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Week of August 28, 2017

Smash Waffles starts construction on Hillsborough Street

Two-story noodle bar planned for South Wilmington

New frat house coming to NC State’s penal colony

Historic home on Oberlin moving

Downtown Marriott preps for renovations

Zoe’s coming to North Raleigh

Waffle Delivery Coming Soon to Hillsborough Street

Smash Waffles, a Pawnee, Indiana Greenville, NC based waffle-delivery service will soon be making its way to Hillsborough Street. Work is now underway on their first Raleigh location, which will open later this year on the ground floor of The Hillsborough mixed-use development at 2304 Hillsborough. The $150,000 fit-out of the now-empty space will be handled by Culver Building Company, although Metrocon is the General Contractor for The Hillsborough development.

While the Smash Waffles’ website recommends booking those morning deliveries at least 24 hours in advance, their waffles are not the kind you’d find in your average restaurant or the Cameron Village Harris Teeter freezer aisle. Smash’s traditional Beglian-style waffles are cooked with a dough-based batter instead of buttermilk, and feature lavish toppings. Their offerings include everything from the “Cracker Jack” which is topped with “sweet caramel popcorn and dressed with a caramel & brown sugar drizzle” to “The Campfire,” topped with “a marshmallow cream sauce, Nutella drizzle, graham cracker crumbles, and powdered sugar.”

If you can’t wait for construction to wrap up before getting your hands on these waffles, you can get them at Pizza La Stella on Fayetteville Street, where they’ve featured Smash Waffles on the menu since May.

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Two-Story Noodle Bar Planned for South Wilmington

A new restaurant on South Wilmington Street next to Taz’s market would bring with it an entirely new front building facade, should an application filed with Raleigh’s Historic Development Commission win approval.

The case seeks to build a new storefront for an as-yet unnamed two-story noodle bar. The application, filed by friend of the media empire Ted Van Dyk of New City Design, states that the design is intended to “honor the Moore Square Historic District, while bringing a contemporary interpretation to the aesthetic.”

“As a restaurant and night spot,” Van Dyk notes, “appearance and attractiveness, and connection between inside and outside are important.”

The building’s original facade has been completely missing for decades and the building itself is considered a “noncontributing” resource in the Moore Square Historic District.

The new facade will be comprised mostly of glass, frosted glass and ceramic tile, and will “echo the ‘two-part’ composition of other facades on the street.”

The goal is to create something that is “clearly of the 21st century, does not copy other buildings or pretend to be old, and is instead respectful and compatible with its surroundings while establishing its own identity and place in time.”

We’re glad someone is finally doing something with this space and look forward to seeing how the project turns out, should it be granted approval.

New Frat house Coming to NC State’s Greek Penal Colony

When we last checked in on the development of Greek Village at NC State, which was apparently designed by an 8th grader, a new Delta Zeta house had just received construction permits. Now, they will soon be joined by the brothers of Lambda Chi, whose $4.4 million, 17,357 square-foot house is getting built by McKinley Building. We plan to cover this Greek Village development until the very end. It’s just that fascinating.

Preserving a New Office Space

Preservation NC, a nonprofit focused on protecting and preserving historic properties and landscapes across the state, will soon be preserving some property for their own purposes: a new office.

The organization, which is currently headquartered above the City of Raleigh Museum at 220 Fayetteville, is planning to relocate to a space on Oberlin Road.

The property at 814 Oberlin is now home to the historic Plummer T. Hall House, built between 1880 and 1893 by Reverend Hall as a wedding gift to his bride. According to a certificate of appropriateness application, the Hall house is “the only one story Queen Anne cottage in the Oberlin community and has several distinct architectural details such as the turreted section of the front porch, a bay window, and both circular and quatrefoil gable vents.”

Instead of merely renovating and restoring the home, Preservation NC plans to move another historic home onto the same lot: the Willis Graves House. Currently situated down the street at 802 Oberlin, the Graves House is a two story home Built in the Queen Anne style, and was “the only residence of its kind in the historically African-American Oberlin community.”

Originally built between 1884 and 1889 for Willis M. Graves, one of Oberlin’s early settlers, the house will be relocated to 814 Oberlin, where both it and the Hall house will be placed on new foundations, and joined via a deck built between new additions on the back of each home, allowing for an accessible rear entry.

Although the additions are behind the “historic” portions of the houses, they are designed to “be compatible with the historic details and massing of both houses as well as with each other.”

The COA application, which was approved by Raleigh’s Historic Development Commission last week, notes that the additions are “meant to be simple and clean lined in order to draw your eye to the ornate and often times quirky details of the Willis Graves and Plummer T. Hall houses.”

Without Preservation NC, these buildings would be disappearing at a much quicker pace, so it seems fitting that the organization wants to headquarter itself in a place that so clearly embodies their vision.

Downtown Marriott Preps For Renovations

Two rooms on the fourth floor of the downtown Marriott at 500 Fayetteville Street will soon be turned into “model rooms” for a future renovation project at the hotel. Built just ten years ago, the hotel underwent a significant renovation in 2014 that saw the addition of a new dining area and improvements to its meeting and event spaces.

Although we’re not sure what these new rooms will look like, testing out the new design on two rooms before transforming the entire hotel seems like a pretty smart move. Marriott has redesigned the guest rooms in many of their hotels in recent years, and the results remind us more of high-end condos than standard hotel rooms, and we imagine that will be the case for the Marriott City Center.

Zoe’s Comes to North Raleigh

Zoe’s Kitchen will soon be moving into the space on Falls of Neuse occupied since 2011 by the Tribeca Tavern. The surprisingly pricey $850,000 renovation of the space is being handled by Venture Construction.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of August 21, 2017

Apartments planned next to Broughton

Mecca is back from vacation

ITB home of the week from Cornerstone Properties

Gregg Museum to open at NC State

Pullen Arts Center expansion plans

WeWork coming to Raleigh

55-Unit Apartment Complex Planned for St. Mary’s Street

The Ligon Building at 800 St. Mary’s Street may soon be replaced. Situated across the street from Broughton High School, the 63-year-old, four-story, 25,000 square-foot office building could soon be torn down to make way for a four-story, 55-unit apartment building.

Plans filed last week by a subsidiary of the Selwyn Property Group, a Charlotte-based developer, detail a new 123,807 SF multifamily complex comprised of 16 one-bedroom and 39 two-bedroom units. Selwyn purchased the property, their first office acquisition in the Triangle, in March of 2015 for just over $2 million.

City code requires that a new residential complex of this size provide 106 parking spaces. As a result, this development will include two levels of covered parking. The site plan also includes 8,081 square feet of outdoor amenity space. While the square footage of the new building will nearly sextuple in size from the Ligon, the amount of impervious surface will actually see a slight decrease. We’ll keep you posted on this, as I’m sure William Needham Finley IV is having a panic attack over Charlotte developers building so close to Broughton.

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Mecca Reopens After Summer Hiatus

Raleigh residents can breathe a sigh of relief. The Mecca Restaurant, one of downtown Raleigh’s oldest restaurants, has reopened after a summer break.

We are excited to announce that we will be reopening Friday at 7:30am with our usual hours!

— Mecca Restaurant (@MeccaRaleigh) August 16, 2017

.94 acre ITB Kingdom for sale

A fantastic house just hit the market off of Ridge Road. Listed at $678,000 (or roughly 97,000 12-packs of LaCroix), this remodeled home is located at 2904 Chipmunk Lane. Here’s your chance to own a Wake Forest sized lot and still be able to walk your kids to Lacy and Martin, before buying them a late 2010s model SUV that they’ll drive to Broughton in 2026.

