A new residential development project is coming to Millbank Road, near downtown Raleigh. Located inside the beltline and just minutes from the last remaining K&W in Raleigh, the Millbank Collection will include 18 townhomes and 3 single-family homes. The community is being built by Redeeming Development Group (RDG) and was designed by Clearscapes. In a shocking turn of events, both the developer and architect on this project are actually located in Raleigh.
According to the Millbank Collection website, the residences will include high-end features such as “vaulted ceilings, quartz countertops, gourmet kitchens, hardwood floors, 1-car garages” and much more.
We did some investigative journalism and uncovered never-before-seen floor plans for the residences, located at 2308 Euston Street.
We have also obtained broadcast rights to a video about the project.
The Millbank Collection has homes starting in the high $300,000’s and will be starting pre-sales soon. Interested parties can get on the priority list by visiting MillbankRaleigh.com. We’ll keep an eye on this project as it continues to develop.
Goodbye, Cameron Village K&W
The K&W Cafeteria in Cameron Village has closed permanently. Rumors of this horrible news started last week on Twitter.
We decided to launch a thorough investigation that consisted of driving to K&W and reading the sign on the front door (#journalism).
The N&O reported that, in addition to the Cameron Village location, three other K&W locations in NC have closed. There are now 18 K&W locations. Fortunately, the K&W at 3620 Bastion Lane (near WakeMed and Raleigh Country Club) is still alive and well. While we will miss the Cameron Village K&W, we’ve come to grips with the reality that we’ll just have to drive 10 minutes down the road to the other location.
Peace Publix Opens
The long-awaited Publix on Peace Street is now open. We have not received any reports of massive crowds lining up outside the store before sunrise. We assume this is due to the current COVID-19 restrictions on mass gatherings.
As previously reported, the Publix building is part of Phase 1 of Kane’s Smoky Hollow development. More apartments, office space, and retail will open in the coming phases. We recently obtained exclusive footage of Smoky Hollow that we will now share for the first time ever on ITB Insider.
Idle Hour Coffee Open On Oberlin
A new coffee shop has opened near the corner of Oberlin and Fairview. Idle Hour Coffee was founded in 2018 and, according to their website, offers baked goods, sandwiches, tea, and “damn fine coffee.”
Bul Box Coming To North Hills
We have learned from an exclusive e-mail press release that Bul Box will be opening in North Hills. The restaurant, which serves Asian cuisine, is projected to open in the fall of 2020 next to lululemon. The North Hills location will be mainly a to-go place with several outdoor tables.
Bul Box opened its first location in Raleigh at Transfer Company Food Hall. The restaurant’s second location opened in Morrisville last month.
New Bar Planned For Glenwood South
Plans have been filed for a new bar concept in the former home of Devolve Moto on Glenwood Avenue. An administrative site review plan calls for renovation of the space at 304 Glenwood into a new bar, and for the teardown of the existing structure at 306 Glenwood to make way for a new outdoor bar/deck space.
The property at 304 Glenwood was first built in 1940, while the older warehouse-style structure at 306 Glenwood has been around for more than 100 years. It was most recently home to Vickers & Ruth Plumbing Company.
The site review plans don’t offer much information on the type or character of the new bar, although we imagine the outdoor patio will be a big hit.
Longleaf Swine Moving To Former Home of Oakwood Café
Longleaf Swine BBQ recently announced their plans to move into the former home of Oakwood Café. They had originally planned to open their whole hog barbecue and smoked meats restaurant in a space at Transfer Company Food Hall. This will be their first brick and mortar location.
According to their Instagram post, they’ll be doing pop-up and pre-opening events while they work to get things up and running.
Seaboard Wine Red Tag Deal
Our friends at Seaboard Wine are now offering their Thrifty Thursday deal every day of the week. They just added more wines to their Red Tag sale, which includes over 150 wines from around the world. Their temporary store hours are 12pm to 6 pm, seven days a week.
Overflowing Hands
If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity during COVID, Overflowing Hands and Rocky Top Catering are in need of folks who can help donate/deliver meals to underprivileged children at over 50 sites in Wake County. The organization has distributed over 300,000 meals and community support is still needed. Here is the link to donate, or sign up to volunteer: www.overflowinghands.org
According to One Raleigh, Askew House is a vegetarian restaurant that will feature Fiction Kitchen Chef Caroline Morrison and Bittersweet’s Kim Hammer. They’re planning to open this summer and will have two floors of dining, as well as space available to rent for events.
Their website goes into more detail on the roles that Morrison and Hammer will play. “Askew House will allow Chef Caroline to further explore the realm of vegetarian and vegan fine dining, while she continues to cultivate Fiction Kitchen’s plant-based menu. She has most recently drawn the attention of the James Beard Foundation, having been named a 2019 fellow in its Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. She was also a featured chef at the James Beard House in New York City for New Voices: A Southern Supper progressive dinner on March 10, 2020.”
“Kim Hammer will be acting as Askew House’s dessert consultant and creative director. Hammer will continue to operate Bittersweet while also working as Creative Director of One Raleigh, the downtown hospitality group responsible for Johnson Street Yacht Club and now, Askew House.”
After nearly 70 years in business, Askew-Taylor Paints & Arts closed its doors for good in 2016. Since then, the property at 110 Glenwood has sat vacant and unused.
Lady Luck Opens On Glenwood
Lady Luck is now open at 222 Glenwood. The description on their Instagram.com profile indicates that this establishment provides “A unique social and dining experience. Locally sourced worldly inspiration.” They’ll offer small plates and cocktails.
Raleigh Magazine covered the story. According to the article, the team behind Lady Luck includes partners Kevin Ruiz (chef), Balu Torres, and Megan Corbally (beverage director -formerly of The Cortez), as well as general manager Cat Edman and creative director Hillman Ball (owner of Mainland Creative).
Torres is quoted in the article, “A core driver for the project was to showcase local talent rather than outsourcing to “celebrity” chefs. In reality we have talent here, we just need to support them and show them off. We’re going to show that locals, we can do that. And that young people in their late 20s can do that.”
Seaboard Wine Tastings
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting a free wine tasting Saturday, March 14 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Matt Matthews from Proof Distributing will be taking his first turn behind the Seaboard bar, pouring an eclectic selection of springtime wines from Austria, France and Spain.
All wine sampled at the tasting bar is discounted 10% off by the bottle and 15% off by the 1/2 case mix or match for you to take home and enjoy.
Their next Winter Wine Class will be held on March 27th. The class is $39 and you can make a reservation here.
The Willard Hotel Moves Forward
Permits have been issued for The Willard, a 7-story 142-room hotel on Glenwood South. Last year, we reported on the demolition that paved the way for the $15 million AC Hotel by Marriot.
The hotel was designed by Overcash Demmitt out of Charlotte and JDavis Architects out of Raleigh. Renderings released as part of a site review plan indicate the hotel’s exterior will be similar to the other trendy, upscale Marriott AC Hotels.
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Walter Tower Construction Underway At North Hills
We have learned through an exclusive press release from Kane Realty Corporation that construction is underway on the Walter at North Hills. Walter will be a 35-story mixed-use residential project consisting of 376 apartments, ranging from ~600 SF studios to +2,000 SF penthouses. The project will include ~6,500 SF of retail and an integrated parking deck.
Amenities will include a rooftop indoor/outdoor lounge on the 35th story, a 6th level resort style pool deck with an outdoor TV lounge and kitchen, a +3,500 SF wellness center consisting of a full service gym with locker, spa, and treatment rooms.
There will also be 21 penthouse residences located on the 32nd to 34th floors. Walter officially broke ground on January 20th and expects the first residents to move in Q1 2022.
Healing Transitions Plans Expansion
Recently filed plans indicate that the Healing Transitions facility is expanding its location at Dix Park. Plans call for an 18,410 square-foot expansion of the existing 41,058 SF facility, and the addition of a new 6,204 SF storage building to the 10-acre site. It should be noted that the site plans refer to this as “Phase 1” – which means it’s possible the facility will continue to grow in the coming years.
The Healing Place opened its treatment facility on the Dix Campus in 2001. Although it changed its name in 2016 to Healing Transitions, the facility has been providing free substance abuse treatment for nearly 20 years.
When the City of Raleigh acquired Dix Park in 2015 from the State of North Carolina, it took over the lease agreement with Healing Transitions and allowed the facility to remain on the site.
Parking Lot Coming To Warehouse District
A parking lot is coming to the Warehouse District. The former home of the Goodwill Community Foundation is currently being transformed into a paid surface parking lot.
Grading and land disturbance permits for the site at 321 W. Hargett have been issued. Last November, a non-residential demolition permit was applied for in order to remove the 80-year-old building.
A site review document filed with the City describes the overall project as a .4 acre parking lot. Although there’s no indication of what will be built on the site in the longer term, we can’t imagine that Highwoods, which purchased the land in July of 2019, will allow it to remain underdeveloped for too long.
Pi Day At Papa Murphy’s
We can confirm that THIS Saturday Papa Murphy’s is offering the Pi Day deal of a lifetime. Get a large thin crust two topping pizza for only $3.14. Stop by any of their nine Raleigh locations this Saturday for this in-store only offer.
Bloc83 Signs A Tower 2 Tenant
The TBJ recently shared the news that Envestnet, a financial services company, will be moving into Tower 2 of the Bloc83 development. They’ll take up three floors and 82,000 square feet.
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Raleigh’s skyline has been forever altered. The beloved/hated silo near the Boylan Bridge was removed this week. The silo had been used for silo purposes since the days of yore. More recently, it served as the backdrop to approximately 7 billion skyline pictures taken on the Boylan Bridge and the deck of Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing.
Some people loved the silo. Some people hated it. At a time like this, it’s important to take a step back and remember that we were the only media empire to provide live coverage of the devastating/joyous occasion.
The dismantling began early Wednesday morning.
Reactions to the loss of the silo were mixed. Some residents were glad to see it go, while others expressed mourning.
#drunktown I remember when that silo was a Shoney’s and before that it was an A&P Grocery store. Here they go changing again. Probably some McMansion or condos. Why can’t they just leave Raleigh like it was?!? Sorry meant to post this on Facebook
We aren’t sure what the future holds for the roughly 500 square feet of land that was home to the silo.
Please enjoy/dislike these final images of a piece of Raleigh’s history.
The Cookie People Open Soon
It looks like The Cookie People will open their new store in the next few weeks, according to a post on the popular website Instagram.com. Last October, we reported on the news from York Properties that The Cookie People were opening a retail location in Mission Valley.
The Cookie People (owners Darrin and April Morey) have been baking cookies and operating out of the State Farmer’s Market since 2008. They also operate a food truck and are available for catering.
They recently shared the news that they’re planning to open soon. We’ve been looking forward to this for months and can’t wait to try it out, in the name of journalism.
This week’s Saturday Seaboard Wine tasting features wines from the Iberian Peninsula. Stop by from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday (3/7) to try a fine selection of wines from Spain and Portugal.
Seaboard Wine’s Winter Wine Class series continues with a class on March 27th. Classes are $39 and you can make a reservation here.
Tesla Expanding On Glenwood
Tesla is set to expand its Raleigh presence. While the high-tech carmaker currently has a service and sales center located in Northwest Raleigh, we’ve heard that bidding is currently underway for the second phase of construction on a new service center at 7101 Glenwood Avenue.
Permits for the first phase were issued late last year to Management Resource Systems for a “change of use for Tesla Raleigh Service Center” – which makes it sound like they plan to re-use the space rather than tear down and build anew. The square footage listed on the permits matches up with the size of the existing building. The estimated project cost on the permits was listed at more than $2.6 million.
The 39-year-old, 38,0000 square-foot cinder block structure at 7101 Glenwood was previously home to a CompUSA and a Circuit City. In a way, by becoming a Tesla service center, the building is returning to its techie origins. We’d guess this will be open by the end of the year.
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Valentine Commons Rezoning Approved
City Council this week approved a somewhat unique rezoning case: one that impacts an already-built development. The Valentine Commons apartments on Valentine Drive were built in 2012. The rezoning case will “allow proposed amenity improvements to respond to competition and provide more of a community feel” for the 2.4-acre site.
The rezoning will allow part of the existing courtyard to be replaced by a low-story social lobby and fitness center, landscaping in the courtyard will be improved, a sixth-floor roof will have newly installed pavers, railings, and furniture to create another outdoor social area.
The rezoning case will also remove a requirement for retail space on the property, as Valentine Drive is considered a low-traffic area. In place of a retailer, the 1,000 square feet allotted for this purpose will be used for the Valentine Commons leasing office.
Both the Wade Citizens Advisory Council and the Raleigh Planning Commission voted in favor of the rezoning, which “aligns closely with those of the existing Planned Development” zoning classification.
A Fuller Elementary
Plans are underway to demolish Fuller Elementary School and build a new $44.4 million school in its place. Located at 806 Calloway Drive, the school will be torn down and rebuilt to meet “Wake County Public School System Program and Design Standards.”
The project website notes that the new school will result in “increased capacity [finished facility will have 46 classrooms], improved site circulation for buses and cars, improved physical education equipment and fields, and ADA accessibility.”
Construction of the new elementary school is scheduled to kick off in 2021, at which point students will be relocated to the Garner Ninth-Grade Center. The current schedule looks to have the new Fuller Elementary School open in time for the 2022/2023 school year.
First Bank On Six Forks
Six Forks could soon see the addition of a new bank. Permits were recently issued for First Bank’s new three-story location at 3620 Six Forks Road. The 1.09-acre lot was previously home to a SunTrust Bank building.
First Bank acquired the land in October 2018, and Barringer Construction received permits to tear down the existing building back in December 2019. There aren’t many details available on the new building yet. Permits describe it only as a three-story “type II-B” structure with 19,110 square-feet of “B” occupancy.
Reelin’ For Research Kick-off
Join us to kick-off this year’s Reelin’ for Research Tournament benefiting the NC Children’s Hospital and pediatric cancer research. Buy your ticket today and catch all the ACC Tournament action along with a BBQ dinner from the Villari Food Group and sides from The Fresh Market. There will be beer and wine donated by R&D Brewing. For more information about Reelin’ for Research go to www.reelinforresearch.org
Wednesday, March 11th (6:00-9:00pm) The Merrimon-Wynne House 500 North Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27604
Greenways Are The Best Ways
For the month of March, Oaks & Spokes and Oak City CRE are teaming up to offer a custom “Greenways are the Best Ways” t-shirt featuring a map of the Raleigh Greenway system. 51% of all proceeds go directly to Oaks & Spokes. T-shirts are screen printed by hand in Raleigh on Bella+Canvas Tri-Blend unisex shirts. Prices start at $26 and include free shipping.
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Old IHOP Might Be Renovated Or Demolished, Who Knows?
Editor’s Note: James wrote up the news that a clubhouse was being built as part of the Uncommon Apartments at 3020 Hillsborough Street. For some reason, I misread that as the location of another apartment project that’s under construction near the old IHOP at 1313 Hillsborough Street.
According to LiveOnHillsborough.com, the apartments surrounding the IHOP are being called 103 Park and 104 Ashe because nothing makes sense anymore. For some reason, I assumed the IHOP building was being converted into some sort of clubhouse for the surrounding apartments. I reached out to LiveOnHillsborough via chat to see if they could provide any insight.
