Mark Monday, September 22, 2008

Community

Big Ideas Raleigh

The City of Raleigh has published a document highlighting ideas generated from the Raleigh Big Ideas Charrette, which was held in April. The event was an open collaborative brainstorming session and part of the Planning Raleigh 2030 workshops geared towards updating our city’s Comprehensive Plan. The further we plan ahead, the better chance we have of ensuring smart outcomes for our city. Part of the concept for the Big Ideas project is to imagine a recognizable structure, gateway or landmark for Raleigh, such as Paris’ Eiffel Tower or St. Louis’ Arch. These are two of the most extreme examples that the Planning Department cited as precedents for potential Big Ideas, and the program also seeks to draw out progressive planning concepts such as parks, development patterns and transit concepts from the minds of our citizens.

Big Ideas is a visionary brainstorming exercise for a 21st Century City. While many Big Ideas proposed in this publication involve private property, they are only conceptual in nature and should not be construed as a plan for public acquisition or a mandate for the redevelopment of private property. Some Big Ideas may also involve public investment, private investment and/or public/private partnerships. Decisions will be vetted in public meetings and may require City Council action.
- City of Raleigh

Concept rendering for Multi-Modal Transportation Center in the Warehouse District. (Insert electrical substation here.)

Make the squirrel the city mascot and place squirrel statues (all very eclectic) all over the City of Raleigh. Unlike the wolf, too heavy to steal.

Big Ideas sketch of the Hillsborough Street Arch, or Commission Frank Gehry to design Fred & Ginger v2?

Rocky the Squirrel. Turn Raleigh into Disney World. 

“Triangle Towers” monument project: a group of three tall landmark structures to mark downtown, offering an observation deck and light features.

This child’s drawing might be the most perceptive conceptual picture of our city today. (And the spaceship is pretty cool.)

Download the full publication here.

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Filed Under: Downtown

  • 15009/22 04:45 PM

    I like the idea of something visually and uniquely recognizable for Raleigh’s skyline.  Unfortunately, I think the RBC building is now the focal point of the skyline, and as much as I like that we have the building, I can’t stand how it looks.  That picture on this site of the tower with a little clown hat is all I can think of when I see it. 

    Something like Charlotte’s buildings with the crown motif would be enough for me to be satisfied.  It’s unique and has relevance to the Queen City.

  • GB09/22 06:40 PM

    Raleigh, est. 2011:

    Image:GothamskylineCollectedIssuesoftheDarkKnight.jpg

  • GB09/22 06:42 PM

    whoops!

    Image:GothamskylineCollectedIssuesoftheDarkKnight.jpg

  • AC09/22 07:24 PM

    I like the arch and towers idea!  Need more than one signature site in downtown (especially since we do not have one signature site as of today).

    The multi-model site is a give-me (this must happen)

    The squirrel idea has got to go (no wolves, nothing like Charlotte either (Cincinati is the original Queen City - we do not want to be a copy-cat city)and no acorns ).  Need a real symbol of Raleigh.

  • TSnow2760409/22 09:14 PM

    How cool would a big porcelain squirrel be in the middle of Five Points? !  But seriously there is no better place to put a roundabout in this entire city.  The more I think about it, the more I think the state would let us do it to US 70 at this location.  It would help traffic tremendously.

  • go go girl09/22 09:41 PM

    I LOVE the idea of the random squirrels!

  • Bird09/25 11:55 AM

    The child’s drawing is actually very good depiction of what we have now.  Fayetteville st. is the “focus” of the city with an understated state capitol on one end and an understated performance center on the other. There realy is not a good city center. The RBC adds yet another bland building to an american city skyline.  There needs to be a cohesive city-wide pedestrian design- this would help define districts better and give better identity - this just takes time.  after that is set, then the city should start creating archtiectural monuments, whether they are SHoP-designed condos or Piano designed downtown modern art musuem or a local dsigned office building.  If Raleigh wants to be on the architectural “map”, it cannot afford to keep building RBC towers.

  • oakcity09/25 06:20 PM

    the rbc center being downtown could have made this whole renovation process a lot quicker, but hey too late now.

    what downtown needs is retail, and retail that doesn’t close at 5:30, as much as i hate to say it, we need something like (eeeeessssh this hurts) the gap (i know, i know it burns!!) and similar shops and a GROCERY STORE!!! monuments and fancy sculptures don’t make a city. PEOPLE MAKE A CITY!!!!!

  • Mike09/25 08:37 PM

    Have been hearing ideas for YEARS.  Time for action!  The talk is getting boring and the ideas are getting old.  Who is listening?  Not city council (they have no vision, it’s time for YOUNG blood on city council and time to get rid of the stuffy old folks on the county commissioner panel).

    The arch and towers are a great idea.  Again, who is listening?

  • Arthur10/02 09:57 PM

    I think a nice transit center where they bring together the trains, buses (city, TTA, and grayhoung), public parking for commuters along with food and shops would be a great idea.——-and make the building iconic so as to be a landmark like Union Station in New York or Reading Station in Philly!

  • arthurb310/18 11:58 AM

    Hyatt near RBC Center

    Oxford Development has closed on the land it needs to build an extended-stay Hyatt hotel near the RBC Center.

    The Pittsburgh company paid about $2.7 million for the tract, according to a statement from GVA Advantis. GVA Advantis broker Chris Rio helped negotiate the deal on behalf of Oxford.

    Oxford already has submitted plans to build a 123-bed, full-service Hyatt Summerfield Suited Extended Stay Hotel on the parcel.

    The west Raleigh site is less than a mile from the RBC Center.

    http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/10/13/daily46.html#tp_newCommentAnchor

  • Alexandra11/03 03:27 PM

    Statues of squirrels through out the city of Raleigh?  Does anyone remember the Cow Parade that attacked New York and Chicago?  The squirrels reek of imitation.  To improve the look of downtown Raleigh, officials should focus on long term plans that will truly make Raleigh a clean, aesthetically-pleasing city.

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