ITB: Check
Remodeled: Check
Cul de sac: Check
Enormous private lot: Check (0.94 acres)
ITB Schools: Check

This 3,440 square foot home has something for everyone. Four bedrooms, including a first floor master, a huge finished basement that’s perfect for hosting breakfasts after Queen of Hearts, a detached carport for keeping your luxury SUV or sedan protected from the elements, and a workshop for dads who know how to use tools or for those who pretend to so they can hide from their family when things get too overwhelming.

You can check out the listing here. Contact Dale Moody (919-607-4606) at Cornerstone Properties for more info. Tell him we sent you and he’ll throw in a free YETI cooler for every room, or something. (While supplies last.)

Gregg Museum to open at NC State

Built in 1927, NC State’s historic Chancellor’s Residence on Hillsborough Street will soon reopen as the new home of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. The existing 7,950 square-foot Georgian mansion is complemented by a new 15,000 square foot addition designed by Perkins & Will. The new museum features indoor and outdoor spaces that will host everything from film screenings to festivals, a pedestrian walkway leading to the Pullen Arts Center, and much more.

The grand opening is scheduled for August 26, where festivities will kick off with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting. Not surprisingly, William N. Finley IV was invited to attend a sneak preview of the new facility last week. “I don’t know much about art, but they did a great job with the space. 5 out of 5 beltlines,” commented Finley IV.

Pullen Arts Center Moves Forward With Expansion Plans

The Pullen Arts Center is about to get a whole lot bigger. Site plans have provided further details on a $6 million expansion of the center located on the northern side of Pullen Park. Originally built in the 1960s, the center offers programs allowing visitors to learn pottery, printmaking, glasswork and more.

The new expansion will provide an additional 7,510 square feet of space to the existing 14,000 square foot center. The impervious surface area will increase as well, from 78,200 SF to 89,500 SF, due in part to site improvements associated with the project, including a reconfiguration of and addition to the parking lot and a drivable plaza.

The two-story addition will serve to “accommodate the growth and popularity of arts education at Pullen Arts Center with new technology and equipment.” The Pullen Arts Center will close for 12 months beginning in November, when construction is set to commence.

Alumni Hall Opens at Cameron Village

Alumni Hall, a college sports apparel store in the space once occupied by Pendleton Woolen Mills at Cameron Village, held its grand opening last week. They offered gift cards and refreshments to shoppers in the market for the “best brands, selection and deals on NC State clothing & merchandise.” We first reported on this new location back in March.

WeWork Expands Into Downtown Raleigh

Co-working giant WeWork has announced plans to move into Raleigh’s yet-unfinished One Glenwood Building at the intersection of Glenwood and Hillsborough.

One Glenwood, a 10-story, 212,000 SF Class-A office building, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2018. WeWork offers a wide array of amenities to its tenants at all locations, and we imagine the spaces at One Glenwood will include such things as micro-roasted coffee, fruit water, “phone booth” spaces that serve as “comfortable sanctuaries for conducting private calls and video chats,” and much more.

Sheetz Opens Shop on Glenwood

Less than six months after the demolition of an old recycling center at 8101 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh’s newest Sheetz store has opened its doors on the land, with a grand opening celebration held last week. The 6,407 square-foot convenience store was built out by prominent local contractors Holt Brothers Construction for a permitted cost just shy of a $1 million.

Apartment Construction Hits 20-Year High

As the new apartments at 800 St. Mary’s marks the approximately 700th new multifamily project we’ve covered this year, it came as little surprise that 2017 marked a 20-year high in new apartment construction. Across the United States, a total of 345,000 new units are expected to be added by year’s end. In a city-by-city ranking, Charlotte beat out Raleigh this year, with a total of 6,500 new units expected, vs. our 2,400 new units.

According to a new study from our friends over at RentCafe, the apartment market faced a slow post-recession period and began rebounding in 2012. By 2014, new supply had amounted to more than 237,000 units delivered in one year, well above historical averages. Between 1997 and 2006, annual completions averaged 212,740 units.

However, even 2017’s delivery numbers may still not be enough to keep up with growing demand. Data from the National Multifamily Housing Council predicts that we’ll need about 4.6 million apartments by 2030, which averages out to 373,000 per year.

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Week of August 7, 2017

New fire station for Fairview Road

Developers clear way for Peace Street hotel, which has yet to be approved

Tasca Brava closes

North Hills Harris Teeter set for renovations

A first look at the Drive Shack layout

New sorority house for NC State

7-Story hotel planned for Crabtree

Voda to hold grand opening

New Fairview Road Fire Station

Built in 1949, Raleigh’s Fire Station 6 was for a time the city’s oldest, active fire station. That time came to an end last week, when a $99,000 permit was issued for the demolition of the 5,408 square-foot station at 2601 Fairview Road. The site won’t remain vacant for long, however, as a brand-new Station 6 will be built on the same spot. The new station will be nearly three times the size of the old, and is designed to target LEED Silver requirements. Construction is expected to take 14 months.

Before the old station is torn down, the City plans to salvage a number of items for reuse in the new station. This will reportedly include some original brick and hardwood floors, the fire pole, and even some original, decorative door hardware.

Check out architect Stewart Cooper Newell’s project page for more details. If you’re curious about the station’s past, Mike Legeros’ site provides a library of photos and a history of the station, including details on its original 1943 opening and location.

William Needham Finley IV asks that everyone restrain from setting any mansions on fire in Country Club Hills while the construction of the fire station is underway.

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Demolition on Peace Street

Less than a month after a rezoning was submitted to the City, demolition has begun on the property at the intersection of Peace and Boylan. Thanks to @TriangleExplorer for the heads up.

The old vacant house next to Starbucks on Peace Street was demolished today. @dtraleigh @WNFIV pic.twitter.com/aG7eVIQEQh

— TriangleExplorer (@trianglexplorer) August 3, 2017

Although the .36 acre parcel sits mostly vacant, a single-story, 908 square-foot home that was first built in 1948 occupied the lot. The home was torn down for a listed cost of $19,000 by Master Service Construction out of Charlotte. Yep, that Charlotte.

A rezoning case that would upzone the parcel from Neighborhood Mixed Use with a three-story cap to Commercial Mixed Use with a five-story cap won’t be heard by the Planning Commission until August 22. It will ultimately be up to City Council to approve, following a Public Hearing.

The developers, MJM Group, argued that the rezoning would pave the way for a “unique, smaller hotel product type as compared to existing full service or limited service hotels.” MJM Group specializes in hospitality projects, and has built hotels under the Marriott, Hilton, and Choice Hotels brands. Beyond that: we don’t know the brand, the layout, or the target opening date. For now, it’s interesting enough that the space is already being cleared.

Tasca Brava Closes

Tasca Brava, an authentic Spanish restaurant on Glenwood South known for its small-plate offerings, closed its doors for good last week. The announcement was made in a brief Facebook post on August 1, which read “With great sorrow, after sixteen years, Tasca Brava lost.”

Tasca Brava was one of the first tapas restaurants to debut on Glenwood South in the early 2000s. They will be missed.

North Hills Harris Teeter Renovations

Since opening at North Hills in 2009, the two-story Harris Teeter on St. Alban’s Drive is apparently in need of some upgrades. Ashland Construction will be performing $86,000 worth of renovations to the second-floor.

ITB moms can breathe a sigh of relief, this will not impact the wine aisle. Dogs of ITB owners, however, may be mildly inconvenienced when attempting to purchase pet supplies. Some local dogs were not amused after hearing the news.

A post shared by Dogs of ITB (@dogsofitb) on Aug 7, 2017 at 11:26am PDT

Drive Shack Site Plans Unveiled

Back in May, we reported on plans to build a new Drive Shack facility in West Raleigh on Corporate Center Drive. Drive Shack is a 3-story indoor/outdoor driving range with suites and a restaurant and bar.