To be clear, permits were issued last week for a 1,280 square foot clubhouse that will be part of the new Uncommon Apartments student housing building. That apartment building is located at 3020 Hillsborough street, which was formerly home to East Village, College Beverage, that car dealership or mechanic or whatever it was, and some other shops no one will remember.
The clubhouse will include a “club room” and “gaming.” Other amenities at the three-story complex will include a hammock garden, fire pits, a pool deck with cabanas, a weight room, and more.
So, what’s going to happen to the IHOP building? I assume the building will either be demolished or renovated as part of the surrounding apartments. Apologies for the confusion. It will probably happen again.
Ridge Road Apartments Planned
Ridge Road residents could soon be getting some new neighbors. Plans were recently filed by CCH Properties that call for the construction of a 3-story mixed-use building at 1209 Ridge Road. It seems that the building will include 17 residential units and approximately 3,000 square feet of retail.
The commercial portion of the project will most likely be used as office space.
Seaboard Wine Tasting
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting winemaker Franck Besson from Beaujolais this Saturday (2/29) from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Stop by and sample his exquisite wines from Julienas.
Seaboard Wine’s Winter Wine Class series continues with a sold out class on February 28th, followed by a class on March 27th. Classes are $39 and you can make a reservation here.
Their Thursday Flight Night series continues next Thursday from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm for $18 per person. This is an informal “taste at your own pace” format and you may sample at your leisure. Visit their Eventbrite for reservations and more info.
Calavera Closes, Opens Online
Calavera announced this week that they plan to close, open online, and use their physical space for private events. In an message obtained via Instagram, we learned the following:
“Hello everyone! We have received a lot of inquiries about when we will reopen. We have been waiting to make an announcement because we have sold our concept. Calavera will be available for online ordering soon, but not yet. We wanted to make the announcement when delivery is up and running, but, we didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer. We will post as soon as you are able to order Calavera through Grubhub.
As for the building, we have been making renovations and it is available for private events, like our extremely successful Drag Brunch, which will be held the last Sunday of each month. DM us for event inquiries. Thank you to everyone that has made Calavera a part of your lives for so many years!”
In 2019, we reported on Calavera’s move to the former home of Moonlight Pizza. The empanada and tequila bar was previously located at 444 S. Blount Street until early 2018.
Standard Beer and Food Plans To Open In March
Standard Beer and Food should be open by mid-March, according to an Instagram comment we obtained via looking at Instagram for hours this week.
In October of 2019, we reported on progress at Standard Beer and Food. A little over a year after the April 2018 closure of Standard Foods it was announced that the owners of Bond Brothers would be re-opening the space as Standard Beer and Food.
In June 2019, the News & Observer reported that Whit Baker and Andy Schnitzer had been looking for a location adjacent to “communities [that would] support it.”
“We’re getting rid of the market and adding the brewery function, but we’re keeping the philosophy of regional producers and artisans,” Schnitzer told the News & Observer at the time. “The food program will not be the same. It’ll be more casual, but not your traditional brewpub.”
The pair said any renovations to the space at 205 E. Franklin Street would be minor.
Crafty Crab In The Neighborhood
Permits were recently issued to transform the former home of Applebee’s on Hillsborough Street into Crafty Crab, a seafood chain out of Florida.
In December of 2019, our friends over at the Triangle Food Blog reported that a “Coming Soon” sign had appeared in the window of the Applebee’s at 3625 Hillsborough Street. The sign was for Crafty Crab, a chain that currently operates about 14 locations in five states.
Permits for the renovation at 3625 Hillsborough were valued at more than $250,000 and issued to 3Y Construction. We’d guess Crafty Crab would be open for business later this year.
New ABC Store Coming To Glenwood
A new ABC store is coming to Glenwood Avenue near the Townridge Shopping Center. Permits were recently issued for the construction of a 8,725 square foot building at 6809 Davis Circle. The new store is more than twice as large as the existing ABC Store across the street, allowing for a much wider selection of alcoholic beverages.
Site plans for the new ABC Store look pretty standard. Although, for a second we mistook a loading dock for a drive-thru, and imagined that this would become the most popular liquor store in the county.
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NCFC Teams Up With Dreamville
The North Carolina Football Club announced that Dreamville Festival will serve as its front-of-jersey sponsor for its men’s professional soccer team, North Carolina FC (NCFC), leading into the world-renowned music festival in April. The sponsorship includes Dreamville Festival’s logo on the front of NCFC’s official home and away jerseys.
The second annual Dreamville Festival will take place on Saturday, April 4 at Dorothea Dix Park. The festival was founded by GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist and producer J. Cole. Last year, the festival welcomed over 40,000 guests. The festival benefits the Dreamville Foundation and the Dix Park Conservancy.
Authentic jerseys can be purchased online. Each jersey purchased between now and March 6 will come with a ticket to NCFC’s home opener on Saturday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m. against Louisville City FC. Those who purchase a jersey during this period will also be entered to win two VIP tickets to the Dreamville Festival and two VIP Suite tickets to an NCFC home game of the winner’s choice.
Other News
Root Rocks Fundraiser March 6th
The Root Rocks celebration will be held on Friday, March 6th. The fundraiser is free and open to the public and will feature live music from The Remedy band, food, drinks, and a LIVE and SILENT auction.
The Root Foundation is hoping to reach its 2020-2021 fundraising goal of $200,000 to support teaching positions like Spanish, art, STEM, AIG, and reading intervention. Click here to make your donation to the foundation.
The Aldert Root Elementary Foundation funds additional teaching positions above those provided by the Wake County Public School System budget. The Foundation only funds teaching positions, while the PTA funds school supplies, teacher training, and other school needs.
When: March 6th from 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Where: Hummingbird 1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd. – Plan to Uber/Lyft/White Horse as parking is limited
Peace Street Bridge Remains Undefeated
Vote For Brewgaloo To Win Best Beer Festival In America
Brewgaloo 2020 will be held April 24-25th in downtown Raleigh. The festival features over 110 craft breweries from around NC, as well as local food trucks, vendors, and bands.
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REMINDER: Logan’s Garden Shop isn’t going anywhere. Their property is separate from the planned Seaboard Station redevelopment.
Details have emerged on plans for the future of Seaboard Station, thanks to an exclusive administrative site review plan from Hoffman & Associates. Titled for now as Block B, this portion of Seaboard Station will include 449,554 square feet of mixed-use development (retail, restaurant, and residential use).
Block B will be housed in a 7-story building located at 18 Seaboard Avenue. It will include residential parking and 299 high-end apartment units (231 one-bedrooms, 65 two-bedrooms and 3 three-bedrooms). The existing 19,000 square-foot building that was home to the 18 Seaboard restaurant will be torn down.
A presentation from Hoffman & Associates at a December Appearance Commission meeting describes the overall development: “The site includes 2 building towers on a below-grade parking garage with a shared amenity space between. Restaurants are proposed for the first floor of both buildings.”
According to plans included with the presentation, the hotel will feature a rooftop restaurant, and the streets will be lined with several amenities, including a fountain, wooden decking with flowering trees, “vine pocketing” on the building facades, and more.
Construction on Block A, which includes more apartments, restaurant, retail, and hotel, and Block B is scheduled to begin later this year.
Designing Dix Park Gateway Plaza and Play
City Council authorized contract negotiations with a top-ranked design team for work on the new Dix Park Gateway Plaza and Play. This area will eventually serve as the principle entrance to Dix Park.
Totaling 12.5 acres, the Gateway will feature a 4-5 acre plaza and play area. The main goal for the Gateway is to create a “destination and an invitation to enter and explore other parts of the park.” The project may also involve the renovation of two historic homes to provide support services for the area.
According to a staff memo, nine proposals for designing Gateway Plaza and Play were received. Following a review, four firms were shortlisted for the job. Of those, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. scored the highest.
City Council voted to authorize negotiations with Valkenburgh, who also did the Master Plan for Dix Park. Once negotiations are complete, City Council will need to authorize the final contract. In 100% related news, the Jurassic Park jeep was recently spotted in Raleigh.
Seaboard Wine Tastings and Events
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a free tasting Saturday 02/22 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Eddie Pellino with Haw River Wine Man will be pouring new arrivals and new vintages from Italy and Spain, including:
Garciarevalo Finca Tresolmos Verdejo; Rueda, Spain Parpinello Ala Blanca Vermentino; Sardegna, Italy Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano; Tuscany, Italy Bidoli Merlot; Friuli, Italy Morisfarms Mandriolo Rosso; Maremma, Tuscany, Italy D. Ventura Pena do Lobo; Ribeira Sacra, Spain
We’d also like to remind everyone that Seaboard Wine has an ever changing selection of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines at the bar. Stop by Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Arrichion Hot Yoga + Circuit Training Coming to Gateway Plaza
Arrichion Hot Yoga and Circuit Training will soon open its second Raleigh location in a space at the Gateway Plaza Shopping Center, not to be confused with the Dix Park Gateway Plaza and Play.
The fitness chain derives its name from an ancient Greek Olympian named Arrichion, a champion of “pankration,” a sport that bears a strong resemblance to modern-day MMA.
Although he died in the ring, legend (Wikipedia) has it that Arrichion was “never defeated at Olympia,” as his fatal fight was described thusly:
“For when he was contending for the wild olive with the last remaining competitor, whoever he was, the latter got a grip first, and held Arrhachion, hugging him with his legs, and at the same time he squeezed his neck with his hands. Arrhachion dislocated his opponent’s toe, but expired owing to suffocation; but he who suffocated Arrhachion was forced to give in at the same time because of the pain in his toe. The Eleans crowned and proclaimed victor the corpse of Arrhichion.”
Hopefully the sessions at Arrichion are a little less intense. Callahan Construction is fitting out a vacant, 2,258 square-foot space at 2409 Crabtree Boulevard to accommodate Arrichion.
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Cary Still Doesn’t Have An Ikea
The Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to spend up to $2.36 million per year for 25 years to fund the construction of a 100,000-square-foot indoor sports complex in Cary. Raleigh City Council agreed to a joint funding proposal earlier this week.
The facility would focus on drawing “highly competitive tournaments and activities” that would attract regional and national participants and drive overnight visitation to Wake County. The Town of Cary would build, operate, and manage the complex with additional financing coming from “limited obligation bonds and corporate partners” (don’t count on IKEA to chip in).
Plans for the complex include: 25,000 square feet of multi-purpose space 12 full-sized basketball courts (could convert to 20 full-sized volleyball courts) Arena seating for 4,000 Esports amenities Full-service restaurant Elevated walkway Childcare space Weight room, workout space, and walking track
“The hospitality tax would provide about $35 million of the project’s estimated $193 million cost,” said Wake County Commissioner Susan Evans. “This would be money well spent, because we don’t have anything like this facility in the county now, and I’m very excited about the new opportunities it would provide. The location is ideal.”
Some could argue that the location, Cary, is not ideal.
Progress On 321 Coffee
321 Coffee recently shared the news that they are $50,000 away from their fundraising goal to open a storefront location. The nonprofit coffee shop is staffed by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and operates in partnership with students from NC State. Donations will help create a self-sustaining storefront that will provide meaningful work experiences to individuals with IDD year after year.
Last year, we reported that 321 Coffee had opened a retail location at the State Farmers Market. They have already done some amazing work and are ready to expand. According to their website, 321 Coffee operates over twenty hours a week and employs twenty-one individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Brewgaloo 2020 will be held April 24-25th in downtown Raleigh. The festival features over 110 craft breweries from around NC, as well as local food trucks, vendors, and bands.
Raleigh Is the 2nd Best Capital To Live In, According To Site That Ends Headlines With A Preposition
A report from WalletHub has determined that Raleigh is the 2nd best Capital in which to live.
Outdoor Hockey Is Coming to Carter-Finley
The North Carolina Hurricanes recently announced that the NHL Stadium Series will be played at Carter-Finley in 2021.
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Demolition is underway on the former home of the Post Office in Cameron Village. In 2019, WakeMed announced plans to renovate and redevelop the two-story building into a medical office building. We have learned via Instagram that the layout of the building didn’t work for WakeMed, resulting in the demolition.
York Properties commented on the plans to renovate and remodel, “That was the original intent. Unfortunately the building layout didn’t work for the new tenant’s needs. So, while we’re sad to see a piece of our company’s history demolished, a new piece is being built. And, as #SmedesYork always says, “You can’t rest on your laurels.” Even better, WakeMed will end up with a wonderful parking situation (a much-coveted feature here in Cameron Village) and a brand new facility with which to serve our community!”
The existing 42,184 sq ft office building was originally constructed in the early 1960s. Monteith Construction applied for “shell building” permits for the new two-story structure in July of 2019. As development experts, we believe construction will begin once the demolition is finished.
Onward Reserve Coming To Cameron Village
A new outdoor-lifestyle store is coming to Cameron Village, Raleigh’s finest retail destination. Cameron Village announced that upscale men’s clothier Onward Reserve would be opening this summer in the space formerly occupied by the Certain Things boutique at 404 Daniels Street.
Onward Reserve “mixes laid-back southern hospitality with a world class retail atmosphere.” The shop features a range of men’s clothing – from button downs and pants to leather boots and zip-up sweaters – alongside accessories like hats, belts, sunglasses, and a “Trout Decanter Set.” We thought Orvis had the fish-themed decanter set market cornered, so it’s nice to see someone giving them some competition.
Seaboard Wine Events and Tastings
Seaboard Wine’s first Flight Night is Thursday (2/13) from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Doreen Colondres from Vitishouse Wine School will be hand slicing Fermin Iberico jamon from Spain, the finest ham in the world, while the staff of Seaboard will be pouring a flight of three fine French Champagnes. Tickets are $20/person and can be purchased here.
The Champagne and Sparkling Wine 15% off bottle sale runs through Friday. They will also be pouring glasses of fancy French Champagne at the bar all day through Friday ($14 per glass).
Seaboard Wine will continue to offer free Saturday wine tastings from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Check their website for the schedule.
Work Begins On Iris Coffee Lab
Work is underway on Glenwood South’s newest coffee spot, Iris Coffee Lab. We first reported on the plans back in June of 2019. At the time, EatRaleigh noted that signage for the shop was already in place. An unusually long permitting process delayed plans to open the store in the former home of Voda Boutique, which relocated to North Hills.
City records and Iris Coffee Lab’s Instagram indicate that permits valued at more than $100,000 were issued to Majesty Construction & Consulting in the first week of February, paving the way for what we imagine will be a late spring 2020 opening.
Snooze Coming To SOJO (Midtown East)
A new restaurant is coming to SOJO (the Midtown East shopping center) off Wake Forest Road. Final bidding is underway on Snooze, a 6,731 square-foot breakfast and brunch spot. This will be the chain’s first entry into the region. Snooze has more than 30 locations in the U.S.
Located at 1110 Mercantile Drive, the new restaurant will feature avocado toast, “hockey puck” hash browns, a “Pancake flight”, and more. Their typical hours of operation are 6:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Given the current status of the project, we imagine construction will be complete at some point this fall, although it’s hard to say definitively.
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Quail Corners Wants To Expand
The Quail Corners shopping center could soon be expanding onto an adjacent parcel of land totaling nearly 3 acres. The owners of the shopping center recently filed a rezoning case which would change the zoning on two properties at 1200 and 1204 East Millbrook from R-4 to CX-3. That is, it would change the allowed use on the land from four residential units per acre to commercial mixed-use.
