A Hayes Barton family was almost torn apart after a disastrous first day of school. Grace Anne Stewart, a mother of two, came close to filing for divorce after her husband, Charles Stewart, failed to follow her simple instructions for taking a back to school photo of their children.
Grace Anne had gone out of town to be with her sister who was giving birth, one of the only reasons a mother would miss a back to school photo shoot of her kids. She laid out specific instructions and sent Charles a reminder text early Monday morning.
Charles woke up, read the text, remembered about half of it, and began his day. He tried putting the kids into the outfits his wife had chosen, but gave up after mild tantrums ensued. He bribed the children with extra iPad time to get them to write their names on the chalkboard and then quickly took the pictures. As the kids got in the car for the .3 mile trek to school, Charles got on a conference call with his commercial real estate colleagues. It was time to analyze their recent Fantasy Football draft. Charles got caught up in discussing who should start at his flex spot and forgot to send the pictures to his wife.
He dropped the kids off at school, assuming he’d won Father of the Year for getting them there on time. By 9:00 am, Grace Anne knew something was wrong. She texted her husband.
Grace Anne: Charles! Where are the pictures?!
Charles: Sorry, got caught up on a work call. It was important.
Grace Anne: It’s 9:05 am. Our picture won’t be seen by as many people if we don’t post it right now. We need at least 100 likes this year.
Charles sent the pictures at 9:06 am, which is the exact moment his marriage nearly came to an end.
Grace Anne: CHARLES!!!!
Charles: Don’t the kids look cute?
Grace Anne: The chalkboard, Charles. The fucking chalkboard.
Charles: I put the chalkboard out!
Grace Anne: Yeah, you did, but those grades are from LAST YEAR. David had a huge growth spurt this summer. He doesn’t look like he’s going into the 4th grade, unless he’s the Hodor of Root. He’s a damn giant.
Charles: It’s not my fault the kids don’t know what grade they’re going into. There are literally 1 million pictures of kids going back to school today on social media. No one actually reads the chalkboards.
Grace Anne: Well three of my group texts noticed immediately. And I told you to put him in seersucker shorts and a Brooks Brothers polo from the ITBack to School Must Haves guide. Why is he wearing a Golden State Warriors t-shirt and basketball shorts?! This isn’t a Jaycee basketball game!!!
Charles: I’ll fix it.
Grace Anne: How?! Now we don’t have a first day of school picture to post next to our last day of school picture at the end of the year! Do you want this to be your second divorce before you’re 35? We are done. DONE!
Charles knew nothing good could come from replying to an all caps “done” text message. Thinking he could salvage the picture, and hoping to avoid another costly divorce, Charles cancelled his scheduled 3 hour coffee meeting at Third Place, hopped in his Yukon, and sped towards Root.
He pulled the kids out of class, did 95 down Glenwood, and arrived at home. He frantically made the kids change clothes and pose for another picture in front of the chalkboard, now updated with the correct grades. He took a dozen pictures and sent them to his wife by 10:00 am.
Grace Anne: These are fine. But if this doesn’t get 100 likes so help me God…
As of 6:00 pm the picture had only received 87 likes.
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Residents of Five Points are taking matters into their own hands after a disastrous 4th of July. To celebrate the birth of our great nation, many neighborhood residents gathered near the railroad tracks at the end of Bickett Boulevard to view the fireworks display being put on in downtown Raleigh. Then disaster struck. As the fireworks were starting, a Norfolk Southern train showed up and ruined everything.
“The train showed up right as the fireworks started and came to a complete stop. It would pull forward about ten feet then back up again, all while the train crossing signal kept ringing,” said Stahler McKinney, who notified me of this tragedy on Twitter.
Neighbors became more irate as they stared at a large train blocking their view of the fireworks.
“We have rights. It’s in the Declaration of Rights,” said Liza Jane Wambles. “Who the hell is Norfolk Southern? Isn’t that in Brier Creek? I’ve been drinking rosé all day, hashtag rosé allll dayyy!!!!” she slurred, before being cut off by her husband, Banks Wambles.
“Please don’t say “hashtag” in public. We’ve been over this,” he said quietly, pulling the bottle of rosé away. “But yes, this is definitely a problem. Now we’ve got to deal with three kids under 5 asking where the fireworks are. We can only distract them with Pirate’s Booty for so long,” he added.
Children could be heard crying “I can’t see! Moooooom, I can’t see!” while many parents wept silently, knowing there would be no end to the whining.
“This was basically our Vietnam. Explosions going off, the train crossing signal blaring, and little Charlie Jr. here torturing me with constant questions about why the train won’t move. I pushed my kids all the way out here in our UPPAbaby stroller that my wife got on micITBit. We were expecting to see fireworks.” said Charles Jarvis, a Five Points resident.
Emotions ran high as two dads fought over the last craft beer in the YETI Hopper. “My dad and Mr. Caldwell were wrestling in the street. Then Mr. Caldwell took a nap on the ground and the ambulance bagged and tagged him, so we went inside to play Mario Kart 8,” said one child, clearly desensitized to the ITB dad on ITB dad violence.
“now that Mr. Caldwell’s been bagged and tagged you wanna go play Mario Kart?”
“Yeah, the dad on dad crime isn’t a good look, but it happens. If word gets out that we can’t even see the fireworks from our neighborhood, our property values are going to plummet,” said Wambles.
The residents plan to sue Norfolk Southern for negligence, obstruction of independence, obstruction of freedom, potential decrease in property values, and “being annoying AF” as Liza Jane Wambles put it. While the residents have yet to select a firm to handle the class action suit, they are expected to go with Stacy Miller and Miller Law Group.
Five Points resident Vance Craig VI, a 31-year-old Senior Vice Super Duper Executive Broker at a boutique commercial real estate firm, has not been pleased with the current weather. “Do I wear my Classic Barbour jacket, or my quilted Barbour Vest? It’s February, so my body thinks it should be wearing the Classic jacket, but it’s 80 damn degrees out. I’d look like an idiot sitting outside at Nickelpoint drinking a Scotch Wee Heavy wearing a full on jacket when the weather feels like it’s June.”
His wife Mary Cameron Knoll Craig, who runs an Instagram account featuring images of the best Wine and Design paintings in Raleigh, seemed more prepared to deal with the current climate, but still voiced concerns. “I mean, obvi my Barbour vest goes perfect over my chambray button-down but it still pisses me off that I can’t get the full wear of my quilted Barbour jacket this winter. Sometimes I’ll get ready, we’ll go to Churchill’s, and the temperature drops 30 degrees by the time we’ve taken 15 Jell-O shots. The walk from the front door of Churchill’s to the Uber that’s 10 feet away can be unbearable. How do you even dress for that?”
The hassle of being at the mercy of the changing weather is hard enough for the couple, but has proved to be an even bigger problem for another member of their family.
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“We’ve had to increase the Xanax prescription for our dog, Mabel, because she has no idea what season it is. One day her Barbour coat is on, the next day it’s off. Her anxiety is through the roof.”
Mabel, net worth of $3.2 million, has no idea what season it is.
“The ice in her LaCroix filled dog bowl melts before she can even take it out and chase it all around the kitchen. Sure it’s less of a mess for the housekeeper to clean up, but that’s Mabel’s favorite part of the day. The ice in dog bowls is melting, y’all. And that’s sad,” lamented Mary Cameron.
Refusing to let the weather control their lives, the couple will spend the next two months island-hopping between the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas.
“We’re going to where we know the weather will be constant and we won’t have to wake up every day faced with these decisions. If I could sue the weather I totally would, and I’d get Stacy Miller at Miller Law Group to handle it,” said Craig VI, unaware that one cannot sue the atmosphere.
“I can see why they call it “climate change” now that I have to change my entire wardrobe multiple times on a daily basis. This is a fashion nightmare,” added Mary Cameron. Special thanks to Dale Moody at Cornerstone Properties for selling this lovely couple their home in Five Points.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
Welcome to the debut issue of ITB Living, the world’s first digital magazine cover publication. This cutting edge media property addresses the rapidly growing market of people who don’t have time to read magazines. Not to mention the fact that magazines are incredibly bad for the environment. Think about all those pages and ink piling up in a landfill after not being read in an office waiting room. Magazines are basically the new plastic straws (sorry, sea turtles).
We’re ecstatic to be the first entrant in this market that we invented. We’ll have monthly issues, special editions, pop-up issues, and more. Each carefully curated issue will be posted to the @ITBInsider Instagram account and will be paired with a blog post on ITBInsider.com. We’re in discussions to launch a podcast as well.
There is no better time to debut ITB Living than the weekend of the Deb Ball. Just like our beloved debutantes, this first edition was conceived by a group of former debs and escorts.
Without further ado, we proudly present the Deb Ball ’18 edition of ITB Living:
Our inaugural cover has everything you need to have an ITBlessed Deb Ball weekend. Be sure to tag @ITBInsider in your pics, now that you’re allowed to post about it.
High-Resolution Cover:
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Storage facility planned for Capital Blvd near Wade
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Transfer Co. Announces Lineup
Transfer Co. has revealed the list of restaurateurs and vendors that will occupy space in the 50,000+ square foot establishment located at 500 E. Davie Street. We obtained this information, and the following quote from Joe Kwon, cellist for the Avett Brothers, through an exclusive e-mail blast. It’s basically the same thing as interviewing him.
“Transfer Co. is an unprecedented opportunity to create connections between artisans and people in our community,” said Joe Kwon, culinary influencer, Transfer Co. creative consultant and cellist for the Avett Brothers. “We are turning this space over to the makers in our community so they can demonstrate what it takes to produce, say, a bar of chocolate or a fish fillet. In doing so, Transfer will showcase the incredible talent in our community through the lens of North Carolina culture. I’m very excited to see this historical warehouse repurposed as a place to gather and create connections between our gifted chefs, artisans and the people they aim to serve.”