Developers are currently requesting a number of variances, many related to parkway frontage. This snoozefest of a request actually contained one interesting document: a site plan layout of the proposed facility.

Work Begins on Greek Village’s Newest Sorority House

Phase II of NC State’s ambitious Greek Village development is officially underway, as work begins on the new $3.9 million Delta Zeta house. Barker Construction will be building out this new three-story, 18,198 square-foot property on Stewardship Park. The house will contain 20 units and is designed to house a total of 40 Delta Zeta Sisters.

Hotel Developers Set Sights on Crabtree

A group of developers had to file a variance request with the City’s Board of Adjustment to move their potential hotel development forward. Arrow Development & Arrow Drive LLC want to build out a new 7-story, 154-room hotel on a small parcel of land just south of Crabtree Valley Mall between Arrow Drive and Crabtree Valley Place. At issue is the fact that this parcel of land is comprised of a mere 1.26 acres, when the City requires 2.5 acres for a hotel in this zoning district.

The application to the Board of Adjustment notes that many of the surrounding properties house 7-story hotels and that this property’s unique topography would allow for structured parking, thus reducing the total lot size required to meet parking requirements. In short, the smaller lot size would have no adverse impact on parking, according to their application.

Voda Grand Opening at The Devon Four25 on 8/12

Although new women’s clothier Voda Boutique opened its doors in June, it will hold its grand opening celebration this Saturday, August 12 at The Devon Four25 Apartments on Tucker Street. The grand opening event will run from 11 a.m. — 6 p.m. and feature the following, per Voda’s Facebook Event Page:

Hourly Giveaways
Peppertrain Jewelry Trunk Show
Braid Bar by Parlor Blow Bar 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Frosé, Champagne, Trophy Wife IPA
Yummy Treats
Photo Booth Fun

We first reported on the shop back in April, when $40,000 worth of renovation permits for the 1,346 square-foot space were issued.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of July 31, 2017

Renderings for the 20-story tower on Hillsborough Street

No tacos for the horse barn in City Market

A Place at the Table may have found a permanent home

City seeks input for Six Forks corridor

Inside look at 10th & Terrace rooftop bar

41Hundred opens at North Hills

Raleigh gets a new Cathedral

Southern Charred headed to Glenwood South

New renderings for 20-story tower on Hillsborough

In January, we first reported on the plans to bring a new 20-story, 540,867 square foot tower to the 400 block of Hillsborough Street. The plan for the new development, which is still going by the name 400H, is for it to be a “smaller, newer” version of PNC Plaza. Architectural firm Gensler released a set of new renderings last week.

In addition to 129,000 square feet of office space and 16,500 square feet of retail space, the 244′ high building will include 220 residential units: 120 one-bedrooms, 90 two-bedrooms, and 10 three-bedrooms. 674 parking spaces will be provided for the residents and building tenants.

No Mas Horse Barn Tacos

Sadly, Justin Miller, friend of the ITB media empire, is no longer seeking to open a taco restaurant in City Market. The space that Miller (no relation to the best attorney in Raleigh, Stacy Miller) had shown an interest in last year once served as a horse barn for the Raleigh Police Department. Miller, who co-created the popular WedPics app and El Taco Cartel (a taco cart) cited the costs of renovating a 102-year-old building and a lack of clarity and special capabilities from the city as the main factors in his decision.

In a prime location adjacent to the soon-to-be renovated Moore Square, we imagine it won’t be long until the space is transformed into something a little more glorious than its previous use. Council is expected to discuss the building’s future at its August 15 meeting. Many are speculating that WNFIV will debut plans for a LaCroix drive-thru, but that’s just a rumor at this point.

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A Place at the Table May Have a New Home

A Place at the Table, the nonprofit that’s been hosting pop-up events around the city since last April may have found a place to call home – 300 West Hargett Street. The space was occupied by Cafe de los Muertos before it closed in February. The pop-up events have offered diners the option to pay what they want at various restaurants around town, and the concept has been both successful and well-received.

Per Ashton Smith’s excellent weekly newsletter Raleigh, over-easy, we heard the old Muertos space might soon become the permanent home for APATT. As a fan both of the former cafe and the mission behind APATT, this is one rumor I’m really hoping turns out to be true.

Maggie Kane, executive director for A Place at the Table, would only tell us that an official announcement would be coming out within a week. To learn more about the nonprofit, you can visit their website, or check out their next pop-up event, scheduled for August 12 at 10 am at NOFO. 

City Sets its Sights on Six Forks

The City of Raleigh is seeking feedback for its ongoing Six Forks Corridor Study, which runs from North Raleigh down through North Hills and ends at the Creekside Crossing Shopping Center.

According to the City, Six Forks was selected for a corridor study in part because it’s a highly congested corridor with increasing development pressure, growing pedestrian demand, and poor bicycle accessibility.

Part of the City’s roughly $45 million plan includes turning the corridor into an “irresistible gathering place; the Main Street of North Raleigh,” which will require a lot of upgrades and improvements.

These upgrades include widening the sidewalks to a minimum of six feet, reducing the speed limit to 35 mph, and adding over 4 miles of grade separated bike lanes, over 700 canopy and flowering trees, 10 new bus shelters, 52 high visibility crosswalks, public art and much more.

If you have any feedback on the City’s current plans, which you can view here, you can comment:
Online at www.raleighnc.gov, keyword “Six Forks Corridor Study”
Email carter.pettibone@raleighnc.gov
Call Carter Pettibone at 919-996-4643
Send a letter to the following address:
Carter Pettibone
Department of City Planning
City of Raleigh
P.O. Box 590
Raleigh, NC 27602

The city is seeking comments on the draft study document through August 21.

10th & Terrace To Open In September

10th & Terrace, the rooftop bar at the newly opened Residence Inn in Downtown Raleigh should be open to the public in September. Described as the “tallest and only full service rooftop bar in Downtown Raleigh” it is currently open to hotel guests. We got a sneak peek last week because we’re important.

Small Plates at North Hills

The 41Hundred Lounge opened in North Hills last week, offering visitors a swath of bite-size menu items and expertly-prepared cocktails. We’ve always thought Raleigh could use more small/shared-plate joints, and 41Hundred, which bills itself “a haven of casual, shareable plates in an uncomplicated setting,” looks to be a very welcome addition indeed.

Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Opens

It is finished. After less than 18 months of construction, Raleigh’s brand-new Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral is now open to the public.

A dedication ceremony held last week also served as a sort-of passing of the torch: for nearly a century, the Sacred Heart church on Hillsborough Street served as the Diocese of Raleigh’s Cathedral, or Mother Church. That mantle now belongs to the Holy Name of Jesus location, which can hold 2,000 worshippers, compared to the 320 that used to squeeze into Sacred Heart.

Holy Name is absolutely beautiful on the inside, and the iconic dome is nothing short of magnificent. The 43,000 square-foot, $46 million house of worship was designed by O’Brien & Keane architects out of Virginia, a firm that specializes in religious projects. Clancy & Theys, a local firm, served as the general contractor.

The Cathedral has an interesting video series on their website worth checking out.

Southern Charred Coming to Glenwood South

The barbecue restaurant coming to 510 Glenwood South now has a name. After reporting in May that Matt Kenner, owner of Milk Bar, was planning to open a barbecue joint, we only had one question: would he name it Barbecue Restaurant?

Permits issued last week indicate the new spot will be called Southern Charred, which sounds very similar to the hit Bravo reality show “Southern Charm”. No word on if the cast of the Charleston-based show will be in town for the opening. Southern Charred will offer a blend of North Carolina-styled ‘cue, mixed with Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas influences.

