JDavis Architects has released a rendering for a new four-tower, 30+ story development, called Edison, which will be built adjacent to the Progress Energy Center between Blount and Wilmington Streets. The development will include office, retail, condominiums, and hotel rooms. The project is still 3-4 years off for the completion of the first tower, which will likely be the new tallest building in town. Subsequent towers will be completed up until 2018. According to the N&O, the Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue building, which has stood for almost a century, will be replaced by this project, but the business will be relocated into one of the new towers. Will Cooper’s barbecue taste the same? Surely, they’ll need all new equipment. I can’t imagine the space feeling the same in a new building. There’s so much grit and character—and Old Raleigh spirit—in that 70 year old business. Why not work around it in an interesting way? Oh, wait, that might get in the way of ‘progress.‘ [progress = Raleigh becoming like Charlotte?]
The Edison, Downtown Raleigh
RaleighRob06/12 02:06 PM
Well let’s not jump to conclusions about Cooper’s. There’s a good chance that they can save all the furniture, fixtures, decor, and anything else inside that’s removable (maybe even counters) and put it in the new digs. Create an interesting splash of Old Raleigh right in the heart of this new modern tower.
ernie06/12 02:47 PM
Lets all get into the mindset to chain ourselves to the building.
Kermit06/12 03:36 PM
BBQ transcends architecture.
Nicole06/12 05:00 PM
I would like to give props to Jack Hagel for his article in the N&O;this morning. I was glad to see the interviews with the owner of Cooper’s and Reliable Loans.
What bums me out the most about this project, is that I’ll lose all of my natural viewshed (i.e. sunlight) from my office window. But, truthfully, that block needs the help. Currently, not much goes on in the existing buildings (except Coopers) all day.
B06/12 09:13 PM
In keeping with true “Design”. Form and Function are of equal importance. I can’t see how Raleigh can function with out “Cooper’s”.
Bird06/13 01:58 PM
If everything stayed the same, we’d be living in a forest and eating what we could catch. progress is beneficial to the community when designed well. however, the verdict is not out on this one yet.
freshsqueze06/13 02:46 PM
I wish I could live in the forest and eat what I catch.
EH06/13 02:55 PM
I agree with the Bird. Raleigh needs more progress. Screw history. Goodbye Cooper’s.
kitch06/13 04:12 PM
My vote is in for bagging the old Cooper’s. Does it have character? Yes. Is the BBQ good? Yes. Does that mean I would rather have one old run down BBQ shack instead of a city block’s worth of increased density? No.
Let’s just get on with it already.
Ken Metzger06/13 04:55 PM
I really am opposed to the towers that are being planned for downtown. We do not have the infrastructure to support it. I would love to see some tasteful small three to five story buildings being built. We do not have to develop entire blocks at a time.
That being said, if the towers are inevitable I want them to be different and not boring. I like the look of this much more than Progress or RBC.
As far as Cooper’s goes I like that the business is here, but some things could use some updating. I mean the place isn’t open past 6pm. I appreciate the history behind that, along with Mecca, but it is time for the historic eateries to join the town that is present.askmisterbrown06/13 05:28 PM
I like the designs, but what’s up with that slanty stuff? That’s a fad that won’t wear well. The Progress Energy building is also spoiled by its slanty top. Likewise the Moore Square school. It’s not sleek, impressive, powerful, or dignified. It’s more goofy, wonkety, cattywampus. Not what I’d like to see dominating our skyline. BUT otherwise, these buildings look pretty sharp.
I doubt they will all get built. Actually, I’d rather that just one got built, and then a different tower went up.
If there is retail and residential and offices in this project, then the burden on the infrastructure is not so great. You have more people within walking distance of wherever they need to go.
Michael06/13 06:42 PM
I don’t think you can glean much from that rendering. There was a great article in the Ny Times a few weeks ago about this type of marketing, and the rednering in question looked remarkably like this one. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/arts/design/20ouro.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=architectural+renderings&st=nyt&oref=slogin I hope JDavis has an associate architect they’re working with because I highly doubt they could pull off a project of this size and make it look as ‘cool’ and ‘dreamy’ as this is intended to portray.
Ken Metzger06/14 01:15 AM
I agree with Michael here. It annoys me that pictures are always at night with every single light on. This is not what we will usually see (and shouldn’t see, really). The picture becomes some beacon of hope with no other life around it. But I do think that it looks more aesthetically pleasing than other projects we have seen recently.
Jason!06/14 03:21 PM
The picture doesn’t tell me much at all (like, aren’t they _just finishing_ a parking deck on that block? I don’t see the parking deck in the rendering), but incorporating Cooper’s into the new building doesn’t seem like a big problem.
