another location on Wake Forest Road at the McNeil Point Shopping center (the one with House of Hops).
— TriangleExplorer (@trianglexplorer) April 16, 2019

We did some investigative journalism and found this post on the Brew Instagram account:

“We are thrilled to announced another expansion! We could not pass up the opportunity to grow alongside an amazing community and we are pumped to fill in the final component of this amazing center. Walkable from some awesome neighborhoods, right around the corner from Joyner Elementary, and super convenient to everyone traveling through downtown Raleigh we hope this shop brings as much excitement to the community as it has to us in the planning phase!

Opening in Summer 2019 in McNeill Pointe off of Wake Forest Rd. (2310 Bale Street, Raleigh, NC 27608)”

Convention Center Set For Interior Upgrade

The Raleigh Convention Center wants to hire an interior designer. In an effort to “enhance the interior of RCC, using art and science, to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for our patrons” the Convention Center has put out a request for proposal.

According to the RFP, the project will be a “multi-year multi-phased implementation” that begins with a “detailed long-term vision for the interior spaces.” We are interested to see how these improvements enhance the Convention Center, which opened in 2008. We strongly recommend that they hire ITBlake, who has experience in flipping homes in Five Points.

ITBlake Flips A House
Attention: ITBlake the intern has been working very hard on flipping a house in Five Points. (This is a real house that is for sale.) Please comment and give ITBlake a rating of 1-4 (4 being the best) on how he did. We need feedback as part of his internship. Thank you! Full story: http://www.itbinsider.com/itblake-flips-a-house/
Posted by ITB Insider on Monday, May 14, 2018

A Place At the Table Expanding

A Place at the Table recently announced that they will be expanding next door and building a full kitchen.

From a recent Instagram post, “YALL, it’s official. We are completing our Table!! We are expanding next door and building a full kitchen! Thank you ALL for making this happen and thank you for all the support you’ve given & will continue to give to our community! WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!”

Last November, Founder and Executive Director Maggie Kane shared her story behind bringing the pay-what-you-can restaurant to life on the TODAY Show:

How one cafe in Raleigh, NC is taking paying it forward to the next level by offering an entire menu that's "pay what you can". pic.twitter.com/TrkD9COcKJ
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 19, 2018

In addition to the volunteers, A Place at the Table received support from partners including: York Properties, Plan A Architecture, Kevin Israel, Venture Law, Riley-Lewis General Contractors, Bagchi Law, bu•ku, so•ca, and more.

Music for Me Fine Tickets Available

Only 60 tickets remain for this year’s Music for Me Fine, featuring Raleigh-born musical ensemble New Reveille. Purchase tickets here.

New Reveille hails from Raleigh and was named by Rolling Stone as one the “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know” in 2018. Their 2018 album “The Keep” was a critical and commercial success and the group has played to sold out audiences.

Bring your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and more out for an evening of fellowship, music, and raising funds that will provide hope to families whose children are receiving care at Duke, UNC, and WakeMed Children’s Hospitals.

For 15 years, the Me Fine Foundation has provided financial assistance and emotional support to families who are navigating their child’s medical crisis.

Brewgaloo Tickets Available

Tickets are available for the best beer festival in the United States. No seriously, Raleigh’s Brewgaloo was named the top beer festival in the U.S. by the USA Today. Brewgaloo will be held on April 26th and April 27th in downtown Raleigh.

Brewgaloo features craft breweries from North Carolina and partners with local food trucks, local vendors, and local bands. Friday night will be a sampler event from 6-10pm. The event on Saturday is from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm and will feature 100+ NC Breweries, 50+ Food Trucks, dozens of local vendors, and bands. Drink tickets will be sold in advance and are available for purchase at the festival. Purchase your tickets here.

Development Beat: Five Points Signs Peace Treaty With Hayes Barton Baptist

Published on April 9, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Five Points Neighbors and Hayes Barton Baptist Church save homes

Lonerider 10th Anniversary

2811 Hillsborough To Add Rush Bowls Restaurant

New Shopping Center Planned for New Bern Avenue

Slice Pie Co. & Sweet Water NY Ice Opening on Martin Street

Chick-Fil-A at Townridge Set for Kitchen Expansion

Artists’ Studio Planned for Sunnybrook Drive

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Three Five Points Houses Saved After Peace Treaty Is Signed

Residents of Five Points are feeling ITBlessed after the signing of an agreement that will save three of the infamous six homes on White Oak Road that Hayes Barton Baptist Church had planned to remove.

In March 2018, Hayes Barton Baptist announced expansion plans that called for the removal of six residential properties (owned by HBBC) on White Oak. Neighbors launched the “Save Six” movement to voice their concerns, and started a Change.org petition that was signed by more than 1,200 people.

Five Points Neighbors, an initiative designed to fight for the integrity of the Five Points community, made an announcement about the agreement this week. According to an exclusive press release that we obtained, the following commitments have been made:

The Church will remove only three houses (1806, 1810, 1812), and include an attractive landscaping barrier between White Oak Road and the new parking lot.

The Church will not remove or demolish the remaining houses (1814, 1816, 1818) and commits that it will not do so for at least ten years.

The Church intends to use the remaining houses for affordable housing, and will work with the Five Points Neighbors Coalition to support the program.

The Church will develop a White Oak Road parking entrance/exit that will include a gate to restrict the flow of traffic, other than for Sunday service, Wednesday service, and other major events (e.g., weddings, funerals, school events).

The Church will develop and implement procedures to regulate the flow of traffic onto White Oak Road from this exit following the Sunday worship service.

The Church will join in the White Oak Road neighbors’ efforts to implement traffic calming measures on the one-way portion of White Oak Road, including but not limited to speed humps and other signage.

“Today represents a very important milestone for us and our Five Points community,” said Vernon Hunter, Five Points Neighbors liaison and resident. “This process wasn’t easy. We, alongside our Church neighbors, worked diligently to come up with a proposal that met their needs while ensuring that the integrity of our community was not neglected. We are still overwhelmed by the support shown to us over the past year, and ask that our community continues to remain an ally as we navigate the next steps of this agreement.”

HBBC and Five Points Neighbors will continue to work closely together on next steps. Implementation of the agreed-upon plan will also be contingent on required governmental approvals.

Lonerider 10th Anniversary

Lonerider Brewery is hosting its 10th Anniversary Party on Sunday, April 14th. They’ll be debuting new beers on tap, bringing back an old fan favorite, food trucks, a pop up mini golf course, and more.

20% of all proceeds from food trucks will go back to Triangle Beagle Club, who will be hosting their 4th Annual Beers for Beagles event the same day.

More details can be found on their website.

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Only 9 tickets left for our annual Rose Tasting on April 18th at 7pm. A dozen rose wines from around the world for $15. Reserve your ticket at www.seaboardwine.com or www.facebook.com/seaboardwine and click on the Eventbrite link. #seaboard_wine #highparkvillage

A post shared by Seaboard Wine And Tasting Bar (@seaboard_wine) on Apr 8, 2019 at 11:06am PDT

Reserve your tickets at seaboardwine.com

Rushing to Hillsborough Street

A quick-service restaurant chain focusing on healthy fruit and granola based offerings will soon open its newest location on the ground floor of the 2811 Hillsborough Street Apartments.

For the uninitiated, “Rush Bowls” start out with blended fruit, to which the restaurant adds “nutrients, protein, juice or milk and an assortment of decadent yet wholesome ingredients. We top things off with crumbles of crunchy granola & a drizzle of the most delicious honey you’ve ever tasted.”

It’s described as a “complete meal-in-a-bowl” that will “satisfy your hunger and fuel your life …whatever your RUSH might be!” Sounds pretty Xtreme!

The $143,000 fit-out of the 738 square-foot space will be handled by Milewski Construction Company.

New Shopping For New Bern

Site plans have been filed for a brand-new shopping center at 4201 New Bern Avenue that will be called Wilder’s Grove Retail.

The 2-acre site across from Walmart was once home to a now-demolished Golden Corral restaurant. The plans call for the now-vacant site to be replaced by two new buildings; one a stand-alone, 7,300 square-foot retail store, the other a cluster of buildings that will include a 1,900 SF Dunkin’ Donuts (or is it just Dunkin’ now?) and three retail stores totaling 3,900 square feet.

The project is being developed by Riddle Commercial Properties, which also owns the shopping center just behind this one. Riddle Commercial Properties was *not* founded by Edward Nigma.

Pies & Italian Ice Coming to Martin Street

EatRaleigh recently reported that a joint venture between the Slice Pie Company and SweetWater Ices, will be coming to 17 E. Martin Street in downtown Raleigh.

The Slice Pie Company, according to its Facebook page, operates as a wholesale company serving pies to “individuals, Triangle restaurants, shipping across the country, delivering, serving large corporate events, weddings, and donating to local charities and organizations.”

The company is run by a father-daughter duo, and is home to an apple pie that won the Blue Ribbon at the North Carolina State Fair, thanks in part to the “unmatched signature crust.”

SweetWater offers “New York Italian ice in the heart of North Carolina” and to our knowledge has only operated thus far as a food truck/food cart without a home-base retail location.

Townridge Chick-fil-A Cooking up Kitchen Upgrade

Perhaps in conjunction with the overarching plans to upgrade the Townridge Shopping Center on Glenwood Avenue, which includes facade improvements and the addition of several new tenants, the existing Chick-fil-A is set to undergo a $55,000 kitchen renovation.

Although we don’t know the exact details of the project, we imagine it will at the very least improve the efficiency with which the kitchen operates, and may possibly expand its current operating capacity.

The renovation is being handled by the Sterling Building Group out of Greensboro.

Exclusive Artists Commune Planned For Southeast Raleigh

A rezoning case was recently filed that would allow for the creation of a unique community for artists at a space on Sunnybrook Road just outside the beltline near Rock Quarry Road.

The case would rezone the 4-acre site to allow for “Neighborhood Mixed Use” with a maximum of three stories, although plans for the project call for only two stories.

In addition to the shared artist workspaces and studios, the mixed-use development will include retail space, including an Artist Coffee Shop and an Artist Bookstore. There’s just one thing: these shops won’t be open to the public, and only artists working on-site can access them. Talk about an exclusive shopping experience!

The proposal notes that the site is currently ¾ forested, and that the developers will construct an arboretum trail through that forested area as a way of connecting to the neighborhood. The forest will continue to be used as an outdoor classroom for at-risk youth to study. The enviroKIDs Summer Camp has been studying the forest for 6 years.

Development Beat: New Dram & Draught Coming Soon, Biscuitville Coming to Western Blvd.

Published on April 2, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Dram & Draught coming soon to One Glenwood

York Elementary set for renovation

Biscuitville coming to Western Boulevard

Bar on a Bowstring

Halcyon Days Are Near

321 Coffee Opens First Retail Location

WRAL wants to drop eggs from a helicopter

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Dram & Draught Coming Soon to One Glenwood

Dram & Draught should be opening in One Glenwood soon. Although the original location at 623 Hillsborough remains open, work has already begun on the new Dram & Draught at One Glenwood, or, as WNFIV has designated it, “GlenSo.”

We first reported on this relocation back in November 2018, as the GlenSo development will eventually take over the land at 623 Hillsborough.

The new home of Dram & Draught will come at a cost of $350,000, which will include the “first time fit-out” of a 2,520 square-foot space at the new development. The work is being handled by Racanelli Construction South out of Apex.

York Elementary Set for Renovation

York Elementary is about to undergo a $44.49 million renovation. Originally built in 1965 as J.W. York Elementary School, site review plans were recently filed that will bring major changes to the 70,000+ square foot campus.

The entire campus at 5201 Brookhaven Drive will be replaced with a new building, parking, landscaping, and play areas. The new building, designed by Skinner Farlow Kirwan Architecture, will be nearly 50% larger, clocking in at a total of 109,750 square feet.

Construction by the Gilbane Building Company is currently scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2020, with an anticipated occupancy date of January 2022. Barton Pond Elementary will be used to house the students while this campus is under construction.

Biscuitville Sets its Sights on Western Boulevard

At long last, Raleigh will finally be getting a second Biscuitville, which will be opening on Western Boulevard in 2019.

The new Biscuitville will be located in the former home of Wicked Tacos, next to Cook Out and a few doors down from Bojangles’.

Biscuitville is currently negotiating for a general contractor to renovate the 3,140 square-foot building located at 3928 Western Boulevard near NC State.

