Downtown Revitalization: Raleigh, Seven Years Later
Downtown revitalization is something that Jacksonville has struggled with for 40 years now. Perhaps we are making revitalization more difficult than it has to be? During Metro Jacksonville's early years, we looked at Raleigh's plans for revitalizing their downtown. Now seven years later, we revisit the city to see if things have changed for the better.
Tale of the Tape:
Raleigh City Population 2012: 423,179 (City); 1,188,564 (Metro 2012) - (incorporated in 1792)
Jacksonville City Population 2012: 836,507 (City); 1,377,850 (Metro 2012) - (incorporated in 1832)
City population 1950: Jacksonville (204,517); Raleigh (65,679)
City Land Area
Raleigh: 142.8 square miles
Jacksonville: 757.7 square miles
Metropolitan Area Growth rate (2010-2012)
Raleigh: +5.14%
Jacksonville: +2.40%
Urban Area Population (2010 census)
Raleigh: 884,891 (ranked 50 nationwide)
Jacksonville: 1,065,219 (ranked 40 nationwide)
Urban Area Population Density (2010 census)
Raleigh: 1,707.8 people per square mile
Jacksonville: 2,008.5 people per square mile
City Population Growth from 2010 to 2012
Raleigh: +19,287
Jacksonville: +14,723
Convention Center Exhibition Space:
Raleigh: Raleigh Convention Center (2008) - 150,000 square feet
Jacksonville: Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center (1985) - 78,500 square feet
Connected to or across the street from Convention Center:
Raleigh: Marriott City Center - 400 rooms
Jacksonville: N/A
Tallest Building:
Raleigh: PNC Plaza - 538 feet
Jacksonville: Bank of America Tower - 617 feet
Fortune 500 companies 2013 (City limits only):
Raleigh: Progress Energy (286)
Jacksonville: CSX (231), Fidelity National Financial (353), Fidelity National Information Services (434)
Urban infill obstacles:
Raleigh: Railroad corridor cuts Glenwood South off from downtown Raleigh's core.
Jacksonville: State & Union Streets cut off downtown Jacksonville from Springfield.
Downtown Nightlife District:
Raleigh: Warehouse District, Wilmington Street corridor, Glenwood South.
Jacksonville: The Elbow, The Jacksonville Landing
Common Downtown Albatross:
Proliferation of surface parking lots.
Who's Downtown is more walkable?
Raleigh: 75 out of 100, according to walkscore.com
Jacksonville: 78 out of 100, according to walkscore.com
About Downtown Raleigh
Reopening of Fayetteville Street and the Livable Streets Initiative
Reopening of Fayetteville Street on July 29, 2006.
Desperate to save a dying downtown, Raleigh's city leaders transformed Franklin Street, its premier thoroughfare, into an urban pedestrian mall in 1977. However, by removing all vehicular access, the project essentially became the final nail in the coffin for many struggling downtown businesses.
In May 2003, the Raleigh City Council adopted the community based plan that resulted from a downtown planning effort known as the Livable Streets Initiative. This initiative laid the groundwork for the city's revitalization through five objectives: reinvigorate Fayetteville Street as the heart of downtown, fund and build a new convention center and headquarters hotel to attract conventions and trade shows, improve the pedestrian environment of the center city, remove regulatory impediments and make it easier to do business downtown, and expand management and marketing of downtown.
Two years later, construction began on the $10 million plan to reinvigorate Fayetteville Street by reopening it to vehicles. On July 29, 2006, thousands came to downtown Raleigh to witness the first automobiles to drive down Fayetteville Street in 30 years. The objectives of the project, as stated by the City of Raleigh, were as follows:
1. Create a level of beauty, ambiance, and uniqueness appropriate to the importance of the street.
2. Establish a comfortable and safe environment.
3. Provide continuous visual interest at street level.
4. Blur the line between public and private realms.
5. Make the street feel populated.
6. Catalyze activity for at least 18 hours of every day.
7. Allow for the natural diversity of the private realm.
8. Create an environment in which high quality shops and restaurants can succeed.
9. Use the public realm to unify the overall composition of the street.
10. Highlight public/civic buildings to punctuate the street and provide a sense of permanence.
11. Accommodate diversity and create a street for all citizens by incorporating universal design.
12. Stimulate economic development and revitalization of the parcels fronting Fayetteville Street.
Ten years have passed since the Livable Streets Initiative was passed by Raleigh's City Council. Six years have passed since Metro Jacksonville's first article covering the revitalization of downtown Raleigh. Today, we take a before and after look at how downtown Raleigh has changed since then.