Kwon’s passion for this project was very evident during the time we spent reading the e-mail that contained that quote. Here’s a quick rundown of the vendors and our brief descriptions of what they’ll offer:
Falafel & Co.: Palestine cuisine such as fresh pita, crispy falafel, dips, and salads.
Sushinara: Asian street food.
Sweet Peas Urban Gardens: An urban farm. (We’ll be covering this in the next few weeks because it’s a great story.)
Transfer Co. describes itself as “a community gathering and events space, market, restaurants, and a creative production hub designed to maximize opportunities for innovation through the transfer of knowledge across tenants and customers.” Transfer Co. is scheduled to open in early 2019. The list of vendors with much more details can be found at the end of this post.
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Cameron Village Post Office Closing
The Cameron Village Post Office will close at the end of the year. Despite inaccurate reports from other outlets, the building has not been sold. The owners of the building brought in a partner about two years ago, but still own a majority of the property. They will still own the building after making some upgrades for the new single tenant (stay tuned) that’s moving in.
On one hand, 99% of the employees of this post office were extremely polite and courteous. On the other, this was the most difficult place in the world to obtain a passport.
This post office had already cut back their hours. Ever try going at lunch? It’s closed. Need to swing by after work at 5:00 pm? Closed. Nevertheless, a few people on Nextdoor are trying to save it.
We do not anticipate that their efforts will be successful. However, the post office already has representatives looking for a new space in the 27605 zip code. If you need a post office box, the UPS Store next to Moe’s may have some available.
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AILLEA Opens In Cameron Village
AILLEA celebrated its grand opening on August 25 in Cameron Village. The beauty supply chain specializes in “luxury clean beauty brands,” whose best quality, in our opinion, is that none of them are tested on animals. According to this Cameron Village article, Kathryn Murray Dickinson, a former executive in the beauty industry, founded AILLEA after she discovered a lack of transparency when it came to organic, clean products. The Raleigh location will be the area’s premier clean beauty destination.
Heirloom Brewshop Opening Soon
Heirloom Brewshop received their ABC inspection permits last week. The owners told us they should be open in the next 2-3 weeks. Located in The Dillon, this unique store offers premium coffee, tea, saké, and an Asian-inspired menu.
A Sequel for Soleil?
Ten years after it was set to be the anchor for the doomed Soleil Center, a new Westin hotel will finally make its way to the Crabtree Valley Mall area.
The luxury brand, owned by Marriott, is slated to open in June of 2019 at 4501 Creedmoor Road, according to a listing on the Marriott website. Although permits were applied for in September 2017, they do not appear to have been issued yet.
Valued at more than $60 million, the permits describe work for a pool, a parking deck, the hotel itself, and restaurants on the 4th and 18th floor. We would, however, take those permits with a grain of salt, as they state the Westin will be a 42-story structure with only 54 rooms. Something about that just sounds off.
The Triangle Business Journal reported that the hotel will also include a conference center, a rooftop bar and a full-service restaurant.
STIR Coming to North Hills
STIR, a new oyster restaurant, is coming to the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower in North Hills. We have obtained an exclusive press release confirming that the restaurtant offers “premium oysters, craft cocktails with artisanal ice, and a made-from-scratch menu.” That’s right, artisanal ice.
The release actually includes a full paragraph about artisanal ice:
“Using purified, artisanal ice that has been hand-cut to complement each one of their imaginative craft cocktails, STIR is bringing an intense focus on artisan ice and craft cocktails to Raleigh’s cocktail and dining scene. STIR uses the freshest ingredients available, refreshing food and beverage menus regularly to highlight seasonal delicacies and keep the creative juices flowing.”
It’s about time someone in Raleigh stepped up to the plate and delivered the artisanal ice we’ve all been demanding. STIR is set to open in 2019. In the meantime, we’ll just have to get by with our cloudy, generic, plebeian ice.
Warby Parker Coming to North Hills
Photo by photojournalist Jeffry Aden.
Warby Parker, an upscale chain that sells sunglasses and prescription eyewear, will soon be opening at 4154 Main at North Hills. Jeffry Aden, husband of Broughton graduate Caroline Williams, obtained the above photographic evidence indicating that the store will be located next to Chick-fil-A.
Pilates Studio Coming to North West Street
North West Street will soon be home to Raleigh’s first FlowCORPS High-Intensity Pilates studio, a fact brought to our attention through Ashton Smith’s #1 rated weekly newsletter, Raleigh, over-easy. The company’s website states the studio will be opening in fall of this year.
Permits for the fit-out of their new space at 911 N. West Street were issued in early July to Riley-Lewis Construction. This will be the latest tenant for the recently revived “Rainbow Building” whose overhaul was overseen by our friends over at August Construction Solutions.
Unlimited Storage
Yet another site review plan was filed last week for a self-storage facility on Capital Boulevard. Bee Safe Storage, based out of Greensboro, will build out two, five-story buildings totaling 145,486 square feet, because you never can have enough storage.
Located at 1108 and 1261 Capital Boulevard, the site is currently home to the used car dealership Skyline Motors. Bee Safe has an existing Raleigh location off Falls of Neuse Road.
Burlington Coat Factory
We first reported on North Raleigh’s new Burlington Coat Factory last September, and now, a year later, the store is set to hold its grand opening. Burlington will serve as the anchor retailer at the Plantation Point shopping center on Capital Boulevard, inhabiting the space that was once occupied by Marshalls.
Transfer Co. Vendors
Videri Chocolate Factory: Videri’s second location, featuring a chocolate production factory, retail counter, event space and pastry training center for chefs. Among many accolades, Videri holds three consecutive Good Food Awards and acclaim as Travel Magazine’s Best 10 Things to Do in Downtown Raleigh and GQ Magazine’s 50 Best Things to Eat Right Now.
Locals Seafood: Oyster bar, restaurant and seafood market focusing on North Carolina seafood and seasonal interpretations of traditional dishes. The restaurant and market will sell fresh fish, fresh and steamed shellfish, smoked seafood and ready-to-cook entrees. Locals Seafood already enjoys a strong North Carolina presence in cornerstone establishments such as Whole Foods.
Burial Beer Co.: An art-focused space from Asheville’s Burial Beer that will host can and bottle releases as well as offer a draft selection of hallmark brands and experiential, small-batch beers for purchase. Burial Beer Co. crafts a range of innovative, hop-forward ales, big dark ales and quaffable lagers, all with a dedication to modernization and revitalization. Its wild program boasts a full array of Belgian-inspired and Carolina terroir-driven sour ales. The brewery touts accolades such as Craft Beer & Brewing’s Top 25 Best Small Brewers in the World, Draft Magazine’s Top Beers of the Year and Paste Magazine’s Best Saison.
Benchwarmers Bagels: An exciting new collaboration from the masterminds behind Jubala Coffee and Boulted Bread, a bakery that earned acclaim as one of Food & Wine’s Top Croissants in America and Bon Appetit’s 2016 Best New Bakeries.
Che Empanadas: Chef Anabel Rossbach brings Argentine-style baked empanadas, handcrafted from historic recipes that feature local and organic ingredients.
Chhote’s: A taste of the Mumbai street-food scene with a variety of authentic bite-sized offerings in an atmosphere designed to cultivate conversation. Designed by Anson Fernandes, a Mumbai native and founder of Biryani Maxx in Cary, North Carolina. Biryani Maxx was named one of three brightest yet hidden culinary gems by News & Observer’s Greg Cox in 2017.
Captain Cookie and The Milkman: “North Carolina’s sweetest superheroes” serving small-batch cookies, local dairy, hand-dipped shakes and made-to-order ice cream sandwiches, which Eater listed as one of its top ice cream sandwiches.
Dank Burrito: Clarke Merrill, executive chef and owner of Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria, Dank Burrito and Beaufort Olive Oil Company, brings his chef-inspired tacos, burritos and bowls, featuring fresh ingredients and house-made salsas, slaws and kimchi.
Falafel & Co.: The Bahhur family, long-time Triangle restaurateurs, launch a crave-worthy menu of Palestine cuisine with generous servings of authentic dishes, such as fresh pita, crispy falafel, savory dishes and signature dips and salads.
Sushinara: Chef Jae Lee offers Izakaya-style Asian street food featuring a special combination of flavors representing different countries in Asia. Chef Lee has worked at highly acclaimed kitchens around the country, such as Veritas and Danube in New York City and the Washington Duke Inn and Fin’s in North Carolina. He has spearheaded several Asian concepts in the Triangle.
Sweet Peas Urban Gardens: A certified naturally grown urban farm cultivated in large shipping containers. Sweet Peas grows and provides nutrient-dense microgreens to local chefs, farmers’ markets, CSAs and produce delivery services in the Triangle.
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Work begins on luxury student apartments at former NC State tailgate lots
Condos planned for North State Street
Village Subway photo exhibit at City of Raleigh Museum
Raleigh is getting its first Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar
Deco Raleigh opens in new location
Two Roosters Ice Cream coming to Person Street Plaza
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Seaboard Wine at High Park Opens
Today is the big day for our friends at Seaboard Wine at High Park. After 33 years in the same location (21 as Seaboard Wine and 12 as Simple Pleasures’ warehouse), they are now open in their new home at High Park Village on Whitaker Mill Road.
The store will be open regular hours Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Their tasting bar will tentatively re-open Monday 7/23. More updates can be found at www.seaboardwine.com and Facebook (@seaboardwine), Twitter (@seaboardwine) and Instagram (@seaboard_wine).
Also, congratulations to Lisa Jeffries for being the first customer! She’s been tracking the progress and shared the first ever inside look with us. History was made today.
In April, we reported that the Trinity and TX parking lots on Trinity Road, renowned for their popular tailgating at NC State football games, would one day be replaced with a luxury student housing complex. That day has come.
Over the last few months, many NC State fans put out yard signs that read “Save the parking lots!” in hopes that the development would be stopped. In a show of solidarity, some fans even met in the empty parking lots to eat Bojangles’ tailgate specials paired with Coors Light and listen to pregame speeches.