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We also tasted the new wines from Skaramuca Winery in Croatia with Branimir Andelic. His Plavac Mali "Dingac" Red is brilliant! #skaramuca #sourgrapeswine #seaboard_wine

A post shared by Seaboard Wine And Tasting Bar (@seaboard_wine) on Apr 1, 2019 at 2:22pm PDT

Bowstring Bar

Site plans have been filed for a new bar and restaurant named the Bowstring Bar, which will be located at 1930 Wake Forest Road just off the Capital Boulevard interchange.

At first, we thought this was a bar attempting to compete with the new axe throwing bar trend by allowing patrons to shoot a bow and arrow while drinking. We still have not confirmed if this is the case.

The plans call for a new, 10,637 square-foot building that will stand about 22′ tall and come equipped with a total of 30 parking spaces.

The preliminary drawings depict a unique, almost dome-shaped building with plenty of glass windows and what we imagine will be a spacious dining area.

No word on when Bowstring will open, but we’ll be sure to keep our eyes out for any future permits.

Halcyon Days Are Near For Former Home of Mosaic

There’s gonna be some changes made at 517 West Jones Street. A new bar named Halcyon should soon open in the space, thanks to a recent ABC Inspection.

517 West Jones Street was the long time home of Mosaic and the brief home of 5 Lounge & Discotorium. A new tenant signed a lease last November. Braxton Anthony, Senior Vice President at Avison Young at the time, represented the landlord in the lease transaction.

Although the bar has both a Facebook page and a website, not much information is available on either site, beyond the address, the hours (5 p.m. – 2 a.m.) and the fact that it will serve “liquor, wine, beer, coffee, & soft drinks.” Something for everyone, then.

321 Coffee Opens First Retail Location

321 Coffee has opened a retail location at the State Farmers Market. 321 Coffee is a “nonprofit coffee shop… staffed by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities” and operates in partnership with students from NC State.

The 321 in the name is “representative of Down Syndrome — the third copy of the 21st chromosome.” The business hopes to “highlight the uniqueness of those with Down Syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

The location at the State Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. You can follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @321coffeesocial.

WRAL Looks to Toss Eggs From Sky 5

Raleigh City Council today will review an unusual request: “permission to allow an aerial drop of plastic easter eggs from the WRAL News helicopter, Sky 5.”

This aerial drop would take place on Saturday, April 13, “in conjunction with the Annual Spring Fling/Adult Egg Hunt event scheduled to take place in Dorothea Dix Park.”

Council approval is required due to section 13-2006 of the Municipal Code of Ordinances, which states in part that it shall “be unlawful for any person in any aircraft to throw or cause or permit to be thrown out, discharged, or dropped any ballast, instruments, tools, containers, posters, handbills…” unless the Council permits “the distribution of such advertising matter as to the Council may appear consistent with the public interest.”

Considering their recent stance on electric scooters, we’re not so sure WRAL will get the approval. We wish them the best.

Development Beat: Live Backstage at Red Hat Amphitheater, CAVA Opens in Cameron Village

Published on March 26, 2019 in Development by William Needham Finley IV @WNFIV

Brought to you by York Properties

Live Backstage At Red Hat Amphitheater

CAVA Opens In Cameron Village

Seaboard Wine Turns 22

Tearing Down Caswell Square

Ashe Avenue Apartments Underway

Apartments Planned Near Lake Johnson

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Live Backstage At Red Hat Amphitheater

Raleigh residents could potentially live backstage at Red Hat Amphitheater. No, this isn’t a Fyre Festivalesque offer of exclusive backstage access from Willy McFinley. A developer has announced plans to build housing on the property located directly behind Red Hat Amphitheater.

Taft Development Group recently spent over $5 million on 301 W. Cabarrus, the former home of the Owens Roofing Company building, with plans to build either condos or apartments.

According to the Triangle Business Journal, early plans call for 184 residential units and “more than 10,000 square feet of retail or adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse with more than 22,000 square feet of retail, office, and collaborative work space.”

We think this is a great use of the property. However, living so close to a concert venue has its pros and cons. We highly recommend these Bose noise canceling headphones for any future buyers.

CAVA Opens In Cameron Village

The grand opening for CAVA Cameron Village was held on Monday. Located in the former home of Blockbuster Music, the new restaurant is now offering delicious Greek and Meditteranean food right in the heart of Cameron Village.

CAVA is located at 403 Daniels Street. Their menu features everything from salads and pitas to protein choices that include lamb, beef, and chicken.

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✨ BIG NEWS ✨ see you Monday @cava #cvtrendreport

A post shared by Cameron Village (@shopcameronvillage) on Mar 21, 2019 at 9:12am PDT

Seaboard Wine Turns 22

Our favorite wine shop turned 22 over the weekend. Seaboard Wine celebrated their 22nd anniversary with a sale and a special guest (no, it wasn’t ITBlake the intern).

Sergio Sabater from Bodegas Luzon in Jumilla, Spain made his famous Paella, which paired perfectly with his Monastrell based wines.

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Thank you Sergio for making your amazing Paella and celebrating our 22nd anniversary with us. Your food, wine and friendship are cherished by all of us. Gracias! #bodegasluzon #seaboard_wine www.bodegasluzon.com www.seaboardwine.com

A post shared by Seaboard Wine And Tasting Bar (@seaboard_wine) on Mar 23, 2019 at 8:41pm PDT

Here’s to another 22 years!

Tearing Down Caswell Square

Caswell Square will soon look drastically different. Caswell Square was one of five original public squares in downtown Raleigh. Today, it consists of parking lots and buildings, some of which will soon be demolished.

The State approved the teardowns in a recent Council of State meeting, according to the News & Observer. Set for demolition are a building once used as a broom and mattress factory, the old film library building, and the Oral Hygiene building. The News & Observer has a thorough article on this topic, and also explains the naming behind the Oral Hygiene building: “The odd name stems from the building’s original use: Headquarters for a dental hygiene education program that launched in the 1940s. School children visited the building’s dental health museum, known as “Little Jack’s House” because of the star of a puppet show performed there.” We’re unsure of who covered future therapy bills for the children that had to experience this.

In 2016, talks were underway for the site to be redeveloped, although this eventually fell through. Leo Suarez at the Raleigh Connoisseur did a great writeup on Caswell Square at the time and included his thoughts on what the future should hold for the site. There are currently no plans for the site that we know of.

Ashe Avenue Apartments Underway

Sitework appears to be wrapping up for the new 104 Ashe Avenue Apartments, a 16-unit complex near the old IHOP on Hillsborough Street.

According to plans filed in 2017, 104 Ashe Avenue will be a five-story, 17,665 square foot apartment building that will sit on a .24 acre lot. It will have 5 one-bedroom, 7 two-bedroom, and 4 three-bedroom units.

104 Ashe sits behind the recently completed 109 Park Apartments off Hillsborough Street. Both complexes are being developed by FMW Realty, a Charlotte-based firm. Both complexes were designed by Studio Fusion architects.

ShopITB.com

Apartments Planned Near Lake Johnson

Site plans were filed earlier this month for Vintage Jones Franklin, a new multifamily housing development near Lake Johnson.

According to the plans, Vintage will include 276 residential units spread across a series of three and four story buildings. The massive development will take up a whopping 352,648 square feet of space, and, at its tallest, stand about 60′ high.

The majority of the units – 175 of them – will be one-bedrooms, with 94 two-bedrooms, and seven three-bedrooms. 440 parking spaces will be provided, which sounds like it should be enough.

The apartments are being developed by Greystar Real Estate Partners under the “Vintage” brand, which has locations in Tennessee and Florida. The Raleigh version is being designed by JDavis Architects, and we expect construction will kick off by the end of the year.

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Development Beat: RIP East Village, Guest House Gets A Guest House

Published on March 19, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

East Village demolished

Guest House gets a guest house

Progress on the Carter-Finley Bojangles’

Calavera moving into Moonlight Pizza

Voda Boutique moving to North Hills

Burial Beer Co. expanding in Transfer Co.

State seeks facelift for Capitol Building

Broughton will celebrate its 90th birthday on March 23rd with a gala held at The Fairview. Join your favorite alumni, staff, and friends to celebrate this remarkable milestone. Tickets are available here.

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

East Village Demolished

A Hillsborough Street icon is gone. Demolition on East Village Bar and Grill began last week to make way for a new apartment building.

Just over six months after we reported on plans for the new apartment at the site of East Village – and several other long-time Hillsborough Street tenants – the bar has been reduced to rubble. The bar closed its doors in February, but plans to reopen on the ground floor of the new apartment building.

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RIP East Village. Hold your plastic cup of Coors Light a little tighter tonight. Comment with your favorite EV memories, if you can remember them. #RIP

A post shared by ITB Insider (@itbinsider) on Mar 14, 2019 at 6:37pm PDT

We broke the news on social media on Thursday. The outpouring of memories and sentiments included the following:

First beer at this place. Was 18.

Getting fake IDs from under the deck

Lost my first and last fake ID at EV. RIP in peace.

21st bday rainbow shots…

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Somebody flushed some keys down the toilet, wondering if they can be salvaged now. Another coors please.

Watching the OJ Simpson police chase

Sometimes remembered going, never remembered leaving.

too many Coors light & blue crushes. RIP

How about a Double R Bar burger with my grandparents back when it was the Roy Rogers

Those pre-Uber days when you would buy a couple of chili cheese dogs from the make shift grill in the parking lot while you waited an hour for a cardinal cab.

Karaoke, longest bathroom hall eva, bar hopping between EV, PBs, the Comet, and Capporal’s, sun ripened kegs of 1 dollar Coors light, Friday afternoons on the deck. Good times.

Sorry to see it go but thankful that EV carried my secrets to its grave!

This is where I had my first jäger bomb. Oh, 2002, I miss you.

We considered chaining ITBlake the intern to the East Village deck to prevent the demolition, but didn’t want to bother Stacy Miller with another high profile case if things went wrong.

Designed by JDavis Architects, the 246,350 square-foot apartment building will house 142 residential units and ground-floor food and retail.

Guest House Gets a Guest House

Guest House Raleigh just got another guest house. The couple behind the 8-guestroom boutique hotel in downtown Raleigh has saved yet another historic home.

Matt and Nicole Tomatosoupasaurusrex had been wandering the streets of Raleigh, looking for a home in need of saving. They stumbled upon The Rogers House, a historic 1,200 square foot house built in the early 1900s, that was slated for demolition. The house had once been owned by L.G. Rogers, an African-American bookkeeper who was active in Raleigh’s political scene in the 1910s.

The historic house’s move was first announced in May of last year. Thanks to Preservation NC, the City of Raleigh, the developers of The Fairweather, and Matt and Nicole, the house was moved to a site near Guest House Raleigh in the same historic district.

A February 10th Instagram post shed more light on the project: “A few months ago we had the opportunity to relocate and preserve another little historic downtown gem that was slated for demo. Since then we’ve had our heads down launching Guest House while managing this second renovation (it’s been one heck of a winter). We can’t wait to share more details, partnerships, collaborations, and sneak peeks of the new space over the coming weeks as it takes shape and we get closer to launch. Stay tuned!” Last week, they posted an update:

View this post on Instagram

#rogerscottage has been an unexpected but welcomed whirlwind of a project! Wanted to catch y’all up on it briefly, with more in the coming weeks – moved the house May 25 2018, Reno/addition adding bath and kitchen, new roof with some playful vaulting & exposed beams, showcased original chimney, add new second porch to face the side street, rehab original windows, floors and trim, add some fun skylights, and increase space with a funky little loft! 🛠

A post shared by Guest House Raleigh (@guesthouseraleigh) on Mar 11, 2019 at 7:55pm PDT

We’re glad to see that this old home has found a new forever home.

A Look at the Carter-Finley Bojangles’

Progress is being made on the highly anticipated Carter-Finley Bojangles’. The developers of Raleigh’s newest Bojangles’ are working through a series of administrative hurdles so they may begin construction just a few hundred yards from Carter-Finley Stadium.

The submitted architectural renderings offer a glimpse as to what the new Bojangles’ at 1541 Sunday Drive will look like.

The restaurant, being developed by Tri-Arc Food Systems, was announced late last year. Tri-Arc owns and operates all ten of Raleigh’s existing Bojangles’ locations, as well as a number of locations in surrounding areas. They also help put on the Tasty Beverage New Belgium Bojangles’ Beer Dinner – the best Bojangles’ dinner in all of Raleigh.

We’re hoping the location will be ready for tailgate season.

Calavera Moving to Moonlight Pizza

Calavera Empanadas & Tequila Bar will be reopening in the old Moonlight Pizza space on West Morgan Street.