Fayetteville Street Today
Raleigh Convention Center & Headquarters Hotel
At the beginning of the 21st century, Raleigh believed its convention center, which was constructed in the center of Fayetteville Street in 1977, was to small and outdated to compete in the convention industry. Thus, a major component of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative was to fund and build a new convention center and headquarters hotel to attract conventions and trade shows to downtown Raleigh. In 2006, construction started on a $225 million convention center that would include 150,000-square-feet of exhibition space. Replacing a surface parking lot, the project also included a hotel connected to the convention center to provide lodging for visitors. The old convention center was demolished make room for the hotel and the reopening of Fayetteville Street to vehicles. The Raleigh Convention Center and Marriott City Center opened in September 2008.
2007
The Raleigh Convention Center under construction in 2007.
The headquarters hotel under construction next door to Raleigh's convention center in 2007.
2013
Raleigh City Plaza
Another objective of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative was to improve the pedestrian environment of the center city. In 2006, Projects for Public Spaces (PPS) was involved in a visioning process for a new public plaza that would help tie the city's proposed convention center with the reopening of Fayetteville Street. Completed in 2010, City Plaza is intended to be the "public living room" of the city. Its amenities include interactive fountains, LED light towers, retail pavilions and events, such as ice skating in the winter and a farmers market in the spring. It may be worthwhile to take a look at City Plaza's amenities and programming in Jacksonville's efforts to bring Hemming Plaza back to life.
2007
A rendering of City Plaza from a 2007 Metro Jacksonville article.
2013
Other Notable Recently Completed Downtown Raleigh Projects
The fortunes of downtown Raleigh have changed since Raleigh City Council's adoption of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative. Below are a few notable recently completed projects in close proximity to Raleigh's revitalized Fayetteville Street and new convention center.
PNC Plaza
In 2007, a 29-story mixed-use office and condominium tower, then known as the RBC Plaza, was under construction. Completed in 2008 and now known as PNC Plaza, the 538' structure is downtown Raleigh's tallest building.
2007
2013
Red Hat Amphitheater
In June 2010, the City of Raleigh completed construction of 5,500 seat amphitheater across the street from the new Raleigh Convention Center. The $2.5 million amphitheater replaced another surface parking lot. In September 2012, Red Hat agreed to pay the City of Raleigh $1.175 million for the naming rights to the downtown amphitheater.
Wake County Justice Center
In June 2013, the 577,000-square-foot Wake County Justice Center opened its doors one block west of PNC Plaza. While, Jacksonville took a suburban approach to the construction of its new courthouse, Raleigh's 11-story courthouse was vertically designed, limiting the amount of urban land area required for its existence. Also of note, the $184 million Justice Center opened $30 million under budget and weeks ahead of schedule.
The modern Gothic-style Wake County Justice Center can be seen in the distance on Salisbury Street. The justice center is one block west of Fayetteville Street and PNC Plaza.
State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Tower
In 2009, construction of the $45 million SECU mid-rise office building started. In July 2013, the modern 12-story tower was completed. It's the final piece of the two-block Green Square complex that includes the Nature Research Center, the Green Square Parking Deck and the new headquarters building for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. SECU employees occupy about half of the 240,000-square-foot building with the rest being available for lease.
Random Downtown Raleigh
Growth and redevelopment in downtown Raleigh is not just confined to the core of the central business district. Here is a brief look at a few districts in peripheral areas of downtown Raleigh.
Glenwood South
Separated from the core of downtown Raleigh by railroad tracks, Glenwood South has grown to become Raleigh's largest entertainment districts within the last decade. The seven block strip includes a multitude of restaurants, clubs, cafes, retail, and art galleries.
