there are gonna be like 3 businesses still operating on Hillsborough St. by the time they finish this construction

8/23/2009 6:19:17 PM

yo that shit is like survivor

8/23/2009 6:56:35 PM

Quote :

"marko Tom Joad 62117 Posts user info edit post I'll believe it when they start digging and everyone starts complaining about the construction. 6/22/2006 6:04:29 PM"

8/23/2009 7:54:59 PM

^^^I've been making a point of going over the HB for lunches and stuff just to spend some dollars there. With a brief hiatus for students to show up and figure out the deal.

8/24/2009 9:08:00 AM

it hasn't seemed that much less crowded at lunch time. i imagine that people don't seek out hillsborough st other times in the day though for dinner, etc. so i assume that hurts the businesses a lot.

8/24/2009 10:41:07 AM

so is this renovation really gonna help the problem with the people panhandling? Honestly one of the biggest reason people I know avoid H.street is that they dont want to feel unsafe and be hit up for money just because they're grabbing dinner or going out for a drink

8/25/2009 3:58:17 AM

^ If enough people would ignore them and not pay attention to their fake bs stories they spout, they'd probably move on with their lives. I usually just tell them "I don't want to deal with it or their story today" and they'll usually acknowledge that and go about their business.

They prey on people who are either too nice for their own good or freaked out easily by some sketchiness. One of them started a heckle with me over "don't be afraid because I'm black" and that pissed me off. I yelled at him "I'm no racist and I'm offended that you would imply that". I don't think he quite expected the come back, he quickly apologized and told me he basically just uses that line because people are more willing to throw money at him rather than deal with "the situation".

If you look like an easy victim, congrats, you will be.

I'm not saying that all homeless people are bad though. There are some genuinely good people you can find and talk to. For the most part, the regulars you see, they probably haul in more than enough money than a college student working minimum wage at the mall or food service.

[Edited on August 25, 2009 at 10:16 AM. Reason : -]

8/25/2009 10:13:38 AM

^That guy has been using that line for a long time.

8/25/2009 10:28:57 AM

there are few of them that use that line. After freshman year i never gave any of them money. My wife, however, has too big of a heart and will give in to any sob story you tell her. I'm trying to change her tho...

8/26/2009 7:27:36 AM

i tell them I don't carry cash any more, just credit.
It's usually true

8/26/2009 7:43:18 AM

My guess is that the panhandling will decrease, or at least move down HB to the parts that are still shitty.

8/26/2009 8:34:20 AM

The worst scum on Hillsborough is that white guy who pretends that mentally handicapped woman is his wife. He really pisses me off Wachovia's been trying to get him arrested for years but he always disappears before the cops show up.

8/26/2009 8:43:12 AM

i rode on the new extension of pullen to oberlin today. hoorah!

8/26/2009 1:15:19 PM

^ that light sucks if you're turning left onto Hillsborough off Oberlin, I've just started cutting through woodburn instead of dealing with it.

8/26/2009 1:25:40 PM

yeah, i've been using woodburn for years. don't know why anyone uses oberlin unless they need to go somewhere on that road specifically. but anyway, this new stretch of road eliminates the need to turn left onto oberlin from hillsborough.

8/26/2009 1:31:39 PM

woodburn was awesome before they added those two stop signs there. now i hardly take it at all.

8/26/2009 2:26:48 PM

Quote :

"^That guy has been using that line for a long time."

Yeah, I've definitely encountered the "don't be afraid cause I'm black" guy (or guys).

Anybody ever talk to the guy whose wife was pregnant in Wilmington, and he needed change so he could catch the next bus down there? I got swindled my sophomore year and gave him a few bucks. I saw the same dude my senior year and heard the same story. I just laughed and walked away, but looking back, I should have said "Damn dude, she still hasn't had that baby?"

8/26/2009 2:30:47 PM

Quote :

"My guess is that the panhandling will decrease, or at least move down HB to the parts that are still shitty."

Why would it move to parts of HB that are still shitty? This revitalization effort isn't getting rid of the crack houses or other shady dwellings nearby. If anything, more pedestrian traffic on the street could increase panhandling.

8/26/2009 2:35:32 PM

Either because the city will have just spent a lot on the new road and whatnot and not want a lot of hobos crapping the place right back up again, or the hobos will feel out of place on a brand new spiffy sidewalk and go find somewhere run-down to hang out.

8/26/2009 2:48:45 PM

Quote :

"The work crews sure seem to be doing a lot of ground-destabilizing destruction and construction all around the tower--I admit that it concerns me a bit."