Turning Over a New Leith

A set of site plans filed last week would add to the growing mass of asphalt and glistening steel that dominates such a large swath of North Raleigh, as Leith plans to build a brand-new Jaguar/Land Rover dealership on Capital Boulevard.

Of course, if you’re reading this column, we imagine you’d much rather do your car shopping from within the safe confines of ITB, and in that case, Finley told us there’s no place finer than Thompson Buick GMC Cadillac.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of July 24, 2017

40-acre mixed-use development coming to St. Albans

Urban Outfitters coming to The Dillon

Plans for a soccer stadium in downtown Raleigh

Renovation begins on new restaurant on Lenoir

Jaycee Park gets upgrades

Won’t You Be My North Hills Neighbor

DeWitt Carolinas announced its plans for a 40-acre mixed-use development along St. Alban’s Drive last week. A Raleigh based company, DeWitt Carolinas began acquiring property in the area in the late 90s, when it developed its One Renaissance Centre headquarters along Benson Drive. The new development will consist of “office space, retail and dining storefronts, hotels, multifamily and senior living residences, with green space and water amenities.” The project will come about thanks to years of negotiations that culminated in the recent purchase of 18.8 acres that lie adjacent to the 20 acres DeWitt purchased in 1998. 

Todd Saieed, CEO of Dewitt Carolinas, stated, “We have been persistent and strategic in assembling this property, pursuing the zoning required and earning the trust of our neighbors, City Council and business partners.”

A rezoning case unanimously approved by City Council earlier this year will allow for buildings ranging between seven and 20 stories in height. DeWitt worked with the Midtown Citizens Advisory Council to put in place a range of development conditions to address concerns related to “height, noise, signage, light, traffic, parking, building uses and setbacks.” The CAC voted 66-26 in favor of the case, and the conditions include everything from electric car charging stations and emergency phones in the parking garage, to a requirement that bars/nightclubs must be at least “300 feet from the St. Albans right of way and located in a multi-tenant building.”

Patrick Martin, the chairperson of the Midtown CAC commented on working with DeWitt, “DeWitt Carolinas took an unprecedented collaborative approach from the beginning and through a series of meetings and public hearings we reached consensus on a package of development conditions. It was truly a pleasure to deal with this developer and we look forward to their future endeavors”

This news comes less than a month after Kane Realty filed plans for the first phase of its 32-acre expansion known as North Hills East II. While Kane has been responsible for the vast majority of the transformation of North Hills over the last 14 years, we’re excited to see what new concepts and ideas DeWitt will bring to the area. As long as they deliver on the promised water amenities (paddle boats? a wave pool?), we’re sure it’ll be spectacular.

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Urban Outfitters Coming to The Dillon

Urban Outfitters will open at The Dillon in downtown Raleigh in 2018. The Dillon, a major development in the Warehouse District that will include two 6-story residential buildings, 18-stories of Class-A office space, and street-level retail, made the announcement Tuesday morning.

COMING SOON: @UrbanOutfitters to open at #TheDillonRaleigh in 2018. pic.twitter.com/0nY81DTDCT

— The Dillon Raleigh (@thedillonral) July 25, 2017

There had been a lot of speculation around what retailer would land in The Dillon. Early renderings from WNFIV showed a potential lazy river surrounding the building, with Bonner’s Surf Shop as the top floor tenant.

Founded in 1970, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe. This will be their first store in Raleigh. Urban Outfitters is described as “a lifestyle retailer offering on-trend fashions for women and men, accessories and quirky home decor items.”

Soccer Stadium Complex Proposed for Downtown

The North Carolina Football Club unveiled their plans last week for a brand-new, $150-million, 22,000 seat soccer stadium complex located at the northern edge of downtown Raleigh.

Situated at the edge of Halifax Mall and stretching along Peace Street to the Capital Boulevard bridge, the development would include not only a Major League Soccer stadium, but also at least 300 hotel rooms, more than 1,200 residential units, 100,000 square feet of retail, 750,000 square feet of Class A office space, and additional parking. When you combine this with the Smokey Hollow mixed-use development, located immediately to the west of the stadium, we’re talking about adding nearly 1,500 housing units and 160,000 square feet of retail to this section of downtown alone.

Of course, development of the new stadium hinges entirely on whether the NCFC can win a bid for one of the new expansion slots from the MLS. Twelve cities, including Charlotte, have submitted proposals. For a more in-depth look, read Finley’s write-up of the announcement.

Should the stadium get built as proposed, Halifax Mall, downtown Raleigh’s most underrated gem, would remain largely intact. The infamous Archdale Building, however, which looks like a PlayStation 2 and was once described by Governor McCrory as appearing as though it was “built to protect the French coast from the Allied invasion,” would have to come down.

In a letter to Governor Roy Cooper, Representative Time Moore, and Senator Phil Berger, team owner Steve Malik requested to establish a public-private partnership between the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina Football Club. In the letter, Malik notes that soccer games are just one of many events that would be held at the stadium. “It will be marketed to attract a robust set of uses in professional, amateur, collegiate and youth sports including: soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and track and field. The venue will host festivals and concerts.” They also note that the Lessee is projecting an average of over 85 events per year, including 20 MLS soccer games.

A facility like this has the potential for turning an underutilized green space into the Raleigh equivalent of Durham’s Tobacco Road District. All we’d need is a killer water feature, something that looks to be included in these early renderings.

North Carolina FC Announces Preferred Location for Stadium Complex in Downtown Raleigh

Read | https://t.co/qg0CzJzFfG#919toMLS #NCRaiseUp pic.twitter.com/WG9UNoA2Jq

— North Carolina FC (@NorthCarolinaFC) July 19, 2017

Goodnight Dusty’s

More than four months after the long-standing Dusty’s Service Shop at 502 W. Lenoir closed its doors for good, developer James Goodnight has begun renovating the property he purchased back in 2014.

We covered this back in our very first ITB Insider™ post, when we reported on site plans Goodnight had filed that would turn the old service garage into a new restaurant. Although scant details are available about this new eatery — we heard a rumor on Twitter (I know…) that the place was going to be called Raise Up.

On July 21, permits were issued to Ellington Contractors for “structural repairs to a vacant building.” Interestingly enough, it was the very same Ellington Contractors that worked to restore another old downtown building for Goodnight a few years back; the old Raleigh Industrial Bank at 200 South Salisbury, which is now home to Ashley Christensen’s Death & Taxes restaurant. We’re not sure if Goodnight is getting the entire band back together, but the fact that Ellington is involved — which did an incredible job at 200 S. Salisbury — is definitely a good sign.

Jaycee Park Gets More Comfortable

After opening a brand-new “dog run” in February, the City last week began work on a new picnic shelter and comfort station (bathroom) at Jaycee Park. The two must be related, right? Surely the massive influx of people drawn in by the dog run — which, as far as we can tell, is basically a smaller version of a standard dog park — has created such demand that the park had no choice but to expand.

In October 2016, a comfort station and a picnic shelter were torn down at Jaycee Park in order to make way for the dog run, which actually makes this a replacement rather than an expansion. The project is being done by the Beau Chene Company out of Raleigh for just over $400,000.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of July 17, 2017

Most Expensive ZIP codes for Raleigh Renters

Raleigh Little Theatre Renovations

Glenwood Avenue’s “Palm Reader” House to be Torn Down

Two Roosters Ice Cream Opens

Chopt Plans Second Raleigh Location

Historic Teacherage Saved From Demolition

The Five Priciest ZIP Codes for Raleigh Renters

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure how expensive it is to rent in Raleigh? Fortunately, our friends over at RentCafe put together a list that breaks down the priciest ZIP codes for renting an apartment in North Carolina. Keep in mind, the average cost of an apartment in the U.S. is $1,300/month, and the average cost in North Carolina is $1,015. Sure, Charlotte has the top 3 ZIP codes on the list, but Finley says that just means their residents can’t afford to buy homes, which increases demand for apartments and thus increases the price of rent. Raleigh shows up four times in the top ten. Here are the top 5.

