Midtown Raleigh: Identity Crisis?

Matthew Eisley will be the editor of the new Midtown Raleigh News and the existing North Raleigh News, both weekly sections put out by the News and Observer.

In his article today, Here’s to Midtown Raleigh, Eisley speaks of “the emergence of a new identity for the city’s increasingly distinct middle Midtown…“

At a glance, this area of town—defined by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce as south of Millbrook, west of US 1, north of Five Points, and east of US 50—consists mainly of confusing and poorly planned residential suburban streets, multiple lane connector roads laced with asphalt and strip-center development and shopping malls surrounded by expansive parking lots.

So what, then, is this “new identity” that is so “increasingly distinct?“ And distinct from what?—because it looks like the same EIFS-caked buildings going up across the rest of the suburban landscape everywhere in this country.

Rob08/13 02:32 PM

About a year ago, I was surprised to learn that I lived right in the center of something called “Midtown”. As a Raleigh native, this struck me as comical and pretentious, since when I grew up, the area was solidly “North Raleigh” (I guess Wake Forest is “North Raleigh” now?). Isn’t the term Midtown much more appropriate for the Glenwood South area?

As for a “new identity”, I think it’s safe to assume that the identity of Midtown is completely defined by the new North Hills mall, as there’s nothing distinctly “Midtown” about the area’s neighborhoods full of 60’s split levels - except their prices since the new mall went up.

Kurt08/13 04:17 PM

I have lived in this so-called “Midtown” for over 10 years. I don’t find anything distinct about it. I think it’s high time we stop letting real estate developers and their marketing cronies define and divide our community.

Ginny08/13 05:21 PM

I think it’s interesting that I found out about this new section from your blog and not from the N&O;despite the fact that I subscribe to the paper and read it online.

Tyler08/13 05:52 PM

“I think it’s safe to assume that the identity of Midtown is completely defined by the new North Hills mall.“

I think someone has hit the nail on the head. I wonder how much of this new section will be dedicated directly to Kane Realty? With Live at North Hills promising one hundred acres of opportunity and activity including a Starbucks in every direction… Of course they need their own section of the N&O;.

Sam08/13 06:50 PM

Why “Midtown” and not simply “North Hills?“ Even if it is a commercial identity. North Hills exists as a place, somewhere you can go and know you’ve arrived…Midtown is an amorphous classification of space with seemingly little relevance. Is there a demographic, geographic, or architectural shift between Midtown and North Hills? Creating an identity and places takes more than a ubiqitous title and an outline on a map. Creating districts in cities occurs so we might better understand our location. It’s unlikely you’d be able to tell the difference between being in North Hills or Midtown. What’s the difference between one county or another. Signs and laws. It’s the same logic, I am just not sure there is a need to distinguish these areas from one another. I would bet housing prices are higher in North Hills than in Midtown.

roi08/13 07:59 PM

I agree with the five commets made by the other five readers….especially Ginny’s viewpoint.

gooie08/13 09:48 PM

the N and O has been advertising “Midtown” for some time, and even now has a “midtown” section and a “north raleigh” section that comes out on Wed. They have been saying this for a while that theya re going to start publishing 2 different sections. Interesting, though when we moved to Raleigh in ‘95 we lived in North Raleigh. Now it seems we have moved to Midtown.

The most disconcerting part of all this is that our city planner, in the N and O today, said that he does not know what midtown is…what a dumbass comment…even if “midtown” is not part of “his” plan, he should know what the developers are trying to distinguish. Idiot.

HelenTart08/13 09:56 PM

The N&O;has special non-subscriber publications, so that they can compete with direct mail. This might be one of those because we received it at our house, even though we no longer subscribe. The news section came wrapped around the weekly grocery store inserts which also suggests this is a way to sell inserts.

My area received it, I guess, because our zip code is 27604. The N&O;‘s ability to zone deliveries is limited to complete zip code. That means my neighborhood, located directly behind Oakwood Cemetery, received it.

The stories should be online though. All the North Raleigh News stories always have been.

I must admit though that, even in my location, my husband and I regularly drive to North Hills for supper. Did so tonight as a matter of fact.

Rob08/13 11:10 PM

What are we Atlanta now? BTW New Raleigh—I dig it!

B08/13 11:38 PM

It’s called Midtown because the builders of Northhills wanted to call their shopping oasis “Uptown” but that was already taken by Cady construction. Who are building “Lascala Uptown” (http://www.lascalauptown.com) in Wake Forest. And if people are confused with the word Midtown try and see if they can change it to “That Part of Town That Is In Between North Raleigh and Glenwood South”-Town. Also just to clarify, Glenwood Ave. stops at 440 after that it’s 70. So if you live on 70 you live on a Highway.