Warehouse District
Located three blocks west of Raleigh's convention center and once a major center of industry, the warehouse district has become a bonefide arts and nightlife hub. Future plans for this district include the construction of a intermodal transportation center, making it a gateway to urban Raleigh.
Wilmington Street/City Market Area
Wilmington Street and the City Market are located just east of Fayetteville Street. Located on Moore Square, City Market dates back to 1914 and is now home to several shops, boutiques and restaurants. Wilmington Street runs parallel to Fayetteville Street. In recent years, several historic building facades have been restored and a number of restaurants and bars have opened.
Conclusion
Despite being one of the fastest growing cities in the south, until the implementation of the Livable Streets Initiative, downtown Raleigh was a place that largely shut down after 5pm. Despite the economic recession during the later half of the last decade, downtown Raleigh continues its impressive transformation into a 24/7 city center. Similar in scale with Jacksonville Metropolitan Area, many of Raleigh's recent downtown initiatives have been discussed for downtown Jacksonville. However, there are some major differences between our communities. Whether the focus has been a new convention center, livable streets, downtown housing or vibrant public spaces, Raleigh has found a way to put their public money where their mouths are. As a result, public investment in downtown has directly led to hundreds of millions in private sector projects joining the downtown landscape and changing its image in the process.
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com. Thanks to Matt Robinson of RaleighSkyline.com for providing the Fayetteville Street grand opening photos.
Previous Metro Jacksonville Articles On Downtown Raleigh
Learning from Raleigh, NC: Fayetteville Street Renaissance (2007)
Learning from Raleigh, NC (2008)
Raleigh City Population 2012: 423,179 (City); 1,188,564 (Metro 2012) - (incorporated in 1792)
Jacksonville City Population 2012: 836,507 (City); 1,377,850 (Metro 2012) - (incorporated in 1832)
City population 1950: Jacksonville (204,517); Raleigh (65,679)
City Land Area
Raleigh: 142.8 square miles
Jacksonville: 757.7 square miles
Metropolitan Area Growth rate (2010-2012)
Raleigh: +5.14%
Jacksonville: +2.40%
Urban Area Population (2010 census)
Raleigh: 884,891 (ranked 50 nationwide)
Jacksonville: 1,065,219 (ranked 40 nationwide)
Urban Area Population Density (2010 census)
Raleigh: 1,707.8 people per square mile
Jacksonville: 2,008.5 people per square mile
City Population Growth from 2010 to 2012
Raleigh: +19,287
Jacksonville: +14,723
Convention Center Exhibition Space:
Raleigh: Raleigh Convention Center (2008) - 150,000 square feet
Jacksonville: Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center (1985) - 78,500 square feet
Connected to or across the street from Convention Center:
Raleigh: Marriott City Center - 400 rooms
Jacksonville: N/A
Tallest Building:
Raleigh: PNC Plaza - 538 feet
Jacksonville: Bank of America Tower - 617 feet
Fortune 500 companies 2013 (City limits only):
Raleigh: Progress Energy (286)
Jacksonville: CSX (231), Fidelity National Financial (353), Fidelity National Information Services (434)
Urban infill obstacles:
Raleigh: Railroad corridor cuts Glenwood South off from downtown Raleigh's core.
Jacksonville: State & Union Streets cut off downtown Jacksonville from Springfield.
Downtown Nightlife District:
Raleigh: Warehouse District, Wilmington Street corridor, Glenwood South.
Jacksonville: The Elbow, The Jacksonville Landing
Common Downtown Albatross:
Proliferation of surface parking lots.
Who's Downtown is more walkable?