Building height on the new development would be limited to two stories. We are not aware of specific plans or what new shops or restaurants may occupy the space. The Quail Corners shopping center was first built in 1969. County records indicate it’s been under the same ownership since at least 1978.
Kay Yow Cancer Fund Run/Walk Feb. 22
The 2020 Kay Yow Cancer Fund Celebration Run/Walk will be held on February 22nd at NC State. Your participation and fundraising will enable the Fund to continue to make an impact in the fight against all cancers affecting women. Sign-up to participate or donate here.
Where: Stafford Commons at NC State University When: Saturday, February 22, 2020 Time: On-site check-in begins at 9 a.m., Run/Walk begins at 11 a.m. Distance: 4K (approximately 2.5 miles) and “mini-K” routes available
General Admission Ticket includes: full open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, silent auction tables, tarot card readers, and live music with Diverse Groove. $50 for members, $60 for non-members
VIP Ticket includes: full open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, silent auction tables, tarot card readers, live music with Diverse Groove, a private room with a full open bar with premium liquor selection, a private food table, and a lounge area. PLUS! VIPs get 30 minutes before the event (7:30pm) to tour the Toy Boom exhibition with a glass of champagne. Get the true experience with VIP! Space is limited. $70 for members, $80 for non-members
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EatRaleigh shared that Longleaf Hotel is offering a coffee service
OakCityCRE shared that fencing is up at the former Goodwill property. Last summer, we reported that Highwoods Realty paid $6.4 million for the property at 321 West Hargett St. in downtown Raleigh.
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Approved: Up To 40-story Development In Warehouse District
City Council has approved a rezoning that allows for up to 40 stories to be built on a site in the Warehouse District. The area is currently home to CAM, HQ Raleigh, and a few other offices. The 1.88 acres are located in the block bounded by Davie Street, Harrington Street, Martin Street, and West Street.
Buildings on the lot include 406 W Davie St, 310 and 324 S Harrington Street, which were part of the Raleigh Cotton Oil & Furniture Co in the days of yore. The factory campus, constructed in the late 1800s, was one of the largest factories in Raleigh and operated until 1920.
City Staff noted that the project will demolish several historic resources on the existing site, which is located within the Depot National Register Historic District. This district contains “the city’s only significant collection of buildings related to the heyday of railroad transportation and shipping in Raleigh”.
The Planning Commission and the local Citizens Advisory Council both voted unanimously in favor of the case. The CAC vote was “contingent on affordable housing being offered as a zoning condition.” Developers offered conditions that would include affordable housing and keeping the historic facades and building materials.
New Cocktail Program And Event Space At BREW In Gateway Plaza
We can confirm that BREW has opened a large event space and added a full cocktail bar to their location in Gateway Plaza at 2409 Crabtree Blvd. In an exclusive interview (a press release we received via e-mail), co-owner Cindy Sholar shared details.
“As we looked around our community, we realized that we could bring what we loved so much about the mornings – gathering together for a cup of coffee – and extend it into the evening with a full bar. Once we had the vision down, leasing enough space to be able to host people day and night was just the next logical step.”
The Community Room is a 2,000 sq ft space located directly adjacent to the main BREW space. It features a full coffee bar and has the capability to add a full cocktail bar. The space can accommodate up to 150 people and is available to rent in three-hour blocks throughout the week. Check out their website for more details.
BREW has also extended their hours, added a full selection of signature cocktails, beer, and wine, and added a much larger selection of food.
BREW Coffee bar has been a local staple in the coffee scene for the last five years. They have 2 other locations in the area: 2310 Bale St (across from Mami Nora’s on Wake Forest Rd) and 122 E. Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511 (located inside the Cary Theater).
Seaboard Wine Events and Tastings
Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village is kicking off a weekly “Flight Night” wine tasting every Thursday from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm with a special guest and theme. Get an early start on Valentine’s Day on Thursday (2/13) with Doreen Colondres from Vitishouse Wine School. Doreen will be hand slicing Fermin Iberico jamon from Spain, the finest ham in the world, while the staff of Seaboard will be pouring a flight of three fine French Champagnes.
The Flight Night is an informal format but the event does end at 7:00 pm. Make your reservations here.
Their weekly Saturday tastings will continue this weekend (02/08/20) from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Bradley Beavers with Winebow will be pouring a selection of wines from around the world including South Africa, Serbia, New Zealand, Spain and Washington State.
Seaboard Wine’s next Winter Wine Class will be held February 28th from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm. Each class is $39. You can make a reservation here.
Beer and Pizza Restaurants Planned For 3800 Glenwood
Two new restaurants are planned for the 3800 Glenwood building. An insider sent us a letter from Grubb Ventures, the developer of 3800 Glenwood, that states: “We are excited to announce two new food and beverage options that will likely open near the end of the year. The Pizza Press Restaurant and The Glenwood Taproom have both decided to locate in the 3800 building.”
An extensive Google search returned nothing on The Glenwood Taproom. However, Google informed us that The Pizza Press Restaurant has locations nationwide, including one in Chapel Hill. Their website also lists Raleigh, NC on their “Coming Soon!” section.
We recently reported that 3800 Glenwood hoped to open in May of 2020. The five-story building, designed by architectural firm Duda Paine, will include 114,000 square feet of Class A office space, as well as restaurant space on the ground floor.
A Capital Rezoning
City Council has approved a rezoning case for the old Capital Plaza hotel. The hotel at 2815 Capital Boulevard has sat vacant since 2005. Hardly any news of its redevelopment was available until last year when this rezoning case surfaced. Nothing has been done at the 8-acre site since it was auctioned off in 2011 to the development firm CB Hotel.
The property will remain CX-5 (conditional use with a maximum height of five stories), but the approval by City Council removed restrictions preventing residential development not classified as “congregant care.”
While County records indicate the property is still in the hands of CB Hotel, the rezoning application was filed by Alliance Residential, one of the nation’s largest private multi-family developers. We’ve heard that Alliance may be in the process of purchasing the property from CB, but have not been able to confirm this.
According to a report prepared by City Staffers, the request was determined to be inconsistent with the Future Land Use Map but consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The Atlantic CAC voted 20-2 to recommend approval of the request on the condition that a pedestrian-friendly connection is provided from Capital Blvd to the rear of the Site.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the project, but also recommended that Council “consider the impacts of reducing the block perimeter standard on the street network in the area.”
So what does that all mean? We’re guessing an apartment development.
24 Hour Fitness Could Replace Life Time Fitness On Six Forks
We have it on good authority that the Life Time Fitness at the SOJO (Midtown Corner) shopping center on 601 East Six Forks Road will be replaced with a 24 Hour Fitness.
Further bolstering this claim is a flyer for Midtown Corner from Foundry Commercial that lists a 44,000+ square-foot “Fitness” space as “Coming Soon.” We also uncovered a new fitness facility on renderings of Midtown Corner. The logo in said rendering bears a very strong resemblance to the 24 Hour Fitness logo.
As best we can tell, the Life Time closed down in late 2019. If the 24 Hour Fitness rumor pans out, this would mark the chain’s first entry into North Carolina.
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The Merchant NC Coming To Salisbury Street
Through reading Ashton Smith’s Raleigh, over-easy newsletter, we have discovered that The Merchant NC is coming to 126 S. Salisbury Street. It appears that Local Icon Hospitality is behind this new bar and restaurant. They’re the same group that has had success with The Architect, Linus & Peppers, Virgil’s Taco, The Green Light, and Little City Brewing.
According to their website, The Merchant NC “pays homage to a forgotten piece of Raleigh history.” We have also learned that “a vintage, secret door provides an escape to a cocktail experience nestled in classic atmosphere with modern flair. The Merchant will offer guests a carefully selected lineup of classic and adventurous cocktail options along with a chef-driven bar bites menu”. Exciting!
NC State Greek Village Phase IV
NC State University is looking to hire a Commissioning team that will oversee both the design and construction phases of its long-planned Greek Village project. The project will transform the old Greek Court into the new Greek Village.
The fourth phase – there are a total of five planned – will include the construction of “three multi-residential buildings comprised of townhouses and apartments” totaling about 83,000 sq ft in size, along with seven additional house lots for individual organizations.
The Greek organizations receiving new housing lots in Phase IV include: Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Order, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Pi Beta Phi, and Pi Kappa Phi.
The total project budget for Phase IV is a whopping $36 million. The buildings will be constructed on a site just south of Western Boulevard and east of Varsity Drive on NC State’s South Campus. They are expected to open in time for the 2023 school year.
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Broughton’s Webb Simpson won the Waste Management Phoenix Open in a thrilling playoff. It was the most important sporting event held last weekend.
He also had the third hole-in-one of his career.
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The 3800 Glenwood building could be open by May of this year. An insider sent us a letter from Grubb Ventures, the developer, that states: “Our goal is to open the new 3800 Glenwood building in May.”
Located at the intersection of I-440 and Glenwood Ave, work on the building began in 2019.
The five-story building, designed by architectural firm Duda Paine, will include 114,000 square feet of Class A office space, as well as restaurant space on the ground floor. The letter also states that over 50% of the office space is leased.
The building is part of the Glenwood Place development. According to Grubb Ventures, Glenwood Place is “plotted to become a mixed-use community with multiple Class A office buildings featuring multiple restaurants, a boutique hotel, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, and upscale apartment homes.”
Raleigh Iron Works Updates
Jamestown and Grubb Ventures recently announced a partnership to create Raleigh Iron Works, a project we first covered in 2017. The development will be located on Atlantic Avenue across from Dock 1053.
The first phase of this multi-phase project will create nearly 500,000 square feet of office space, 90,000+ square feet of retail, and 220 residential units. Construction will begin in 2020 and continue through 2023 with plans for additional development.
We obtained the following exclusive quote from Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown, “While these types of iconic adaptive reuse projects are hard to come by, they are part of Jamestown’s DNA. Raleigh Iron Works preserves a piece of the city’s industrial past while creating a dynamic environment for creators, thinkers, and innovators to thrive.”
The initial phase of the project is valued at more than $150M. It will include the renovation of steel mills and warehouses that were once part of Peden Steel, as well as construction of a seven-story multi-family building. The historic buildings will be repurposed into office and retail spaces.
The development will offer a mix of food and beverage options, boutiques, health and wellness, event and outdoor spaces, featuring regular activations including public events and performances.
One interesting note from the exclusive press release we received via e-mail: “Jamestown will leverage its leadership in the culinary space and relationship with the James Beard Foundation to bring dynamic food offerings to the property.”
Seaboard Wine Tasting 2/1
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a free wine tasting this Saturday (2/1) from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Manual Magnani and Elia Gentili from Sunrise Wines are back behind the bar pouring a delicious selection of Italian wines from Sicily (all bio-dynamic) and beyond, including:
Palmarès Spumante Extra Dry; Mazara del Vallo, Sicily Gorghi Tondi ‘Coste a Preola’ Grillo; Mazara del Vallo, Sicily Gorghi Tondi ‘Dumé’ Frappato; Mazara del Vallo, Sicily Sterparo Primitivo; Basilicata, Italy I Probi di Papiano Sangiovese Riserva; Emila-Romagna, Italy Villa di Corlo Lambrusco Grasparossa; Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Seaboard Wine’s next Winter Wine Class will be held February 28th from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm. Each class is $39. You can make a reservation here.
Haunted Restaurant Gets Mysterious New Tenant
The former home of Mexican restaurant Xoco on Glenwood Avenue will soon be home to a mysterious new tenant, per a set of recently issued renovation permits.
Carolina Design & Construction was issued permits valued at more than $350,000 for the alteration/change of use of suite 300 at 410 Glenwood Avenue, also known as The Creamery Building.
The space has been home to a number of restaurants over the years. Prior to rebranding as Xoco, it operated as a Dos Taquitos. Before that, “The Diner,” and before that, the Hard Times Café.
The recently-issued permits don’t give the name or type of business that will be moving into the space. We’re not sure why this is, but we’ll speculate that it has something to do with the reported ghosts that were “certified” to be haunting the business back in 2018.
According to a report from ABC11, ASAP Paranormal confirmed that the space was haunted, which included mysterious laughter, strange shadows, and more. Can’t wait to check it out!
Progress On Woodburn
Construction progress continues on the Woodburn condominiums, located at the intersection of Smallwood Drive and Daniels Street. Formerly The Cameron Village apartments, the project is a demo and reconstruction of the original apartments on the original foundations.
Adjustments are being made to allow for better insulation, higher ceilings, new windows, and more, while allowing the project to preserve the scale, site, trees, and setting of the originals. When all three phases are complete, the project will have 72 one-bedroom condos.
The Woodburn is being designed by New City Design, built by McDonald York Building Company, and marketed by Allen Tate Realtors. It is expected that the first half of the project will be completed by the second quarter of 2020.
Target Takeover On Six Forks
Raleigh’s last Kmart announced plans last month to close its doors for good after more than 30 years in business. Plans were recently announced for the future of the space at 8701 Six Forks Road: a total Target takeover.
A spokesperson for Target told the News & Observer that the beloved retail chain will be opening a 114,000 square-foot store at the site, although no timeline is available at this point.
According to the folks over at ABC11, the only remaining Kmart in the state is located in Kill Devil Hills, despite the Kmart website listing two others in Clemmons & Waynesville.
The Six Forks Kmart is currently undergoing a liquidation, and it is expected to close for good by the middle of February.
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Hotel Planned For Southeast Raleigh
A vacant lot on Virtuous Street in Southeast Raleigh (or maybe North Garner?) could soon be home to a seven-story hotel. A rezoning application was recently filed to upzone the 3.63-acre property from IX-3 to IX-7, allowing for a development of up to seven stories in height.
Per the application, the plan is to develop a hotel on the site that would “help support the growth of commercial activity in the area.” The site is roughly 15 minutes from the downtown Convention Center and is right in the backyard of several of Raleigh’s biggest tourist attractions, including Pepsi Bottling Ventures, Sunbelt Rentals, and the Integrity Drive Burger King.
No information on the type or branding of the hotel is provided in the rezoning application, which will require vetting by City staffers, the Planning Commission, and City Council before approval.
The application was filed by an LLC tracing back to a local development/contracting firm that built the nearby Generosity I office building. If the development of Generosity I is any indication, it seems likely the property owner will both develop and build out the hotel themselves.
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It’s been over a year since the derailment of a plan to demolish the Bellwood Condos and replace them with apartments behind Cameron Village. It seems those plans are back on track, but with a new developer.
Multiple tips from our loyal insiders indicate this project is back on after 100% of the owners agreed to sell their property late last year. The deal closed earlier this month with a new developer. The new project should look similar to what was proposed by The Worthing Companies in 2018.
Expect about 355 apartment units, a wrapped parking garage, improved drainage, and 5-6 stories depending where on the property you are. We’ve heard a certain percentage of the units will be dedicated to affordable housing, but we won’t know until site plans are filed.
Raleigh Convention Center Wants More Hotel Rooms
The Raleigh Convention Center says more hotel rooms are needed. The City Council was presented with plans to issue a request for interest for a hotel and development project in downtown Raleigh.
The development will be located on city-owned surface parking lots along Fayetteville Street in front of Memorial Auditorium (Duke Energy Center). The available 2.5-acre site includes two parcels. Right-of-way is mapped to extend Fayetteville Street through the property creating two sites, each about one acre. The land is currently zoned for 40 stories.
The City of Raleigh is issuing this Request For Interest (RFI) to solicit “creative responses from capable and experienced development teams” interested in developing the hotel and office/mixed-use tower projects, or the hotel project only.