Calavera, previously located at 444 S Blount Street (the new home of Davie Street Pub), has been closed for over a year. No opening date has been set for Calavera’s reopening, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for the renovation permits.

Voda Moves to North Hills

Voda Boutique is coming to North Hills. Kane Realty Corporation announced last week that the locally owned women’s fashion retailer will be opening in the Lassiter District at North Hills.

Located between The Spectacle and Von Kekel Aveda Salon & Spa, the store is projected to open Spring 2019. Kayla Brewer Cheek, owner and founder, opened Voda Boutique in June 2017 in Downtown Raleigh.

We obtained the following comment from an exclusive press release, “Raleigh has always held a special place in my heart and always felt like home. Not only do I love the vibe of the city, but I love what the community stands for – giving back,” said Cheek. Most recently, Voda partnered with House of Landor to host their 2nd annual fashion show benefiting CATCH, a local organization that raises money and awareness for homeless children of Wake County.

Burial Beer Expanding at Transfer Co.

Two months after opening, Burial Beer will be expanding their Raleigh location in Transfer Co. Food Hall.

Since opening “The Exhibit” next to Transfer Co. Food Hall on E Davie Street, Burial has seen massive success and massive lines.

To keep up with demand, they have decided to expand into the space next door to their current location. Their new space will make them neighbors with the new Longleaf Swine and allow access into the rest of the Food Hall.

Most importantly, the expansion will include a patio.

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Capitol Building Poised for Upgrades

Downtown Raleigh’s historic State Capitol Building will soon be subject to a variety of aesthetic and surface-level improvements.

The State of North Carolina is seeking contractors to undertake a project that will include everything from “historic stone cleaning” to “paint restoration (decorative faux painting).”

We imagine the improvements will be quite extensive, considering it was built in 1831. In its application for the National Register of Historic Places, the Capitol Building is described as a “superb example of Greek Revival architecture; an exceptionally fine version of the style in its most erudite and sophisticated form,” and we’re inclined to agree. The building itself remains mostly unchanged from its original design, and we’re glad this project involves work that will serve to restore, rather than replace, what is already there.

Development Beat: HQ Raleigh Coming to Gateway Plaza, Broughton Turns 90

Published on March 12, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

HQ Raleigh coming to Gateway Plaza

Drive Shack to begin hiring

City Limits becoming CityBar

Longleaf Swine coming to Transfer Co. Food Hall

Moore Square update

Broughton turns 90 years old

Phase II of Lake Boone project is underway

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

HQ Raleigh @ Gateway

HQ Raleigh is coming to Gateway Plaza. The 20,000 square foot space will be known as HQ@Gateway and is scheduled to open this summer.

Located at 2409 Crabtree Boulevard, HQ Raleigh will be the anchor tenant of Gateway Plaza. It will offer flexible office space, a 150-person event space, a 50-person classroom, and so much synergy it will make your head spin.

In a press release, HQ Raleigh founding partner Jason Widen said, “We’re thrilled to add this exciting new project to HQ Raleigh’s portfolio of community spaces. The unique space allows us to accommodate larger teams of up to 60 employees as well as support entrepreneurs coming in from other parts of the city who need ample parking and convenience.”

As we’ve mentioned previously, our friends at York Properties are leasing the Gateway Plaza, which was purchased by LODEN Properties in 2016. LODEN began renovating the property last year. They’re also behind the renovation of the old downtown Days Inn.

Drive Shack Builds A Trailer

It looks like Drive Shack will be opening soon (we’re guessing in 2019). Permits were issued last week for the construction of a trailer at the facility’s site that will be used to interview job applicants.

Although it’s a good sign they’re starting the hiring process, the need for a $5,000 trailer means the facility’s interior probably isn’t suitable for hosting job interviews.

The Topgolf competitor’s plans to open in Raleigh were announced exclusively here on the Development Beat. The 63,885 SF, $8 million facility is being built by Ashland Construction and will be located on Corporate Center Drive in West Raleigh next to Interstate 40.

From Saloon to Bar

The City Limits Saloon, a popular country music venue off West Morgan Street, will soon be reopening as the CityBar, an all-genre performance and event venue.

Per its website, it looks like the first event at CityBar is scheduled for March 30. The event is an after-party for the Playthrough Gaming Convention. We imagine it’ll be quite the rowdy crowd. We’re unsure what they plan to do with the mechanical bull.

Longleaf at Long Last

The folks behind a popular barbecue food truck will soon open a space at Transfer Co. Food Hall. Longleaf Swine will occupy a space that serves meat, a staple of ITBlake the intern’s diet.

Longleaf Swine began in 2016 as a whole hog barbecue and smoked meats food trailer serving the Raleigh area. Adam Cunningham, owner and operator, teamed up with Pit Master Marc Russell to “bring smoking back to the basics and focus on the traditional technique of whole hog, all wood methods.”

They’ll soon have a permanent spot in an 840 square foot space in Transfer Co. Food Hall that features a 10-person counter. Cunningham told The News & Observer that this was the logical next step towards a larger brick-and-mortar space. “We’re trying to get a bigger brick-and-mortar and thought this was the best next step for us,” Cunningham said. “We love everyone in (Transfer Co.).”

Moore Square to Reopen This Summer

The newly renovated Moore Square Park is set to reopen late this summer, following nearly two years of construction.

American South General Contractors is roughly 75% finished with the renovation, according to a report given to City Council last week. ASGC is now focusing on the cafe, the trellis, and the play and fountain areas of the project, which are about 60% complete.

Empire Eats, the group behind The Pit, Raleigh Times, Gravy, and more, will be leasing the cafe on the property. No word yet on what kind of fare they will be bringing to the park.

Despite all this forward progress, the project did hit a bit of a snag during the demolition process of the Martin and Blount Street sidewalks, when a mysterious vault was discovered underground. Was this the location of the power source of the Raleigh Weather Dome?

It turns out it was an old utility vault. Unfortunately, the upgrade of the vault was not included in the scope of work related to the Moore Square project, and the upgrades will cost an additional $240,000. The overall project budget was around $12.5 million.

Broughton Turns 90 Years Old

The greatest school on the planet is turning 90 years old. Broughton will celebrate its 90th birthday on March 23rd with a gala held at The Fairview.

Join your favorite alumni, staff, and friends to celebrate this remarkable milestone. Tickets are available here.

Phase II Begins For Cross Creek at Lake Boone

Phase II of the massive development at Lake Boone is underway. Permits were issued last week for the construction of the Hanover Woodlake apartments.

Located adjacent to Rex Hospital, the complex will offer 316 units (225 one-bedroom units, 73 two-bedrooms, and 18 three-bedrooms) spread across five 4-story buildings. This sort of breakdown usually points to a more upscale complex.

This marks the start of Phase II of the Cross Creek at Lake Boone project, which itself is part of a larger 34-acre redevelopment that is “approved for up to 800 residential units and 100,000 SF of commercial space, with entitlements for 239 units and 61,555 SF for the remaining 8.18 acres,” according to marketing literature for the development.

Phase I of the Cross Creek project included the TriBridge apartments, along with a Panera Bread, and a CVS.

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Development Beat: 20-Stories Proposed for CAM, Hillsborough Crane Coming Down

Development Beat: 20-Stories Proposed for CAM, Hillsborough Crane Coming Down

Published on March 5, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

20-Story mixed-use development proposed for Warehouse District

Craft Bar coming to 3 Glenwood

New development planned along West Cabarrus

Barcelona Wine Bar opening soon in Warehouse District

Andrews-Duncan House being renovated

Crane on Hillsborough finally coming down

Vote for Raleigh’s Brewgaloo and help them win USA Today’s Favorite American Beer Festival. Voting ends Monday, March 25 at noon.

Walnut Creek Amphitheater bars set for renovation

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Can CAM Go Up to 20 Stories?

A block in the Warehouse District, surrounded by Martin, West, Davie, and Harrington streets, is seeking rezoning approval to build up to 20 stories.

The block of buildings where CAM Raleigh is located is looking to match the height of its neighbor, The Dillon. An application has been filed to rezone all but two of the properties on the block from 5 to 20 stories. But don’t fear for the future of CAM Raleigh, as they are one of the groups making the request.

The six-parcels of land include HQ Raleigh and bar Circa 1888 and is adjacent to Union Station. The application doesn’t provide much about plans but does mention the property will include “hospitality uses and potential retail amenities.”

Crafting a Bar on Glenwood

A new bar is coming to 3 Glenwood Avenue, a parcel of land that once housed Eden’s Ultra Lounge, DIVEbar, and the Raleigh Beverage Mart.

Permits were issued to Carolina Design & Construction for a renovation of the 2,980 square-foot space and the addition of a 380 square-foot bathroom to create Craft Bar. The total project cost looks to be around $80,000, per the permits.

Based on the name, we imagine the bar will seek to capitalize on the craft beer craze. However, this could be a bar where patrons come to work on arts and crafts while drinking specialty cocktails. Time will tell.

Hotel, Residential, Retail Planned for West Cabarrus

A development featuring a hotel, residential, and retail could be coming to West Cabarrus Street.

A rezoning application for a .6 acre parcel of land along West Cabarrus Street was filed last week that would allow for an increase from five to 12 stories in the maximum allowed building height.

The parcel is made up of three separate properties: 401 West Cabarrus, 510 South Harrington, and 505 South West. All three properties have separate owners, with separate buildings on each lot.

According to the rezoning application, a neighborhood meeting about the project was held in January, where the possibility of building either a residential or a hotel development was discussed.

Neighbors expressed a preference for these proposed uses over an office building, as they would generate less peak-hour traffic. Developers noted that a mix of residential, hotel and retail space was the likeliest outcome for the new project.

The rezoning was filed by an LLC that traces back to Greymont Development, the firm behind the nearby Fairweather Condos.

Barcelona Wine Bar Serving Soon

A new wine and tapas bar will be opening soon in The Dillon.

We first reported on the newest Warehouse District restaurant in June 2018. Barcelona Wine Bar has 16 locations across the eastern seaboard. The Raleigh location is housed in the bottom floor of The Dillon with outdoor seating at 430 West Martin Street.

Each location’s menu is primarily controlled by the local head chef, so Raleigh’s menu will be a surprise. Many other locations have a large selection of cheese and charcuterie boards as well as locally sourced small plates.

Andrews-Duncan House Renovation

The private buyers of the historic Andrews-Duncan House in downtown Raleigh are petitioning the City in order to make significant exterior renovations.

Originally built in 1873 on a .97 acre parcel, the Andrews-Duncan House is a Raleigh Historic Landmark currently owned by the State of North Carolina. (Note: an earlier version of this post had the date and acre size incorrect. Thanks to Ian F.G. Dunn for the correction.)

According to a certificate of appropriateness application filed by Maurer Architecture on behalf of the buyers, the building has been unoccupied for several years after being used as offices for the State. The prospective buyers plan to restore the property “according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and retain the original use of a single-family residence.”

These plans involve the removal of a non-historic addition and stairs, the construction of additions on the south and west facades, a new porch and an enlarged parking area. The certificate of appropriateness application was approved with conditions by the Raleigh Historic Development Commission during their February 28th meeting.

Crane, Crane, Go Away

After nearly four years, a crane that has come to symbolize the failure of the Hillsborough Lofts development is finally coming down. This came as somewhat of a surprise, as we assumed the crane had been designated a historic landmark, due to its incredibly long tenure on Hillsborough Street.

The News & Observer reported that the City is targeting this weekend for removal of the crane. The attorney for Morrow, the company that owns the actual crane, told the News & Observer that it has had access to the crane since last spring, although plans to remove it were delayed due to permitting requirements.

The crane, like the project site itself, has been held hostage to an ongoing legal battle between the property’s developer and the construction manager that stretches back to 2014. After an arbitration hearing in 2017 ruled in favor of the contractor, Wright Construction, the developer, Hillsborough Lofts, filed for bankruptcy.

Although the crane will be coming down, there’s no news on when something will actually get built on this prime piece of now-empty real estate.

Help Brewgaloo win USA Today’s Best Beer Festival

Everyone please go vote for Brewgaloo and help them win USA Today’s Favorite American Beer Festival. Brewgaloo, the Shop Local Raleigh beer fest and only reason Fayetteville Street should ever be closed, is a finalist for the USA Today’s 10 Best Awards. You can vote every day until Monday, March 25 at noon. Vote here.

Walnut Creek Bars Set for Renovation

Visitors to the Walnut Creek Amphitheater – sorry, the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, will soon notice a small but crucial upgrade: renovations to the venue’s three main bars.