Despite their best efforts, final sitework permits were issued last week for The Station at 4200 Trinity Road. The project was described in the preliminary site plan as a 3-story apartment complex of 174 units (12 one bedroom, 4 three bedroom, and 158 four bedroom) located in 21 buildings, and accompanied by 729 parking spots.
Developer Landmark Properties is behind the project, along with many other luxury student apartments across the country. If The Station is similar to their other projects, and we assume it is, students can expect amenities such as a gaming lounge, golf simulator, resort-style pool, outdoor terrace, fitness facility, meeting rooms, a clubhouse, and…..free printing!
It’s sad to see the loss of such a great piece of tailgating real estate. On the bright side, college football is only 39 days 7 hours 2 minutes and 16 seconds away.
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Condos Planned for North State Street
Five Horizons Development, a local firm that’s also behind the 10 Arros project on New Bern Avenue, has filed plans for a new condominium development on North State Street.
Tentatively titled the North State Street Condos, the project will offer 30 one-bedroom units and a total of 33 parking spaces.
The three-story building will comprise a total of 78,148 square feet, take up .64 acres of impervious surface area, and provide 3,620 square feet of open space. We’re not sure what kind of amenities the new condos will offer, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted with any future developments.
Reliving the Village Subway
The City of Raleigh Museum (COR) kicked off “The Underground: Photographs of Raleigh’s Music Scene 1976-1985” last weekend. The photography exhibit will let visitors experience the music scene of of the iconic Village Subway, once located beneath Cameron Village.
As everyone from Raleigh knows, the Village Subway housed everything from music venues, bars, and shops. Photographer Chris Seward has some incredible shots of the Village Subway’s spectacular music scene.
— Friends of City of Raleigh Museum (@CORMuseumFriend) July 13, 2018
The exhibit will be open from now until December 2018.
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar Coming to McNeill Pointe
Permits were recently issued for Raleigh’s first location of The Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar at McNeill Pointe. McNeill Pointe is currently under construction and is located just across the street from Mami Nora’s restaurant.
The Shuckin’ Shack has locations stretching from Maryland to South Carolina, with one in Durham and two (two!) in Cary. Although it specializes in seafood, the restaurant also offers meals more suited to landlubbers, including chicken wings and mini corn dogs.
When complete, McNeill Pointe will comprise a total of four buildings and over 30,000 square feet of space for office, retail, and restaurant uses.
Deco Raleigh Moves Into New Space
Deco Raleigh, a gift store and gallery that carries work from local artisans and makers, has moved. Fortunately, they didn’t move far. Previously located at 19 West Hargett Street, the store moved just a few feet away to 207 South Salisbury Street.
WE ARE OPEN! It's official! You can now shop the #onebignewDECO. Welcome to our new home + your new adventure! 207 S Salisbury Street. pic.twitter.com/eOHNxbTDNJ
The new @decoraleigh space is amazing. Much larger inventory and space to navigate. Also converts a formerly empty storefront to retail and extends this local retail cluster. pic.twitter.com/nDtRTKNnF3
According to their Instagram post, Two Roosters will be doing a pop-up space during the summer and will close for the winter to work on renovations.
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Located at 510 W. Martin Street, the station’s original opening date was delayed slightly due to the platform not meeting required regulations regarding its slope, which was apparently too steep by one percent.
Union Station also includes three stories of commercial and office spaces, which are managed by our friends over at York Properties. 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 will also coordinate the event space leasing.
Congratulations to all involved on making Union Station a success!
424, 426, and 430 South Dawson, which are home to Mad Ethel’s Tattoos and Deep South bar, were recently acquired by a subsidiary of Empire for an undisclosed sum. The three structures were originally built in the 1940s and have been home to a variety of tenants, including the Matthews Shade Company, a roofing company, and others.
Although we don’t know what plans Empire has for their newly acquired South Dawson buildings, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a restoration similar to what they did with the old Dr. Pepper building, the Baldwin& building, Personify, and Reunion Marketing, all of which are nearby.
After two years, The Local Squirrel is expanding into a larger space in Cameron Village. The store, owned and operated by Rachael Riddle, offers jewelry, home accessories, and gifts, all with a focus on local vendors. They even carry items form the highly coveted ITB Insider merchandise line.
“The new space allows us to expand many of our categories in store starting with our baby selection. We have an additional room in the shop that we’re calling “The Little Acorn Room.” Look for swaddles, toys, accessories for baby and mommy, surrounded by beautiful local artwork perfect for a nursery. We’ll also be bringing in several new Local Makers. I mean at the end of the day, Raleigh is kinda a big deal,” said Riddle.
They’re now located at 2014 Cameron Street. Stay tuned for a potential trunk show hosted by ITBlake the intern.
Kaiju Bowl & Bao Opens
Kaiju Bowl & Bao, a ramen restaurant from Ken Yowell, owner of Oak City Meatball Shop and Calavera Empanadas and Tequila, officially opened its doors to the public last week.
Located at 170 East Davie Street in the former home of Dickey’s BBQ and next door to Oak City Meatball, the restaurant has been under construction for nearly 8 months.
The restaurant features a kind of “Asian chicken wing,” along with a variety of other Japanese-inspired menu items. The $25,000 renovation of the 1,350 square-foot space was handled by Carolina Design & Construction.
Less than a month after the loss of Korean restaurant Kimbap, it appears that a unique new restaurant will be taking its place. Triangle Explorer recently posted about Papa Shogun, a new Italian/Japanese concept that will open in Seaboard Station.
While there’s been an explosion of so-called fusion restaurants in recent years — like the sushi/burger Cowfish at North Hills, or the spectacular Korean/Mexican Lucha Tigre in Chapel Hill, this is the first time since World War II we’ve read about the Japanese and Italians joining forces.
It’s certainly an interesting concept, and we’re interested to see what kind of menu Papa Shogun will offer when it opens.
A Better Workout at PNC Arena
Permits valued at around $170,000 were issued to Spec Con Inc. last week for an improvement/alteration to the PNC player fitness area/locker room.
We’re not exactly sure what kind of gym upgrades that kind of money can buy, but we’re glad the Hurricanes are making these improvements.
In addition to an improved workout, the permits indicate the players will also have improved cabinetry, a relocated sink, and new ice and beverage machines. This should lead to a Stanley Cup victory within the next 2-3 years.
The Sultan of Western Boulevard
After the closing of Greek Fiesta’s Western Boulevard location, N.C. State students were at a loss for a quick, easy place to get kebab-style meals — but not for much longer.
An ABC inspection permit was issued last week for “Sultan Kebab” at 3933 Western, and while the name implies it won’t be kebabs of the Greek variety, grilled meat is grilled meat.
Rockin’ Out on Strickland Road
Rockin’ Rolls Sushi, Durham’s popular Japanese restaurant, will soon open a brand-new Raleigh location at Harvest Plaza on Strickland Road.
The $332,930 renovation of the 4,910 square foot space at 9650 Strickland Road is being handled by Golden City Construction. An opening date has not yet been announced.
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ITBlake the intern visited Downtown Dental, one of our sponsors and the only ITB approved dentist, to ask some hard-hitting questions about La Croix and Tide Pods. Dr. Brett Wells was nice enough to take the time to answer. This is the peak of journalism.
Things ITBlake learned:
Drink 2 and 1/3 cans of La Croix per day
La Croix is not mouthwash
Tide Pods are incredibly abrasive and will probably kill you
Do not take your teeth out and wash them with Tide Pods
ITBlake also refilled the Downtown Dental La Croix refrigerator, because that’s one of his responsibilities here at ITB Insider™.
Overall, it was a very educational experience for ITBlake. He is now considering a career in dentistry. We’ll have more from his visit in a few weeks.
As ITBlake said, check out Downtown Dental for the tooth experience of your life. They’re located in downtown Raleigh at 205 Fayetteville Street.
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Scott Crawford opening French bistro next to Crawford and Son
Seaboard Wine begins move to High Park
Demolition begins across the street from Broughton
Imurj adds a kitchen
Council set to award Capital Boulevard Corridor Study contract
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Crawford To Open French Bistro On Person Street
The N&O reported that Chef Scott Crawford is planning to open a French bistro next to his existing restaurant Crawford and Son. Jolie, named after Crawford’s daughter, will offer classic French dishes including rabbit cassoulet, souffles, steak frites, scrambled duck eggs, and more. The beer and wine will all be French as well.
“We’re excited because we believe this classic French restaurant experience is essential to a thriving neighborhood, and here, we’ll be able to revisit time-honored dishes from our classical training, and modernize using new techniques, too,” Crawford said in a press release.
Crawford is a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist. Foodies have already begun to form a line in front of the restaurant.
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Opening Date for Seaboard Wine at High Park
EXCLUSIVE: Seaboard Wine, our favorite wine store and sponsor, has an anticipated opening date of Monday, July 16 in their new location at High Park. Like all construction projects, this date is tentative. They’ll close their Seaboard Station location on Tuesday, July 3, and begin the move on Thursday through the following week.
“We are looking forward to moving into a professionally run retail center with a commitment to locally owned businesses and are excited to be a part of the Five Points, Anderson Heights, Hayes Barton, and North Hills neighborhoods,” said Doug Diesing, owner of Seaboard Wine at High Park.
They’ll keep the Seaboard Wine name (they were the first ever tenant at Seaboard Station) and add “at High Park” to denote their new location. We’re looking forward to checking out the new space in a few weeks.
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Demolition Starts Near Broughton
Demolition has started on the Ligon Building at 800 St. Mary’s Street. Located across the street from Broughton High School, the 63-year-old, four-story, 25,000 square-foot office building will be replaced by a 129,639 square-foot apartment building with 61 units.
Selwyn Property Group, a Charlotte-based developer, acquired the property in 2015 for just over $2 million. The building will consist of two three-bedroom units, forty two-bedroom units, and 19 one-bedroom units.