According to a staff memo, the Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) hosted around 260 events with more than 450,000 attendees in 2018. However, “limited hotel rooms around the RCC impacts the size and number of conferences and events that the RCC can host. Two studies over the past several years, including the Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau Destination Strategic Plan, indicated that an additional 400-500+ hotel rooms are needed to support the existing venue and for future RCC expansion.”
The 500,000 square foot RCC and connected 401-room Marriott opened in 2008. The City recently committed $5M to optimize sales efforts and operations at the RCC.
The document outlines goals for the project: Hotel 500+ rooms with comparable meeting space National brand Upper upscale (not a typo) Full service
Office/Mixed-use Class A office tower with major anchor tenant Ground level retail, residential, other creative ideas Headquarters site
Site & Parking Below-grade parking spanning both sites, including underneath Fayetteville Street 2 one-acre blocks Zoned by-right for 40 stories
The document lists Incentives for the project: Infrastructure Assistance of $30 million of public funding for the right project, with flexible application: parking, infrastructure, etc. Opportunity Zone Other incentives are negotiable as allowed by North Carolina Law
The document also states that “To grow tourism and promote economic development, the City of Raleigh and Wake County approved $14 million in 2019 from Hospitality Tax revenue to buy needed land near the convention center for future center use, $5 million in 2021 to improve and optimize the convention center, and planned $230 million for a convention center expansion as early as 2028. Hospitality Tax revenue also is committed to cover 95% of ongoing capital maintenance for the venue.”
The RFI will be released January 27, followed by a pre-proposal meeting in Raleigh on February 21. RFI submittals are due on March 27. Just a heads up to other developers, ITB Insider will be submitting a proposal.
Seaboard Wine Tasting
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are holding a free tasting Saturday (1/25) from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Toby from Tryon Distributing (and the second best dressed wine rep in the Triangle) will be pouring samples of some store favorites from around the world, including:
Santa Barbara Verdicchio 2018; Marche, Italy Ponzi Pinot Gris 2017; Willamette Valley, Oregon Mayu Pedro Ximenez 2018; Valle de Elqui, Chile Chateau de Pizay Beaujolais 2018; Burgundy, France Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2018; Barossa Valley, Australia Gundlach Bundschu Mountain Cuvée 2017; Sonoma County, CA
Seaboard Wine is also kicking off their Winter Wine Class series. Classes will be held from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm on January 24th, February 28th, and March 27th. Each class is $39 or you can take all three for $99. You can make a reservation here.
Return Of The Mac and Cheese
Noodles & Co. will return to Cameron Village this summer. York Properties teased the announcement on Instagram, before confirming the news that the restaurant would be moving in to the former home of Sugarland.
We began investigating this development last October and can confirm that we predicted this would happen.
Denver Firm Buys Sojourn Glenwood Place For $83 Million
A Denver-based real estate investment firm spent $83 million just to be inside the beltline. According to the TBJ, Ascentris Real Estate bought Sojourn Glenwood Place, which was developed by Grubb Ventures and Walton Street Capital of Chicago. Located at 3710 Exchange Glenwood Place, the 40-acre property features a newly built 296-unit apartment complex, as well as office and mixed-use buildings.
Longleaf Hotel Opens
The Longleaf Hotel is now open. Our friend Ashton Smith reported in her newsletter that the Longleaf held a soft opening last week. It appears that the hotel is now taking reservations. They recently shared the following on Instagram:
“The Longleaf Hotel & Lounge—downtown Raleigh’s independent boutique hotel—is NOW OPEN! Enjoy a stylish mid-century stay with modern amenities and a local’s touch. Sip and snack at The Longleaf Lounge and our lobby coffee bar, both welcoming visitors and locals alike. Whether you’re from near or far, we can’t wait to see you here! #LongLiveLongleaf”
Located at 300 North Dawson, The Longleaf replaced the Days Inn, which many considered to be The Ritz-Carlton of Raleigh. Local developer Loden Properties purchased the property for $5 million, as well as the adjoining property for $1.5 million.
Ashley Christensen Names New Restaurant
Ashley Christensen has revealed that her new fast-casual chicken sandwich restaurants will be named BB’s Crispy Chicken. Christensen, the recipient of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in the country, has partnered with MDO Holdings on the restaurants.
She elaborated on the name in an exclusive press release that we received via e-mail, “The name started out as a nickname that Michael Olander, Jr. (CEO, MDOH) and I used to refer to this project when it was still just an idea. We were sitting in Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, my full-service restaurant dedicated to fried chicken, and joked that this new venture would be like a ‘baby Beasley’s,’ so we started referring to it as BB’s. After trying out many other options for names, we couldn’t shake this one—it resonated with everyone in our group. I love that it nods to my fried chicken origin story, while also being a distinct, standalone identity—one that encapsulates the approachable, fun, community-driven feel that we’re aiming for with this project.”
According to our exclusive source, BB’s will offer five different sandwiches, all designed to highlight Christensen’s favorite fried chicken pairings. We have learned that each sandwich starts with a “golden-brown, shatteringly crispy fried chicken breast on a locally made, fresh brioche bun with a swipe of mayo.”
Guests can add toppings, sauces, and also opt for char-grilled chicken or cornmeal-fried green tomatoes. BB’s will offer an array of freshly prepared sides, salads, milkshakes, and wine and beer. Menu items will be priced from $3 to $8.
Three locations are expected to open in 2020, with the first in early summer at the Midtown East shopping center in SOJO (off Wake Forest Road). The other two locations are at Durham’s University Hill and Cary’s Parkside Town Commons. You can follow BB’s on Instagram for more updates.
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Transportation Department Finds New Home In Union Station
The City’s Transportation Department is on the move. City Council awarded the construction contract for a 6,200 square foot office space in Raleigh’s Union Station that will become home to the Transportation Department.
The department, whose staff is currently spread across multiple locations including 310 W. Martin, the Poole Road Transit Operations Facility, and the Raleigh Municipal Building, will soon be located in the lower mezzanine area of Union Station.
According to a staff memo, consolidating the staff will enable them to “work more effectively in implementing Wake Transit initiatives and on the expansion of the GoRaleigh and Bus Rapid Transit programs, while also improving existing services.”
The new offices at Union Station will include “two conference rooms, offices, a reception area, a break area, restrooms, open offices, and storage areas.” The offices will be utilized until permanent office space is available with the planned Civic Campus project.
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Broughton Hosts Play4Kay Game February 4th
The 3rd Annual Play4Kay game will be held Tuesday, February 4th as Broughton takes on Leesville. The Varsity Women tip off at 5:00 pm, followed by the Varsity Men at 6:30 pm. Broughton’s Sports & Entertainment Marketing 2 classes are putting on the event as a class project with the goal of raising $15,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
A Webb Simpson autographed 2012 US Open Annual, perhaps the most important piece of sports memorabilia ever, will be auctioned off as part of the Silent Auction. All silent auction items were donated so 100% of the winning bids will go to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting innovative ways of fighting all cancers affecting women and providing support through giving strength, courage, and hope. Donate here. Check out and bid on the Silent Auction items.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Deadline to be included in the banners and programs is 3:00 PM Friday, January 24.
General Admission Ticket includes: full open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, silent auction tables, tarot card readers, and live music with Diverse Groove. $50 for members, $60 for non-members
VIP Ticket includes: full open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, silent auction tables, tarot card readers, live music with Diverse Groove, a private room with a full open bar with premium liquor selection, a private food table, and a lounge area. PLUS! VIPs get 30 minutes before the event (7:30pm) to tour the Toy Boom exhibition with a glass of champagne. Get the true experience with VIP! Space is limited. $70 for members, $80 for non-members
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Say goodbye to the Boylan Heights pit. A condominium project from Lambert Development has been resized and rebranded as The Lynde, a 32-unit luxury development located on West South Street.
According to their website, The Lynde will offer one, two, and three-bedroom units in 14 different floor plans, all of which will include private balconies. Amenities will include a fitness center, a rooftop terrace, an outdoor grilling area, personal storage space, and more. The units start at around $350,000.
When we first reported on Lambert’s plans for the site in June of 2018, it was being called the South Street Condominiums. The plans called for two three-story buildings housing a total of 87 units. It should be noted that while The Lynde website’s description states there are a total of 32 units, the project schedule describes these 32 units as “Phase 1” – so it is possible more units may be added in the future.
Construction for phase one is expected to begin sometime this year, and wrap up in 2021. The site was previously home to Bennie’s Auto Services, Inc. Lambert acquired the land in early 2016. Chappell Residential is handling sales for the project.
Progress on Sam Jones BBQ
It’s been more than a year since we first reported on plans for restaurateur Sam Jones to open a new BBQ restaurant near Boylan Heights. It looks like work is finally underway on both the restaurant and its accompanying pit house building.
Ellington Contractors received a pair of permits with a total estimated project cost of $700,000 for constructing the new 1,144 square-foot pit house building at 526 S. West Street and renovating the 72-year old structure at 502 W. Lenoir.
Although the BBQ restaurant was announced in the fall of 2018, plans to renovate the former home of Dusty’s Service Station have been underway for years. We first reported nearly three years ago on the site plans filed by the property’s owner, local developer and hero of the historic preservation movement, James A. Goodnight. We don’t know when the new BBQ spot will open, but it’s a safe bet to say it will be before the end of the year.
Winter Wine Class Series at Seaboard Wine
For the New Year our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are kicking off their Winter Wine Class series. Classes will be held from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm on January 24th, February 28th, and March 27th. Each class is $39 or you can take all three for $99. You can make a reservation here.
Seaboard Wine will continue to offer free Saturday wine tastings from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Check their website for the schedule.
BREW Open at Gateway Plaza
Local coffee shop BREW is now open at Gateway Plaza. Featuring coffee and cocktails all day, their hours are: M-F 6:30 am – 8:30 pm, SAT 8:00 am – 8:30 pm, and SUN 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
We obtained an exclusive statement from BREW last week:
“4 years to the day. That’s how long we’ve been working on this location. It seems crazy to think how much time and effort we’ve spent here. We couldn’t have done it without major support from @lodenproperties and our good friends there. They had the vision for this center and helped us see ours. Too many people to thank for the help along the way but @ash_makes_coffee has basically been driving this location since day one. We are open today for coffee service only. Food and liquor come next week. Let’s have some fun now!”
As we’ve mentioned, our friends at York Properties are handling the leasing at Gateway Plaza, which was purchased by Loden Properties in 2016.
Glenwood Place Demolition
Demolition permits have been filed for two buildings at the Glenwood Place office park. Cecil Holcomb Demolition received a pair of permits instructing them to “demolish entire building” at 3700 and 3716 National Drive off of Glenwood just inside the beltline.
County records indicate that the Chatham and Caswell office buildings were constructed in 1974 and 1977, respectively.
Demolition makes way for (ish) Delicatessen
Demolition is underway on (ish) Delicatessen. In January of last year, we reported that the downtown Days Inn would be replaced by the boutique Longleaf Hotel. As part of this new development, the existing NC Deli would be replaced by (ish) Delicatessen.
ish will be run by Matt Fern, formerly a beverage director for James Beard award-winning chef Ashley Christensen’s AC Restaurants.
Six Forks Whole Foods Remodel
The Whole Foods at the Market at Colonnade Center on Six Forks Road is about to undergo a serious upgrade. This is the same Whole Foods that a luxury sedan crashed into a few years ago. KMD Construction recently received permits for an internal remodel project at the 40,000 sq ft grocery store.
According to County Records – which is where we got the square footage from, so if that’s in error, blame the government – the Whole Foods was first built in 2010, with no major remodels since then.
We’re curious to see if there are any Amazon-related updates made to the layout and/or design of the store following this remodel. Given its significant price tag of $2 million, we imagine work is going to take most of the year.
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Apartments Planned For North Ridge
A real-estate developer with a focus on “intentional and innovative” apartments will soon be making its mark in Raleigh, per a set of recently filed site review plans. Aventon Companies will develop the North Ridge Apartments on The Lakes Drive near North Ridge Country Club.
The site plans indicate that an existing 10,000+ square-foot clubhouse for the Willow Creek North Ridge apartments will be torn down to make way for a 507,073 square-foot development. The new project will include a total of 11 four-story buildings housing a total of 369 residential units.
The 369 units will include 141 one-bedrooms, 189 two-bedrooms, and 39 three-bedrooms and will be accompanied by a clubhouse and a whopping 606 parking spaces.
The preliminary drawings included with the site review plan paint the picture of a fairly standard four-story complex with balconies and large windows offering views of the nearby woods and the surrounding parking lot.
Pet Spa Coming to 712 Tucker
The 712 Tucker apartment complex in downtown Raleigh will soon be adding a brand-new amenity: a pet spa.
A permit valued at less than $6,000 was issued recently for work that was described as the conversion of a 98 square-foot storage closet into a pet spa. 98 square-feet sounds pretty small, but all things considered, the room’s at least 9’ x 10’, more than enough space for what, a hose and a floor drain?
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Webb Simpson finished third in the Sony Open.
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Irregardless Café, home to some of the finest chocolate chip pancakes in the world, has been sold. Raleigh residents need not panic. Locals Lee Robinson and David Meeker are the new owners and it seems that they don’t plan on making many changes.
Located at 901 W. Morgan Street, the restaurant has been a popular spot for decades. According to their website, Irregardless Café was founded in 1975 by Arthur and Anya Gordon as Raleigh’s first vegetarian restaurant. They eventually added menu options for omnivores, but kept a commitment to sustainability and healthy living. Their website also has a nice account of the restaurant’s 40+ year history that we recommend checking out.
While it’s great to hear that the new owners are committed to keeping things the way they are, we wouldn’t be upset if they added a Trophy breakfast pizza to the menu.
Village Deli Expands In Cameron Village
Village Deli in Cameron Village has expanded into the space of its next-door neighbor, Moe’s Southwest Bar and Grill. Last week, our friends over at the Triangle Food Blog noted that Village Deli planned to add over 20 more seats as part of the expansion.
Permits were issued in October 2019 for a “410 square-foot expansion” of the dining area at 500 Daniels Street. Renovation permits were issued around the same time for the Moe’s at 506 Daniels. The renovations to Moe’s wrapped up in late December.
Saturday Seaboard Wine Tasting
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a tasting on Saturday (1/11) from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm featuring Melinda Kate (aka Darma’s mom) with BFR Distributing. She will be celebrating her birthday while pouring samples of some excellent wines from France, Italy and Austria!
All wine sampled at the tasting bar is discounted 10% off by the bottle and 15% off by the 1/2 case mix or match for you to take home and enjoy. Make Seaboard a part of your Saturday routine!
State of Beer Expanding
State of Beer announced plans to expand into the former home of Runologie on Hillsborough Street. According to an exclusive source, we learned the following: “BIG NEWS: We’re expanding! First off, we’d like to wish @runologie the best of luck in their new space along side our homies @pinestatecoffee. They’ve been incredible friends and great stewards of the downtown Raleigh retail scene!
With that said, we’re excited to announce that we are growing into the former Runologie space! This will mean a lot more indoor seating, more legroom for our growing natural wines, and of course, the same curated beer experience you’re already familiar with.”
The text on the picture posted by State of Beer reads, “Coming very soon 2020!” This leads us to believe that the expansion will happen within the next 12 months. We’ll keep an eye on this as it progresses.