Raleigh: 75 out of 100, according to walkscore.com
Jacksonville: 78 out of 100, according to walkscore.com
About Downtown Raleigh
Quote
Downtown (also known as "Old Raleigh", "Inside the Beltline" or ITB) is home to historic neighborhoods and buildings such as the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel built in the early 20th century, the restored City Market, the Fayetteville Street downtown business district, the Cameron Village midtown business district, which includes the PNC Plaza and Wells Fargo Capitol Center buildings, as well as the North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State Capitol, Peace College, the Raleigh City Museum, Raleigh Convention Center, Shaw University, and St. Augustine's College. The neighborhoods in Old Raleigh include Cameron Park, Boylan Heights, Country Club Hills, Coley Forest, Five Points, Budleigh, Glenwood-Brooklyn, Hayes Barton Historic District, Moore Square, Mordecai, Rosengarten Park, Belvidere Park, Woodcrest, and Historic Oakwood. In the 2000s, an effort by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance was made to separate this area of the city into five smaller districts: Fayetteville Street, Moore Square, Glenwood South, Warehouse (Raleigh), and Capital District (Raleigh). Some of the names have become common place among locals such as the Warehouse, Fayetteville Street, and Glenwood South Districts.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh,_North_Carolina
Reopening of Fayetteville Street and the Livable Streets Initiative
Reopening of Fayetteville Street on July 29, 2006.
Desperate to save a dying downtown, Raleigh's city leaders transformed Franklin Street, its premier thoroughfare, into an urban pedestrian mall in 1977. However, by removing all vehicular access, the project essentially became the final nail in the coffin for many struggling downtown businesses.
In May 2003, the Raleigh City Council adopted the community based plan that resulted from a downtown planning effort known as the Livable Streets Initiative. This initiative laid the groundwork for the city's revitalization through five objectives: reinvigorate Fayetteville Street as the heart of downtown, fund and build a new convention center and headquarters hotel to attract conventions and trade shows, improve the pedestrian environment of the center city, remove regulatory impediments and make it easier to do business downtown, and expand management and marketing of downtown.
Two years later, construction began on the $10 million plan to reinvigorate Fayetteville Street by reopening it to vehicles. On July 29, 2006, thousands came to downtown Raleigh to witness the first automobiles to drive down Fayetteville Street in 30 years. The objectives of the project, as stated by the City of Raleigh, were as follows:
1. Create a level of beauty, ambiance, and uniqueness appropriate to the importance of the street.
2. Establish a comfortable and safe environment.
3. Provide continuous visual interest at street level.
4. Blur the line between public and private realms.
5. Make the street feel populated.
6. Catalyze activity for at least 18 hours of every day.
7. Allow for the natural diversity of the private realm.
8. Create an environment in which high quality shops and restaurants can succeed.
9. Use the public realm to unify the overall composition of the street.
10. Highlight public/civic buildings to punctuate the street and provide a sense of permanence.
11. Accommodate diversity and create a street for all citizens by incorporating universal design.
12. Stimulate economic development and revitalization of the parcels fronting Fayetteville Street.
Ten years have passed since the Livable Streets Initiative was passed by Raleigh's City Council. Six years have passed since Metro Jacksonville's first article covering the revitalization of downtown Raleigh. Today, we take a before and after look at how downtown Raleigh has changed since then.
Fayetteville Street Today
Raleigh Convention Center & Headquarters Hotel
At the beginning of the 21st century, Raleigh believed its convention center, which was constructed in the center of Fayetteville Street in 1977, was to small and outdated to compete in the convention industry. Thus, a major component of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative was to fund and build a new convention center and headquarters hotel to attract conventions and trade shows to downtown Raleigh. In 2006, construction started on a $225 million convention center that would include 150,000-square-feet of exhibition space. Replacing a surface parking lot, the project also included a hotel connected to the convention center to provide lodging for visitors. The old convention center was demolished make room for the hotel and the reopening of Fayetteville Street to vehicles. The Raleigh Convention Center and Marriott City Center opened in September 2008.
2007
The Raleigh Convention Center under construction in 2007.
The headquarters hotel under construction next door to Raleigh's convention center in 2007.
2013
Raleigh City Plaza
Another objective of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative was to improve the pedestrian environment of the center city. In 2006, Projects for Public Spaces (PPS) was involved in a visioning process for a new public plaza that would help tie the city's proposed convention center with the reopening of Fayetteville Street. Completed in 2010, City Plaza is intended to be the "public living room" of the city. Its amenities include interactive fountains, LED light towers, retail pavilions and events, such as ice skating in the winter and a farmers market in the spring. It may be worthwhile to take a look at City Plaza's amenities and programming in Jacksonville's efforts to bring Hemming Plaza back to life.