1.) 27605: $1,380/month: Home to everything from Broughton High School to half of Cameron Village, it should come as no surprise that this central part of the city is also the most expensive place to rent an apartment.

2.) 27603: $1,336/month: Encompassing a large chunk of south Raleigh, the second most expensive ZIP is mostly located outside the beltline. Although, it does creep up into downtown Raleigh.

3.) 27607 $1,311/month: Existing both inside and outside the beltline, this Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP is an acronym!) houses everything from the PNC Arena and the North Carolina Museum of Art to the NC State section of Hillsborough Street. We imagine the plethora of student housing helps keep the average rent a bit lower in this zone.

4.) 27601 $1,292/month: *The* core of downtown Raleigh, 27601 appears on the return addresses of everything from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. This was probably the most surprising of all: we assumed core downtown would command the highest average rents. We think the rates were lower due to people not paying rent as a form of protesting DrunkTown, which brought down the average.

5.) 27614 $1,109/month: Located in southern Virginia, this zone is filled with neighborhoods named Swans Mill, Alpine Forest, and Meadow Branch, which could easily be mistaken for Yankee Candle scents. We assume it made the list just based on the sheer number of apartments that exist out there.

Raleigh Little Theatre Renovations

Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is one of the oldest continuously running community theatres in the nation. Located near the lovely Raleigh Rose Garden, the facility could use a little work. After raising over $740,000 through a major gifts initiative, RLT can move forward with renovations to the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre. According to their plans, “Proposed renovations include an updated entry, accessible bathrooms, a box office and concession console, new finishes, signage to increase visibility, and a more open gathering area connected to the garden balcony via an operable glass wall. The results will be a clearer arrival sequence, box office and concession areas that are more visible, bathrooms that accommodate people of all abilities, and a gathering area that spills directly onto the garden balcony.”

in situ studio, a design-based practice in Raleigh that specializes in modern, sustainable architecture (as well as having an all lower case name which means they’re clearly more creative than you are), will handle the renovations.

39 individual and eight institutions supported the project financially, along with the City of Raleigh, who made the largest contribution ($275,000) through its Capital Improvement Plan. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 7th. First Lady Kristin Cooper, Dickie Thompson of the Raleigh City Council, and a member of the theatre’s namesake family will speak at the ceremony. We’re hearing Bonner Gaylord and Stacy Miller may perform a few scenes from Hamilton, but that’s unconfirmed.

Two Roosters Opens

Two Roosters Ice Cream was so excited about their grand opening at Greystone Village in North Raleigh that they used six Instagram pictures to make the announcement. Six! Coincidentally, their grand opening was held on National Ice Cream Day. If you’re curious: July is officially National Ice Cream Month, and the third Sunday is National Ice Cream Day: as per a joint resolution signed into law by President Reagan in 1984.

New Office Building Planned for Glenwood Avenue

Glenwood Avenue’s infamous “palm reader” house is about to have its Life Line cut short. But did Raleigh’s “Best Psychic” Sister Sandra, who for years offered a range of spiritual services out of the building, see this coming?

All signs point to yes. After conducting a reading of the property’s Fate Line last year, Psychic Sandra must have decided it was time to sell the land to local real estate attorney Jeremiah Jackson. Originally built in 1957, the single-story, 1,745 square-foot house is the last remaining single family residential property facing Glenwood on that side of the street between Oberlin and the Beltline.

The plan is to transform the .63 acre lot into “low intensity office use” in the form of a two-story, 10,353 square-foot office building. Although the rezoning request was approved last year, development is still in the site plan review stage, which means it might be a little while before we say goodbye forever to the Palm Reader House. And if you’re curious: Sandra the Tarot Card Reader has relocated to a space further north on Glenwood that borders on Umstead National Park.

Chopt

Chopt, a salad-based chain restaurant whose name reminds us more of a reality cooking show than someplace whose only offering is “the food that my food eats,” will soon open a second Raleigh location at the North Ridge Shopping Center on Falls of Neuse.

We’re not sure what this says about Raleigh as a city, but the Cameron Village location operates out of what used to be a portion of the Village Draft House, while the new store will apparently be housed in the former home of Tribeca Tavern. Are salads more popular than beer? In Drunktown??

Historic Teacherage Saved From Demolition

The developers of the new Leesville Road Market Place in North Raleigh saw their dreams crushed by Raleigh’s Board of Adjustment last week, when a proposal to tear down an on-site teacherage structure failed to garner enough votes for approval.

Never heard of a teacherage? Prepare to get schooled. A teacherage is “a building designed to house one or more teachers or administrators on or near school grounds.” Apparently, the first teacherage was constructed in Hall County, Nebraska in 1894 at a cost of $1,000. Before teacherages became all the rage, teachers often found themselves living in the homes of their pupils. Not surprisingly, this arrangement didn’t work out.

Six teacherages were built in Wake County throughout the early 20th century. The Leesville Teacherage is one of only four remaining. Initially built in 1906 as a private residence, we were unable to locate the exact time frame of when this property was owned by Wake County Schools.

When the developer made plans for the new shopping center at the site, one of the conditions was that the teacherage be relocated. Despite “exhaustive efforts” a suitable site for relocation has not been found, and a letter from Raleigh’s Historic Development Commission, which had worked in the past with the owner to preserve the structure, stated that “Although demolition of the building is not the preferred solution, RHDC concurs that reasonable efforts are being made to preserve the Leesville Teacherage and supports a donation to THDC as well as documentation of the structure…should the building be demolished.”

That donation — $75,000 — would have gone toward preserving other historic structures in the community. In spite of all this, the developers will now need to find another way forward. Although the Board of Adjustment technically voted 3-2 in favor of the proposal, four votes were required for approval because tearing down the teacherage would have been considered a variance.

Screened In

Residents of the upscale Van Dyke apartments near Cameron Village will soon be welcoming a new addition: a side porch and an enclosure for an existing porch. The enclosure is apparently being installed as a result of too many residents tripping over an ill-placed ottoman and spilling over the side of the porch. David E. Looper & Company will be overseeing this $169,000 project.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of July 10, 2017

New Hotel Opens in Downtown Raleigh

Six Forks Shopping Center Sells for $10 Million

City Unveils Preliminary Bikeshare Location Map

One Glenwood Updates

Developer Pulls Plans for New Hillsborough Street Apartments

Mofu Shoppe Debuts at City Market

Brier Creek Harris Teeter Sets Grand Opening Date

Residence Inn Opens in Downtown Raleigh

The new 10-story Residence Inn at 616 South Salisbury Street, located next to the Raleigh Convention Center and across from the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts (Memorial Auditorium), opened last week. The 175-suite hotel will offer a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and one-bedroom corner king suites. Downtown Raleigh’s first new hotel in nearly five years brings with it “10th & Terrace” the “tallest and only full service rooftop bar in Downtown Raleigh.”

In addition to the rooftop bar, the hotel will also host a second-floor breakfast/dinner spot named The Overlook, expected to open to the public in August. Of course, the Residence Inn will also offer the usual host of amenities one would expect to find in any new upscale hotel: Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, business centers, and a gym. Since Residence Inn, which is owned by Marriott, operates as an extended stay hotel, its suites will also offer kitchenettes.