Raleigh is one step closer to getting an entertainment complex near downtown. In December, Steve Malik, John Kane, and Billie Redmond, the group behind the Downtown South development, announced the purchase of 88 acres for the project.
TradeMark Properties revealed the following on Instagram, “TradeMark is so excited to announce the closing of two large tracts of land for the Downtown South development. We couldn’t be prouder to be the site selection team for this transformational project for south Raleigh!”
Billie Redmond told the TBJ, “The closing of these two sites is the first domino falling into place. This is going to be a gamechanger for south Raleigh.”
In 2019, Steve Malik shared details about the project with us in an exclusive interview.
The plans originally called for a soccer stadium and entertainment complex, with the goal of attracting an MLS team to Raleigh. The MLS recently awarded Charlotte with an expansion team, which will eventually be known as the biggest mistake in the history of soccer.
We reached out to Steve Malik to see if there are plans to build a statue of Broughton legend Izzy Hernandez at the new development.
We are still waiting for a reply.
First Watch Coming To Lake Boone
An upscale breakfast-chain is coming to the Marketplace shopping center on Lake Boone Trail. First Watch launched in 1983 but has grown rapidly over the last few years. There are now over 300 First Watch restaurants, with another planning to open in Raleigh this year.
While there are already three locations in Raleigh, (one on Glenwood north of the mall, one at Triangle Town Center on Capital, and another in Brier Creek) this is the fist time we’ve heard of this establishment.
According to their website, they begin each morning at the crack of dawn, everything is made to order and freshness is “never compromised.” They don’t use heat lamps or deep fryers, and they welcome you with a pot of coffee, along with complimentary newspapers and WiFi access.
While investigating their menu we learned that they offer Vanilla Chai Latte Pancakes. We are not making this up.
The $268,000 renovation of the space is being handled by Capital Construction.
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Mixed-use Could Be Coming To Western Boulevard
A recently-filed rezoning case could lead to new housing just off Western Boulevard near the beltline. Case Z-50-19 would rezone a .22-acre parcel at 913 Method Road from R-10 to Neighborhood Mixed-Use with a three-story building limit.
The applicant notes that this rezoning would put the property in line with others on the block, and allow for both “residential and commercial use on the site in keeping with surrounding properties.”
The site is currently home to a 768 square-foot house built in 1951.
Hibernian Raising Money For Australia
Due to the catastrophic fires currently raging in Australia, Raleigh-based Hibernian Hospitality Group will be raising funds for the NSW Rural Fire Service.
On Thursday, January 16th, Hibernian Pub on Glenwood will donate 10% of all sales to the fire fighting efforts. Funds donated to the NSW Rural Fire Service directly benefit volunteer firefighters who are currently working hard to save lives, homes, and wildlife across Australia.
“We are heartbroken by all of the destruction happening in Australia and invite the Raleigh community to come out, have a pint, and help us raise money for this worthy cause,” said Hibernian Hospitality Group owner, Niall Hanley. Hibernian Pub is located at 311 Glenwood Ave. and is open from 11:00 AM until 2:00 AM.
Miller Law Group On The Move
The law offices of Stacy Miller have moved. After residing in downtown Raleigh for years, Miller Law Group has moved to an office at 2424 Glenwood Ave. This area shall henceforth be known as Millertown.
The new space will allow the firm to continue their tradition of excellence in fighting injustice.
York Develops New Website
Our friends at York have unveiled a new website. They recently shared the following on Instagram, “We didn’t change the way we do business, just the way we talk about our business. We helped build this community and are proud to be able to deliver our story and our services at the click of a button!”
Loden Properties recently shared some progress of the Longleaf Hotel. For more information on the history of the hotel, check out Podcast Raleigh’s recent episode featuring Russ Jones from Loden Properties.
Wine & Design Grand Opening At Union Station
Wine & Design held their grand opening at Union Station last month. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful, who did a deal with Wine & Design during their appearance on Shark Tank, was in attendance. He did not invest in any of ITBlake the intern’s business pitches.
The Wine & Design corporate headquarters are now up and running on the upper mezzanine area of Raleigh’s Union Station. The 2,700 square foot space (managed by our good friends at York Properties) will be used as their new corporate headquarters and as an expanded retail event space. They also have access to a large outdoor event space with incredible views of downtown.
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Grant Avenue Apartments To Be Demolished For New Development
An Atlanta-based developer has filed plans to build a high-end apartment complex on the 10.41 acre property that is currently home to the Grant Avenue Apartments.
Terwilliger Pappas recently submitted an administrative site review application for Solis Cameron Hills, an apartment project located at 2315 and 2318 Grant Avenue and 1329 Chester Road. The Grant Avenue Apartments, a garden-style complex originally built in 1954 and last remodeled in 1980, will be torn down.
The site plans call for the complete demolition of the existing 97,000 square feet of apartments. The new project will be a 381,712 square-foot, 9-building complex comprising a total of 321 apartment units. Of those, 158 will be one-bedrooms, 142 will be two-bedrooms, and 21 will be three-bedrooms. Eight of the nine buildings will be three-story residential structures, with the ninth serving as a two-story “community building.”
Renderings were drawn up by JDavis Architects. Terwilliger Pappas developed the Alexan at North Hills, as well as the Solis Crabtree complex near the Crabtree Valley mall.
Wine & Design Grand Opening At Union Station
Wine & Design will hold their grand opening at Union Station this Wednesday (12/18) from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful, who did a deal with Wine & Design during their appearance on Shark Tank, will be in attendance. This is the 82nd location for Wine & Design, which officially makes the company an empire.
In January, we reported that Wine & Design planned to relocate its corporate headquarters to the upper mezzanine area of Raleigh’s Union Station. The 2,700 square foot space (managed by our good friends at York Properties) will be used as their new corporate headquarters and as an expanded retail event space. They also have access to a large outdoor event space with incredible views of downtown.
In an exclusive interview, we spoke with Wine & Design CEO and Founder Harriet Mills about the new space. “We are super excited! We are going to have our headquarters there and will be training new franchisees and interviewing potential franchisees on our Discovery days. We are excited to show partners and potential partners how beautiful and cool downtown Raleigh is. I’m excited to have started here and to be able to be part of the the downtown Raleigh growth.”
They also plan to open a Wine & Design studio, where guests can come and make art. “The event space is beautiful. We have big plans and can not wait to share with the Raleigh community. So stay tuned!” said Mills.
Seaboard Wine Tasting 12/21
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a tasting on 12/21 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm featuring Sunrise Wines. Manny and Elia will be pouring some excellent Italian wines from north to south for holiday parties, dinners, and gift giving!
All wine sampled at the tasting bar is discounted 10% off by the bottle and 15% off by the 1/2 case mix or match for you to take home and enjoy. Make Seaboard a part of your Saturday routine!
Hayes Barton Cafe Investigation
We’ve received a lot of questions regarding the new awning on Hayes Barton Cafe recently. Among those that are fit to repost:
The topic has also been brought up on Twitter:
We have an EXCLUSIVE interview from an inside source. “Hey we didn’t change our name, just needed a new awning. Just a term of endearment that we put to good use. Everything else has our original name and always will. Staff/menu/cake etc.”
What a relief. BUT, can this source really be trusted? There’s only one way to find out. We’re going to investigate by eating every single cake to make sure it’s exactly the same as it has always been.
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After Brixxit, New Restaurant Coming To Cameron Village
The departure of Brixx Pizza from Cameron Village (commonly known as Brixxit) left many residents wondering what would move into the space. Fortunately, our friends at York shared the following news last week:
“There’s a new breakfast, brunch and lunch joint coming to Cameron Village. The owners of The Daily Fare restaurant just signed a lease for the former Brixx Pizza space at Berkshire Cameron Village. They’ll be serving daily from 6:30 AM – 4:00 PM. YUM.”
Look for The Daily Fare to open in May 2020.
Say Goodbye To Raleighwood
After 26 years in operation, one of Raleigh’s first dine-in theaters has gone dark. Raleighwood recently announced that it would be closing following two straight years of steadily-declining attendance.
The owners identified a trend towards in-home entertainment and the growing popularity of streaming services as the main reasons behind their decision to close. Although Raleighwood’s lease at Falls Village was set to continue through January 2023, the theater’s current financial restraints made the prospect of waiting another three years to close untenable.
The owners noted that in their 26 years of operation they had hosted, “over 10,000 children’s birthday parties, and numerable Monday Night Football and Super Bowl games, Academy Award galas, 400+ corporate meetings and seminars, hundreds of TV series (24, Lost, Survivor, Seinfeld, The Walking Dead, etc.), hundreds of movies, two weddings and even one funeral service.”
“We would like to thank our friends, customers, neighbors and employees (two and three generations in some cases) for their support over these 26 years. Approaching 74 years of age, my wife and I have decided it’s time to find greener pastures and enjoy our five children and nine grandchildren. Thanks again for your support and patronage over the last 26 years!!!”
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Publix Permits Issued At Smoky Hollow
Back in June, we reported that work would “soon be underway” on the ground-floor Publix at the Smoky Hollow/Peace & West development in downtown Raleigh. If 6 months counts as “soon,” then we were spot-on.
Permits valued at more than $6.8 million were recently issued for the interior fit-out of the grocery store. Although we don’t have an exact timetable for when work on the Publix itself will be complete, previous estimates have put the opening date to be somewhere in the neighborhood of spring of 2020.
Condo Planned Near Cameron Village
Lock7 Development shared a rendering of their 20-unit condo project coming near Cameron Village. The project is located at 615 Daniels Street.
Durham-based pharmacy Josefs Pharmacy has submitted plans to nearly double the size of their Raleigh location on New Bern Avenue. After more than a decade of operating in Durham, Josefs expanded to Raleigh in 2010 with their acquisition of the former First Citizens Bank at 2100 New Bern Avenue.
The existing 2,350 square-foot building, which still looks like the bank it once was, was built in 1951. Per County records, the proposed expansion, which will add 3,010 square feet to the building, will be the first major renovation to the structure in more than 40 years.
Unfortunately, the site review plans did not include renderings of the new structure. It remains a mystery whether Josefs will maintain the existing bank motif.
The Oakwood 24 Run 12/21
Local runner Jon Frey will run for 24 CONTINUOUS HOURS at the Oakwood 24 this Saturday, December 21st at 3:00 pm. Frey is running to raise over $100,000 for Healing Transitions, a local non-profit. You can make a one-time donation or donate per mile to show your support. For example, $35 provides one day of recovery services for one person. In 2018, Jon and supporters from the fitness group F3 helped raise over $30,000 for the cause.
Members of the community are encouraged to come out and enjoy local food, music, and entertainment while supporting Jon as he runs at Oakwood Cemetery. Visit the Oakwood 24 site for more information about the event or to donate.
Jon entered the long-term recovery program at Healing Transitions in August 2016 and completed the program one year later. He has been in sustained recovery since then. He has completed five 100-mile ultra-marathons and 9 other marathons under 100 miles. Today, Jon dedicates his life to fitness, helping others in their recovery, and giving back to the community.
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Broughton’s Webb Simpson won the Presidents Cup
Union Station Adds More Trains
Union Station will be home to the North Raleigh Model Railroad Club’s N Scale Model Railroad Display every weekend through the end of December, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This display is family friendly and free to the public.
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Raleigh’s most anticipated residential project of the century has opened its doors. Over the last few weeks, residents have begun to move into the 29 residences at The Wade. Our friends at Beacon Street have been hard at work on the building, which we’ve covered in the past.
Located at 620 Wade Avenue, the five-story building features two-and three-bedroom floor plans in one of the best locations in Raleigh. The building amenities include a virtual concierge service, a Webb Simpson-tested fitness room, a dog washing station, a rooftop terrace with incredible views of the Raleigh skyline (especially the PlayStation 2 Building), and more.
Stay tuned for a full walkthrough and ceremony where we give ITBlake the intern a key to his residence in the next few weeks. (Full disclosure: Beacon Street is a partner of the ITB Insider media empire. They did not actually gift ITBlake the intern a condominium for his 18th birthday.)
York Unveils Lake Boone Renovation Plans
York Properties announced a major facelift for the Lake Boone shopping center. Planned renovations include changing the parking lot layout, a new facade, and adding more space for outdoor dining.
York, who manages the property, will team up with McDonald York Building Company and New City Design on the project. The renovations are set to begin in February and finish in the fall.
Seaboard Wine Tasting 12/14
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a tasting on 12/14 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm featuring Advintage Holiday Wines. Ariel Tetterton is back behind the bar pouring a delicious selection of wines for holiday parties, dinners, and gifts for the naughty and nice on your list, including:
Mirabello Prosecco Brut; Veneto, Italy Hunky Dory Sauvignon Blanc; Marlborough, New Zealand Cristia Côtes du Rhône Blanc; Rhône Valley, France Akane Pinot Noir; Sonoma County, CA Domaine Chantepierre Lirac; Rhône Valley, France Viña Coterro Crianza: Rioja, Spain
Sunflower’s Cafe Is Closing
We knew this was coming, but we still aren’t ready to accept the news that Sunflower’s Cafe is closing. Where are parents going to eat after picking their kids up from Four Day Fours at White Memorial? The Triangle Explorer shared an update recently on Twitter.
Their last day open will be December 21.
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BREW Closing Seaboard Station Location, Moving To Gateway Plaza
The reminder of the closing of Sunflower’s Cafe was followed by another reminder that BREW will be shutting down their Seaboard Station location and moving to Gateway Plaza.
Ed Mitchell BBQ Coming To SOJO
One of the region’s biggest names in barbecue is returning to Raleigh. Ed Mitchell recently announced plans for The Preserve, a new BBQ spot that will open across the street from Thompson Cadillac (#hiMark) in SOJO. The location was formerly home to the Carolina Ale House. Mitchell is one of the founders of The Pit in downtown Raleigh.
According to the Triangle Food Blog, Ed Mitchell and his son, Ryan Mitchell, are teaming up with LM Restaurants, the owners of Carolina Ale House. The Preserve is scheduled to open sometime in the Spring of 2020.
Per the News & Observer, Mitchell’s new spot will be one of many new BBQ restaurants opening next year; the list also includes “Sam Jones BBQ, Longleaf Swine, Wyatt’s Whole Hog and Prime BBQ” and potentially “Friendship BBQ” – a new offering from Jason Howard on North West Street that we reported exclusively last week.
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Planning Gateway Plaza and Play at Dix Park
The City of Raleigh is seeking a consultant to design and implement the new Gateway Plaza and Play area at Dorothea Dix Park. The Gateway, not to be confused with the revitalized Gateway Plaza retail center, will serve as the “new, principal entrance to the park.”
Totaling 12.5 acres, the Gateway will feature a 4-5 acre “plaza and play area,” as well as two historic houses slated for renovation. The main goal for the Gateway is to create a “destination and an invitation to enter and explore other parts of the park.”
Proposals for this project, which is being funded by the Dorothea Dix Conservancy but managed by the City, are due in by December 16; the award could happen as soon as February 2020.
FNB Tower Opens Downtown
FNB Tower is now open in downtown Raleigh. We assume that Dominion Realty Partners chose to build the 22-story mixed-use tower at 501 Fayetteville Street so that they could be closer to Stacy Miller, whose office is located within feet of the building.
“We are thrilled to open this project on time and on budget as this day is not only monumental for the entire development team, but also for the City of Raleigh,” said Andy Andrews, Chairman and CEO of Dominion.