A pair of permits were issued last week to Carolina Design & Construction for “alterations to Bars 1, 2, and 3, canopies for bars 1 and 2, and a new walk-in cooler.” The work will likely be completed well in time for the prime spring concert season.

Development Beat: Montfort Hall Updates, 20-story Tower Planned For Former N&O Site

Published on February 26, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Montfort Hall rezoning updates

Plans revealed for old N&O site

Heck-Andrews House renovation

Construction begins on apartments at 305 Oberlin

Home of the week from Ryan Boone Real Estate at Hudson Residential

Work begins on Tin Roof in Glenwood South

The Pointe at Crabtree sells for $46 million

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Montfort Hall Rezoning Updates

Back in August of last year, we reported that the new owners of Montfort Hall, a pre-Civil War era home in Boylan Heights, were planning to turn the 6,000 square-foot space into a 6-10 room boutique inn and event space.

Located at 308 South Boylan Street, the home was built in 1858 and will require extensive renovations before it can become a boutique inn. The owners are in the midst of seeking approval both for the rezoning case filed last year, and a new application with the Historic Development Commission that would allow them to move forward with the project.

A message was recently posted on the Montfort Hall Instagram account: (@montfort.hall) regarding the upcoming public hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chamber.

“We are one step closer to welcoming you through this door with open arms. But we can’t do it without your help!

As we’ve shared, rezoning of the property is vital to the success of the restoration and business of Montfort Hall. There is a final public hearing on Tuesday, March 5th at 7:00 pm. (222 W Hargett St.) Raleigh City Council members will hear from the public, discuss the case and hopefully make a vote on whether or not to approve it. You can attend the hearing in person, and/or help us by sending an email in support of the rezoning to the City Council members, details below. If you already sent one to the Planning Commission members a few weeks ago, (thank you!), just copy and paste that one! This is the most important and final step for approval. 🙏🏻

Emails Sent To: Raleigh City Council Members
Email Address: CityCouncilMembers@raleighnc.gov
Reference Rezoning Case: Z-34-18

They do read the emails so they are VERY helpful. If you need talking points or want to know why in the world we are rezoning – check out our ‘rezoning’ highlight story. And share this post if it speaks to you! It can all help. 🙌🏻

If you need a reminder on our vision for Montfort Hall or the entire rezoning case, you can visit our website where we have outlined it all in detail under the ‘FAQ’ page. www.montforthall.com/faq”

A Glimpse at the Future of the Old N&O Site

A California-based developer has plans for a 20-story tower at the site of the former home of The News & Observer in downtown Raleigh.

More than a year after its $22 million acquisition of the 3.2-acre property along McDowell Street across from Nash Square, the Acquisition Group has announced plans to develop a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use project on the site.

The first phase of the project will include a 20-story office tower with ground-floor retail that will begin construction this fall and open in late 2021. Known as The Nexus, this tower will include 300,000 square feet of office and retail space. Future phases will include 20-story residential towers and a 13-story hotel.

The current building, constructed in 1956, will be torn down to make way for the new development.

The project was designed by Gensler and is being built by a joint venture between Barnhill Contracting Company and Brasfield & Gorrie.

A Heck Of A Renovation

Renovation is now underway at the historic Heck-Andrews house at 309 N. Blount Street. It will eventually become an event space, with offices located on the second floor.

Over the past three years, the owners of the Heck-Andrews house have had to file three separate cases with the city’s Historic Development Commission in order to proceed with a renovation that is now two months underway.

Completed in 1870, the Heck-Andrews House was among the first major houses built in Raleigh after the Civil War. According to an application with the National Register of Historic Places, “The large, elaborately ornamented Second Empire House may be said to have set the tone for the many fine houses which the years that followed made North Blount Street Raleigh’s most fashionable residential avenue.”

The state of North Carolina eventually bought up many of those fashionable homes along Blount Street in the 1960s; many were torn down to make way for…parking. Preservationists eventually convinced the state to use the old houses for offices, although the Heck-Andrews House has sat empty, rotting away from the inside.

Its current owners, the North Carolina Association of Realtors, acquired the property from the State in 2016 for $1.5 million. They plan to turn the historic home into an event space for weddings and other celebrations, with their Raleigh office located on the second floor.

A pair of permits with a combined value of more than $1 million were issued to the Progressive Contracting Company out of Sanford in December of 2018.

Work Begins on new Oberlin Road Apartments

Oberlin Road is getting a new apartment project.

Construction is now underway on the Trilogy Cameron Village apartments along Oberlin, a project that required the demolition of a number of nearby residences, including nine properties along Maiden Lane.

The project is being developed by Leon Capital Group out of Texas as a Class-A, 203-unit multifamily project that is set to open in the summer of 2020. Designed by JDavis Architects, and built by the Samet Corporation, Trilogy Cameron Village will offer studio, one, two, and three-bedroom residential units, averaging 870 square feet. Units will be “loaded with smart home features… stainless steel appliances, granite countertops” and much more.

Trilogy’s onsite amenities will include “a resort-style swimming pool, a grilling area with premium outdoor cooking equipment, package lockers, a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center, and an entertainment lounge with Wi-Fi café anchored by creative office space.”

Sounds like it’ll be quite the place. It’s just a shame all those fraternities once housed along Maiden Lane are now living out of the Free Expression Tunnel.

Home of the Week

Raleigh real estate agent Ryan Boone, ITBRealtor.com, has a 1,900+ square foot, three bedroom, 3.5 bathroom townhouse-style condo just for you.

The main level features an open space design and hardwood floors. This condo has a living area for living, a dining room for dining, and a kitchen featuring stainless appliances and granite counters. The second floor features two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The spacious lower level “human being cave” could be used as another bedroom or office with full bath attached.

Minutes from downtown Raleigh, North Hills, and the burgeoning SoJo, this community also includes a pool and a fitness center.

Check out more photos and details here. With a price tag under $300k, this will probably sell by the time you finish reading this sentence. Email Ryan@HudsonResidential.com or call 919-438-0548 for a tour.

To feature listings here, contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com.

Bro On a Hot Tin Roof

Renovations are underway at 300 Glenwood, which will soon be home to the Tin Roof Restaurant and Bar.

It’s been almost a year since we first reported on plans to bring the Tin Roof Restaurant and Bar to Glenwood South. Tin Roof is being developed by the owners of Tin Roof, a popular live-music bar in Nashville with about 15 other locations around the country. The Tin Roof in Nashville offers a lunch and dinner menu in addition to serving as a bar/nightlife hotspot with live country music.

The Glenwood property is currently a one-story, 4,000 square-foot brick building constructed in 1940 that for years had been home to Clark Art. Next door, the previous Devolve Moto is also undergoing renovations.

According to the permits, the project involves a 2,316 square-foot second-story addition and a change-of-use renovation to the 5,210 square foot ground floor. The work, being handled by The Lawrence Group, has a total listed value of just over $450,000.

Crabtree Apartment Complex Sells for $46 Million

The Pointe at Crabtree recently sold for $46.1 million.

The 336-unit apartment complex near the Crabtree Valley Mall has sold for the second time in five years, this time to the Dermot Co. out of New York.

The property, built in 1995, includes a swimming pool, a clubhouse, and a fitness center, and was formerly known as North Park. The seller, N.C. Nuveen Real Estate had picked up the property in 2014 for $34.6 million.

ITBirdwatch 2019

Development Beat: A New Look for 301 Hillsborough, Gonza Owners Plan New Restaurant

Published on February 19, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Massive mixed-use planned for 301 Hillsborough

A new location for Dram & Draught

Gonza Tacos y Tequila owners plan new Latin restaurant

Kaiju Bowl and Bao closed

Trophy celebrating 6 years

Help Washington, NC win $500,000

Everyone please go vote for Washington, NC and help them win $500,000. The town is a finalist for the “Small Business Revolution” show on Hulu. Voting ends Tuesday, February 19 at 10 p.m. CST (I’m not sure what time that is in Raleigh.) Vote here.

Pleasant Valley Promenade set for upgrades, new tenants

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Plans Unveiled for 301 Hillsborough

A 20-story mixed-use development is planned for 301 Hillsborough Street, located next to Campbell Law School.

More than two years after The Lundy Group first unveiled renderings for their City Centre development at 301 Hillsborough, the property’s new owner has filed site plans for a development of their own.

Similar to the previous renderings, this new project from The Fallon Company, who purchased the land in April 2018 for $17 million, will include 20-story, 247′ tall towers with office, retail, residential and hotel use. The development will encompass nearly a million total square feet and include a whopping 1,076 parking spaces.

The plans also call for 136 residential units and 169 hotel rooms. Beyond noting that there will be 8,900 square-feet of “amenity space,” the site review documents don’t tell us much else. Fortunately, the website includes a little more information.

“301 Hillsborough is strategically positioned to become a landmark address for the city of Raleigh. The first phase of the project will consist of an approximately 300,000 square foot Class A office building with complementary retail at street level.”

They are expected to break ground this fall.

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MS Fundraiser – Wine! Food! Raffles! www.seaboardwine.com. #seaboard_wine #highparkvillage #nationalmssociety

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Dram & Draught Previews New Location

Dram & Draught is offering a glimpse at what’s to come in their new space, which will be larger, offer more seating and include a patio and an expanded whiskey collection.

In November, we reported that popular watering hole Dram & Draught would be relocating from its current spot at 623 Hillsborough to the ground floor of the new One Glenwood tower.

Dram & Draught’s existing location will be torn down to make way for Two Hillsborough; which is actually the third project in that area being developed by Maryland-based Heritage Properties. They are also behind the ten-story One Glenwood and Two Glenwood, and the Origin hotel and parking deck located at the former home of Shelton’s Furniture (RIP).

New Latin Restaurant Planned for Sojourn

The owners of the popular Gonza Tacos y Tequila are opening a new restaurant, Macondo Latin Cuisine, at Sojourn Glenwood Place on Glenwood Avenue, according to an exclusive report from the Triangle Explorer.

Macondo will feature small tastes of traditional Latin flavors that will rotate seasonally. Owners Gonza Salamanca and Carlos Rodriguez say the food “is a straightforward simple culinary driven menu but with highly complex flavors.”

According to the Triangle Explorer, the owners partnered with “renowned Colombian Chef Santiago Macías, of award-winning i Latina in Buenos Aires, as a menu consultant.”

The new restaurant is being designed by our friends at New City Design Group and is set to open later this year.

Kaiju Bowl and Bao Bows Out

Less than a year after opening, Kaiju Bowl and Bao has closed. The owner of the ramen restaurant will re-open the space with a new concept.

Owner Ken Yowell, who also owns Oak City Meatball Shop, said the meatball shop will be taking over the space until the new restaurant opens.

The restaurant initially broke the news on Facebook, where they noted they “enjoyed launching Kaiju and trying to do something a little different and funky and we’ve learned a ton from the experience.”

The staff, fortunately, have “all been offered positions with Oak City Meatball until the changeover and we hope to have it be a quick turn around.”

Kaiju Bowl and Bao opened in July of 2018.

Trophy Celebrating 6 Years

Trophy Brewing on West Morgan Street is celebrating six years of trophy winning pizza pies and beer.

Thanks to our investigative journalism, we’ve determined that Trophy will be celebrating starting at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 19. They’ll be bringing back The King Peanut Butter & Banana Dubbel, as well as loading the draft list with some special brews and having lots of fun treats coming out of the kitchen. Congrats to the team at Trophy on six years!

Help Washington, NC Win $500,000

Everyone please go vote for Washington, NC and help them win $500,000. The town is a finalist for the “Small Business Revolution” show on Hulu. Voting ends Tuesday, February 19 at 10 p.m. CST (I’m not sure what time that is in Raleigh.) Vote here.

Washington, NC is home to the Moss Landing neighborhood, which was developed by our friends at Beacon Street Development. Washington is up against 5 other small towns across the country (all outside of NC) and it all comes down to a popular vote. Given the aim of the show is to support small businesses in small towns, we should all join together to help NC win. The winning town will be announced on February 26. Vote here.

Here’s a highlight reel showing the best of Washington, NC.

From the show’s website: The Small Business Revolution is on a mission to revitalize small towns, one small business at a time. Each season, America chooses the town, we choose the small businesses, and Deluxe and a host of celebrity experts give them the makeover of a lifetime – all on our quest to put Main Street back on the map.

Vote here.

Pleasant Valley Promenade Preps for New Tenants

Pleasant Valley Promenade is getting a makeover and new tenants.