The existing building housed many dental offices that were frequented by Broughton students for decades. Fortunately, our sponsor Downtown Dental is located nearby and is more than happy to take in these students.
A Kitchen Imurjes
Imurj, a creative collaborative space for artists, will soon add fresh-cooked food to their array of offerings. Located below Whiskey Kitchen, Imurj received a small renovation permit for the addition of kitchen equipment described as “Imurj Kitchen Area.”
We don’t know what kind food will be served, or if they will even be offering food to the public. For all we know, this could be some sort of new wave food art concept that’s just for show.
Studying Capital Boulevard
City Council is expected to authorize a contract with the engineering consulting firm WSP to begin the process of studying Capital Boulevard.
According to the contract, WSP will focus on “understanding the use of Capital Boulevard by residents, workers, businesses, and travelers on all transportation modes.” Extensive data collection and transportation modeling are included in the contract. The study will also evaluate parks, streetscape/urban design needs, and future land uses.
Meetings to solicit public input will begin in the spring of 2019, while WSP is expected to present Council with its final report a few months later.
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Another 10-Story Tower For Hillsborough Street
Site plans for Two Hillsborough, a ten-story building at the intersection of Hillsborough and Boylan, were filed last week. The site is currently occupied by the former offices of Stop Hunger Now, Audio Exchange, and, most notably, Dram & Draught. EXCLUSIVE: Dram & Draught is in talks to move into another space within the walkable footprint of their current location. They also just unveiled their summer cocktail menu, featuring 10 new cocktails.
Two Hillsborough will consist of a 10-story, 275,000 square-foot office building with two separate one-story retail buildings comprising a total of 4,850 square feet. Leo Suarez pointed out on The Raleigh Connoisseur that the plans seem to indicate the retail buildings will be made from reused shipping containers.
Two Hillsborough is 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, the hotel and parking deck located at the former home of Shelton’s Furniture (RIP).
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The Downtown YMCA Is Back For Good
Just a few weeks after William Needham Finley IV’s super exclusive, insider preview of downtown’s Poyner YMCA, the facility has officially opened its doors.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 21st and featured a variety of local leaders, members of the Poyner family, and members of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. Also present was a confused contingent of Village People fans who mistook the ceremony for the first show of a long-awaited reunion tour. Fun fact: Randy Jones, the Cowboy from Village People, was born in Raleigh. That means we can without a doubt claim that their hit song “Y.M.C.A.” is about a YMCA in Raleigh.
Located at 227 Fayetteville Street, the 26,000 square-foot Poyner Y will feature group fitness classes, small group training opportunities, and state-of-the-art equipment. Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to make this happen!
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Progress on Seaboard Wine at High Park
EXCLUSIVE: Our favorite wine store and sponsor is making progress on their new space at High Park. Seaboard Wine at High Park recently shared exclusive images with us through their Instagram (@Seaboard_Wine) that show the addition of lights and a bar. These are critical components of a successful wine store.
They’re planning to open the new location in July. We’ll have more details on an exact opening date soon.
The Key to a Successful Bar
The News & Observer reported last week that Oakwood’s newest bar will be designed specifically for the local neighborhood. Atlantic Lounge is the brainchild of James Howard and Dan Murphy, the pair behind the Cardinal Bar on N. West Street. The bar will only be accessible through a locked door on Pace Street. Around 500 keys will be given out to members that will be recruited over the next few weeks.
Set to open later this summer, the Atlantic Lounge will be located beneath Crawford & Son on North Person Street, offering enough space for a “few dozen” people. According to The N&O:
“Howard called the Atlantic Lounge a social experiment. After years of opening bars and hearing the early excitement from neighbors turn to lamentations of it being taken over by outsiders a few months later, he said he wanted to build a bar for the neighborhood.”
We’ll be interested to see how this concept plays out.
Red Hat Has Plans For Buku Space
Red Hat recently announced plans for the ground floor space of their downtown building, which is currently occupied by Buku. Drum roll……. it’s more space for their internal marketing department and not Raleigh’s newest bottle shop, as many had speculated.
The Triangle Business Journal reported last week that Red Hat will transform the space into a showcase area for their internal marketing department. The space will eventually house about 60 Red Hat employees, and could open as soon as spring 2019.
Buku announced earlier this month that it will open a new location in the space formerly occupied by Àn in Cary. The folks behind Buku will also be opening a new restaurant concept in downtown Raleigh in spring of 2019.
Happy + Hale Opening in North Hills
The newest location of Happy + Hale will open in the Park Central building in North Hills on June 27th. The Raleigh-based restaurant has been offering salads, juices, and smoothies in their downtown location since 2014. The new location will add a few new twists, including indoor seating for up to 50 people, outdoor patio seating, and brunch on the weekends. They’ve also partnered with Counter Culture Coffee and Brewery Bhavana to offer coffee and beer.
The restaurant was founded in 2013 by Tyler Helikson and Matt Whitley, who started serving salads and juices from the back of an electric golf cart and modified tricycle. We’re not making that up. They were basically the Uber of salads and have now grown to multiple brick and mortar locations. Congrats to everyone involved! William Needham Finley IV had a chance to check it out.
Petale opened its doors last Thursday at 15 W. Hargett. The retailer offers an array of bouquets of flowers and other assorted gifts. The name pays homage to both the modified leaves surrounding the reproductive part of a flower and the types of pedals found on bicycles.
Interestingly enough, the shop also offers “subscription” plans, with a fresh bouquet of flowers delivered to the recipient’s house either once a week or once a month on Mondays.
Kaiju Bowl & Bao, a ramen restaurant from Ken Yowell, owner of Oak City Meatball Shop and Calavera Empanadas and Tequila, announced they will open on July 6.
Located at 170 East Davie Street, the restaurant will feature a kind of “Asian chicken wing,” along with a variety of other Japanese-inspired menu items. The $25,000 renovation of the 1,350 square-foot space located next door to Oak City Meatball began last November under the supervision of Carolina Design & Construction.
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Silence of the Lambos: Alchemy may lose its Valet Parking Zone
Kroger closing its Raleigh locations
Western Boulevard Senior Apartments break ground
City to sell 517 South Blount Street
IHOP name change not permanent
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Green Pastures Ahead for Gables Motor Lodge
In the first ever edition of the Development Beat, we reported on a plan to sell the iconic 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.
The Mordecai CAC voted (95-1) to recommend approval of rezoning case Z-14-18 last week. The rezoning will allow for the addition of a pair of two-story buildings to the site, bookmarking the existing lodge and bringing the total number of rooms to 19. In addition, the developer is looking into the possibility of adding a water feature, and fencing around the property line.
The developer had noted that they want to make something that “pays tribute to Mordecai,” and in so doing, will try to ensure the iconic sign out front is incorporated into the project.
The case still needs to be approved by City Council, but strong support from the local CAC always goes a long way towards approval. You can watch the entire presentation from last week here.
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The Foods in the Hall
The highly anticipated Morgan Street Food Hall announced last week that it will be opening its doors on July 23.
The 20,000 square-foot space at 411 W. Morgan will be home to about 20 different restaurants, as well as a number of retail carts selling food and food-related items.
To date, the restaurants confirmed include: Bella’s Wood Fired Pizza & Tapas, Boba Brew, Carroll’s Kitchen, Cocoa Forte, Cousins Maine Lobster, Cow Bar, Curry in a Hurry, Hook & Cleaver, Iyla’s Southern Kitchen, Makus Empanadas, Mama Bird’s Cookies + Cream, MKG Kitchen, Morgan Street Java & Creperie, Oak City Fish & Chips, Raleigh Raw, Raleigh Rolls, Sassool, The Bowls, The Broth, and Wicked Taco.
This is probably more restaurants than existed in the whole of downtown Raleigh just fifteen years ago. We’re looking forward to the opening.
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Union Station Readies for Rail
Raleigh’s new Union Station will soon begin servicing rail passengers. The station’s opening was delayed slightly due to the platform not meeting required regulations regarding its slope, which was apparently too steep by one percent.
Much of this area, which includes three stories of commercial and office spaces, will be managed by our friends over at York Properties.
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.
Silence of the Lambos
The following is a true story. We are not making any of this up.
Owner of an array of downtown hot spots, including the Capital City Tavern and the Oak City Tavern, Dan Lovenheim is also the proprietor of Glenwood South’s Alchemy nightclub. His Lamborghini can often be found in front of Alchemy, parked in the nightclub’s valet zone.
It turns out, not everyone appreciates seeing something other than a Yukon from Thompson Buick GMC Cadillac parked along Glenwood. A number of local businesses in the area began complaining that the valet zone in front of Alchemy was “not being operated for the lawfully-intended purpose.” The initial application for a valet zone was approved in February 2016. Apparently, the valet area is often used as reserved parking for the Lambo.
According to a report prepared by City of Raleigh staffers, the claim “was later substantiated by parking enforcement agents who monitored this area nightly and cited the owner’s vehicle on several occasions.” Staff had telephone conversations with the owner, as well as two personal meetings regarding the misuse of the valet zone. The owner continued to state this was untrue.
More recently, several Raleigh police officers corroborated that no valet parking was taking place. Two ranking officers have stated the Club owner admitted the same to them during a meeting on October 30, 2017. It seems the City of Raleigh did more detective work on this issue than Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. And we applaud their efforts. We can’t just give away parking spaces for uses other than parking willy-nilly.
Since Glenwood is technically a highway, one could state that it is, in fact, a highway to the valet zone. We’ve all been in that situation, sitting on Glenwood South, searching for a parking spot to go to Dillo. Revvin’ up your engine, listen to her howlin’ roar. Metal under tension, beggin’ you to valet park and go. It’s a highway to the valet zone, you’re gonna park your car right in to the valet zone. Well, probably not much longer after today’s City Council meeting. They’ll vote on whether they should return the three parking spaces currently designated as Alchemy’s valet zone back to the public.