We learned from an exclusive press release that the 420,000 square foot building includes 156,000 square feet of Class A office space with ground floor retail, 239 luxury high-rise apartments, a four level below grade parking deck, a world-class amenity level and Skydeck offering two outdoor patios with a pool area and skyline views.
FNB Tower will also feature a restaurant and an open outdoor plaza space next door. Pittsburgh-based First National Bank signed a long-term commitment to become the anchor office tenant of the building.
“We’ve come a long way since I first joined the City Council 12 years ago. Fayetteville Street had just opened to traffic and what has happened since is pretty amazing,” said Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. “Andy has set the bar for quality, mixed-use, green development, bringing together Fayetteville’s past and future. We’re excited to welcome FNB and other new companies to downtown.”
According to that exclusive press release, FNB Tower is North Carolina’s first mixed-use dual green certified project including LEED Gold certification and 3 Green Globes certification.
“Fayetteville Street is often considered Raleigh’s main street. Our tallest buildings line either side from the historic state house to the performing arts center,” said former Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane. “The FNB Tower is the last missing piece of the re-development of Fayetteville Street, that started in 2003, with the Livable Streets Plan. I am so appreciative of all the businesses, agencies and partner organizations who worked to make this vision a reality. This is truly a great day for Raleigh.”
Funding Approved for Downtown Performing Arts Center and Red Hat Amphitheater
City Council approved $2.2 million in funding for improvements to downtown Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater and Meymandi Concert Hall. The money will go toward “safety and deterioration” repairs at RHA, and new seating at Meymandi.
According to a memo prepared by City staffers, the RHA was originally intended to be a temporary facility until the expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center. “Due to the popularity of the venue in the downtown area and the delay in the RCC expansion, RHA has remained as a music venue in downtown Raleigh.”
The city has inspected the facility’s structures and identified several areas that are due for renovation, including:
Replacement of main stage performance decking due to deck splintering.
Replacement of seating for sections 1-3 due to rusting of frames, discoloration of seats, and weathered plastic.
Replacement of all stairs and ADA ramps using sustainable product.
Replacement of front of house structure, concession, and VIP rented tents.
Upgrade and add concessions to generate additional revenue for the venue.
Upgrade of artist’s trailer to meet industry standards.
As for the Meymandi seats, “Additional chairs are also needed… to complete the seat replacement which began in FY2019.” The hope is to use the additional funding to complete the new seating prior to the North Carolina Symphony’s 2021 season.
Improvements to the Red Hat Amphitheater are estimated to cost around $1.8 million, while the Meymandi seating will cost around $400,000. The request for the $2.2 million in total funding, which was part of the Council’s consent agenda, was approved unanimously.
Union Station Adds More Trains
Union Station will be home to the North Raleigh Model Railroad Club’s N Scale Model Railroad Display every weekend through the end of December, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This display is family friendly and free to the public.
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More than two years after renovations kicked off on the historic Rainbow Building at 911 N. West Street, work is underway on the building’s titular restaurant. Permits were recently issued for the Rainbow Luncheonette, a small, old-school diner that will offer breakfast and lunch all week, and dinner on the weekends.
Jason Howard, of The Cardinal and The Atlantic Lounge, told us in an exclusive interview (we called him on the phone) that the luncheonette will be a “25-seater” offering standard breakfast and lunch fare. He indicated that the menu would be “short order grill type food.”
“I’m not trying to win a James Beard award. I want to bring normal food back to Raleigh’s food scene,” he said. Howard was more tight-lipped about the weekend dinner offerings, saying it would be “something special,” that he wants to keep under wraps until the space opens.
The Rainbow Luncheonette will be open from 7:00 am – 3:00 pm every day. On Friday and Saturday they will also be open for dinner from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
While there’s no set opening date – Howard said it could be anywhere from 90-120 days or more – he did note that he’s planning to open another adjacent business at the same time – The Pink Boot.
“It’s a mini-modern honky-tonk type bar,” Howard said, “or at least my take on one.”
And that’s not all: Howard told us he had signed a lease to open “Friendship BBQ” at the Topps Building at 303 North West, a move that would solidify him as West Street’s premier restaurateur.
Krispy Kreme Preps For Renovation
Your downtown doughnut experience is about to get a whole lot nicer. Permits were recently issued for a $112,000 interior alteration to the 2,050 square-foot Krispy Kreme location at 549 N. Person. This is the first major renovation to the space in nearly 10 years.
The property came under new ownership last year when Krispy Kreme’s parent company sold the building to a New York-based real estate investment firm for nearly $5 million. We were the first to investigate.
Despite fears that downtown would lose a historical icon, it was announced not long after the sale that Krispy Kreme had signed a lease to remain in the space through 2038.
The renovation work is being handled by Squared Corners Construction of Raleigh and appears to include the installation of a new, 4′ LED exterior wall sign as well.
Seaboard Wine Tasting 12/7
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village will host a tasting on 12/7 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm featuring Iberian Peninsula Wines with Andoni Uroz. He’ll be pouring a selection of Spanish and Portuguese store favorites, all discounted 25% off by the case mix & match today!
Seaboard Wine’s 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Cameron Crest Row Homes Coming To St. Marys Street
Six high-end row homes are coming to St. Mary’s Street near Glenwood South. The project, known as Cameron Crest, is being built out by Edinburgh Development.
An exclusive press release put out by Edinburgh stated that Cameron Crest will be a “mix of urban sophistication and traditional southern comfort,” and “reflect a timeless marriage of classic and contemporary styles, complementing the historic charm of the surrounding neighborhood.”
Per the press release, each home will stand four stories tall, average over 2,700 square feet, include a garage with tandem parking, and feature a large rooftop terrace with a spacious fourth-floor loft area.
Back in February of 2018, we reported on plans for a new six-unit townhome project on the same parcel of land that Cameron Crest is being developed. The company that filed those plans sold the land to Edinburgh back in July and does not appear to be playing a role in Cameron Crest.
The press release from Edinburgh noted that work is underway on these homes. City and County records showed that some preliminary utility and site work permits had been applied for. We’re glad to see that these lots – which have stood vacant since around 2016 – are finally being developed.
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Empire Buys Kimbrell’s Building
The Kimbrell’s Furniture building recently became the latest downtown property to be acquired by Empire Properties. Built in 1954, the two-story, 30,870 square-foot building at 210 Fayetteville Street started as a W.T. Grant department store. It was acquired by the Kimbrell Investment Company in 1977, at which point it was turned into the Kimbrell’s Furniture Store.
The Kimbrell’s building was not one of the properties to fall under the recent rezoning case allowing several buildings along the 200 block of Fayetteville to be developed up to 40 stories. Of the ten buildings included in that rezoning case, Empire owns three – Boylan Pierce at 216 Fayetteville, the Carolina Trust Building at 230 Fayetteville, and the Odd Fellows Building at 19 W Hargett.
While looking through the records for this story, we discovered that Empire owns quite a lot of buildings in Raleigh. Most, but not all, of these properties are owned by subsidiaries that use “Empire” in their name. Empire’s Greg Hatem gets a lot of credit for helping to breathe life back into downtown, but really, his true genius seems to lie in naming these LLCs. For example, Kimbrell’s Furniture was acquired by “Ottoman Empire.”
A few of our other favorites:
1810 Fayetteville Street (the historic Bain Waterworks Building): Aqua Empire
1001 Wade Avenue (the old Occidental Life Insurance Building): Empire in the Occident
416 S Dawson (the old Dr. Pepper Complex): Ten Two and Four LLC (Dr. Pepper’s slogan in the 1920s-1930s was “Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4”)
We’re not sure what’s next for the Kimbrell’s building, but we’ll keep you posted.
Developer Selected For GoTriangle Project
GoTriangle recently announced that a developer had been selected for their new bus terminal and mixed-use development, known colloquially as either RusBus (meh) or ITBus (preferred).
The transit company’s board of trustees voted to authorize the agency’s interim CEO and president to begin negotiations with Hoffman & Associates, a Washington, DC-based developer that is also redeveloping Seaboard Station.
The ITBus project, which GoTriangle described in a press release as “transformational” will include “a street-level bus transfer facility topped by up to 40 stories of market-rate and affordable housing options, office and retail space, and perhaps a hotel.”
Per GoTriangle’s interim CEO and president Shelley Blake Curran, “This project has incredible potential to connect critical transit access to housing and jobs and educational opportunities in ways we haven’t seen in the Triangle, and the proposal that Hoffman & Associates submitted best captures our vision.”
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Cameron Village Post Office Finds New Home
Our friends at York Properties shared the news that the U.S. Postal Service office that was once located in Cameron Village is now open in the back of Oberlin Baptist Church. The Post Office was previously located at 505 Oberlin Road. In 2018, WakeMed announced plans to redevelop that property into a medical office building.
Crafty Crab Coming To Former Applebee’s?
Will a seafood chain out of Florida finally be the one to break the curse of the former Hillsborough Street Applebee’s? Our friends over at the Triangle Food Blog recently reported that a “Coming Soon” sign had appeared in the window of the longtime Applebee’s at 3625 Hillsborough Street. The sign was for Crafty Crab, a chain with a focus on seafood fare that currently operates about 14 locations in five states.
Since shuttering in December 2017 as part of an effort by an Applebee’s franchisee to close down underperforming restaurants across seven states, the site has already been home to two more failed ventures.
TLC Wings & Grill Sports Bar was the first, and lasted only a few months after opening in the middle of 2018. That was followed by the Eastern Gate Cafe, a hookah bar/cafe that opened in October 2018 and closed around October of 2019.
A cursory search of business licenses and LinkedIn seems to show that both these ventures were run by the owners of Peace Street’s Sahara Cafe, but we weren’t able to confirm this. County records indicate that the building itself has been owned by the same real estate holding company since Applebee’s closure in late 2017.
While the Raleigh location isn’t listed on the chain’s list of “Coming Soon” locations, it does appear poised for a larger expansion into NC with spots set to open soon in both Winston-Salem and Concord.
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New Mayor and City Council Members Sworn In
We’d like to welcome our new Mayor and City Council members, who were sworn in and held their first meeting this week. Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, who previously served on the council from 2007 to 2017, was sworn in Monday night at a ceremony held in Union Station. She was joined by returning council members Nicole Stewart, Corey Branch, and David Cox, along with newly elected members Jonathan Melton, Patrick Buffkin, Saige Martin, and David Knight.
We’re excited to see what this group has in store for Raleigh. However, we aren’t going to go easy on them just because they have expressed a lot of ideas we agree with. We will be closely monitoring where they stand on important issues like the downtown canal and bringing dinosaurs to Dix Park.
We would also like to thank former Mayor Nancy McFarlane for her leadership and for replying to us on Twitter.
You can view the meeting below. It starts around the 7:30 mark.
Here are a few highlights:
Poole’side Pies Open For Lunch Weds/Thurs/Fri
James Beard award-winning chef Ashley Christensen shared the news that Poole’side Pies will be open for lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm Wednesday through Friday.
Trophy On Morgan Gets A Green Roof
David Meeker shared a photo of the progress on the green roof that is being installed at the Morgan Street location of Trophy Brewing.
Union Station Adds More Trains
Union Station will be home to the North Raleigh Model Railroad Club’s N Scale Model Railroad Display every weekend through the end of December, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This display is family friendly and free to the public.
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Two historic and currently vacant buildings at City Market could soon be home to a restaurant, care of longtime owner Hakan Market Properties, Inc.
An administrative site review plan was recently filed that would allow for the storefronts at 220 and 224 East Martin Street to be renovated and potentially combined into a brand-new restaurant. Those properties were previously home to a Subway restaurant and the Cofre Consignment Boutique.
Built in the 1920s, both two-story brick buildings have been in the hands of the Hakans since the mid-90s. We reached out to Hakan Market Properties to see if they could shed light on their plans, and quickly heard back from none other than Michael Hakan himself.
“The plan at the moment is to do a complete renovation of the interior, a gut rehab,” Hakan said. “No suite layouts have been finalized, but the plan includes the activation of both the basement, first and second floors, and the rooftop for “Assembly” type uses.”
Assembly use is typically defined as “places used for people gathering for entertainment, worship, and eating or drinking,” so it sounds like a restaurant is definitely in the cards, although nothing has been finalized yet.
Hakan said they would have a better idea of what’s going in the space by January. He noted that the process is “complex and challenging” due to the City’s Unified Development Ordinance and the location in one of Raleigh’s premier Historic Districts.
City Market first opened in 1914, and currently offers a mix of retail, restaurant, event, and gallery spaces.
East End Market Coming Near Five Points
On November 13, 2019, we speculated on the types of tenants that would move into a new development near Five Points. One such tenant was Co-WorkOut. To quote ourselves, “Co-WorkOut – Raleigh has some great co-working spaces that provide office space for a variety of businesses. But none of these spaces provide exercise equipment. We also have a plethora of fitness options, from barre classes to spin classes. Again, why has no one combined the two? Co-WorkOut would provide office space and fitness classes under the same roof.”
It turns out our prediction was almost exactly right, we were just 1.2 miles off. East End Market, a new mixed-use project near Five Points, has announced the addition of Common Desk, a Dallas-based co-working company. According to the Common Desk website, “We bring together the key things you experience in any given workweek– office space, coffee, and fitness– and power them with our hospitality-oriented staff, culture, and technology.” Not to brag, but awards for this type of prediction journalism don’t even exist yet.
As for the project itself, East End Market will be a redevelopment of an industrial space near Lynnwood Brewing on Whitaker Mill. The project will include 65,000 square feet of mixed-use space for offices and restaurants. Common Desk has signed on for over 28,000 square feet of that space.
We reached out to our friends at Atlas Stark and SLI Capital, both Raleigh-based firms, who are partnering on the project. Trey Adams, Managing Partner at Atlas Stark, spoke to us about the project.
“The vision for East End Market is a historic but trendy infill lifestyle neighborhood. The project will be a destination with authentic spaces, dining, and entertainment — similar to West Midtown and Fourth Ward in Atlanta, Germantown and 12 South in Nashville or Union Market in DC. We believe it will provide a vibe and amenity base not currently present in Raleigh.”
SLI Capital and Atlas Stark purchased the property for over $3.5 million in 2018. Construction should begin early next year and is expected to be complete by the fall. Catherine Easter with Atlas Stark is handling lease inquiries for the project.
This will be the second restaurant from Picnic’s Wyatt Dickson. Wyatt’s Whole Hog Barbecue will be located in Gateway Plaza and should open in the fall of 2020.
Seaboard Wine Thanksgiving Picks And Tasting 11/30
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village have released their highly anticipated wine selections for Thanksgiving. They’ll also be hosting a tasting on 11/30 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Melinda Kate Callaway from BFR Distributing will be pouring some store favorites for the holidays (and post-Thanksgiving leftovers) from Austria and France, all discounted 20% off by the case mix & match, including:
Hillinger Pinot Gris; Burgenland, Austria Pascal Bonhomme Viré-Clessé; Burgundy, France Steininger “Young” Sparkling Rosé; Kamptal, Austria Anton Bauer Zweigelt; Wagram, Austria Hillinger Pinot Noir; Burgenland, Austria Chateau Platon; Bordeaux, France
Seaboard Wine’s 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Work Begins On Bloc 83 Parking Deck
Two months after Whiting-Turner began building out Tower 2 for Hillsborough Street’s Bloc 83 development, the contracting firm has started work on the project’s West Parking Deck.