Construction on the hotel kicked off in late 2015, back when Raleigh was facing a serious shortage of downtown hotels. This looks to be a great addition to the downtown area, with some pretty amazing views from the rooftop bar.

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Creekside Crossing Sells for $10 Million

The Creekside Crossing Shopping Center (who knew that’s what it was called?) at the intersection of Six Forks and Wake Forest was sold to Raleigh Creekside Crossing, LLC last week for a cool $10.1 million, per an announcement from the center’s previous owners.

The Continental Realty Corporation acquired the property in 2014 when it was anchored by a Staples, instead of a Planet Fitness. Last week CRC said that the 60,499 shopping center was at full occupancy at the time of sale, a drastic turnaround from the near-30 percent occupancy it was facing with the loss of Staples, which probably explains why CRC was able to sell it for nearly $4 million more than they purchased it for. For more information on the sale and the property, you can check out the sales brochure here.

The center is now co-anchored by Planet Fitness, Tuesday Morning, and Dollar Tree. If you’re wondering why Kroger was absent from this list of anchors, it’s simple: Kroger is considered a “shadow anchor” for Creekside. Aside from being the coolest real estate term I’ve heard all year, a shadow anchor is essentially a nearby business that draws a lot of traffic into a shopping center.

While Creekside Crossing was built in 1999, the Kroger building has been there since 1991, and the two parcels have always had different owners. So basically, the Kroger walks amongst the Creekside Crossing shops, but it is one of them.

While we don’t know much about the LLC that acquired the property, we are excited to see what this investor might have in store for Creekside Crossing’s future. Personally, I’m holding out for the return of Radio Shack.

City of Raleigh Debuts Bikeshare Map

More than three years after completing the master plan process for its new 300-bike, 30-station bike share system, the City of Raleigh has now made available a draft map proposing the future locations of these new stations.

While the map reveals a few “outlier” stations including locations at Meredith College and the North Carolina Museum of Art, the vast majority will be clustered around downtown, including one at the museums, another at Moore Square, a spot at the future Union Station, and, of course, a Dix Park location.

The system is expected to be fully operational by Spring 2018. If not, we imagine the Mayor will be most displeased at the lack of progress. (That’s a Star Wars joke, people.)

Developers of One Glenwood Unveil Virtual Tour

It’s been five months since demolition work began at the old Blue Tower Restaurant spot at 605 Hillsborough Street to make way for the new One Glenwood project. Last week its owners put out an impressive promotional video offering a digital tour of the planned mixed-use development. Unfortunately, we can’t embed the video, but that’s why screenshots exist.

Developed by Heritage Properties out of Towson, Maryland, the 10-story, 219,500 square foot mixed-use commercial/office building at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Glenwood in downtown Raleigh will include 14,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and a 650-space parking deck on a separate site across W. Morgan Street.

Developer Pulls Plug on Hillsborough/Bagwell Project

A new apartment complex that would have been built on the corner of Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Street has been withdrawn. Despite winning approval of both the Planning Commission (a 9-0 recommendation) and the Wade Citizens Advisory Council (who voted 19 in favor, 9 against, 9 on the fence), City Council gave developers two weeks to decide if they could live with a 4 story building on the site. Hoping to build five stories, the developers requested a denial of their case. So instead of a $7M mixed use building, NC State students can continue to enjoy a decommissioned gas station turned auto-repair shop.

Pho Nomenal’s Mofu Shoppe Opens at City Market

The highly anticipated sit-down restaurant offering from the phenomenally successful owners of the Pho Nomenal Dumpling food truck opened to rave reviews last week, earning an average of five stars on the social networking site Yelp.

The owners, who funded construction of the restaurant with the $50,000 they won on The Great Food Truck Race, are now offering downtown Raleighites a permanent spot to “enjoy the flavors of Asia,” offering dishes that are “inspired by the foods commonly eaten in several Asian countries and represent our identity in a unique way.” Check out more pics from 919Raleigh.com, who attended the sneak peek event.

If A Store Opens In Brier Creek, Does Anyone Care?

The first phase of the new shopping center The Corners at Brier Creek is set to make its debut next week with the grand opening of a brand-new, 67,000 square-foot Harris Teeter. The ceremonial ribbon cutting will take place at 8 a.m. on July 19, and the store will be offering “weeklong, in-store sampling” in celebration. Crowds are expected to be in the tens of people.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of July 3, 2017

Boutique hotel planned for Peace Street

The Cortez opens on Glenwood South

Bruegger’s closes North Hills location

Empire Properties buys former Occidental Life building

Another Atlantic Tire & Service is coming, courtesy of Rufty-Peedin Design Builders

Chubby’s Tacos expands

Sunnybrook Pointe apartments could be coming soon to East Raleigh

Boutique Hotel Planned for Peace Street

A near-vacant lot on West Peace Street in between McDonald’s and Starbucks (go America!) could soon become home to Glenwood South’s first boutique hotel.

MJM Group, a local developer, filed a request with the City that would upzone the .36 acre parcel from Neighborhood Mixed Use with a three-story cap to Commercial Mixed Use with a five-story cap, paving the way for a “unique, smaller hotel product type as compared to existing full service or limited service hotels.”

County records indicate MJM purchased the land through a subsidiary in November 2016 for $1 million, about $60,000 more than its tax-assessed value. An old sales flier for the property lists a potential building capacity of three stories and 30,000 square feet. Should the rezoning be approved, we imagine that capacity goes up by another 20,000 square feet, but that’s just speculation.

We don’t have much information on what the hotel will look like, or whose brand it will operate under. The rezoning application includes materials that will be allowed for the building’s facade: glass; concrete and/or clay brick masonry, cementitious stucco, cementitious siding including lap and panel products, native and masonry stone, natural wood, precast concrete, and metal panel and/or trim. That really narrows it down.

The site layout also remains a mystery at this point. The application notes that “building and parking placement will be determined at site plan.” MJM Group, specializes in hospitality projects, and has built hotels under the Marriott, Hilton and Choice Hotels brands.

The Cortez Opens on Glenwood South

Glenwood South’s newest restaurant, The Cortez Seafood & Cocktail, held its grand opening this weekend following nearly six months of renovations at 413 Glenwood Avenue. We first reported on this project back in January, although we were unaware at the time that they would specialize in “fresh, eclectic seafare.” The concept comes from the brothers Ibarra (Hector and Charlie) and their chef, Oscar Diaz from Jose and Sons.

While there’s certainly no shortage of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants scattered throughout Raleigh, we’re pretty sure there’s not many offering “eclectic seafare.” Hopefully this means that Cortez, like the sea from which it draws its offering, will cast its spell on diners and hold them in its net of wonder forever. With apologies to Jacques Cousteau.

Bruegger’s Closes North Hills Location

Bruegger’s Bagels closed the doors at their North Hills location last week, after Kane Realty declined to renew their lease. John Kane of Kane Realty told the Triangle Business Journal they wanted to go in a different direction with the space, and were looking to place a tenant that would operate both day and night. No word on whether Bonner Gaylord’s dream of opening his own surf shop in North Hills will become a reality.

Bruegger’s operates 14 other locations in Raleigh alone, so North Hills customers won’t have to travel too far to find another location. We imagine the folks who left 1-star reviews on TripAdvisor aren’t too upset.

Empire Expanding

Greg Hatem’s Empire Properties, which owns large swathes of downtown Raleigh, added another piece to its collection last week when it acquired the former Occidental Life building on Wade Avenue near Cameron Village.

The property, which was once home to the Occidental Life Insurance Company and built in 1956, recently underwent millions in renovations and remains in use as an office building. Empire Properties will handle the leasing while Trademark Properties will continue to manage space in the building.