Kroger Klosing
In an announcement that shook the supermarket world, Kroger announced last week that it would be closing all 14 of its area locations, a move that will affect about 1,500 employees.
Only four of those stores are actually in Raleigh. Of those, one, at 8345 Creedmoor Road, will reopen as a Harris Teeter and the other, at 7905 Falls of Neuse Road, will reopen as a Food Lion.
Kroger first opened in the region in 1989 and acquired the Matthews, N.C. based Harris Teeter chain in 2013. Kroger has now come to the conclusion that the region is “over-stored.”
No plans have yet been announced for the future of the Krogers located at 6300 Creedmoor or 350 Six Forks Road, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any permits issued at those spaces.
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Senior Living Apartments on Western Break Ground
Site work is wrapping up for the new Overture Centennial Apartments on Western Boulevard across from Pullen Park. Apparently, Overture is a “brand” of senior living complexes, something we missed when reporting on this in the past. The complex will cater exclusively to the 55+ crowd.
Although permits for the building itself have not been issued, the site plans we reported on described it as a 182,720 square foot, three-story 180 unit complex that will include 235 parking spaces. The plans also broke down the unit sizes: 108 one-bedroom units and 72 two-bedrooms.
City To Sell Blount Street Property
City Council today is expected to authorize the sale of a cinder block structure at 517 S. Blount Street to a company that could redevelop the derelict property into a three-story mixed-use development.
Built in 1950, the existing 2,275 square-foot structure would likely be demolished in order to make way for an as-yet unknown new development. The property is zoned DX-3, which means downtown mixed-use with a height restriction of three stories.
An LLC that appears to be owned by an Orthopedic Surgeon submitted a bid of $495,000 for the land. The proceeds will go toward affordable housing efforts in the City. Sounds like a win-win for everyone involved.
Don’t Expect IHoB Signage Anytime Soon
For those of you who missed IHOP’s gimmicky “name change” marketing campaign (the pancake chain recently announced it will now be known as the International House of Burgers) we have some good news: the classic signage adorning Raleigh’s IHOP’s won’t be changing anytime soon; or ever, really.
It turns out the name change is only a short-term marketing campaign, and not an official or legal name change that will require the signage in front of your favorite breakfast spot to be upgraded. Raleigh’s gone through enough changes recently, and we’re glad to see at least one thing remain constant, even if it is just the logo for a chain breakfast joint.
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Developers revise plans for apartments near Broughton
Plans unveiled for new office building at Glenwood Place
Work begins on new Chamberlain Apartments
Barcelona Wine Bar coming soon to The Dillon
The ZEN Succulent coming to Wilmington Street
Kimbap to close
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Memorial Belltower Progress
The Memorial Belltower on Hillsborough Street is one step closer to being completed. When NC State began planning their bell tower as a monument to honor NC State alumni killed in World War I, it was intended that the tower would actually contain bells. Unfortunately, financial difficulties forced the university to cut back and cancel an order for a 54-bell carillon.
The plans, first drawn up in 1920, included a number of features that did not make it to the final stages, such as a bell playing console, glass clock faces, and a spiral staircase. A letter to the original architect, William Henry Deacy, notes that the university’s plan to install a “false speaker system” in place of the bell carillon was only supposed to serve as a temporary solution.
Multiple fundraising efforts have been undertaken over the last few decades. One consisted of a middle-aged woman standing near the bell tower while rattling a tin can for donations and shouting “Finish the bell tower!” as she handed a flyer to a young Marty McFly.
In 2009, students led a campaign to raise money to purchase bells for the tower. Thanks to a 2017 gift from Bill and Frances Henry, NC State can complete the 54-bell carillon and interior stairs of the Memorial Belltower.
The university issued a request for proposals to find a design-build team to manage the $6.1 million project, which also includes stabilization work and upgrades to the surrounding plaza.
We recently got a look at slightly-redacted versions of the submitted proposals along with projects they’ve worked on.
Clancy & Theys Construction and Davis Kane Architects: Davis Kane led the feasibility study for the bell tower’s completion
Frank L Blum Construction and Williard Stewart Architects: reconstruction of the historic First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro
Holt Brothers Construction and RATIO Architects: renovation of the Reynolds Coliseum
LeChase Construction Services and EYP Architects: Duke University’s Cromwell Quad Residence Hall Renovation
New Atlantic Contracting and Walter Robbs Architecture: Winston Salem’s Union Station Renovation
Smith’s Bell and Clock Service and The PACCARD Foundry: Tabernacle Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis bell installation
It seems like the obvious choice here is Holt Brothers and Ratio Architects, since the Holt Brothers both played football at NC State. We’ll let you know who NC State ends up choosing.
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Developers Revise Plans for Apartments Near Broughton
Last summer, we reported that the Ligon Building located across the street from Broughton at 800 St. Mary’s St. would be torn down. A new four-story, 55-unit apartment building from Charlotte-based developer Selwyn Property Group would go in its place. Selwyn purchased the property in March of 2015 for just over $2 million.
Last week, Selwyn filed a brand new site plan for the complex, which has now grown to 129,639 square feet with 61 apartments. There will be two three-bedroom units, forty two-bedroom units, and 19 one-bedroom units. The existing 63-year-old office building will need to be torn down before the apartments can be built. This building houses many dental offices that we assume were frequented by Broughton students. Fortunately, our sponsor Downtown Dental is right down the road and more than happy to take in these students.
Plans for an 85 foot tall, 120,000 square foot office and retail space at Glenwood Place were unveiled last week. The plans show ground-floor retail, with at least four levels of office space above it.
The building is part of Glenwood Place, a Grubb Ventures project that was first announced more than three years ago. Glenwood Place was to have around 800 dwelling units, 900,000 square feet of office space, a 250-room hotel, and around 110,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space. In 2016, the project was scaled back to fit under the property’s current zoning conditions.
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Work Begins On Chamberlain Street Apartments
The Chamberlain Street Apartments, located off Hillsborough Street, received permits valued at more than $17 million last week. Wells & Wells Construction will work on a new three-story, 53,410 square foot, 42-unit student apartment building.
There will be three one-bedrooms, 16 two-bedrooms, 14 three-bedrooms and nine “four or more bedroom” units. The site plans for 113 Chamberlain were filed around the same time as plans for a slightly larger complex nearby at 102 Logan Court. It appears that demolition permits have been issued for the existing structure, and that permits for the apartments have been applied for but not issued.
Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar, a chain of Spanish tapas eateries, will soon open its first North Carolina location at The Dillon. Permits valued at $807,596 were issued last week to the KBE Building Corporation for the new restaurant at 430 W. Martin Street.
The ZEN Succulent Coming to Wilmington Street
Popular Durham terrarium and plant craft business The ZEN Succulent will soon open a new location in downtown Raleigh. The company announced plans for the new shop at 208 S. Wilmington last week.
The space was formerly home to Moon and Lola, which announced plans in March to close both its Raleigh and Charleston, SC retail locations to focus more on e-commerce. The 1,238 square foot space should be filled with terrariums, plants, and gifts by the end of July.
Kimbap Closing This Weekend
Kimbap, a Korean-inspired restaurant in Seaboard Station, will be closing on Saturday, June 16. We’re sad to see it go, as their food was exceptional. The owners posted the following on Facebook last week.
Dear customers and friends near and far,We are sad to bring you this news today, but the time has come. Kimbap will be…
ITBlake the intern was in The N&O for saving the tractor sign
Davie Street Pub coming soon to former Calavera location
Mixed-use planned near Metropolitan
Wade Avenue Whole Foods set for renovations
Viva Chicken in North Hills opens June 13
Details on Revisn Hotel near Glenwood South
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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Condos Coming to South Street
Lambert Development, the group behind the luxury townhomes at West + Lenoir, have filed plans for their latest downtown Raleigh venture: a condominium project at 611 West South Street.
According to a source (the renderings we found on The Raleigh Architecture Company’s website) the South Street Condominiums will be a modernist luxurious living space located in the heart of downtown.
Our source (the plans) notes that the development will consist of two three-story buildings housing a total of 87 units (55 one bedroom, 32 two bedroom). The buildings will sit on a now-vacant 1.76 acre site and comprise a total of 105,084 square feet. 126 parking spaces will be provided.
The lot was previously home to Bennie’s Auto Services, Inc. Lambert acquired the land in early 2016.
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Sky-Walking At The Dillon
The Dillon, Kane Realty’s new mixed-use development in the Warehouse District, held a special First Friday event this past weekend to open the Sky Terrace. We obtained this information from a confidential source (see Tweet below).
Mark your calendar! The sky terrace will be open to the public on June 1st. Swing by to check out the views during #FirstFriday! pic.twitter.com/q0p7OzrwZH
The Sky Terrace offers stunning panoramic views of downtown Raleigh. While we could not attend the First Friday event, William Needham Finley IV posted pictures from a super exclusive VIP event he attended weeks ago.
We can all thank ITBlake the intern, who created a social media campaign using #savethesign and handcuffed himself to the sign for weeks in order to prevent it from being demolished. He was even recognized by The News & Observer’s Josh Shaffer in an article last week. Here’s a full story on ITBlake’s hard work.
Work is now underway on The Davie Street Pub. Located at the corner of Blount and Davie on the ground floor of the Palladium Plaza condos, the new pub will reportedly open later this summer. We can’t glean much about what the new bar will be like based on the permits.
The $110,946 renovation of the space that once housed Calavera Empanadas will be renovated by local contracting firm Carolina Design & Construction.
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Mixed-Use Rises From the Nearby Ashes
Photo: Brian James Patrick Oschwald
Six months after a devastating fire — causes still unknown — destroyed the in-progress Metropolitan Apartments in downtown Raleigh, Banner Development began rebuilding the complex from the ground up.
Many wondered what the future would hold for a 2-acre trio of properties at the corner of Jones and Harrison streets. The properties are currently owned by the NC League of Municipalities, the NC Association of County Commissioners, and the Local Government Federal Credit Union.