We first reported on plans for this parking deck, which will include ground-floor retail, back in October of 2018. The new 8-story parking deck (or should it be “parking dec”?) will be located at 701 Hillsborough Street, a site that was for years home to Allen’s Automotive.
Site review plans filed last October described a 267,333 square-foot structure that would stand nearly 90′ tall and provide 693 parking spots. Four retail spaces totaling 8,472 square feet will be located on the ground floor.
A closer look at the renderings reveals where the four retail spaces are planned, as well as the existence of a “Trash Room.” Seems like the developers thought of everything on this one.
This parking deck is the fourth structure that’s part of the Bloc 83 project. While the name might sound like something out of a dystopian sci-fi novel, it’s apparently part of an overall rebranding meant to pay tribute to the number assigned to this group of properties back when the city was divided into blocks in the days of yore.
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Aunt Betty’s Gin and Absinthe Bar Open At Morgan Street Food Hall
Morgan Street Food Hall welcomed a new addition last week. Raleigh’s newest gin and absinthe bar is Aunt Betty’s. We learned from an exclusive press release that Aunty Betty’s will celebrate the history of gin, promoting its Dutch roots and vast ties to North Carolina. Founder, Niall Hanley, named the bar after his Irish Aunt Betty.
The bar will feature unique gins and distinctive tonics. Original blends will include ingredients such as Fentimans Pink Grapefruit and Botanical tonics, and Hayman’s Old Tom gin. The artisanal cocktails will be created by Gregory Ewan, managing partner. Aunt Betty’s is located next to Iyla’s Southern Kitchen, with an additional entrance on Morgan St.
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Work Begins On Raleigh Beach
More than four years after plans were filed for a new apartment complex in East Raleigh, work is finally underway on the Villages at Raleigh Beach.
A group of 33 permits were issued to the Halle Building Group earlier this month for the construction of 17 multifamily buildings, nine garages, a car wash, and a trash compactor for a 58 acre site along Raleigh Beach Road.
The Halle Building Group is also the project’s developer, and one of the firms behind the latest round of plans for the Olde Towne development in Southeast Raleigh.
The most detailed information we could find comes from the 2015 site plan, and we imagine a lot has changed since then. Those plans detailed a total of 392 residential units, the majority of which will be one-bedrooms, although a 2017 report from Colliers International states that the Beach Road apartments will have a whopping 486 units.
We’ve reached out to Halle for additional details and will keep our eyes peeled for any additional permits issued for this new complex.
Paint The Joel Lane House Red
Raleigh’s oldest house is about to get a new coat of paint. Best known as the man who sold North Carolina’s general assembly the 1,000 acres that would become the state capital, Colonel Joel Lane was also the owner of what was then known as “Wakefield” – the largest residence in what was then known as Bloomsbury (currently the intersection of Morgan Street and South Boylan.)
“Wakefield,” now known as the Joel Lane Museum House, was eventually relocated to West Hargett Street in 1927, where it has been maintained as a historical structure ever since.
New research by the home’s present-day owners (the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of North Carolina) revealed that “250 years ago, Joel Lane chose a rich, distinctive, dark red – almost garnet – for the siding of his new house. Tan trim highlighted the drama of the unusual hue. The result is a handsome facade, fitting for a home reportedly called the “Best House for 100 miles.”
The society announced last week that the house will be restored to its original 1796 colors, as part of a “major restoration that will begin in the coming weeks.”
Per a press release, “The research that revealed the original colors is the result of a major preservation project made in conjunction with the house’s 250th anniversary. JLMH embarked on a mission to replace the house’s current, failing paint in order to save the wood beneath.”
Exhaustive research (you can read more here) into the house’s countless layers of paint was conducted before some samples “revealed as many as twenty-six layers of paint, representing all 250 years of the house’s history.”
“In the winter of 2019-2020, we will undertake an enormous preservation effort: to remove the old paint, repair and stabilize the wood beneath, and refresh the house’s appearance with a new coat of protective paint. With our newfound information, we will be able to restore the original color the Lane House wore in 1796. The oldest house in Wake County will be red once more.”
Other News
Outdoor hockey at Carter-Finley?
Carolina Hurricanes fans have been dreaming of watching outdoor hockey for years. The picture below made the rounds on Twitter and led many to speculate that an outdoor hockey game might soon be a reality. Yahoo! Sports picked up the story, but it doesn’t sound like there’s any official news at this point.
Union Station Adds More Trains
Union Station will be home to the North Raleigh Model Railroad Club’s N Scale Model Railroad Display every weekend through the end of December, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This display is family friendly and free to the public.
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Trophy Brewing has completed their expansion on Morgan Street and is now open for business. Known for producing the best two beers in America (Trophy Wife and Cloud Surfer), Trophy has operated in their 827 W. Morgan Street location for the last seven years. They have now expanded into the neighboring space, which was previously a laundromat and convenience store, and added more outdoor seating.
Chris Powers, one of the inventors of Trophy, shared the following message on the popular photography website Instagram.com:
“We opened our brewery on Morgan St in 2013. We started brewing on 3bbl system in a Bailbondsman Office and quickly realized we couldn’t brew enough beer in such a small space. So, we started to think about how and where to grow. We built a larger brewery on Maywood Ave to help our business grow and build our brand. Eventually we moved our little brewery to @trophyonmaywood, but we have always missed it. Morgan St has always been a home to us and the heart of Trophy Brewing Company. So tomorrow, we are bringing Fermentation back to Morgan St. At 4pm we are kicking open the doors and welcoming neighbors, friends and family in to help us start the newest chapter in our history. We owe a huge thanks to everyone that has supported us over the last 7 years, brought their friends and families through our door and made the “Morgan St Squeeze” to get past the bar and get into our dining room. Tomorrow we welcome fermentation back to Morgan St, and we share what we have been working on.”
They’re also adding 2,000 square feet of green roof and 54 solar panels. The original space will now be renovated to match the design of the expansion. Construction should begin shortly and the renovation should wrap up some time early next year.
Midtown Exchange Plans Unveiled
DeWitt Carolinas announced plans for what may be Raleigh’s most ambitious mixed-use development to date: the $1 billion (with a B) Midtown Exchange.
The nearly 40-acre development is set to include everything from apartments, condos, and townhomes to “world-class workspaces, a premier convention center, an upscale hotel, central green space, high-end shops, and restaurants.” There’s even an “underground speakeasy in honor of Isaac Hunter’s Tavern” which was originally located on the property.
Most importantly, it appears that there will be a WATER FEATURE. Finally, Camp Sea Gull and Seafarer attendees can practice their sailing skills 365 days a year.
Through its subsidiary holding company St. Albans Holdings LLC, DeWitt owns 900 and 1010 St. Albans Drive, along with 3450 Quail Hollow Drive, which total a little over 38 acres.
DeWitt began assembling the land in 1998, starting with roughly 15 acres that would become the site of their One Renaissance building, which was completed in 1999. They have begun the necessary paperwork to start construction on the site, including a zoning verification letter and an extensive Site Permitting review process that includes evaluations of the project’s stormwater, urban forestry, public utility plans, and more.
The mostly-vacant land is situated up the street from North Hills. According to a press release issued by DeWitt, the site will include the following:
• 790,000 square feet of Class A office space
• A convention center with rooftop dining and entertainment, featuring exceptional views of downtown Raleigh
• Over seven acres of green space with water features and park amenities that will tie into the city’s existing greenway
• 125,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space
• 300 hotel rooms
• 1,275 apartments, condos, and townhomes
• 300 senior living units
We’ll keep you posted as the project progresses.
Seaboard Wine Tasting 11/23
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting a free wine tasting this Saturday, featuring Thanksgiving picks with Ariel from Advintage Distributing. Stop by from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and sample some great wines, including:
Cristia Cotes du Rhone Blanc; Rhone Valley, France Perrachon Beaujolais Blanc; Burgundy, France Montinore Borealis White; Willamette Valley, Oregon Millet Menetou-Salon Pinot Noir; Loire Valley, France Domaine Chantepierre Lirac; Rhone Valley, France Lapis Luna Zinfandel; North Coast, CA
Seaboard Wine’s 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Oak City Market At Skyhouse Closes
Oak City Market at Skyhouse has shut down. The deli/grocer was opened in 2016 by Taiseer “Taz” Zarka, best known for his downtown convenience store Taz’s Supermarket One, located at the corner of South Wilmington Street. Its parent company, the Hussain Corporation, filed bankruptcy earlier this year.
Taz’s convenience store also filed for bankruptcy in March of this year, according to the Triangle Business Journal.
Having had the pleasure of meeting Taz on several occasions – he could frequently be found manning the register at Taz’s Supermarket – I was sorry to hear of his troubles then, and am even sorrier now to hear that Oak City Market was forced to close. Like the TBJ in March, we had no luck in reaching Taz for comments, although we hope this isn’t the end of his downtown presence.
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High Horse Opens In City Market
High Horse opened at 208 Wolfe St. last weekend. The wood-fired concept is from top Chef Katsuji Tanabe. According to their website,
“High Horse Founder, and celebrity Chef Katsuji Tanabe is known across the nation for his signature playful style and unique culinary combinations of Mexican, Japanese, and American flavors. With an upbringing in Mexico City, and successful restaurants stretching from Los Angeles to Chicago, he aims to provide all of his patrons with a unique dining experience that is engaging and affordable for all.
Through his restaurant, High Horse (which pays homage to the stables that once occupied the City Market area) Tanabe invites diners to leave pretentions behind and enjoy a “fun dining” atmosphere for all. With unique combinations of flavors, and a menu original to High Horse, we’re sure you’ll experience meals like you never have before.”
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Mordecai Beverage Company Updates
York Properties recently shared a tenant highlight of Mordecai Beverage Company in Gateway Plaza Shopping Center.
“With its Edison bulbs, leather sofa, metal shelving and wood accents this brewery/taproom/bottleshop has what we can only describe as a cozy “industrial farmhouse” feel to it. (Is that even a thing?) The iconic tree art above the bar was done by sculptural artist Meleah Gabhart.
Check them out sometime soon – you’ll be glad you did. Oh! And if you like hard cider we can highly recommend @stemciders Chile Guava. Nice kick!”
The shop is located in Gateway Plaza, which has undergone quite a transformation thanks to Loden Properties.
Cameron Village Open House Nov. 21
The Cameron Village Holiday Open House will be held on November 21, from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Raleigh’s hottest holiday open house has everything, a visit from Santa, REAL snow sledding, a Ferris wheel, music, and much more. Attendees will receive a $25 Cameron Village Gift Card when they spend $100. (Limited to the first 500 guests)
Back in April, we reported on a plan to bring yet another apartment complex to the crowded Crabtree Valley Market: the 149-unit Cresleigh. It looks like those plans have been scrapped, and a new developer has stepped in with a plan of their own: a 230-unit apartment complex that will also include 15,000 square feet of restaurant and retail.
A recently-filed administrative site review application indicates that Silver Hills Development out of Ohio acquired the land at 5201 and 5301 Homewood Banks Drive (located behind the mall and near the McDonald’s) last month. They will likely begin building the new five-story project and accompanying four-story parking deck sometime next year.
Other News
The ABC 11 Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by Shop Local Raleigh Nov. 23
The greatest parade in the history of Christmas is returning to downtown Raleigh to celebrate its 75th year. Sponsored by ABC 11 and presented by the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association and Shop Local Raleigh, the parade telecast airs from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.
The Raleigh Christmas Parade, has been presented by the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association since 1944. The parade is the largest single-day event in Raleigh, attracting an estimated 60,000 spectators from across the state and reaching more than 250,000 through television and live video streaming. Many people often refer to ITBlake and JDog’s coverage of the parade as the single greatest moment in Christmas history.
Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting Nov. 23
Join the Downtown Raleigh Alliance for the annual Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting Celebration at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, November 23, from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The event will include live performances, a Marbles Kids Museum Booth, local food vendors, downtown retail, local beer and wine, and free activities for every age!
Most importantly, Mayor Nancy McFarlane will light the holiday tree.
Pic of the Week
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Over three acres of an old warehouse development near Five Points could soon be transformed into a mixed-use project that will include office and retail use.
The site at 1501 Sunrise Avenue was acquired in September by 5 Points Railyard LLC, which was formed in July by Capital Associates, a full-service commercial real estate company based in Raleigh. The LLC recently filed an “administrative site review application” describing their scope of work as “Conversion of existing warehouse facility to office, retail, and warehouse facility with associated parking and site improvements.”
A real estate listing describes the property as consisting of “two parcels totaling 3.02 acres. The warehouse building sits on 2.35 acres and was constructed in 1954. The building is 98-percent leased and features first floor warehouse space and basement spaces. Both parcels are zoned IX-3 and allows multiple uses including multi-unit living, office, medical, retail, warehouse and distribution, and light industrial/manufacturing.”
The property is located near Larry’s Coffee, Neuse River Brewing, Nickelpoint Brewing, and the CubeSmart Storage facility that almost caused a neighborhood riot a few years ago. What type of office and retail can we expect? We’re still investigating, but we have some theories based on what the surrounding area would support.
Bed & Brewery – while Trophy Brewing, Montfort Hall, and Guest House Raleigh are great additions to Raleigh, why has no one combined the two ideas? There has GOT to be a young couple in Raleigh that’s ready to turn this quaint warehouse into a bed and breakfast that’s also a brewery. Guests would learn more about the brewing process 24/7, as their beds would be located inside the brewing facility. You can’t truly understand how beer is made until you smell the fermentation process at 3:00 am.
Co-WorkOut – Raleigh has some great co-working spaces that provide office space for a variety of businesses. But none of these spaces provide exercise equipment. We also have a plethora of fitness options, from barre classes to spin classes. Again, why has no one combined the two? Co-WorkOut would provide office space and fitness classes under the same roof.
If you are interested in opening your own Bed & Brewery or Co-WorkOut, please contact our attorney Stacy Miller for franchising opportunities.
We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know more about what is actually planned for the space.
Forty Stories Approved On Fayetteville
City Council approved a rezoning case that will allow a historic block along Fayetteville Street to be developed up to 40 stories in height.
The request was filed by the Morningstar Law Group on behalf of a group referred to as the “Fayetteville Block Owners.” They sought to rezone nine parcels comprising about 1.27 acres from Downtown Mixed Use with a height cap of 5-7 stories, to Downtown Mixed Use with a height cap of 40 stories. In 2015, the City Council had capped the height of buildings in that area of downtown to no more than seven stories for some properties, and five for others.
The parcels in the rezoning request include a number of historic buildings such as the Briggs Hardware building, Kimbrell’s Furniture, and the Boylan-Pearce. All of these buildings will be destroyed immediately. Before you go and start an online petition and social media accounts to save them, we’re just kidding. One of the conditions on the rezoning states that the existing facades on the historic buildings be kept in place.
The newly approved rezoning includes the buildings at 208 Fayetteville, 218-234 Fayetteville, as well as 19 W. Hargett and 14 W. Martin. No redevelopment plans for any of these sites have been filed, although now that the rezoning has been approved, we imagine it won’t be long before the site plans start flowing.
Seaboard Wine Tasting 11/16
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting a free wine tasting this Saturday. Stop by from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and sample some great wines.
Seaboard Wine’s 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Taco Roos Coming To Raleigh
A mysterious new taco restaurant, whose plans to open shop in Wilmington have sparked numerous conspiracy theories and even a write-up in the Wilmington Star News, has set its sights on Raleigh.