What would be nice is to be able to build around the old buildings with the new bits towering over them (like in the link). While that’s artistically complelling, is it anymore “authetic” than just moving Cooper’s to a new spot? What’s the part we want to preserve?
Something important to remember about becoming like Charlotte. They’re packed denser (good), and they have a new light rail system that’s exceeding ridership estimates (also good). I could stand a little more Charlotte around here.
Michael06/14 06:54 PM
Sure Charlotte has its good points. But what are the parts of Charlotte that are actually nice to be in. I wouldn’t consider Downtown one of them, and it’s full of these things. Dilworth, the 4th ward (or whichever it is) and the area around South Blvd, Tremont and Tryon (I forget what the name of the neighborhood is) have some appeal to me and I think the reason is that the old character of Charlotte is coexisting with the new developments. Downtown on the otherhand was largely wiped out in the 70’s by so called ‘urban renewal’ and has been supplanted by development all around roughly the same time and is about as sterile and characterless as you can get. Cooper’s itself is part of Raleigh’s character as is the building that it occupies. There is enough empty space in downtown Raleigh (i.e. the huge parking lot adjacent to the History museum) to create new dense development without sterilizing and evicerating the city’s character. They really should be trying to integrate with the existig context rather than leveling. Same argument here as for the new Wake county Justice Center.
Matt06/15 01:40 PM
hey, i could care less about some barbeque place, i just wanna have a freakin cool skyline!
Christopher Triplett06/15 03:30 PM
Raleigh needs some really astonishing architecture. We have so many beautiful historic buildings and homes to compliment, why build a ‘something or other’ tower that looks very similar to another tower in another place?
Instead something jaw dropping and within the context of Raleigh should be constructed. (And infrastructure updates need to be front paged with every large development.)
This rendering doesn’t look any more aesthetically pleasing than RBC Plaza with it’s Witch Hat and white steel balcony barriers.
And what’s with construction for one development that will disrupt downtown for 5 years???
Ugh.
-CJT
Al06/16 04:13 PM
Tearing down a historic building like Cooper’s in order to build some generic tower is lame. Raleigh is going to be as boring and generic as Charlotte or Atlanta in no time at all.
Why can’t we keep what little character we have?? There are plenty of places to build a big tower without losing a piece of history.
Bird06/16 04:19 PM
I wouldn’t consider the location or interiors of Coopers worth saving. Just because it is old, doesn’t automatically make it charming, full of character or worth saving. The mindset of saving everthing stunts potential developemt that could bring real character and charm to cities. I belive in historical preservation and appreciate the charm that historical structures and public spaces create, but to be dogmatic about it can devalue a growing city. That said, we need to be vigilant in pressing the developers and designers in making something worthwhile in it’s place….
Leo06/16 05:24 PM
Would this discussion be as heated if Cooper’s were not in the picture? I seem to recall little, if any, discussion when the empty warehouses on this block were being torn down for the parking deck. Did anyone speak up when the buildings were just recently wrecked for the Green Square project? There are more areas of historic downtown Raleigh that may disappear. I do not hear people being as vocal about the block on Hillsborough St. that may be destroyed for the Winston Hotel, or the row of retail spaces on Hillsborough/West St. that are in the way of a planned condo/office tower and offer more character and charm then the building Cooper’s is in, in my opinion.
There is no doubt in my mind that if Cooper’s is situated back into the new building it will continue on, business as usual. One thing I have learned about this area is that people will support a good business. Poole’s is a great example of this, stuck in the middle of a construction zone but from the looks of it, the place is doing just fine. The former King’s also has a following and if re-opened somewhere, it would create buzz and people will support. We are all accustomed to Cooper’s being in that bland, old building but is the building itself really worth saving? I say no. Wreck it, move the businesses we love, and bring in the higher density developments. This leads to a better downtown economy; more residents, more variety of retail, a larger case for mass transit, better way of life.
Arthur06/16 09:45 PM
Love your comment ([progress = Raleigh becoming like Charlotte?])
And Leo, its not if Cooper’s can keep their business if they move in the new building. Its if they can afford their lease going up at least triple from what it is now.
Rusty06/16 10:38 PM
This building, if realized in line with what the one rendering we have shows, would be a rather standout project for downtown Raleigh as well as JDavis. I’d like to see more of the building before getting too caught up in one shiny rendering however.
I think what makes Cooper’s Barbecue so great is the barbecue; the building is more of a bonus. It’d very interesting though to see some portion of the building saved… like perhaps the old masonry wall w/ sign could be salvaged and relocated somehow within the new Cooper’s space?