A source (The News & Observer) says that the owners joined forces and enlisted the help of national real estate firm CBRE to seek out redevelopment proposals. Those proposals could bring everything from more apartments to a hotel or a new mixed-use project to the corner.
Zoning currently allows for a maximum of 12 stories, but it’s likely this could be changed. Since Banner ignored our suggestion to re-christen The Metropolitan as The Phoenix, it’s our hope that whatever the site may become, the future developers choose to use this brilliant, if obvious, moniker.
Thankfully, Not a Whole Store Renovation
Small changes are in store for the Whole Foods on Wade Avenue. Permits valued around $65,000 were issued to Raleigh’s own Ten Penny Construction for a job described simply as “alterations and repairs.”
We don’t imagine the renovations will be too visible to the public eye. Subcontractor permits list an electrical company, a fire protection company and mechanical and plumbing companies. So it’ll probably involve the building’s sprinkler and mechanical systems. Let’s just hope they’re using organic, BPA-free, non-GMO, fair trade certified, gluten-free building materials.
Viva Chicken Opening June 13 in North Hills
Photo: Don Delphia
A new restaurant offering Peruvian-style chicken will soon open in North Hills. Viva Chicken is known for its “pollo a la brasa, a delectable herb-enhanced rotisserie chicken cooked in a charcoal-fired oven imported from Lima, Peru.” One of our sources (an e-mail we received from a PR firm) shared the menu highlights:
Rotisserie chicken (served as a quarter, half or whole) marinated for 24 hours with herbs and spices
Sides including solterito (Peruvian corn salad), canary beans, cilantro-infused rice, plantains, yuca or sweet potato fries
Signature juices such as herbal limeade (lime, basil, rosemary and mint), Maracuya passion fruit juice and the Chicha Morada (Peruvian purple corn, cinnamon, cloves, pineapple, apple and limes) made in-house daily.
Located at 4361 Lassiter at North Hills Ave, the dining room seats 70 and a patio seats 34. They plan to open on June 13 and will be open daily from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.
Revisn-ist Future: Glenwood South’s New Extended Stay Hotel
We previously reported that plans for the Boylan Flats apartments in Glenwood South had been scrapped in favor of building an extended-stay style hotel to be named Revisn.
One of our sources (the hotel website) seems to indicate the hotel is for guests who need accommodations for 30 days or longer. Another source (a hotel brochure) promises that Revisn will be worlds apart from the competition, offering everything from smartphone control of the space, in-unit laundry machines, and Amazon Echo Dot.
The 48 one and two bedroom units will boast “fully-equipped kitchens with GE appliances, modern, designer furnishings by Yannis (or is it Laurel?), 4K SmartTVs in the living room and each bedroom.”
If this all sounds fancy, it may be due to the fine tastes of Revisn developer Dicky Waila, who was involved in the mythical Soleil Center, which I covered previously.
Soleil was a proposed 43-story hotel/condominium development across from Crabtree Valley Mall that, at 480 feet, would have been the second-tallest building in Raleigh. The Soleil Center actually made it as far as the permit stage in early 2008 before it was scrapped. Fortunately, Revisn is a little further along, and is expected to open in September.
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A Broughton High School senior is finally being recognized by the media after a year of hard work. The News & Observer, a newspaper located in Raleigh, North Carolina, reported on the incredible story of how ITBlake the intern single-handedly saved a piece of history. Seriously, here is the article that features ITBlake the intern in the newspaper.
Over the last year, ITBlake spent countless hours managing a social media campaign using the hashtag #savethesign. The goal was to draw attention to the N.C. Equipment Co. building’s tractor sign (or is it a bulldozer?) that was in danger of being demolished along with the rest of the building. The campaign generated over 60 million impressions on social media and dominated brunch and dinner party conversations for months.
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ITBlake initially planned on taking legal action. “At first I thought about taking this to the Supreme Court of the world, but Stacy Miller was too busy dealing with Fyre Festival™ lawsuits. And if you can’t have Stacy as your attorney then there’s no point in even trying,” said ITBlake the intern.
In a last-ditch effort, ITBlake handcuffed himself to the sign for weeks, surviving on LaCroix and Rise biscuits alone. His dedication to the cause worked, as developers announced plans to save the sign and incorporate it into the new student housing development being built on the site.
The News & Observer’s Josh Shaffer saw the story and began to investigate. ITBlake’s story was so powerful that Shaffer featured it in his article on the history of the sign. Here’s ITBlake the intern’s big newspaper debut.
Once you get through the Kroger and Netflix DVD rental pop-up ads, you’ll see ITBlake featured in the article.
Many Raleigh residents were pleased to see the heartwarming story get the attention it deserved.
“It’s great to see the media covering stories that matter, instead of wasting time on articles about where Amazon will put their headquarters based on some “source”,” said Five Points resident and commercial real estate broker Vance Craig VI.
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“I don’t read the news because of my crippling addiction to micITBit and other buy/sell/trade Facebook groups. But I did see this on Facebook as I scrolled by a Kissy Kissy Dogs Day Out footie that was too small for lil Vance VII and it made me happy,” added Mary Cameron Knoll Craig, who runs an Instagram account featuring images of the best Wine and Design paintings in Raleigh.
As for ITBlake, he reacted to the news of his appearance in the news as any 18 year-old would. With a simple “Omg”.
Contact wnfiv@itbinsider.com with news or to be featured in the Development Beat.
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EXCLUSIVE: Lola’s Cantina Coming To Five Points
We covered the news of Lola’s coming to Five Points in an article last year and didn’t have many details on what exactly it would be. We aren’t even sure if it’s called “Lola’s Cantina” or just “Lola’s.” William Needham Finley IV decided to investigate by taking a picture on his way to a power meeting at Third Place last week.
As you can see from these exclusive images, we can now deduce that this establishment will be serving beer, margaritas, and cocktails.
We were also able to uncover that they will serve street tacos, burritos, and nachos.
We’re not sure of an exact opening date, but the landlord of the space said it should be ready towards the end of June/beginning of July. This should be a hit with the Five Points neighborhood.
Kane Realty Corporation announced that Chipotle will be opening in the Lassiter District (between Verizon and Panera Bread) in the fall of 2018. The North Hills location will be their sixth restaurant in Raleigh.
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Dads Already Fly Fishing In Orvis Parking Lot
Photo: Zach Hearon
When we first reported that the beloved Tripps restaurant at Ridgewood Shopping Center would become Raleigh’s second Orvis location, we joked that fly fishing fans would be camped out in YETI cooler igloos waiting for the grand opening.
Orvis, which has offered “Quality Clothing, Fly-Fishing Gear, & More” since 1856, currently operates a location at the Triangle Town Center Mall. The new location, designed by our friends at New City Design Group, celebrated its grand opening this past weekend, and already appears to be a hit among Raleigh’s fly fishing fans.
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Demolition Set For Old NC Equipment Co. Building
Demolition permits have been issued for the old North Carolina Equipment Company building, a property best known for the iconic tractor sign resting on its roof. Taking its place at 3101 Hillsborough Street will be The Standard, a 5-story student apartment complex and 452-space parking deck.
As part of the 2017 rezoning request, a condition was offered by developer Landmark Properties that ensured they would do everything they could to preserve the iconic sign. We’re pretty sure ITBlake the intern’s protest contributed to this decision.
“The tractor sign will be placed on the Hillsborough Street frontage and lighted,” the rezoning application stated, although it should be noted there is not a 100% guarantee this will happen. Landmark Urban Construction Raleigh will handle the demolition.
Peace Be With You, And Also With Hotels Featuring Rooftop Amenities
After weeks of discussion, City Council finally bestowed its blessing upon the long-delayed boutique hotel at 615 W Peace Street, located between the Peace Street McDonald’s and Starbucks.
The approval of the case allows the developers to create an unenclosed deck, patio, or shade structure on the top of the building that can extend 12 feet above the maximum height limit.
Developer MJM Group, which specializes in hospitality projects, is in discussions to select a boutique brand to manage the hotel. The 40-45 room hotel is expected to open in 2020.
Trophy Expanding Morgan Street Location
Our friends at Trophy Brewing are expanding their Morgan Street location. Known for producing the best beer (Trophy Wife) and the second best beer (Cloud Surfer) in America, Trophy has operated in their 827 W. Morgan Street location since 2012. Part of that building has been occupied by a laundromat and convenience store for decades.
Trophy will expand into that space and also add more outdoor seating. Construction should start in late fall and finish in summer or fall of 2019. We were planning on making the announcement in a sit down 20/20 style interview between ITBlake the intern and Trophy owners David Meeker, Chris Powers, and Woody Lockwood. However, ITBlake isn’t old enough to interview breweries yet. For more details, check out the N&O’s story.
Urban Outfitting The Dillon
Permits have been issued for the Urban Outfitters that will be located in The Dillon. Our friends over at August Construction Solutions, known for their work in transforming a large portion of North West Street into sleek, stylish office spaces, will be overseeing the Urban Outfitters fit-out.
Although ACS has done many retail projects across the country — it’s their bread & butter — owner Michael Iovino told us he’s especially excited about the chance to work on such a key project in the heart of downtown Raleigh.
“This is the first time since our inception that one of our national clients has built a location in Raleigh. We are excited to showcase our abilities. The Dillon is a high profile project and UO is a likewise tenant. The opportunity to work with Kane Realty Corp. to prove there is a local asset with such a national reach so close to The Dillon, Peace and North Hills amplifies the magnitude of this Urban project for ACS” said Iovino.
Work on Urban Outfitters is expected to wrap up by the middle of August, and is currently scheduled to open to the public on August 23.
Captured by photographer Brian James Patrick Oschwald.
It was never determined what started the fire that destroyed the Metropolitan apartments that were under construction near Glenwood South. The 241-unit luxury apartment building was set to open in the fall of 2017. The fire, of course, delayed those plans. ITB Insider’s exclusive on-the-scene coverage was Pulitzer-worthy and saved at least one life. You’re welcome.