Permits were issued last week for a series of facade renovations at the shopping center on Glenwood Avenue, setting the stage for a series of new tenants to move in. The $100,000 exterior upgrade is being handled by Williams Realty & Building Company, and although the permits do not specify which buildings are getting a facelift, the Triangle Business Journal reported last week that several new tenants would be opening shop in the center by the end of the year, including Petco, Ulta Beauty, and Five Below.

The current owner of the 363,000 square-foot development, Kimco, acquired the property in 1993. Which means they’ve owned it for longer than some of their more junior employees have been alive.

Development Beat: History Museum Plans Expansion, Guasaca Opens on Hillsborough Street

Published on February 11, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Museum of History plans expansion

Guasaca opens on Hillsborough Street

A sneak peek at the Nash Square hotel

Trophy Brewing begins expansion on Morgan Street

NC Football Club seeks county funding for downtown stadium

Chido Taco coming to McNeill Pointe

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Museum of History Plots Expansion

The NC Museum of History is planning to expand in downtown Raleigh.

North Carolina’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is soliciting proposals for a renovation and expansion of the facility. According to NCDNCR, the existing 199,642 SF museum “has begun to outgrow its mission and functional requirements.” As a result, the existing facility will be renovated and expanded, and an addition will be built across the street on the site of an existing parking lot.

The new building will include approximately 190,000 SF of gallery space, educational space, a new auditorium, support services space, a restaurant, and a conference center. The remainder of the site will “support a below-grade parking structure, outdoor interpretive activities as well as a new drop-off area for students and other groups that regularly visit the museum.”

The existing museum, which was completed in 1992, will be connected to the new facility via a pedestrian bridge over Wilmington Street. The total cost of the project is around $200 million. For that kind of money, we’re hoping they’ll add exhibits that come to life at night.

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Guasaca Comes to Hillsborough Street

Guasaca has opened their new location on Hillsborough Street in the ground floor of the Target building.

We consider Guasaca Raleigh’s – and possibly the country’s – best quick-service restaurant. They specialize in arepas, white or yellow corn cakes, stuffed with a choice of fillings, such as steak, chicken, pork, and of course, guasaca – a delicious combination of guacamole and salsa. UPDATE: someone commented to inform us that guasaca is actually a combination of guacamole and Italian dressing. We still have not confirmed if this is accurate. Stay tuned for updates.

We first covered this in August, when permits for the upfit of the 2,285 square-foot space were issued to JCI Builders. We expect the restaurant will be quite popular with the college crowd and give neighbors Chipotle and Taco Bell a run for their money. Fun fact: this is one of ITBlake the intern’s favorite restaurants.

A Look At Nash Square Hotel Plans

Images of the new hotel planned for Nash Square were recently unveiled.

The new downtown hotel filed an “Administrative Alternative” request last week, seeking relief from certain portions of the city’s building code regulations. The request describes the exterior as being a combination of brick, metal, and mortar, and calls out one particular section as a “5 story floating form that creates a top to the architectural hierarchy” – whatever that means.

We especially appreciate the Firestone sign peeking out of the background in the main rendering. We hope they keep the name “Hotel Sign” for this hip and trendy downtown addition.

Trophy Brewing Begins Expansion

Trophy Brewing is expanding their Morgan Street location.

After announcing plans to expand in May of 2018, renovation permits have been issued to Trophy Brewing. The project consists of a 756 square-foot addition, as well as the renovation of more than 5,000 square feet of what used to be a convenience store and laundromat.

We had reported back in November that it looked like construction was getting ready to start; as it happens, the permits issued last week were applied for back on December 18.

The renovation and expansion will hopefully wrap up by this fall, and we’re excited for the opportunity to drink and dine at the new and improved eatery.

NC Football Club Remains Set on Raleigh

Source: North Carolina FC Website

More than a year-and-a-half after the North Carolina Football Club unveiled their plans for a $150-million, 22,000 seat soccer stadium complex located at the northern edge of downtown Raleigh, the club has requested funding from county tax funding, a sign that the project is still alive.

WRAL reported last week that the NCFC was “one of eight groups to submit a plan after Wake County officially requested information about future hospitality projects that could be funded” by the County through the Room Occupancy and Prepared Food and Beverage taxes.

The stadium would be built at the edge of Halifax Mall along Peace Street, but fortunately, the mall, downtown Raleigh’s most underrated gem, would remain largely intact. The infamous Archdale Building, which looks like a PlayStation 2, would have to come down. A tragic loss, to be sure, but such is the cost of progress.

For a full accounting of NCFC’s funding request and future plans for the stadium, check out WRAL Sport’s comprehensive report.

Chido Taco Coming to McNeill Pointe

McNeill Pointe along Wake Forest Road will soon be adding yet another new restaurant to their growing list of offerings: Chido Taco.

Chido, a Spanish language equivalent to the American slang word “cool,” does not appear to be a chain of any kind, although there are a few restaurants and taco trucks bearing this name throughout the country. We expect it to be a delicious addition to SoJo.

Development Beat: Moonlight Pizza Closed, Plans Filed for Gables Motor Lodge

Published on February 5, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Moonlight Pizza closed

Gables Motor Lodge set for renovation

40-story building coming to Peace & West?

The Wallpaper Bar & Seagull’s Perch are headed to Glenwood South

The Fairweather breaks ground

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls coming to North Hills

D.H. Hill is getting a Hillsborough Street entrance

An overview of Raleigh’s growth in 2018

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Moonlight Pizza Closed, RIPizza

After serving some of the finest pizza in Raleigh for over 20 years, Moonlight Pizza has closed.

Travis Bailey alerted us to this tragic news earlier today on Twitter.

Sad to see @MoonlightPizza has permanently closed its doors as of today. CC: @trianglexplorer @eatRaleigh @ITBInsider

— Travis Bailey (@Sigmandis) February 5, 2019

A sign on the front door indicated that the restaurant is permanently closed.

We aren’t sure why they closed, but they will be missed. RIPizza.

Plans Filed for Gables Motor Lodge

Developers have filed site plans for the Gables Motor Lodge redevelopment.

In the first edition of the Development Beat, we reported on a plan to sell the beloved Gables Motor Lodge. After much speculation (Mordecai Outraged Over Rumored Buyers of Iconic Property) that included a Dave & Buster’s, a Wahlberg-themed Food Hall, and a Big Lots, a much more suitable plan has been approved by the local Citizens Advisory Committee.

A rezoning case was filed last year to allow for the addition of a pair of two-story buildings, bookmarking the existing lodge and bringing the total number of rooms to 19. Now, a site review plan has been filed shedding some additional light on the project. The expansion would bring the total square footage from 4,987 to 6,458 and will include numerous site improvements.

The developer has noted that they want to make something that “pays tribute to Mordecai,” and in so doing, will try to ensure the iconic Gables Motor Lodge sign out front is incorporated into the project.

We’re eager to see how this project turns out, and although it’ll probably be at least another six months before any kind of renovation begins, we’ll definitely be keeping an eye out.

Third Phase of Smokey Hollow Could Bring 40-Story Tower

A 40-story tower could be coming to Smokey Hollow Phase III, located on the southeast side of the intersection of W. Peace and N. Harrington.

Few details were available on Phase III until last week, when the rezoning case unveiled potential plans for a 40-story mixed-use tower that will increase the amount of “downtown housing options, as well as the amount of office and retail space for potential tenants.”

If the rezoning is approved as-is, the building could be the tallest in downtown Raleigh, well in excess of 400 feet tall. For reference, the PNC building is 33 stories tall.

Phase I of the Peace & West project will include 400 apartments, ground floor retail, and a Publix grocery store. It is currently under construction and set to be completed in the summer of 2020.

Phase II will include 280 residential units, 225,000 square-feet of office space, and more than 50,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space.

Two New Bars Planned for 110 Glenwood

Permits were issued for a pair of new bars at 110 Glenwood Avenue that could soon result in separate indoor and rooftop venues housed in the 99-year-old building.

The rooftop bar will be named Seagull’s Perch. The permit would renovate just over 1,000 square feet of space both on the second story of the building and, presumably, some existing rooftop space.

The ground floor will be occupied by The Wallpaper Bar. The renovation of the 2,950 square feet required for this bar is estimated to cost just under $170,000.

The same contractor is handling both jobs and the entire building is owned by a singular entity. It was purchased in January 2018 for $615,000 by Glenwood 110, LLC.

Fairweather Condos Break Ground

The Fairweather condos broke ground last week at 525 S. West Street.

The modern condo project is located in the Warehouse district and projected to open in summer of 2020. This is the first condo building built in downtown Raleigh in more than 10 years and is being developed by 4 Line LLC and Greymont Development. Raleigh Architecture Co. is handling the design and Resolute Building Company is handling construction.

The project will have 45 units, ranging from 838 to 2,863 square feet. The first four floors offer one-, two-, and three-bedroom condos, and the fifth floor will feature penthouse suites.

The building is located across the street from the future home of the Sam Jones BBQ restaurant. No word on whether Fairweather residents will be given a meal plan for the restaurant.

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls Coming to North Hills

A franchise serving lobster rolls will make it’s North Carolina debut soon.

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, a seafood restaurant offering up authentic Maine lobster rolls, will be opening next to bartaco in North Hills. The lobsters, fresh from Maine, are prepared no frills and served in a roll, in bisque, on salad, or mac and cheese.

To our knowledge, Mason’s has not conducted a 23andMe test to determine their relation to Morgan Street Food Hall’s Cousin’s Maine Lobster.

Mason’s has seven other locations in Maryland, Delaware, South Carolina, and Virginia.

D.H. Hill is Getting a Hillsborough Street Entrance

In news that isn’t Hillsborough Street getting another luxury student apartment, D.H. Hill is finally getting an entrance facing Hillsborough Street. Legions of students will soon never know the struggle of getting all the way around the original NC State library, only to realize they forgot their phone in the stacks.

NCSU Libraries announced construction has begun on new doors, landscaping, and a secure entrance. The project is set to be complete by the end of the spring 2019 semester.

N&O Publishes 2018 Growth Retrospective

Although we’ve taken a look back at the biggest construction projects and real estate deals of 2018, the News & Observer recently published an interesting look back at 2018 that took into account everything from the number of houses sold to how many new businesses opened over the past year.

Development Beat: East Village Closing

Published on January 29, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

East Village to close February 3

Permits issued for Pooleside Pies

Restaurant planned for former Auto Interiors & Tops space

Restaurant coming to old home of Devolve Moto

Benchwarmers Bagels opening very soon

Curious Goods moving from Hillsborough Street

GoTriangle seeks developer for mixed-use project at Union Station

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

East Village Set for Temporary Shutdown

The iconic East Village Grill on Hillsborough Street will close on February 3rd to make way for a new apartment complex. This is not a drill.

The Triangle Food Guy reported that East Village will close after the Super Bowl this Sunday. We first reported on plans for this new apartment project back in August. Designed by JDavis Architects, the 246,350 square-foot building along Daisy Street and Dixie Trail will house 142 residential units and ground-floor retail.

Although this will mark the end of East Village as everyone knows it, the restaurant plans to reopen in a space on the ground floor of the new apartment complex in 2020.

We seriously considered chaining ITBlake the intern to the East Village deck to prevent their closure. However, we realized that may be against the law since ITBlake isn’t 21 and we didn’t want to bother Stacy Miller with another high profile case. The only question we have here is, WHERE WILL NC STATE STUDENTS BUY COORS LIGHT?!?!?

Pooleside By Summer?

Permits were issued last week for the much-anticipated Pooleside Pies pizzeria from Raleigh chef Ashley Christensen.

First announced in the summer of 2017, just after Fyre Festival, the new restaurant will feature Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas served right next to Christensen’s Poole’s Diner.

Built in 1915, the 3,950 square foot brick building at 428 S. McDowell Street is now undergoing a renovation valued at $395,340. The project was designed by Louis Cherry Architecture, perhaps best known for their beautiful redesign of the Cameron Village Library.

Although no opening date for Pooleside has been announced yet, we expect they should be slinging ‘za at some point in 2019.

Christensen has been keeping fans updated on the new restaurant through an Instagram account. The last post is from when Christensen attended what sounds like the world’s best business conference: The International Pizza Expo.

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We’re queuing up to head into the belly of the beast….International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas! Excited, and a little scared. Follow our story to bear witness! -@ashley_christensen

A post shared by Pooleside Pie (@poolesidepie) on Mar 20, 2018 at 9:44am PDT

Tickets now on sale for the NC Museum of History’s Young Associates Casino Night!