2007
A rendering of City Plaza from a 2007 Metro Jacksonville article.
2013
Other Notable Recently Completed Downtown Raleigh Projects
The fortunes of downtown Raleigh have changed since Raleigh City Council's adoption of the 2003 Livable Streets Initiative. Below are a few notable recently completed projects in close proximity to Raleigh's revitalized Fayetteville Street and new convention center.
PNC Plaza
In 2007, a 29-story mixed-use office and condominium tower, then known as the RBC Plaza, was under construction. Completed in 2008 and now known as PNC Plaza, the 538' structure is downtown Raleigh's tallest building.
2007
2013
Red Hat Amphitheater
In June 2010, the City of Raleigh completed construction of 5,500 seat amphitheater across the street from the new Raleigh Convention Center. The $2.5 million amphitheater replaced another surface parking lot. In September 2012, Red Hat agreed to pay the City of Raleigh $1.175 million for the naming rights to the downtown amphitheater.
Wake County Justice Center
In June 2013, the 577,000-square-foot Wake County Justice Center opened its doors one block west of PNC Plaza. While, Jacksonville took a suburban approach to the construction of its new courthouse, Raleigh's 11-story courthouse was vertically designed, limiting the amount of urban land area required for its existence. Also of note, the $184 million Justice Center opened $30 million under budget and weeks ahead of schedule.
The modern Gothic-style Wake County Justice Center can be seen in the distance on Salisbury Street. The justice center is one block west of Fayetteville Street and PNC Plaza.
State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Tower
In 2009, construction of the $45 million SECU mid-rise office building started. In July 2013, the modern 12-story tower was completed. It's the final piece of the two-block Green Square complex that includes the Nature Research Center, the Green Square Parking Deck and the new headquarters building for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. SECU employees occupy about half of the 240,000-square-foot building with the rest being available for lease.
Random Downtown Raleigh
Growth and redevelopment in downtown Raleigh is not just confined to the core of the central business district. Here is a brief look at a few districts in peripheral areas of downtown Raleigh.
Glenwood South
Separated from the core of downtown Raleigh by railroad tracks, Glenwood South has grown to become Raleigh's largest entertainment districts within the last decade. The seven block strip includes a multitude of restaurants, clubs, cafes, retail, and art galleries.
Warehouse District
Located three blocks west of Raleigh's convention center and once a major center of industry, the warehouse district has become a bonefide arts and nightlife hub. Future plans for this district include the construction of a intermodal transportation center, making it a gateway to urban Raleigh.
Wilmington Street/City Market Area
Wilmington Street and the City Market are located just east of Fayetteville Street. Located on Moore Square, City Market dates back to 1914 and is now home to several shops, boutiques and restaurants. Wilmington Street runs parallel to Fayetteville Street. In recent years, several historic building facades have been restored and a number of restaurants and bars have opened.
Conclusion
Despite being one of the fastest growing cities in the south, until the implementation of the Livable Streets Initiative, downtown Raleigh was a place that largely shut down after 5pm. Despite the economic recession during the later half of the last decade, downtown Raleigh continues its impressive transformation into a 24/7 city center. Similar in scale with Jacksonville Metropolitan Area, many of Raleigh's recent downtown initiatives have been discussed for downtown Jacksonville. However, there are some major differences between our communities. Whether the focus has been a new convention center, livable streets, downtown housing or vibrant public spaces, Raleigh has found a way to put their public money where their mouths are. As a result, public investment in downtown has directly led to hundreds of millions in private sector projects joining the downtown landscape and changing its image in the process.
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com. Thanks to Matt Robinson of RaleighSkyline.com for providing the Fayetteville Street grand opening photos.
Previous Metro Jacksonville Articles On Downtown Raleigh
Learning from Raleigh, NC: Fayetteville Street Renaissance (2007)
Learning from Raleigh, NC (2008)