In November 2017, a set of permits for the rebuilding of The Metropolitan were issued to Clancy & Theys, who will serve as general contractor. Last week, permits were issued for the apartment’s fancy new pool, whose construction cost was estimated at just under $400,000.
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Hillsborough Street is no stranger to new housing projects. The last few years have seen a wave of development, mostly in the form of luxury student housing featuring ground-floor retail.
Last week, the developers of The Paramount and the Aloft hotel unveiled plans for a different kind of Hillsborough housing project: a five-story luxury condominium building dubbed “The View on Pullen Circle.”
The 35-unit condo building will be situated at the roundabout connecting Hillsborough and Pullen, offering views of the NC State bell tower, the Gregg Museum of Art and the Aloft Hotel.
The one and two-bedroom units, ranging in size from 900 to 1,300 square feet, will start in the upper $300s. Development partner Mark Andrews noted in the press release we were sent that, “The View on Pullen Circle offers residents a remarkable location and upscale features.” Those upscale features include a rooftop terrace and deck, along with parking and bike storage underneath the building.
Work on the property will be overseen by the South Atlantic Construction Company, and is expected to begin later this year with a completion date of late 2019 or early 2020.
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Move House, Get Out The Way
When we first reported on plans for The Fairweather, a new five-story luxury condo development boasting spectacular views and proximity to Dix Park, we noted that its construction would require the teardown of a warehouse and two single-family homes. One of those buildings, at least, has now been saved from the wrecking ball.
Last week, it was announced that one of those homes, known as “The Rogers House” will be relocated across town by well-known historic home saver and walking proponent, Matt Tomasulo (aka Mike Tomatosoupasaurus).
It seems that “historic” is a bit of a tricky term when it comes to describing the 87-year old, 1,188 square-foot house currently sitting on the lot at 517 S West Street. Its age alone seems to qualify it, but it technically isn’t considered an “official” historic house.
A letter from the State Historic Preservation Office dated March 18, 2013, lists the home as falling under the “Old Fourth Ward Historic District,” although it was determined that the district was not eligible for listing in the National Register. Apparently, “this area lacked sufficient integrity, primarily as a result of numerous demolitions over the years.”
The home will be moved to the corner of Hargett and Bloodworth, not far from where Tomasulo’s other historic home relocation project, Guest House Raleigh, ended up.
Once it’s moved and the other home at 523 S West and the Motor Parts Warehouse fronting Harrington are demolished, work will begin on The Fairweather.
In the first ever edition of the Development Beat, we reported on a plan to sell the iconic 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, it looks like the property has finally found a buyer with a plan worthy of the space.
Update here @MordecaiCAC on the potential redevelopment of The Gables on Wake Forest Rd. Would be 19 room boutique hotel with @tiftmerritt as one of the partners. Lot of thought put into this proposal to preserve + activate this site. pic.twitter.com/G4yC8N2eir
A group of buyers, including musician Tift Merritt and hotel developer Daniel Robinson, have plans to redevelop and expand the property. Representatives from Gables Lodge LLC appeared before the Mordecai Citizens Advisory Council last week to unveil their plans, which include adding a pair of two-story buildings, bookmarking the existing lodge and bringing the total number of rooms to 19. In addition, the group is looking into the possibility of adding a water feature, and fencing around the property line.
The developers noted that they want to make something that “pays tribute to Mordecai,” and in so doing, will do everything they can to ensure the iconic sign out front would be incorporated into the project.
New Bar on Glenwood South
The one-time home of the David Wade Salon and, more recently, Feelgoodz fair-trade footwear, will soon be transformed into a two-story bar/nightclub.
Site plans for the building at 612 Glenwood indicate the space will be developed by the Bunch of Fives Hospitality Co. The plan for the structure is to add a second story “for bar area” as well as an “addition of 789 SF outdoor bar area with improved site area at rear.”
The preliminary sketches make it look as though there will be outdoor seating in the front of the building, with an outdoor bar and metal staircase out back. We don’t know when this new bar will open, or even what it’s going to be called.
Lumina Clothing Company to Close
Lumina Clothing Company, a staple of the North Person Street district, will be closing its doors for good at the end of the month.
The company announced last week its plans to close their flagship location, located at 215 E Franklin Street. The store will be holding sales through the end of the month, and a closing party will be held before the store shuts down for good as a way of thanking all of those who “helped make [Lumina] such a vibrant part of the community.”
0 For 2: Second Restaurant in Former Hillsborough Street Bookstore Closes
It seems like only yesterday we were reporting on the permits issued to our friends over at Rufty-Peedin Design Builders to transform the former Hillsborough Street Bookstore into the stylish, if short-lived, H-Street Kitchen.
In the time since, H-Street has come and gone, replaced — briefly — by a second location of La Stella Wood Fired Kitchen, which still operates out of a space on Fayetteville Street. On Friday of last week, La Stella announced they would relocating their Hillsborough Street location to a space on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary.
A Defeated Pho on Hillsborough
Speaking of short-lived Hillsborough Street haunts, just two years after permits were issued for Pho Vietnam on the ground floor of 2811 Hillsborough, a brand-new restaurant, Peking Duck & Dumpling, has opened in its place.
The restaurant, whose motto is “We believe good times deserve great food,” offers diners everything from roast duck to spicy pork ear. Credit to Triangle Food Blog for bringing this to our attention, and credit to Philadelphia’s Chinatown for helping us appreciate how delicious duck can be.
Lynnwood Brewing Concern, which operates a grill and taproom in North Raleigh and a brewery and bar at Dock 1053 on East Whitaker Mill Road, will soon add a new restaurant to Dock 1053.
Wilson’s, named after Lynnwood’s owner’s dog, will focus on “flatbread pizzas and crafted sandwiches” and will feature “several house-made sodas & mixers” in their craft cocktails. Check out the full article from Broughton alumnus Hart Roberts. Wilson’s is set to open in late August.
More Apartments Planned on Glenwood Near 440
Grubb Properties is planning to expand the Sterling Glenwood apartment complex, formerly known as the Beckanna, from 254 units to 493 units. The property, which Grubb purchased in 2013, is located directly across the street from the recently opened 296-unit Sojourn Glenwood luxury apartment complex owned by Grubb Ventures. Grubb Ventures is owned by Gordon Grubb and based in Raleigh, while Grubb Properties is owned by Gordon’s brother Clay Grubb and based in Charlotte. We can reasonably deduct that this apartment expansion is the product of an intense sibling rivalry.
Site plans were filed by Grubb Properties indicating plans to renovate the two existing apartment towers at Sterling, which were originally built in 1964. They also plan to add two new apartment towers and a parking deck to the site.
The new buildings will stand 128 feet tall and appear to be about 10 stories tall. No word on when construction might begin.
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Progress On McNeill Pointe
Once home to the Ham ‘N’ Egger diner, which later became the Oak City Diner before being torn down in 2008, McNeill Pointe is now under construction just across the street from Mami Nora’s restaurant. When complete, McNeill Pointe will comprise a total of four buildings and over 30,000 square feet of space for office, retail, and restaurant uses.
Work has begun on the first round of tenants, House of Hops and The Simple Greek. This is the second location for Raleigh’s House of Hops craft beer retail store, which has been serving a variety of beers since July 2014. The Simple Greek is the brainchild of Marcus Lemonis, host of the CNBC reality show “The Profit” and promises “real Greek food made with fresh, healthy ingredients using authentic family recipes.”
This is a real billboard promoting The Profit television show. This is not photoshopped.
The $7 million project is getting built out by the Raleigh-based Centre Construction Group, although Triangle Enterprises out of Cary is listed as the contractor for the House of Hops build out.
Dix Park will soon play host to “Light the Woods with Sound,” an interactive public art installation from Raleigh visual and neon artist Nate Sheaffer. The installation will be displayed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from May 11 to May 27. The event is free but they ask that you register in advance.
“Sheaffer created 384 neon light tubes which will hang in the trees of Dix Park. Connected to a theremin, an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact, artists will perform songs and musical interpretations that will Light The Woods with Sound.”
Sheaffer owns and operates Glas, a teaching facility/gallery/art factory/studio, and has over 30 years of glass blowing experience. “Light and music appeal to us on primitive levels, reaching into the core of our minds’ response to the world around us. For me, music, light, and art are inseparable, essential.”
This project is made possible by the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy, the Office of Raleigh Arts, and the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. Partners for this public art project include Glas Neon, Optic Artworks, and Emily Alexander.
Wahlburgers Opened
After what felt like years of anticipation, Raleigh’s first location of the celebrity-chain burger joint Wahlburgers opened on Fayetteville Street last week. The restaurant offers a “upscale fast-casual” burger menu, which we imagine falls somewhere between Five Guys and Chuck’s.
The burgers will all feature “Wahl Sauce” — a blend of ketchup, mayo, pureed caramelized onions, pickles and other spices. The restaurant’s biggest draw has to be the chance to spot Donnie or have Mark rap “Good Vibrations” while bringing out your order.
According to the News & Observer, the most famous brothers have yet to visit the Myrtle Beach, S.C. location, which opened a year and a half ago (can you really blame them?). We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for the Wahlbergs.
22-Story FNB Tower Breaks Ground In DTR
The new 22-story FNB Tower on Fayetteville Street broke ground last week. Located next to the building that houses Stacy Miller’s office and Miller Law Group, 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. Choate Construction, which is based out of Atlanta but operates a regional Raleigh office, is overseeing construction on the $116 million project. For more on the project, check out the video.
Pet owners, rejoice: your dogged search for a new place to cajole with your canine friends has come to an end. Raleigh’s newest dog park officially opened this past weekend.
Grand opening ceremonies for the new Buffaloe Road Dog Park were held on Sunday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 1.5-acre park is located next to the Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center at 5908 Buffaloe Rd and features two separate areas, one for larger dogs and one for smaller dogs. The fenced-in off-leash area also offers multiple entry gates, dog waste stations, a drinking water pad, and shade for you and your pets. Sounds like a howling good time!