New Restaurant Coming to West Street

A new restaurant is coming to West Street.

The former home of Auto Interiors & Tops, whose relocation to a space on South Wilmington Street we covered extensively back in 2017, will soon be transformed into North West Street’s newest restaurant.

Site plans filed last week call for the redevelopment of the one-story, 13,900+ square-foot building at 303 N. West Street into a mixed-use building that will house an office and a restaurant/bar.

The project is being developed by Atlas Stark Holdings, a local firm that owns a number of properties along North West Street, including the Rainbow Building.

According to Atlas Stark’s website, the redeveloped property is expected to open in August 2019.

Devolve Space to Evolve Into Restaurant

A tavern-style bar and music venue is coming to the former home of Devolve on Glenwood South.

According to site plans filed last week, the tavern will take over the 5,562 square-foot space at 304 Glenwood once used by Devolve Moto. A patio will replace the old Vickers & Ruth Plumbing & Heating building next door at 306 Glenwood.

No opening date for the new restaurant has been announced.

Benchwarmers Bagels Opening Soon in Transfer Co. Food Hall

Benchwarmers Bagels, the delicious food baby of Boulted Bread and Jubala Coffee, will be opening soon in Transfer Co. Food Hall downtown.

Some Instagram sleuthing showed Benchwarmers warming up their oven with a 2-hour test run for the store last weekend. While they have not announced an opening day, all Instagram posts read that they are “opening very soon.” We could not be more excited.

Benchwarmers will join the already available concepts in the food hall – Che Empanadas, Locals Seafood, Burial Beer, and Captain Cookie (opening February 7th).

Curious Goods Takes a Trip Away From Hillsborough Street

Curious Goods will be moving from their home on Hillsborough Street to Brookside Market.

After more than twenty years of selling clothing and assorted novelty items to college students who enjoy smoking tobacco out of giant water pipes, Curious Goods will be relocating from its space at 3010 Hillsborough Street to Brookside Market, near Oakwood Dog Park.

The shop announced the move on social media. They’ll be having a “Goodbye Hillsborough Street, Hello Brookside” event until the Hillsborough Street location closes for good.

Developer Sought for Union Station Phase II

GoTriangle issued a request for qualifications seeking a joint development partnership for the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility site.

Known as “RUS Bus” the project would incorporate private development atop a public transportation facility. That development will include mixed-income housing, and may also incorporate office, retail, and hotel space.

The $50 million project recently received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Running and maintaining the project once it’s completed is expected to cost about $250,000 a year, although the projected revenue far outweighs this. In a cost/benefit analysis commissioned by GoTriangle, it was estimated that by 2053 the project will have netted more than $224 million in profit. Pretty optimistic.

According to a grant application for the facility, it will “become the second major transportation hub in the downtown, complimenting the existing facility, and providing direct connections to various modes and destinations on the west side of Downtown. The planned design for the new facility will be able to accommodate up to 8 buses at once in an off-street facility with on-street bus bays for additional capacity.”

A developer for the project is expected to be chosen by the end of the year. ITB Insider will not be submitting a proposal. We are too busy working with Express Yourself Paint on the redevelopment of the horse barn in City Market.

Development Beat: Work Begins On The Standard, Oak Heart Vet at Longview Grand Opening

Published on January 22, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Construction begins on Hillsborough Street’s The Standard

Grand opening of Oak Heart Veterinary Hospital at Longview

Council to hear results of dog park study

Mami Nora’s Rotisserie opens, tragically closes the next day

City seeks tenant for former horse barn in City Market

Planet Fitness coming to Harvest Plaza Shopping Center

Melting Pot at Holly Park set to expand

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

The Standard Begins to Rise on Hillsborough Street

Construction on Hillsborough Street’s newest apartment complex, The Standard, is now in full swing.

Although foundation work on The Standard began back in August, the $45 million trio of permits issued to Landmark Construction last week will allow construction to begin on the building shell and parking deck.

It appears that the parking deck will be underground in whole or in part, with ground-floor retail above it and apartments above that.

The permits don’t list the total number of residential units, and pre-construction documents are somewhat conflicting; one states there will be a total of 217 units, another gives a breakdown that totals 232.

The amenities of other Standard locations across the country – and keep in mind, these are all student housing complexes – include everything from heated outdoor spas to infinity pools, rock climbing walls, fitness studios, clubhouses, and tanning beds.

We’re curious to see what the Raleigh location will offer, although we know one thing that will set it apart: the old tractor sign from the now-demolished North Carolina Equipment Company building, saved by our very own intern ITBlake.

Grand Opening of Oak Heart Veterinary Hospital at Longview

The Oak Heart Veterinary Hospital at Longview is holding their Grand Opening event this Saturday, January 26th.

Join Oak Heart this Saturday from 2-5pm for its pet-friendly Grand Opening, located at 2116-F New Bern Avenue in the Longview Shopping Center next to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

The event will include tours of the new hospital, pet and people caricatures by Bruce Stevenson, a pet adoption event, complimentary drinks from Trophy Brewing Co. and Whiskey Kitchen, a raffle with prizes from BurgerFi, Melitta Coffee, and ThunderWorks®, and appetizers.

After the Grand Opening, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will show a special screening of the movie “Best in Show” with $3 of every $8 ticket sold benefitting the SPCA of Wake County.

More information on the grand opening can be found here: https://oakheartvet.com/longview-grand-opening/

Council Receives Results of Dog Park Study

City Council today will receive a report from the Parks, Recreation & Greenway Advisory Board on the results of the 2018 Raleigh Dog Park Study.

The study was a “comprehensive citywide planning effort that will guide the long-term planning, design, delivery, operation, and maintenance of public dog park facilities throughout the City of Raleigh.”

Through the planning process, Northwest Raleigh was deemed the area most in need of a future dog park, although a number of factors will go into determining future locations.

This data-driven approach will look at adoption records, concentrations of dog ownership, and the locations of dog-friendly apartments, among other factors, to help determine where dog parks are most needed.

The study offers up a number of recommendations, such as having a dog park within a 10-minute drive of every resident, encouraging new residential developments to provide on-site dog parks, creating more “pop-up” dog park events, and more dog-friendly events in general.

You can view the full study here.

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A post shared by Dogs of ITB (@dogsofitb) on Oct 18, 2018 at 5:06am PDT

Mami Nora’s Opens, Closes Due to Fire

Tragedy struck the new Mami Nora’s Rotisserie Chicken restaurant just one day after it opened for business when a 3:00 a.m. accidental electrical fire caused enough damage that the restaurant is now closed indefinitely.

Work began on Mami’s second location back in October 2017, located in a 9,100 square-foot space at 6711 Glenwood Avenue. The space had previously been home to Hibachi Sushi and Blinco’s sports restaurant.

In a Facebook post, Mami Nora’s said they are diligently working to re-open the Glenwood Avenue location, although they have no timetable at this point.

The original Mami Nora’s remains open at 2401 Wake Forest Road.

After our long awaited and exciting opening we are saddened to announce that Mami’s suffered a fire last night. It is…

Posted by Mami Nora's Rotisserie Chicken on Saturday, January 19, 2019

City Seeks Developer for Former Horse Barn

The City of Raleigh has issued a “Request for Expressions of Interest” for the lease and redevelopment of the so-called Esso Station at 230 East Martin Street.

According to the RFEI, the 817 square-foot building originally served as a gas station, then a dry cleaner in the 1970s, and most recently as a horse barn for the police department.

Now, the City is hoping to find a “private operator” who will use the property for food/beverage/retail service and help further “activate” Moore Square.

We appreciate that the RFEI doesn’t try to oversell the 817 square-foot, single-story brick building. It will require “significant renovation” and the future developer will have to work around historic preservation requirements.

A few years ago, Justin Miller, friend of the ITB media empire and Zookies Cookies’ dog treat connoisseur and the hands behind #justfurkicks, had sought permission to open a taco restaurant in this space. Miller eventually decided that the costs of renovating a 102-year-old building and a lack of clarity and special capabilities from the city were too much trouble, and scrapped the project.

William Needham Finley IV proposed the following concept, which has yet to receive any investment from local developers.

Planet Fitness Coming to Harvest Plaza

Planet Fitness will be opening its newest Raleigh location in York Properties’ Harvest Plaza shopping center on Strickland Road.

The estimated cost for renovating the 20,236 square-foot space is just under $1.4 million. The work will be handled by local developer 919 Commercial.

According to county records, Harvest Plaza was built in 1996 and expanded three years later. This will be Planet Fitness’ fourth location in Raleigh.

Holly Park’s Melting Pot Expands

The Melting Pot is about to expand.

In August, we reported on a set of site plans that called for the existing 4,852 square foot Melting Pot at Holly Park to expand into the vacant 1,136 square foot space in the rear of the building.

Last week, permits were issued that will transform what was once an Enterprise Rent-a-Car into what may be an expanded dining area for the fondue-focused restaurant.

It’s a shame the project won’t be finished by Valentine’s Day, which we imagine is a busy night for The Melting Pot, but we imagine the new space might be good to go by Mother’s Day.

Development Beat: Days Inn To Become Boutique Hotel, Oak Steakhouse Opening

Published on January 15, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Days Inn to become boutique hotel

Oak Steakhouse opening soon at The Dillon

More work on Glenwood Place

Work begins on STIR North Hills

Bake shop coming to The Rainbow Building

Five Horizons plans new condos on New Bern Avenue

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Days Inn to Become Boutique Hotel

The Longleaf Hotel & Lounge is replacing the Days Inn on Dawson Street, which closed in December.

Local developer Loden Properties purchased the property for $5 million, as well as the adjoining property for $1.5 million. The hotel will also have a bar called the Longleaf Lounge.

Loden plans to turn the NC Deli, located on the adjacent property, into (ish) Delicatessen. Matt Fern, formerly a beverage director for Ashley Christensen’s AC Restaurants, will run (ish). Fern recently told The N& O “We want it to be something really informal and playful, allowing us a lot of creative freedoms, but to be able to riff on the classic deli dishes and be able to throw the South into the mix as well.”

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A post shared by The Longleaf Hotel (@thelongleafhotel) on Jan 11, 2019 at 8:14am PST

According to their Instagram, the hotel will be “mid-century modern meets 21st-century.”

The Longleaf Hotel & Lounge joins a growing list of boutique hotels in Raleigh, including Origin (next to One Glenwood), the renovated Gables Motor Lodge, a boutique hotel in Tower 4 at North Hills, and one on Peace Street between McDonald’s and Starbucks that the City Council spent months arguing over because some people are afraid of rooftops.

Oak Steakhouse Coming Soon to The Dillon

The Oak Steakhouse should open soon at The Dillon in the Warehouse District.

We previously reported that work was underway, and last week the space received its ABC inspection. Steak fans like ITBlake the intern should soon be able to dine inside the 5,125 square foot space on the ground floor of The Dillon.

This won’t be the Oak’s first North Carolina location. The restaurant won “Best Steak” in Charlotte’s “Best of the Best Awards,” which is surprising since most people in Charlotte have underdeveloped palates.

In addition to its location in Charlotte’s South Park district, the chain also operates restaurants in Atlanta, Charleston, and Nashville.

Glenwood Place Continues To Expand

Glenwood Place is adding a new office building to a currently vacant site on National Drive.

Gordon Grubb’s development along the northbound side of Glenwood Avenue just inside the beltline will soon add a 5-story, 180,000 square foot office building. The project, 3800 Glenwood, is described on Grubb’s website as being a “five-story… Class A office” building, although the number of stories listed on the permits is three.

In addition to the office building, Grubb is constructing on the site a four-story parking deck that will include a covered walkway to the main building. The total listed cost for both comes out to more than $25 million.

The 2.7-acre parcel was previously home to an older, smaller office building that was torn down in 2017.

Developer Gordon Grubb announced in late 2016 that Glenwood Place would include “hundreds” of apartments, 600,000-800,000 square feet of office space, 70,000-140,000 square feet of retail, and a new hotel.

Stir Coming To North Hills

Work has begun on STIR in North Hills.

More than $1 million worth of permits were issued for the build-out of this new restaurant that will offer “premium oysters, craft cocktails with artisanal ice and a made-from-scratch menu.” The restaurant will be located on the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower next to The Capital Grille.

Venture Construction out of Georgia is handling the STIR project at North Hills, which is described on the permits as including not only the interior fit-up of the space, but exterior renovations and site accessibility issues as well.

The North Hills location will be the second STIR restaurant in the country. The other is in Chattanooga, TN.

Croissants on West Street

A bake shop is coming to West Street.