As for the 3x lease issue… I’d like to think that the owners of Coopers got some kind of deal on the rent being such an integral part of the Raleigh community… unlikely I suppose.
Sluv06/16 10:52 PM
I actually don’t mind that the building housing Cooper’s will be torn down. It is a very plain brick building whose only character comes from the logo painted on its eastern side. If any buildings on the Edison site are worth saving, it is the ones on the southeast corner of Wilmington and Martin (Reliable Loan & Jewelry and Isaac’s). These buildings date back to the 19th century and their detail and ornamentation really contribute to the historic feel and character that continues up wilmington with Brigg’s Hardware and others. Those buildings also appear to be in decent shape for their age. I am in favor of development bringing more residents, workers and retail to downtown, but at what point does historic preservation become worthy of consideration? How many century+ old buildings do we have left in Raleigh? Which of them is next?
Ashton06/17 08:41 PM
The current parking deck is visible here between the two tall towers. It appears to be covered in greenery - take what you will from that…
greg06/18 10:22 PM
Do you think the new Cooper’s will still have segregated doors?
Gary!07/10 05:58 PM
If Coopers goes, does the smell of feet from the alley next to it go too? If so, please tear it down immediately.
Aaron08/10 04:37 AM
Quit complaining. You better be grateful that the developers didn’t tell old Clyde (God bless him) to get the @#%!& out and start packing.
Raleigh has plenty of character. One block with a few old buildings and a parking deck that’s being made way for a huge development isn’t going to make our beloved city any less original.
Christopher Triplett08/10 01:26 PM
But, that huge development should add some character.
Will those towers?
Aaron08/11 12:56 AM
Definitely. I hope one at least gets built. I really like design.
Scott08/22 06:08 AM
I agree with towers over history, look at Norfolk, VA they managed to keep a little history I mean the buildings in DT Norfolk are old and crummy but that being my hometown, I can still notice the new towers that are built, not that its making progress like Raleigh or Orlando, FL but thats a price you pay. Virginia Beach’s Pembroke DT district is just a virgin skyline compared to even Raleigh who has just begun their skyline journey and Va. Beach is the oldest city in America next to Norfolk.
Cities like Orlando and Tampa have more density and unique towers but none reach the 500 ft mark like in Raleigh so thats a plus, Tampa I believe has achieved recently but Orlando still hasn’t even broken the 420 ft marker yet. Raleigh needs to fill in, I believe THE EDISON project will make it so that DT Raleigh has no choice but to fill in the gaps between the RBC and Wachovia towers, maybe even further along. I must admit, Raleigh needs one iconic tower that stems at least 650-700 ft to symbolize RTP and modern technology but it being the only LED city in the US or with plans to become the first that may buy the city time.
I visited family in Raleigh in the beginning of August and I can tell you this. For those families who left Raleigh in 1990, they won’t even be able to recognize the city of oaks come the year 2018, thats how much progress its making, and what makes it so glamorous is that it doesn’t sit on a river or any waterfront areas which kinda gives it a science lab theme especially with the colors they are using. Raleigh shouldn’t focus on tourism, but I do support towers in the city thats known to be one of the fastest, safest, job thriving cities in america, Charlotte is known to be a banking and commerce city, I guess Raleigh is truly making their mark in becoming the modern technological city that they have the reputation for. At the end of the day, it’s finally great to see Raleigh moving forward with projects instead of Mayberry aka Charlotte stealing all the light and glory, it’s the Capitol for godsake.
Oh yes, and another good idea would be to build a iconic City Hall tower and maybe even a new state capitol building for the 21st century and keep the present one for historical purposes. Really, Durham doesn’t need to do anything, if Raleigh can build a solid skyline that people would want to hang posters up of on their wall, maybe the two twin cities can merge back into one once again and Durham residents be proud of being a part of the reinvigorated metro.
Can’t wait for the twin towers to finally piece in, from the rendeerings it looks like its gonna be not only a work of art for the city but the ICONIC masterpiece i’ve been mentioning !
I salute the Downtown Raleigh Alliance !
Ben09/05 07:01 PM
I call dibs on the last serving of lead paint…
Tom09/08 03:36 PM
Well said Scott:
The man I appluad is Mitchell Silver (Director of City Planning) - this man brings “metro experinece” to downtown Raleigh in every sense of the word - he has great urban ideas that should be listened too and incorporated into Downtown Raleigh’s future development. I met him the other day, a great guy, with tremendous “VISION” Raleigh is lucky to have him on our team.
- Sustainable House by Buildsense
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