Raleigh’s Hottest Tire Shop

Raleigh’s second location of Atlantic Tire & Service will be built out by none other than Rufty-Peedin Design Builders. After a groundbreaking in May, permits were issued for the project last week. Steven Peedin, co-founder and President of Rufty-Peedin Design builders, said that “Atlantic Tire has been a trusted service business within our community for nearly two decades. Owner Anthony Blackman and his Atlantic Tire team have worked hard to build a thriving business serving our community with integrity and commitment.”

The new facility will feature “eight service bays, the latest in environmentally friendly design as well as comfortable and accessible customer service areas” in a 6,534 square-foot space located at 3001 Wakefield Crossing Drive. Atlantic Tire & Service owner Anthony Blackman said they had chosen to work with Rufty-Peedin for their “experience with complex commercial building projects and ability to manage site engineering, permitting and design, and the construction process.” We couldn’t agree more!

Chubby’s Tacos Expands in Size

The Chubby’s Tacos at the Lake Boone Shopping Center looks poised for a minor expansion, as indicated by permits issued last week to the Culver Building Company.

The $215,605 permit is described as an “interior expansion and alteration.” We’re not sure how much it might be expanding by at this point, or if it’s branching out into an adjacent space. Hopefully the work doesn’t force the restaurant to close for any length of time. While we do think the place is a little small, it’s more than worth it once you taste the food. Plus: you can always sit outside.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of June 26, 2017

An inside look at Hargett Place

Kane begins development of North Hills East II project

Student housing planned for Hillsborough Street’s North Carolina Equipment Co. building (the one with the bulldozetr sign on the roof)

North Face store getting a facelift

Wayback Burgers to open first Raleigh location

Foxwood Luxury apartments coming to Southern Virginia (or North Raleigh)

New Poké restaurant planned for Brennan Station

Luxury Urban Living at Hargett Place

There’s a unique new development going up in downtown Raleigh, and no, it’s not another apartment. What was once a parking lot a few blocks from Moore Square is now the site of Hargett Place, Raleigh’s newest rowhome development. Located at S. Bloodworth Street at Hargett Street, 17 three-story luxury rowhomes range from 1,700 to 4,000 square feet, with an additional 700 to 1,000+ square feet of outdoor living space. The project was developed by Trish and John Healy of Hyde Street Holdings and built by Greg Paul Builders. Fonville Morisey Barefoot is handling the sales and marketing of Hargett Place, priced from $690,000 – $1.5 million.

Each rowhome features a rooftop terrace, a kitchen balcony, a ground level courtyard, and an oversized 1-car garage with parking for a second car. These homes are one-of-a-kind for the downtown area, with 10-foot ceilings on the main level, Viking appliances, field finished white oak hardwoods, and elevators and dumbwaiters in some of the homes.

We actually got to check these out a few months ago and were quite impressed with the project. I’ve toured many urban residences over the years and Hargett Place manages to combine downtown living with what actually feels like a home environment. One of the biggest take-aways is the outdoor space on each level that offers some amazing views of either downtown Raleigh or historic Oakwood.

Seven of the homes have been sold to date and there are two move-in ready homes in Building 1. The remaining homes should be completed by spring of 2018. Having worked on similar urban projects like the nearby Oakdale at Mordecai and upcoming Chatham Walk in downtown Cary, we don’t imagine Fonville Morisey Barefoot will have much trouble selling the remaining Hargett Place homes. Contact Fonville Morisey Barefoot for more information: 919-926-5574 or www.HargettPlace.com.

North Hills East II Is Coming

In 2016, Kane Realty announced plans to expand North Hills by 32 acres through an expansion plan titled North Hills East II. Per master plan documents filed last year, Kane Realty said the project would consist of 20 development tracts and three open space tracts located along the 440 beltline. These tracts would be developed by Kane “in a pedestrian friendly, mixed-use fashion designed to complement established commercial development in the vicinity, while also seeking to preserve the character of the adjacent Farrior Hills neighborhood located on the eastern side of St. Albans Drive.”

Earlier this month, plans were filed for the first stage in the new development: an apartment complex currently known as Gaddy Residential. The name is actually rooted in the history of the 13 acre parcel on which the apartments will be developed. For years, the land was owned by Charles W. Gaddy, a “Raleigh real estate investor and philanthropist” and his heirs. Note: this is *not* the legendary WRAL broadcaster Charlie Gaddy.

The site plans describe a five-story, 367,000 square foot development of 322 residential units (199 one-bedroom units, 108 two-bedrooms, and 15 three-bedrooms). A surface parking lot of 325 spaces will sit on the east side of the development.

Although it’ll be a little while before any construction starts on this project, we’ll keep an eye out for any updates.

More Student Apartments Coming to Hillsborough Street

Last week, we reported on the rezoning case that could soon bring a market-rate, 30-unit apartment building to the intersection of Hillsborough and Bagwell Streets. Now, we’re able to take a look at yet another Hillsborough Street apartment complex, set to be located a few blocks away at 3101 Hillsborough.

Known as The Standard, the complex will replace the former home of the North Carolina Equipment Company, whose iconic bulldozer sign still sits atop the existing structure. Landmark Properties tried to rezone the property last year to build a four-story student housing complex with ground floor retail and a maximum of 506 residential units and 775 beds. When the case was rejected by Council, Landmark submitted plans for a three-story, 217-unit development.

With the recent filing of rezoning case Z-16-17, it appears that Landmark has decided once again to change course, and is now requesting permission to build a five-story, 220-unit student-oriented housing complex with ground floor retail and a parking deck. In a neighborhood meeting earlier this year, Landmark representatives told residents they would seek to emulate The Stanhope, a student housing complex located next door.

While the original rezoning case generated some controversy as to the future of the bulldozer sign, we could find no reference to it in the pages of Z-16-17, although it was apparently discussed during the neighborhood meeting held in April. Our hope is that the bulldozer will eventually find its way into the development; if not atop the structure, then perhaps in a courtyard as a piece of public art.

North Face-Lift

The North Face, the outerwear company popular among Raleigh residents who likely will never reach elevations higher than that of Pilot Mountain, is set to undergo a minor renovation to its Crabtree Valley location. Permits indicate that $50,000 worth of alterations will be done to the space by Horizon Retail Construction. As this company appears to be something of a specialty contractor — they are based out of Wisconsin — we imagine that this project, while small, does require some expertise, so we’re curious to see how it turns out.

Wayback To The Future

Wayback Burgers, the popular burger chain that got its start in Newark, Delaware as Jake’s Burgers more than 20 years ago is coming to Raleigh. They recently began remodeling a space at Plantation Square on Capital Boulevard that will be home to their first Raleigh location.

The company did not begin franchising until 2009, although it now has six locations in North Carolina alone. As it happens, I have a bit of a personal connection to this place, having attended the University of Delaware between 2000-2004. Jake’s was, hands down, the best burger and shake place in town. It was sort of on the outskirts, but well worth the trip.

It looks like they changed their name from Jake’s to Jake’s Wayback Burgers, before dropping “Jake’s” in 2014. Although Raleigh already offers a range of specialty burger joints, we’re pretty excited about Wayback making its way into the city, even if, like its original Newark location, it is somewhat on the outskirts.