First announced back in June, work is now underway on the Layered Croissanterie bake shop at the old Rainbow Upholstery Building at 911 N. West Street. The bakery will join FlowCORPS High-Intensity Pilates and a diner as the newest “Rainbow Building” tenant.

Layered Croissanterie is developed by husband-and-wife team Mark and Kawsar Chavez.

New Condos on New Bern

Five Horizons Development unveiled plans for a new condo development at 801 New Bern.

The site plan calls for 20 one bedroom condos in four buildings sized just under 30,000 square feet. We wouldn’t be surprised if work started on this project by the end of the year.

This project follows the successful completion of 10 Arros, an upscale rowhome style community at 533-537 New Bern Avenue.

Development Beat: Wine & Design Coming To Union Station, Burial Beer Opens in Raleigh

Published on January 8, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Wine & Design coming to Union Station

Former Broughton parking lot to become duplexes

Dix Park draft Master Plan released

Burial Beer opens in downtown Raleigh

Falafel & Co. to replace Brookside Market & Pizza

Top 5 costliest construction projects of 2018

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Wine & Design Coming To Union Station

Wine & Design is planning to move into Union Station.

City Council was presented with an agreement that has been reached for Raleigh-based Wine & Design to relocate its corporate headquarters to the upper mezzanine area of Union Station. Wine & Design has been a go-to group activity for years. Their success even led them to a “Shark Tank” appearance where they struck a deal with Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary.

The 2,700 square foot Union Station location (managed by our good friends at York Properties) would be used both as their new corporate headquarters and as an expanded retail event space.

In an exclusive interview, we spoke with Wine & Design CEO and Founder Harriet Mills about the news. “We are super excited! We are going to have our headquarters there and will be training new franchisees and interviewing potential franchisees on our Discovery days. We are excited to show partners and potential partners how beautiful and cool downtown Raleigh is. I am super proud of my town and glad we can support it.”

They also plan to open a Wine & Design studio, where guests can come and make art. “The event space is beautiful. We have big plans and can not wait to share with the Raleigh community. So stay tuned!” said Mills.

In the meantime, Wine & Design is holding classes and private events at their current headquarters off of Glenwood Ave.

La Croix Wine and Design Class Sells Out In Seconds

RIP York Parking Lot

RIP to the York Parking lot.

The property at 809 Brooklyn Street had been managed by our friends at York Properties for years and was home to nearly 60 prime parking spots for Broughton students. The property is being redeveloped by Selwyn Property Group, who plans to build two duplexes on the lot.

For all former Broughton students who wish to pay respects to the parking spaces, a Tahoe and Yukon headlight-lit vigil is scheduled to be held Wednesday evening.

Dix Park Master Plan Released

The Dix Park draft Master plan has been released and, surprisingly, there is absolutely no mention of dinosaurs.

You can view the plan here, where you won’t even find a rendering of a statue of T-Rex, brought to you by Rex Healthcare (we already thought of corporate sponsors). We aren’t going to jump to conclusions and handcuff ITBlake the intern to the park entrance yet. There is still time to provide feedback and input before the final community meeting on February 6th.

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A post shared by ITB Insider (@itbinsider) on Jan 8, 2019 at 6:19am PST

Burial Beer Opens in Downtown Raleigh

Burial Beer Company has opened “The Exhibit” next to Transfer Co. Food Hall on E. Davie Street.

We obtained an exclusive press release and learned that The Exhibit is “a boutique gallery” for Burial’s beer and art. Visitors should consider this a “permanent outpost for can releases where people can come and obtain small batch releases to share and commune outside of the confines of our walls.”

Located at 500 E. Davie St. Suite 170, their hours for this week are: Thurs-Friday 4-10pm, Sat 2-10pm

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A post shared by Burial Beer Co. (@burialbeer) on Jan 4, 2019 at 6:47am PST

Falafel & Co. Replacing Brookside Market & Pizza

Falafel & Co. is moving into the old Brookside Market & Pizza spot.

We reported last week on some rumors on Nextdoor that turned out to be true. This family-owned establishment is co-owned by Nasser Bahhur and Basem Hadi, and features Palestinian cuisine. According to their Facebook,

“At Falafel & Co, we want to provide a “discovery experience” by connecting cultures through a craveworthy culinary experience. Our commitment is to be your guide to exploring the best flavors of the Middle East, the best of Palestinian cuisine with generous servings of our authentic dishes to include fresh pita, crispy falafel, savory kufta, and our signature dips and salads. We embody the true spirit of Palestinian hospitality.”

Five Costliest Commercial Construction Projects of 2018

Editor’s Note: The data used for this was pulled from City and County permit and real estate records. Some permits and records may have been incomplete or erroneous; that is to say, the numbers below are more of a close approximation.

More than 1,900 permits with a total value in excess of $839 million were issued between January 1 and December 28, 2018 for commercial construction projects within the city limits. These are the five most expensive:

5. Peace & West AKA Smokey Hollow Phase 6

Kane Realty’s new West Street mixed-use development has a lot going on. While we’re pretty sure the entire project is called “Smokey Hollow,” one residential part of the development is known as “Peace & West.” The $30 million+ project would add 182 residential units to the development.

4. Wade Park V Office Building

The last time we wrote about this project was back in 2014. The development, which includes residential, retail, and office space located off Wade Avenue near the PNC Arena, has continued to grow.

In October, permits valued at more than $32 million were issued to the Choate Construction Company for the construction of the six-story, 209,145 square foot office building known as the Wade V.

The new office building is expected to open in Spring of 2020.

3. The Standard at Raleigh

Earlier this year, Landmark Properties tore down the former home of the North Carolina Equipment Company at 3101 Hillsborough Street, a building best known for its iconic rooftop tractor sign.

The teardown was the first step in building The Standard, a five-story, 232-unit student apartment complex that will include a parking deck and ground-floor retail. In August, permits valued at $44.5 million were issued to Landmark’s construction arm for foundation work on The Standard.

According to the rezoning case for the project, the tractor sign will be placed on the Hillsborough Street frontage and lighted, thanks to the work of ITBlake the intern.

The N&O Praises Intern For Saving Iconic Sign

2. North Hills East Tower IV Office Building

North Hills Tower 4 in the Park District of North Hills will be a 20-story building fronting Six Forks Road. Permits for the new office tower were valued at more than $50 million and issued to Holder Construction Group in September. It is expected to open in Spring of 2020.

1. First National Bank Building

In May of 2018, the new 22-story FNB Tower on Fayetteville Street officially broke ground. The tower will have 239 residential units spread throughout 13 stories, six stories of commercial office space, and two floors of amenities/tenant storage space. Developed by Dominion Realty Partners, the building will serve as the regional headquarters for First National Bank.

Permits for the new 22-story building were valued at more than $67 million and issued to Choate Construction Company.

Development Beat: Wahlburgers Evicted, Top Real Estate Sales of 2018

Published on January 2, 2019 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Wahlburgers evicted

Brookside Market & Pizza closed

Farewell to bu•ku’s downtown Raleigh location

Sir Walter Apartments set for massive renovation

Olive Garden on Capital preps for renovation

Top Real Estate Sales of 2018

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

Wahlburgers Evicted From Downtown Raleigh

Wahlburgers has been evicted after being open for roughly seven months in downtown Raleigh.

The restaurant held a grand opening in May of 2018. Around December 27th or 28th, the Wake County Sheriff’s Department conducted the grand closing ceremony for Wahlburgers.

Posted on the now-padlocked front door of the Raleigh @Wahlburgers. pic.twitter.com/wJinVZYv7H

— Drew Jackson (@jdrewjackson) December 28, 2018

In a groundbreaking investigation, ABC11 spoke with some employees of Wahlburgers who described poor working conditions, including paychecks that bounced, no heat and air conditioning, and a lack of staff training. Some employees apparently found out about the closing from reading an article on ABC11.

ABC11 also reported the following:

“The November inspection report from the Wake County Health Department confirmed the workers claims that the facility had no working hot water.”

“Some workers even said the store started buying food from Sam’s Club.”

Apparently, Wahlburgers is “truly saddened” to hear about the news and is conducting an internal review of independent franchise owner Greg Pranzo, who operated the Raleigh location under the name Carolina Burger Company.

The long history of Wahlburgers begins in September of 2016. It was announced that the burger chain owned by brothers Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg, would be opening its first Raleigh location on Fayetteville Street in the former home of The Oxford.

The announcement was met with some backlash. In a video posted to Facebook, local bar owner Zack Medford challenged Mark Wahlberg to a “burger contest” that would be held at The Sir Walter Smoke-Off at Dix Park. Wahlberg did not show up.

By September of 2017, a company spokesperson told the News & Observer that the burger chain would open that fall. We wondered why the restaurant still had not opened by March of 2018.

Mark Wahlberg once said, “Making you feel the rhythm is my occupation, so feel the vibration.” It seems the owner of the Raleigh Wahlburgers franchise took that to heart, and spent entirely too much time on rhythm and far too little time on running a restaurant.

Triangle Food Guy summed it up best in the following Tweet:

Perhaps the most annoying thing about @Wahlburgers was that I first mentioned the "rumor" in September, 2016. That means we talked about it for 21 months – three times as long as it was actually open.

— Triangle Food Guy (@TriangleFoodGuy) December 28, 2018

Brookside Market & Pizza Closed

Brookside Market & Pizza has closed after opening in January of 2018.

The rumor mill on Nextdoor claims that the Mediterranean restaurant that once inhabited the space may be coming back in January 2019 for beer and wine and will be opening the grill on February 1st.

Farewell to bu•ku’s Downtown Raleigh Location

RIP to bu•ku, one of the best brunch spots and overall restaurants in downtown Raleigh.

The popular global street food restaurant that operated out of the Red Hat Tower since 2010 has closed. In early 2018, Red Hat announced plans to expand into the space on the ground floor, which meant that bu•ku would have to find a new home by the end of the year.

Fans of bu•ku need not worry, as the restaurant plans to open in the former home of AN in Cary in early 2019. They also opened another location in Wake Forest in 2018.

We checked in with Sean Degnan, co-owner of bu•ku and the successful so•ca in Cameron Village, about the news. Degnan mentioned some super secret plans for another restaurant that we can’t reveal here, and looked back on the time in the Red Hat building fondly. “What coexisted was a good thing. The Red Hat people came down for lunch and happy hour every day and we took great care of them, and everyone else.”

When asked about bu•ku’s food coma inducing weekend brunch, Degnan replied, “Who knew? I don’t think I’m getting out of the brunch buffet business any time soon. I guess I’m just going to buy some more brunch equipment.”

We’re hoping that Degnan, who also serves on the Board of Directors for A Place At The Table, opens a brunch buffet food truck ASAP.

Sir Walter Apartments Renovation Begins

The Sir Walter Apartments in downtown Raleigh are set for an upgrade.

Permits valued at more than $9 million were issued to Weaver Cooke Construction for a project that will add 21 new units on the 10th floor, renovate the existing 140 units, and make a number of upgrades throughout the historic building on Fayetteville Street.

The TBJ reported that the Capital Realty Group, based in New York, bought the 10-story building for $16.8 million and are planning $15 million in renovations. In 2018, the City Council approved $3 million worth of funding that will allow the building to continue to serve as affordable housing for seniors.

We previously reported on the closing of the Chick-fil-A that operated on the bottom floor of the building. We have yet to investigate what will replace it.

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RIP Downtown Chick-fil-A. We hardly knew ye, mainly because your hours of operation were 11:03 AM to 12:16 PM on the third Tuesday of the month during a blood moon. #rip

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Originally built as a hotel in the early 1920s, the Sir Walter changed hands – and brands – a number of times over the decades before being sold in the late 1970s and converted to a senior housing complex.

That’s A Spicy Renovation

The Olive Garden on Capital Boulevard is about to get a whole lot classier.

Already considered Raleigh’s finest Italian dining establishment, the Olive Garden will soon undergo more than half a million dollars worth of interior and exterior renovations. Rumor has it that CBH General Contracting agreed to be paid entirely in breadsticks.

While we’re not exactly sure how CBH plans to improve on the perfection that is the Capital Boulevard Olive Garden, the permits indicate that this renovation will encompass the entirety of the building: 6,460 square feet worth of interior renovations and 2,737 square feet of exterior renovations.

Top Real Estate Sales of 2018

2018 has certainly seen more than its share of high dollar sales. Here are the top 10 sales of the last year.