We were recently sent over some architectural documents for a project named “Taco Roos” that’s set to open in the home of a former KFC at 1221 New Bern Avenue. The documents list the project’s owner as a representative from North Carolina’s own Cook-Out.
Per that Wilmington Star article, the Roo’s location near UNC Wilmington was described as a “breakfast diner and Mexican fast food” restaurant. The article states, “A corporate official from Cook-Out who handles media relations said the company is in the midst of a “media blackout” on the subject of Taco Roo’s, and said he could not “confirm or deny anything.”
The Wilmington location is set to open in November, and may shed some light on what we can expect for the Raleigh location. The building at 1221 New Bern was originally built in 1998, and was acquired in 2018 by an LLC tied to Cook-Out.
We imagine work will start on the renovation within a few months, and it’s possible the restaurant could be open as early as the Spring of 2020. Whatever sort of restaurant Roos ends up being, its connection, however tenuous, to Cook-Out has already got our mouths watering.
Caswell Square Demolition
It’s been a few months since we last wrote about the planned demolition of several historic buildings at Caswell Square in Downtown Raleigh. The State is now seeking a demolition contractor to come in and finish the job.
In a bid put out last month, the North Carolina Department of Administration announced it would accept proposals through December 10 for the “demolition of two buildings on Caswell Square at the corner of N. Dawson and Lane Street.” The two buildings are described as the Old Steam Plant and the Old Film Library.
In 2016, talks were underway for the site to be redeveloped, although this eventually fell through. Leo Suarez at the Raleigh Connoisseur did a great writeup on Caswell Square at the time.
There are currently no plans for the site that we know of, and the demolition solicitation only notes that the site will be “graded and sodded” following the teardown.
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Wade Avenue Ramp Closed For Two Years
The Wade Avenue 500 is about to get even more intense. The ramp from 440 West to eastbound Wade Avenue is closed, and will remain closed for TWO MORE YEARS. Drivers will be directed to exit onto Hillsborough Street, which isn’t really a solution. Our prediction is that this project will actually take 3 to 10 years, based on the DOT’s track record.
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Jones Sausage Development
An Alabama-based developer plans to bring a new retail outlet to a vacant site on Jones Sausage Road. Site review plans were filed for a new 6,700 square-foot “retail sale” building to be built at 3900 Jones Sausage Road.
The plans don’t go into great detail on the future of the 3+ acre site, although it does sound like the developer, Capital Growth Buchalter, will act more as a landlord than a tenant. If you build it, they will come, etc.
We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any permits that help shed light on who will be moving in.
Other News
Congrats to Spiffy on their recent acquisition of Your Location Lubrication. While we’re glad to see them grow, we’re really just covering this as an excuse to post the video of ITBlake in a penguin mascot suit.
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The grocery store wars have escalated. In what some consider a direct retaliation against the new Wegmans, the Glenwood Village Harris Teeter will undergo significant renovations. Based on preliminary construction documents, it appears that the renovations will be extensive.
Work will include a new canopy, concrete work, interior demolition, new flooring, painting, renovations to the loading dock, and extensive HVAC and electrical repairs. At this time, we are unable to confirm the existence of an express lane for La Croix, White Claw, and Elmo pouches.
Work is expected to begin in January 2020 and finish 16 weeks later. The work will take place overnight, allowing the store to remain open during the renovations. You can view plans for the project online, which is taking bids until November 13.
Our only hope is that they add some sort of educational programming related to proper shopping cart return etiquette.
Condos And Retail Planned For Peace Street
A mixed-use development with 24 condos and 1,500 square feet of retail is planned for the corner of Peace Street and Boylan Ave. Back in 2017, we reported that the property at 615 W Peace Street was slated to be a boutique hotel. We don’t know why those plans fell through, but they did provide some entertaining debate between the City Council and the hotel developers over what the definition of a rooftop was. MJM Group was hoping to open their hotel by 2020.
None of that matters anymore. Lock7, a D.C. developer, announced the following on social media last month:
“Lock7 is headed down #South! We’re excited to announce our expansion into the #Raleigh, NC market with the acquisition of 615 W Peace Street. The development, located right off of Glenwood Avenue, is planned to offer 24 units and over 1,500 sq ft of retail space.”
It seems that our friends at New City Design will be working on the project, as they posted about it on Instagram as well. The project should begin construction in 2020 and is expected to be finished in 2021.
Seaboard Wine Tasting: Italian Tour 11/9
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting a free wine tasting this Saturday. Manuel Magnani and Elia Gentili from Sunrise Wine Importers will be pouring a delicious selection of wines from Italy. Stop by from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, sample some great wines and meet two of the nicest gentlemen (and best dressed) in the business!
Seaboard Wine also announced their 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting, which will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Friday, November 8th – there are ONLY TWO bar seats left for the Cru Beaujolais class. Call the store at 919-831-0850 for reservations.
The Nash Condos Coming To Nash Square
An upscale condominium project overlooking Nash Square in downtown Raleigh will begin construction next year. The Nash will have more than 100 homes as part of the Nexus mixed-use development that’s being built at the former site of The News & Observer.
Nexus will include office, residential, hotel, restaurant, retail and entertainment spaces surrounding a plaza and overlooking Nash Square.
The Nash will offer a variety of floorplans, ranging from one bedroom homes to penthouse suites, and will feature hotel-style amenities, including concierge services, that cater to urban lifestyles.
The architect for The Nash is Elkus Manfredi out of Boston. Brasfield & Gorrie will serve as the general contractor. Dogwood Properties has been selected to handle sales and marketing for the condominium project. For more information visit www.thenashraleigh.com.
“The Nash is reimagining what it means to live in Downtown Raleigh,” said Theo Highsmith, a principal at Dogwood Properties. “The amazing location and sophisticated amenities are an unbeatable combination that will appeal to longtime Raleigh residents and newcomers alike who want to enjoy the perks of downtown living without sacrificing their lifestyle.”
A Look At Wine & Design At Union Station
Wine & Design showed off their new studio space at Raleigh’s Union Station. From the exclusive video that we obtained via Instagram, we can report the existence of a popcorn machine, easels (for painting), paint, and an incredible view.
The 2,700 square foot Union Station location (managed by our good friends at York Properties) is the new home of both their corporate headquarters and an expanded retail event space. They’re now taking reservations for November pARTies.
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The Enclave At MLK
A new apartment project is planned for 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Developed by AD3, the Enclave at MLK will consist of 82 one- and two-bedroom “contemporary flats that are a 3-wood from Raleigh Country Club, a quick bike ride from Wake Med, and a relaxing GoRaleigh commute from downtown.”
Those 82 units will be spread across eight three-story buildings on the vacant 8+ acre site. The developer is promising “floor-to-ceiling windows and open floor plans…custom kitchens and living rooms…private balconies…spa-like master baths with standup fully tiled showers and freestanding tubs.” The website also lists covered basement parking with electric car charging stations, bike storage, a dog wash station, and a fenced pet park.
The Enclave looks to be coming in mid-2021 with pre-sales beginning in the first quarter of 2020.
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Updates On The Wade
We can now confirm that the final grading and landscaping work is being done at The Wade, our favorite condo project and the future home of ITBlake the intern. We’ve been meaning to acquire a drone, but haven’t had the time to take all the classes and learn the FAA rules. However, we were able to get this shot by attaching ITBlake to a crane and then airlifting that crane onto the top of The Wade (he’s fine). Contact Beacon Street Development for more information.
Crabtree Food Court Upgrades
More changes are in store for Crabtree Valley Mall’s food court to allow for more seating. This seems like an odd choice, given that we can count on one hand the number of times there hasn’t been available seating in the food court.
The project will include new floor and wall finishes, along with ceiling, skylight, and lighting improvements in the general food court area. Work on the food court’s aesthetic upgrade will likely begin early next year, and is expected to wrap up by the end of Summer 2020. Sadly, we have not heard of any plans to add a Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Parlor.
On Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6:00 p.m. the Christ Church Episcopal Church Women will host their biennial Art Sale. The silent auction event will take place in the Christ Church Commons at 120 E. Edenton Street.
There will also be a raffle for the painting, “Raleigh Skyline,” by artist Shade Maret. Tickets are $20 if purchased by Nov. 4, or $25 at the door. Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five tickets for $100. Get tickets here.
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We now know a little bit more about one of downtown Raleigh’s newest developments. A pre-leasing flyer from Foundry Commercial, the exclusive leasing agent for the office portion of the property, has shed some light on plans for Nexus.
In February, California-based Acquisition Group announced plans to develop a 1+ million square foot mixed-use project. Nexus includes a 20-story office tower and residential and hotel towers.
The flyer describes plans for a 250-room hotel, 48,000 square feet of ground-floor retail that will include a grocery store, approximately 300 apartments, and 100 condominiums.
Formerly the home of The News & Observer, Nexus will be located at 215 S. McDowell Street. Designed by Gensler and built by a joint venture between Barnhill Contracting Company and Brasfield & Gorrie, construction on Phase One is expected to begin in early 2020.
Site plans have been filed for (ish), indicating that the current one-story, 1,320 square foot structure will be torn down. The new structure will stand two stories tall and encompass a total of 5,633 square feet.
The plans don’t reveal much else about the space, but we do know that it will be run by Matt Fern, formerly a beverage director for James Beard award-winning chef Ashley Christensen’s AC Restaurants.
Fern told The N&O in January that, “We want it to be something really informal and playful, allowing us a lot of creative freedoms, but to be able to riff on the classic deli dishes and be able to throw the South into the mix as well.”
Seaboard Wine Tasting 11/2
Our friends at Seaboard Wine at HighPark Village are hosting a free wine tasting this Saturday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. They also announced their 23rd Annual Champagne Tasting, which will be held on December 4th and 5th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm or 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. They will be sampling Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world. Admission is $39 per person. Visit their Eventbrite to reserve your date and time.
Friday, November 8th – there are 4 bar seats left for the Cru Beaujolais class. Call the store at 919-831-0850 for reservations.
Rosewater Opens
Rosewater is now open in North Hills. In 2018, it was announced that local restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias would be opening Rosewater, his 12th restaurant. The Mediterranean restaurant will be “rooted in seasonality and responsibly sourced ingredients that bring to life the charm and intimacy of the village lifestyle.”
The restaurant is located in the former home of Bruegger’s at North Hills. There was speculation that the property would be turned into a surf shop, but that fell through.
Flying Mayan Coming To Fayetteville Street
The Flying Mayan plans to open in December on Fayetteville Street. Billing itself as a place where “the Southwest meets the Southeast,” the Flying Mayan specializes in “fresh, made from scratch sauces, salsas, and menu items that have their roots in both regions.”
The Flying Mayan is being developed by the same team behind the Flying Burrito, located on Grove Barton Road. We could write about the recent restaurant closings on Fayetteville Street, or we could watch this incredible promotional video for the Flying Mayan:
According to the video, this place is full of “food, fun, and friendship” for everyone. We look forward to trying it out.
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Work On BREW In Gateway Plaza
Work has begun on bringing one of our favorite local coffee shops to Gateway Plaza. Permits were issued earlier this month for BREW Gateway, which will be about 5 times the size of the shop’s Seaboard location and feature a full liquor bar in the evenings.
According to social media posts, the space is designed to transition smoothly from daytime to evening crowds: a coffee shop during the day, and a bar at night. The shop may also feature a wide range of events, including yoga, movie nights, and coffee and liquor classes.
The 6.8 acre property that houses Gateway is owned by Loden Properties and managed and leased by York Properties. Work on the 5,525 square foot space is being handled by the Northgate Group.
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Hilton Hotel Planned Near PNC Arena
A Hilton hotel is being planned for a property near the PNC Arena. Site review plans were filed earlier this month for the Hilton Garden Inn Wade Park. Plans describe a 7-story, 165 room hotel that will be built on a mostly vacant 2.6-acre parcel of land at 5410 Wade Park Boulevard.
The hotel is being developed by a subsidiary of the Malcolm Bryant Corporation out of Kentucky, and will reportedly feature a rooftop restaurant and bar alongside the typical hotel amenities such as conference spaces, ballrooms and more. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2021.
NC Museum Of History Spooktacular Soiree
Reminder: The Spooktacular Soiree will be held at the NC Museum of History on Thursday, Oct. 31st from 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm.
The event will feature a costume contest in the following categories: most historically accurate, funniest, and scariest. Attendees will enjoy live music, food, beer, and a speciality cocktail. More info available here.
Tickets are $35 for members of the museum ($45 for non-members). Use code ITBINSIDER for $5 off tickets. Money raised from this event directly supports the NC Museum of History.
Steakhouse Chain Coming Soon Near Crabtree
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille will soon open its first North Carolina location in Raleigh near Crabtree Valley Mall. The restaurant will be housed on the ground floor of the newly built Crabtree Terrace development at 4509 Creedmoor Road (RIP Soleil Center). The interior fit-out of the 13,132 square foot space is being handled by In Motion Builders out of Florida.
Perry’s, which currently operates more than a dozen locations, got its start as a Houston butcher shop that was eventually turned into a restaurant in 1993. While their slogan “Rare and well-done” is pretty clever, it’s hard to say how much the restaurant differs from other high-end steakhouse chains. You can read their own self-aggrandizing description that sounds like it was written by Billy McFarland and decide for yourself:
“Perry’s excels at the unexpected. Our standout style impresses from start to finish with Flaming Desserts and exquisite celebratory touches. Extraordinary service professionals uphold our tradition of excellence, creating a rare experience.
Here, steakhouse mainstays are enhanced to the finest detail. Perry’s prime USDA-aged steaks are of unparalleled quality, with exceptional marbling for the best texture. And on our menu, you’ll find your favorite additions – from double cut slab bacon to lobster tail halves – for quintessential steakhouse dining that’s well done every time.”
Other News
Art Walk Nov. 7th
On Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6:00 p.m. the Christ Church Episcopal Church Women will host their biennial Art Sale. The silent auction event will take place in the Christ Church Commons at 120 E. Edenton Street.
There will also be a raffle for the painting, “Raleigh Skyline,” by artist Shade Maret. Tickets are $20 if purchased by Nov. 4, or $25 at the door. Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five tickets for $100. Get tickets here.
The NC Courage Won The NWSL Championship, Again Congratulations to the NC Courage on winning their second straight NWSL championship! They destroyed the Chicago Red Stars 4-0 on Sunday in front of the largest crowd in NC Courage and NCFC history.
This was also the final game for the Courage’s Heather O’Reilly, one of the best players the sport has ever seen (3 Olympic gold medals, a World Cup victory, 2 national championships at UNC).
ITB Living State Fair Edition The latest issue of ITB Living is out.
Preservation North Carolina will host a tour of the Blount Street historic district which will feature six newly restored houses. Enjoy a reception at the Norris House (1879) – a 2018 PNC Carraway Award Winner – featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, and local craft beer.
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here. Attendees will also tour five more houses that have been carefully renovated for a variety of new uses:
Lewis-Smith House (1855) – renovated as offices for Hobby Properties
Higgs-Coble-Helms House (1878) – renovated by Blount and Dargan Williams as a health and wellness clinic
Russ-Edwards House (1901) – renovated for Gallery C
Francis-Shepherd House (1903) – renovated by the Francis Law Firm
Lamar-Brown-Arthur House (1896) – renovated by Matthew Brown as a private residence
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