Foxwood Luxury Apartments Underway in North Raleigh (Southern Virginia)

More than a year ago, we reported that sitework was underway for the new Foxwood Luxury Apartments (which is an oxymoron) in North Raleigh, or what some would consider Southern Virginia. Last week, permits were finally issued for the apartments, setting the stage for a 2018 opening. It looks like the complex will consist of 164 residential units spread out across five, four-story buildings. Units will range in size from one to three bedrooms, and offer high ceilings, walk-in closets, a “gourmet” kitchen, hardwood floors and in-suit washer/dryers. Sounds luxurious…

Permits were also issued for the pool, club house, parking garage and other supporting structures. While its “outside the outer beltline” location may seem unappealing, Google Maps reveals that the Triangle Town Center Mall is only five minutes away by car and 20 minutes away by foot if you’re willing to play Frogger across 540: and the Walmart is even closer! So. Much. Luxury.

Pokémon Go To The Restaurant

Brennan Station on Creedmoor Road will soon be home to a new joint called Poké Restaurant, although we don’t know much more about it beyond that. Our guess is it will focus on variations of the traditional Hawaiian dish poké, whose description “raw fish salad” makes our stomach churn.

The Raleigh poké restaurant joins two other new poké spots in the Triangle, ZenFish in Durham and One Fish Two Fish in Carrboro. The News & Observer recently published a lengthy profile noting that while “poké bowls appear on the menus of many sushi and Asian fusion restaurants, ZenFish and One Fish Two Fish appear to be the first fast-casual restaurants devoted exclusively to serving them.”

While we’re not sure if the new Poké Restaurant will follow in the footsteps of the Durham and Carrboro spots, we can’t wait to let other people find out for themselves.

Brought to you by Rufty-Peedin Design Builders.

Week of June 19, 2017

New apartments could come to the corner of Hillsborough and Bagwell

St. David’s School working on $8M middle school

New pizza shop opens in former Porter’s Spot on Hillsborough Street

CycleBar to open in North Hills

Raleigh Gymnastics Expands

Person Street fitness center closes

New Hillsborough Apartments Await Council Approval

The City Council will once again hear a rezoning case that would allow for an apartment complex at the intersection of Hillsborough and Bagwell Streets. The owner is seeking to build a four-story complex comprised of units that are three-bedrooms or less. In the March 7 public hearing, several Councilors expressed concern about the potential that the complex would be student housing that rents by the room, rather than the unit.

During the March 21 hearing, Ted Van Dyk of New City Design, the architectural firm responsible for this project, told Councilors the building would likely cap out at around 28-30 units. The owners have offered two new conditions, no ‘rent by the room’, and also that the building will be at the four story height as measured from Hillsborough Street. The small area plan is still under consideration, and may include broader height recommendations than the current UDO.

The developers have also offered a number of conditions relating to its facade, including a minimum of 75 percent masonry or brick siding, and a near-complete lack of EIFS (a sort of synthetic stucco) or vinyl as siding materials.

“We hope Council will appreciate the work we have done to address community concerns. This mixed use project could be a major investment in the revitalized Hillsborough Street, and bring business and residents who can live, work, study, and play to the street. The Phase 2 streetscape, at a cost of $17 million and currently under way, is meant to beautify the street and attract investment and redevelopment- we hope that our project can be part of the effort,” said Van Dyk.

The case has managed to win the approval of both the Planning Commission (a 9-0 recommendation) and the Wade Citizens Advisory Council. The CAC voted 19 in favor, nine against and nine on the fence. Council will have the option of holding the case open (which they have done since March), sending the item to committee (it was sent to the Growth & Natural Resources Committee in April) or voting to approve or deny the rezoning.

Pizza Place Opens in Former Porter’s Spot

Due to the lack of pizza options on Hillsborough Street, Bocci Trattoria & Pizza, an Italian restaurant with locations in Cary and Durham, opened its first Raleigh location this week in the former home of McDaid’s Irish Pub. Prior to McDaid’s, Porter’s Tavern operated in the space before closing in 2013.

We first reported on this new restaurant back in February. Bocci held a soft opening last week for “Friends and Family” – of which we are neither, but thanks to the miracle of Facebook, we were able to get a peek at the restaurant’s new interior.

CycleBar to Open Second Raleigh Location in North Hills

CycleBar, a “premium indoor cycling studio” will soon open a second Raleigh location, this one on the ground level of the Park Central Apartments at North Hills.

The franchise has a location in Brier Creek, so in a way, the North Hills spot will be its first true Raleigh location. Here’s how CycleBar described themselves in a press release announcing the North Hills location:

“At CycleBar, instructors lead classes for as many as 48 riders in a state-of-the-art CycleTheatre. Most classes last just under and hour, and heart rate, estimated calories burned, and power are all recorded and sent to the rider along with a playlist of the music from the ride. A leader board is also displayed for those with a competitive spirit.”

A leader board? As someone who will run an extra ten minutes on the treadmill just to make sure I leave after anyone who started before me, I like that idea a lot.

The facility will occupy 2,962 square feet of space, and its $238,000 fit-out will be handled by our friends over at the excellently-named Diamond Contracting.

St. David’s Begins Building New Middle School

St. David’s School, a private Episcopalian K-12 institution that first opened in 1972, will soon be adding a new $7.8 million middle school facility to its White Oak Road campus.

The building is part of a larger initiative being run by the school titled “Inspired Futures”, which seeks to expand the physical campus and the types of programs offered to its students.

The new middle school project, which also includes outdoor and courtyard improvements that will benefit the entire campus, looks to be the most significant of the new facilities planned. At nearly $8 million, it’s certainly the most expensive. A new upper school is budgeted at $3.3 million, and a satellite athletic facility on Yonkers Road has a price tag of $500,000.

If you’re curious what an $8 million private middle school looks like, we were able to track down this YouTube video that offers a virtual tour of the place.

Until 1990, St. David’s was known as Hale High School, and offered only a high school education, which was inferior to the education provided by Broughton High School. In the fall of that year, the school was combined with St. Timothy’s Middle School, which offered grades 6-8. The facility was renamed as St. Timothy’s-Hale School. They began offering fifth grade classes in 1994. In 2003, it added grades K-4 and changed its name to the St. David’s School. All of this information is irrelevant since it has nothing to do with Root, Lacy, Daniels, Martin, or Broughton.

The new middle school will be built out by Brasfield & Gorie, a national construction firm with an office here in Raleigh.

Person Street Fitness Center Set to Close

O2 Fitness, which operates 23 locations throughout North and South Carolina and whose headquarters is located in downtown Raleigh, will reportedly be closing its Person Street location at the end of this month.

An employee at the nearby Seaboard Station O2 confirmed that the Person Street location will be closing at the end of June. The site was previously home to Retro Fitness, although given the growing popularity of the Person Street corridor, we don’t imagine the property will be re-imagined as yet another gym.

Interestingly enough, the founder of O2, Michael Olander Jr., owns a number of downtown Raleigh properties, including the O2 headquarters at 135 E. Martin. Olander earlier this year purchased 208 Fayetteville Street for $3.75 million.

Raleigh Gymnastic Rolls Into New Space

The Raleigh School of Gymnastics on Hargrove Road will soon be expanding into an adjacent space, adding more than 1,000 square feet of space to its long-standing facility.

Founded in 1976, the school bills itself as “one of the most successful private gymnastics schools in North Carolina.” The fact they’ve stayed open for more than 40 years seems to back up this assertion. There must be some sort of gymnast-labor law preventing the owners from having their students handle the construction in a Rocky IV-esque training scenario. The $50,000 expansion will be handled by Alexander Design Build.

Wilmington Street Taco Bell Prepares for Major Renovation

The Taco Bell at 3224 South Wilmington Street in South Raleigh is set to undergo a major transformation: its owners will be spending more than $300,000 on renovations that will include a revamped dining area, renovated bathrooms, exterior facade and roof improvements and, most importantly for its car-bound customers, a new canopy over the drive-thru speaker box. The renovation will be performed by local firm Qualified Builders.