10. Colonial Grand at Brier Falls Apartments

On March 23, 2018, the Colonial Grand Apartments on Crichton Street in Brier Creek were sold to Mid-America Apartment Communities for $45 million. The previous owner was based in Kernersville, NC.

9. Ridgewood Shopping Center

In September, we reported that Regency Centers, a real estate investment trust based in Jacksonville, Florida, purchased the Ridgewood Shopping Center. The 95,000+ square foot property was sold for $46 million.

8. The Mark Apartments

Located off Lynn Road, the Mark Apartments were sold in June 2018 to American Landmark Apartments based out of Tampa, Florida for $46.6 million. The previous owners were Charleston Property Management out of South Carolina.

7. 616 at the Village

On December 14, 2018, the 616 at the Village apartments on Oberlin Road near Cameron Village were sold to Heitman Capital Management out of Chicago for $48.5 million. The previous owners were based out of Atlanta, GA.

6. Elan City Center Apartments

In September 2018, the Elan City Center Apartments at 510 N. Wilmington were sold to Principal Real Estate Investors based out Des Moines, IA for $50.7 million. The previous owners were Charleston Property Management out of South Carolina.

5. The Village Apartments

The Village Apartments on Autumn Winds Drive in North Raleigh were sold in November to the Continental Realty Corporation out of Baltimore, MD for $51.6 million. The previous owners were Charleston Property Management out of South Carolina.

4. The Tribute Apartments

In July 2018, the Tribute Apartments on Tribute Drive off Glenwood were sold to Waterton Associates out of Chicago for $60.2 million. The previous owners were based out of Los Angeles, CA.

3. The Dakota

In September, The Dakota apartments on Wildgrass Drive near Carter-Finley Stadium were sold from one Boston-based company to another for $63 million. The new owner is the Eaton Vance Real Estate Group.

2. Midtown Plaza

In February, Kane Realty sold off Midtown Plaza at 305 Church at North Hills Street for $127 million to KBS Realty Advisors out of Houston, Texas.

1. Wells Fargo Center

The largest real estate sale of the year was the Wells Fargo Capitol Center, which went for $173 million back in August to Preferred Office Properties out of Atlanta, GA. Its previous owners were based out of New York City.

Development Beat: Updates on The Wade, Seaboard Station Sold

Development Beat: Updates on The Wade, Seaboard Station Sold

Published on December 18, 2018 in Development by James B.

Brought to you by York Properties

Exclusive interview on The Wade

Seaboard Station sold to D.C. developer

North Ridge Country Club set for kitchen expansion

Wells Fargo to close Cameron Village branch

Farmington Square Shopping Center’s new owners plot expansion

To be featured in the Development Beat, contact business@itbinsider.com.

An Update On The Wade

Easily the most anticipated condominium project in the history of Raleigh, The Wade will be a five-story building consisting of 29 residences that come in two-and three-bedroom floor plans. Our friends at Beacon Street have been hard at work on the project, which we’ve covered in the past.

We sat down with Jim Wiley, President, and Justin Hime, Director of Sales and Marketing, to get the latest on the project.

ITB Insider: We’ll come right out and say it. We started a rumor that all of the residences in The Wade are sold out in order to prove that partnering with ITB Insider is the most effective method for selling condos. Have you actually sold out?

Justin: While our sales are strong, we’ve heard rumors that people think this place is sold out. Those now make sense after hearing your confession, but there are still a few opportunities available in the building.

ITB Insider: Sounds like our marketing was effective. Can you tell us more about the progress you’ve made since we last spoke?

Justin: A lot of the exterior details of the building are coming along nicely, as well as in the finish designs of the interiors. The phase we’re in now is putting the finishing touches on the featured gathering spaces.

Editor’s note: those spaces include:
A pocket park with a rose garden
A dog washing station for Dogs of ITB
An Owner’s Retreat – a beautifully appointed gathering place immediately off the main entry Gallery

A virtual concierge service (we’re trying to get a hologram of ITBlake the intern to serve as their concierge, but right now all he can say is “Hi Mark”)
A fitness room
A rooftop terrace with incredible views of the surrounding neighborhoods and the Raleigh skyline

ITB Insider: What type of people have purchased residences at The Wade? Can you make it a requirement that buyers submit their Broughton diploma at the time of closing?

Jim: We aren’t allowed to discuss that, but so far it’s a great group of people.

ITB Insider: So maybe someone whose name rhymes with Jeb Dimpson? Or perhaps a Gonner Baylord?

Justin: While we really can’t comment, we will say that the greatest attraction has yet to arrive. The people aren’t here. Buildings are great, but the people are what makes it so special.

ITB Insider: Understandable. Other than living in the heart of Raleigh, what about this project is attractive to potential residents?

Jim: There are a few common things people are looking for in a place like this. Most of which is being driven by a sense of community. They want to be around people and enjoy this walk to life location where they can dive into Hayes Barton for a morning walk, make their way over to Fletcher Park, and easily swing by Cameron Village. As we drive through this area we often don’t stop and recognize the established residential neighborhoods that already surround it. Fred Fletcher Park to me is one of the most under-appreciated parks in all of Raleigh. It’s 21 acres of green space – basically a miniature Pullen Park. It’s such an anchoring place for the whole area.

ITB Insider: Can you talk about location, location, and, more specifically, location?

Jim: It really is locationally as good as you can get. You could walk out of that building and go 500 different ways and never take the same path. It’s terrific.

ITB Insider: Sounds like a good tagline for The Wade would be “It’s The Best place to live your ITBest life.”

Justin: We’ll think about that, table it, and get back to you. What we can say is people who are interested in the building share a similar value proposition, namely, the life that everyone is prefiguring inside of the space.

ITB Insider: Interesting. Can you help us improve our SEO by using the following words in a quote about The Wade: pre-war, Beacon Hill, New York, Boston

Jim: Sure. With Fairvew Row and with The Wade we are offering this type of mature city living that didn’t really exist in Raleigh, but does exist in other cities. We might be in Boston walking around Beacon Hill saying, ‘This would be so cool to live here.’ Or in New York thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to live in a building like that?’ We’re seeing people who have lived in, or travel extensively to, other cities and they’re coming here and sharing how the best life they ever had was living in a pre-war building in New York. This is what they want. So that’s neat to have that mix.

ITB Insider: Thanks again for your time. We can’t wait to see the condo that you gave ITBlake the intern as a birthday present. Remember, we posted that on Instagram, which is a legally binding contract.

The Wade should be completed by the summer of 2019. A video of the progress was recently released.

Full disclosure: Beacon Street is a partner with the ITB Insider media empire. They did not actually gift our intern a condominium for his 18th birthday. Follow their progress on Instagram @beaconstreetdev

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The Wade is dressed in #winter white! #thewade #beaconstreet #raleigh #beautiful #snow

A post shared by Beacon Street Development (@beaconstreetdev) on Dec 9, 2018 at 9:37am PST

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A post shared by Seaboard Wine And Tasting Bar (@seaboard_wine) on Dec 13, 2018 at 7:41am PST

Check out Seaboard Wine’s Last Minute Gift Guide
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Seaboard Station Plans $250 Million Expansion

Seaboard Station was sold for $34 million to D.C.-based developer PN Hoffman, who is now planning a $250 million mixed-use project for the property.

Those plans include 800,000 square feet of mixed-use space, made up of 650 apartments, 150 hotel rooms, and 90,000 square feet of new retail space and a total of 135,000 square feet at full build-out.

Most importantly, the mythical Harris Teeter will not be coming to Seaboard Station and our beloved Logan’s is safe, as their property is not part of the deal.

The 7-acre property was owned by William Peace University, which paid $20 million for it in 2013. Trademark Properties, which manages Seaboard Station, said the $14 million increase in value was due to the “robust urban market in downtown Raleigh.” Trademark will continue on in their present role under the owners.

Although it was announced in 2016 that Harris Teeter would be coming to Seaboard Station, the project has officially been canceled. Instead, the developers will opt for a smaller 25,000 square-foot grocery store.

Seaboard Station was originally developed as a passenger rail station known as the Seaboard Air Line Depot in 1941, in the building that now houses Logan’s Trading Company. The station was eventually abandoned in the late 1980s due to the rerouting of northbound Amtrak trains.

Logan’s moved into the space in the 1990s, when its owners, looking to expand their business, purchased what was by then known as the Bagwell Seaboard Railroad Station. Logan’s reuse of the old space led to the redevelopment of the surrounding acreage, which became known as the Shops at Seaboard Station.

North Ridge Country Club Kitchen Expansion

The North Ridge Country Club began an expansion project that will grow their kitchen and add a new bar to an outdoor covered porch.

J.D. Beam Inc. of Raleigh will oversee the $50,000 project that will add about 280 square feet to the kitchen and create a new 415 square-foot bar area.

Located on Falls of Neuse Road in North Raleigh, the club offers a variety of dining options, including the “quick and casual” Sandtrap, the Bluebird Grill, and special event dining in the Grand Ballroom.

Wells Fargo Closing On Oberlin Road

Wells Fargo will be shutting down one of its Cameron Village locations in February of next year.

Wells Fargo has just over 40 branch locations throughout Raleigh, and the closure is likely part of a nationwide consolidation process undertaken by the firm. The nearby location at 2001 Clark Avenue will remain open.

The branch at 601 Oberlin was housed in a two-story, 10,142 square-foot structure built in 1973 that had previously served as a branch of First Union bank until the company was acquired by Wells Fargo earlier this decade. It is unknown at this point what will be coming next for the site.

Southeast Raleigh Shopping Center Set to Expand

Site plans were filed last week for a proposed expansion that would nearly double the size of the Farmington Square Shopping Center in Southeast Raleigh.

Anchored by a 9,000 square-foot Family Dollar store, the 24,000+ square foot shopping center is located adjacent to Southeast Raleigh High School off Rock Quarry Road, and is managed by our friends over at York Properties.

The expansion plans call for 19,496 square feet of new retail space to be built on a vacant 2.15-acre lot at 2802 and 2818 New Birch Drive. The work scope notes that the project will include the development of two new buildings designated for retail shopping, which will include access driveways and 81 parking spaces.

It’s The Best Shop

Development - page 3

Calavera Opens In Former Home Of Moonlight Pizza

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Seaboard Wine Events

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Work Begins On Jolie

Two New Tenants For Union Station

Nominations Open For Sir Walter Raleigh Awards

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Just Salad Coming To Lake Boone

New Social Security Office Building Coming to Raleigh

Work Begins on Raleigh’s Latest Lidl

Transfer Co. Food Hall Unveils New Tenants, New Hours

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Wine Tasting At Seaboard Wine May 11th

Moore Square Grand Opening Date Set

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Uninhibited Opens In Former Home Of Taste

Work Begins On Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls At North Hills

Changes Coming To Oak Park Shopping Center

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State Seeks Designer For Massive New DHHS Campus

Home2Suites Hotel Coming To Crabtree

The Flourish Market Is Flourishing

The Wade Springs Forward

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Residential Project Planned For Blount Street

The Birds of Summer

Citrix Cycle Ribbon Cutting This Week

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Two Roosters Celebrates Grand Opening

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Groove In The Garden Lineup Announced

New GlenLake Office Building Planned

More Apartments For Crabtree

Is Fosters Returning?

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International Champions Cup Event At Union Station Plaza Thursday

Meredith Expands Communication and Exercise and Sport Science Programs

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New Restaurant To Replace McCormick & Schmick’s

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Hillsborough Street Burger King to Become Vietnamese Restaurant

South Street Mini-Mart

Raleigh Rent Increases Outpace National Average

Wegmans Announces September Opening

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Captrust Tower For Sale

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Morgan Street Food Hall Adds New Vendor

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City To Lease Back Buildings At Dix Park

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Brew Coming To McNeill Pointe

Convention Center Set For Interior Upgrade

A Place At the Table Expanding

Music for Me Fine Tickets Available

Brewgaloo Tickets Available

Three Five Points Houses Saved After Peace Treaty Is Signed

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Lonerider 10th Anniversary

Rushing to Hillsborough Street

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New Shopping For New Bern

Pies & Italian Ice Coming to Martin Street

Townridge Chick-fil-A Cooking up Kitchen Upgrade

Exclusive Artists Commune Planned For Southeast Raleigh

Dram & Draught Coming Soon to One Glenwood

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York Elementary Set for Renovation

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Biscuitville Sets its Sights on Western Boulevard

Bowstring Bar

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Halcyon Days Are Near For Former Home of Mosaic

321 Coffee Opens First Retail Location

WRAL Looks to Toss Eggs From Sky 5

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Live Backstage At Red Hat Amphitheater

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