RaleighRob08/14 11:08 AM

As Raleigh keeps moving north…and very little southbound…the “center” of Raleigh has obviously shifted northward.
When I first moved here in ‘95, if someone asked me where “midtown” was, I’d probably would have guessed Five Points. Nowadays, it’s not really anymore…in fact, some people even call it part of downtown!!
I guess it makes sense for North Hills and Crabtree areas to be the new “midtown”. But I hope folks still remember that the heart and soul of this city is still Downtown. And should stay that way!

Rusty08/14 11:09 AM

I can appreciate the attempt to break down the scale of our suburban sprawl taken here, but without clear boundaries (and I mean clear at a pedestrian scale, not a satellite image scale) it’s difficult to split Raleigh into a series of Burroughs like NY or other “real” cities.

Perhaps the definition will narrow over time and with new development and greater density it will make sense to call the area “Midtown.“ For the moment, it feels more like a real estate company’s attempt at niche marketing than a cohesive, socially relevant demarcation point.

But that’s all hearsay coming from outside of Midtown.

Enigma08/14 10:50 PM

At some point in the future will we hear Midtown caused the demise and decay of Cameron Village as some have said Cameron Village did to downtown Raleigh? What’s next?

Ernie08/15 11:26 AM

“the heart and soul of this city is still Downtown.“!!??!?!?! Is that a joke? Are you talking about Raleigh? I guess you must have missed the years 1945-1995. You should of checked it. Raleigh was a nice place to grow up.

Arthur08/15 01:46 PM

5 points is an intersection of roads. The name is erroneously applied the neighborhoods!

Mark08/15 02:01 PM

From the National Register of Historic Places:

The Five Points Neighborhoods MPS includes the neighborhoods of Bloomsbury, Vanguard Park, Hayes Barton and Roanoke Park. Located directly north of the Glenwood neighborhood and to the northwest of central Raleigh, the area is roughly bounded on the west by Saint Mary’s St., on the north by Byrd and Oxford sts., and on the east by White Oak Rd., Reaves Dr. and Carson St., and on the south by the Norfolk-Southern (formerly Norfolk and Western) railroad, present-day Wade Ave., and historically, the large parkland of the Methodist Orphanage. Glenwood Ave. intersects with Fairview Rd. and Whitaker Mill Rd. creating the Five Points intersection.

corey3rd08/16 03:34 PM

Does this mean I’m no longer in a Crips neighborhood? Am I going to have to change the colors of my shirts to avoid getting capped when I cross the E. Millbrook warzone line?

This is just another sad marketing ploy by real estate weasels trying to create a history in a town that pretty much does its best to erase its true history. “We never had “coloreds only” water fountains in Raleigh!“

duece.08/16 04:32 PM

“Midtown” is a creation of the N&O;to produce advertising revenue. I live in Mordecai and personally consider our ‘hood closer to downtown than midtown but still like to check out what restaurants got on their health and sanitation ratings and hard hitting stories like what project a kid did to earn their Eagle Scout badge.

MMI08/19 10:31 PM

B,
I think you mean 540. When I lived off of N. Glenwood, the street signs said just that. To my knowledge, the signs read “Hwy. 70” after passing I-540.

RedMan8408/20 02:38 PM

MMI,
I could be wrong, but I the street sign at Brier Creek and 70 still reads Glenwood Ave. Next light would be TW Alexander and I don’t think I’ve ever looked at that intersection.

Kevin08/21 11:19 AM

There is no Midtown Raleigh. The term was coined by North Hills Realtors trying to sell more properties.

As a Raleigh native, my skin crawls every time I hear the term.

ddjango08/22 01:51 PM

What it’s called and who “named” it doesn’t matter. I live there. If it has an identity, I don’t see it - unless it’s “Craptown”.

To call such areas “neighborhoods” is laughable. They are deserts with buildings and massive lots of weeds, interspersed with mutli-lane speedways, big-boxers, Taco Bells, and cell-phone shops.

There are nice neighborhoods within those areas, some of them resembling actual communities. Let’s talk about those, OK?

Because the soul has such deep roots in personal and social life and its values run so contrary to modern concerns, caring for the soul may well turn out to be a radical act, a challenge to accepted norms.—Thomas More

MMI08/25 07:02 PM

Thanks, RedMan. That strengthens the point even further.

Craig08/27 05:54 PM

I’m a Raleigh native and I personally don’t have a problem with the term midtown. I’ve heard the term used here long before the redevelopment to North Hills. Originally it encompassed the 5 points area and North Hills was concidered north Raleigh but as the area expanded north and not southward the mid section moved up. I personally prefer Raleigh to Charlotte but I do think that we should be more open to change and expand. Raleigh hasn’t changed too much since the post civil war era while other southern cities have blown past us.

Al11/26 05:24 AM

I was surprised to see a Midtown Raleigh News flier in our neighborhood…we live in N. Raleigh off of Lynn Road. They sure expanded Midtown’s boundaries!

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Mark Wednesday, August 13, 2008