A Soft Seoul 116
Less than two months after work began on their space at 116 N. West Street, City Market Sushi’s sister restaurant Seoul 116 held a soft opening in a space that was once home to the famed Blue Martini.
Our friends over at NC Triangle Dining were on hand for the opening, and shared some of Seoul 116’s succulent dishes on Twitter.
The new @Seoul116 in Raleigh is now open! Serving up mod Korean fare including spicy pork sliders and Korean Fried Chicken … pic.twitter.com/iFbZWQ1ZJx
As the state capital, and the most important city in North Carolina, Raleigh has a unique history worth celebrating. If you’re looking for a night on the town where you can celebrate history by reliving the past, then look no further. Raleigh’s hottest party is Time Warp, and it’s coming up on April 21st. This 1970s themed blast from the past is the creation of the City of Raleigh Museum.
Since opening in 1993, the museum has collected and cared for artifacts, curated exhibits, and provided programming related to Raleigh’s history and heritage. Time Warp supports the museum’s mission to “Preserve Raleigh’s Past for the Future.” This party has everything, including:
Beer, wine, an assortment of LaCroix mixers, and a signature cocktail poured by ITBlake the bartender
Hors d’oeuvres and plates from some of your favorite Raleigh restaurants
A dance contest and a costume contest judged by our friends Mayor Nancy McFarlane and Joe Ovies, co-host of the Adam and Joe show on 99.9 FM The Fan
A Trolley Pub piñata filled with Bose noise cancelling headphones so you’ll never hear another WHHHOOOOOOO again
An auction of local art and a silent auction of items from Raleigh’s finest businesses and restaurants
Exhibits of ancient artifacts found in Raleigh, including:
Blueprints for the Weather Dome™
The street light from the DrunkTown ad. This will be available for photo opportunities.
Holy water blessed by the Pope during his visit to Raleigh
Recently discovered dinosaur fossils from Dix Park that will be used as a liquor luge
Plans for the Downtown Canal™
The mimosa glass from the first pre-noon brunch
There will also be an after party at Foster’s, where “Murder On The Dancefloor” will play on repeat.
An after-after party will be held in the Village Subway, where The Connells will perform.
We may have misunderstood some of these details while talking with the museum. Check out the Time Warp event website for accurate event information and tickets. If you’re interested in sponsoring the event, check out the sponsorship opportunities.
What: Time Warp 2018
When: Saturday, April 21, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: City of Raleigh Museum – 220 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh Residents First In Line For Patagonia Seersucker Collection
Patagonia fans had been waiting months for this moment. The famously preppy outdoor brand entered the world of Seersucker on Thursday, just in time for Easter. Patagonia held a secret pop-up shop at Great Outdoor Provision Co. in Cameron Village to debut the new line.
“We wanted a look that would be multifunctional. This line is perfect for folks who will never set foot on a hiking trail, but still want to display the prestige of Patagonia. We also included items that cater to the .06% of our customers who do go outdoors and want to do so in style,” said Rose Marcario, CEO of Patagonia.
The Patagonia Seersucker line consists of the following:
Patagonia Seersucker Suit – $499
Classic seersucker stripes trace a sharp, clean-lined design on this suit. Self-stuffs into chest pocket with carabiner clip-in loop. This luxe layer is perfect for your collection.
Bucks – $100
While these aren’t seersucker, they do pair perfectly with the other items in the collection. Four eye lace-up with a non-marking rubber outsole.
Seersucker Dress (monogramming available) – $329
This structured skater dress is perfect for an Easter service at St. Michael’s or White Memorial. The half sleeves feature an eye-catching flared design, while the upper thigh length hemline maintains a babydoll look.
Classic vest made with midweight Synchilla-sucker polyester fleece. Great for hiking the paved Raleigh Greenway.
Down Vest – Women – $99
This classic Down Sweater-sucker Vest is lightweight and windproof, thanks to the 800-fill-power Traceable Down. The perfect warmth for waiting in your climate controlled SUV in the Root or Lacy pickup lines.
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Down Sleeping Bag – $519
An elegant, real-world bag, built with the best materials available. Performs in all conditions, including summer camp at Sea Gull or Seafarer, and neighborhood sleepovers.
The collection was an immediate hit. A manager at Great Outdoor Provision Co. said that about 200 people were waiting in line for the store to open on Thursday morning. The Patagonia Seersucker items were gone in approximately 16 minutes.
A Five Points couple hired ITBlake the intern to wait in line overnight and hold their spot. “This stuff is going to sell for triple in micITBit,” said Mary Cameron Knoll Craig, referring to the secret closed Facebook buy/sell/trade group with over 9,000 members.
Her husband, Vance Craig VI, added, “Now we can slightly stand out while still wearing the same clothes as everyone in our peer group.”
Administrators at White Memorial Presbyterian Church rejoiced upon hearing the news. “Every Easter we try to break the world record for most Seersucker at a religious service. This clothing line will definitely help,” said an unnamed church official. The current Seersucker world record is held by White Memorial and was set in 2017.
Patagonia has already increased production of the Seersucker line after seeing the success of the pop-up shop.
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Work has finished on another building at North Shore, a new residential townhome community on Centennial Campus that we wrote about last April. The project, developed by White Oak Properties and being sold by The Glenwood Agency, is located next to Lake Raleigh and is near the Lonnie Poole Golf Course and Hunt Library.
Centennial Campus has come a long way in the last 20+ years and it’s nice to see high quality residential development added to the mix of commercial tenants and hotels in the area. North Shore offers several different floor plans, ranging in size from 1,200 to 1,800 square feet.
The new units range from 2 to 3 bedrooms with 2.5 to 3 full baths, large screened in-porches, and a one car garage with a one car parking pad. Master bedrooms have a large walk in closet, en suite bath with dual vanity and tiled shower, and kitchens come with quartz countertops, hardwoods, and stainless appliances. There’s also a new swimming pool on the property, which we assume offers better pH levels than nearby Lake Raleigh.
With all the existing amenities, the location close to downtown Raleigh, the State Farmers Market, Dix Park, and direct greenway access, we can’t imagine these stay on the market that long.
Work is now underway on a brand new manufacturing facility for the popular Raleigh based company Slingshot Coffee, which specializes in cold brewed coffees. Slingshot currently operates out of a 5,00 square-foot space on Brookside Drive. Its new facility is a 12,555 square-foot warehouse at 1415 S Bloodworth Street. The $304,832 addition/renovation project is being handled by Ellington Contractors.
Slingshot recently reached a deal with Publix to offer their wares in 300 of its stores. The cold brewed coffee can currently be found at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Target. We imagine their new facility will go a long way to making sure it’ll never go out of stock.
State of the Union Station
Raleigh’s hottest train station will be unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 30th at 9:30 am. The Hogwarts Express is expected to tear through the oversized ribbon while traveling approximately 150 miles per hour to officially open Union Station in downtown Raleigh. Rail service should begin some time in May.
Here are a few updates from our friends at York Properties. Approximately 13,000 square feet of office and retail space is available for lease, including two ground floor/plaza level retail suites at 1,732 and 2,115 sf., a second floor mezzanine office suite available at 6,262 sf., and a third floor retail suite overlooking parking and Martin Street at 2,700 sf. Contact John Koonce at York for more information, and tell him we sent you. We’re trying to win free train passes for life. We’ve also included photos from Ashton Smith, Raleigh’s top tour taker and author of Raleigh, over-easy, the best newsletter in circulation.
City Market Sushi will soon open a sister restaurant, Seoul 116, on North West Street near Clouds Brewing. The new Korean restaurant will operate out of the former home of More. Kitchen & Bar (previously home to Blue Martini, RIP) at 116 N. West Street.
Permits were issued for the $252,037 alteration of the 3,717 square-foot space last week. Brookwood Builders, a local company that was also behind the International Breakfast & Burgers spot at 222 Glenwood and Bolt Bistro & Bar on Fayetteville Street, is doing the work.
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lou lou For You You
lou lou boutiques, a store that apparently loathes capital letters, celebrated the grand opening of its first Raleigh location at 4120 Main at North Hills. lou lou, not to be confused with lululemon, offers “quality, affordable women’s fashion accessories, jewelry, scarves, bags, & more.” A grand opening celebration held on March 23 offered free gifts to the first 50 customers, which was a let down to their 51st customer, Bonner Gaylord.
Black Fences Can Be Very Slim’ing
The back patio at Slim’s on Wilmington Street will soon get an aesthetic upgrade in the name of public safety, as the owners plan to replace the existing chain-link fence with a new, 8′ tall wrought-iron fence. The new fence will be about three feet taller than the one currently in place, a measure that will “prevent injuries to trespassers attempting to climb over a fence of less height.”
Mellow Out in Brier Creek
A new Mellow Mushroom is one step closer to sprouting, as final sitework permits were issued recently to Bailey, NC-based IB General Contractors. The restaurant will be located at 9600 Brier Creek Parkway, currently an empty lot. As we noted whenwe first reported on this, Mellow Mushroom’s locations in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill all feel like a natural part of their environment; unique and identifiable as the design is, each restaurant gives off a sense of belonging. We’re curious to see whether that effect can be replicated in a soulless place like Brier Creek, especially on a parcel surrounded by a lot of vacant land, but in the end, all that really matters is that they continue serving up their most excellent pizza. We imagine it could be open by this fall, but no opening date has been announced yet.
Making Animé Real
A unique new shop offering animé, manga, figures and merch, along with live screenings and a virtual reality experience, has opened in the Oak Park Shopping Center off Glenwood Avenue. Animé Paradaisu is located at 5208 Hollyridge Drive in the former home of the Oak Park Tea Room.
Although traditional comic-book stores have suffered in recent years, Paradaisu’s neighbor, Capitol Comics II, has so far remained successful, and I imagine Paradaisu’s unique concept and niche appeal will help it stand out.
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