I'm not too worried about it. Historically no one gave a shit about Piza until their tower went screwy.

8/26/2009 3:25:34 PM

^The tower is like 60 feet away from the gutter. They're putting in utilities and whatnot at like 10 feet below grade. It's no problem. And there's no way that didn't get checked, especially with Primrose, Thompkins, Caldwell, and Winston all right there closer to the street.

8/26/2009 3:41:32 PM

I haven't checked to see if anyone posted it in this thread yet, but there is an email listserve that you all could sign up for if you want specifics on what is going on with Hillsborough St.http://www.hillsboroughstreet.org/

If you all already know this, then disregard what I'm saying.

8/26/2009 3:55:18 PM

Quote :

"Anybody ever talk to the guy whose wife was pregnant in Wilmington, and he needed change so he could catch the next bus down there? I got swindled my sophomore year and gave him a few bucks. I saw the same dude my senior year and heard the same story. I just laughed and walked away, but looking back, I should have said "Damn dude, she still hasn't had that baby?""

Yeah he has a bunch of variations of that story. He's the same one that pretends that mentally handicapped woman is his wife. He is total scum.

8/26/2009 9:01:13 PM

Quote :

"HillsboroughSt Construction on this project is now 30 percent complete. Contractors estimate that work is one month ahead of schedule.  about 8 minutes ago via web "

9/11/2009 1:05:56 PM

overheard Gus (owner of the PR) say that Oberlin being closed in front of the PR its absolutely killing them but they'll be able to survive and that he expects them to open it back up in 6 weeks

9/11/2009 1:22:24 PM

if they're saying they estimate they're about 1 month ahead

that means they're really at least 2-3 months ahead

if they were really 1 month ahead, they would be saying "it'll be a push, but we'll finish on time"

you don't run the risk of shorting yourself on a public project like this

9/12/2009 1:38:01 AM

Heeeeeeeeeee's back:

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/6160234/

10/8/2009 10:47:07 AM

^YES!

10/8/2009 11:31:20 AM

good lord these GOLO comments are horrible.

10/8/2009 11:39:12 AM

they're better than usual

10/8/2009 12:37:56 PM

I saw him in person for the first time yesterday when heading to Sylvia's for some pizza. Despite all my classes being in buildings along hillsborough street, I've avoided driving there b/c of all the construction, until now.

10/8/2009 1:05:35 PM

^^,^^^ GOLO comments are always horrible. People on there have nothing better to do than complain about anything. It doesn't matter what the news it, they'll warp it to suit their own retarded agendas.

[Edited on October 8, 2009 at 6:48 PM. Reason : -]

10/8/2009 6:47:55 PM

Aww man I wish that had been up while I was home

10/9/2009 9:07:46 AM

^^

i've seen them blame snow on mexicans

the sky is the limit with GOLO

10/9/2009 6:30:52 PM

what are those giant curvy metal things setting by the pullen/oberlin intersection? giant light posts?

10/12/2009 1:54:03 AM

Quote :

"what are those giant curvy metal things setting by the pullen/oberlin intersection? giant light posts?"

I assume you're referring to the ones laying right there on the side of the rode by Pullen Park where Hillsborough crosses? I'm pretty sure that those are the vertical and horizontal poles that will eventually support pedestrian crosswalk lights and traffic/intersection lights.

They have also started putting up some streetlights. Not sure how I feel about them. I kind of wish they were painted black and not metallic. I kind of want Hillsborough to have an "old world" lighting look, but I don't think it's going to go that route. I think everything they are going to use to light the street is LED by Cree so we are going to see some non-traditional stuff.

10/12/2009 4:09:29 AM

would you happen to have any links to the latest cgi or drawings of what any of this is shaping up to look like?

all i've ever seen is that overhead map and the one photoshop in front of darryl's

10/12/2009 9:53:24 AM

I, too, would like to see renderings.

10/14/2009 1:35:05 PM

nothing special, but:
raleighnc.gov link

just a detailed overhead sketch (i think the same one that's been around for the last year or so)

no really new information there...


any photos of the construction progress floating around?

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 7:55 PM. Reason : ]

10/14/2009 7:53:04 PM

blog update:

Quote :

"Hillsborough Street Construction Activities: Weeks of October 12-23 October 13, 2009, 9:33 am Filed under: Construction CONSTRUCTION UPDATE During the weeks of October 12 – 23, construction crews will be conducting the following activities: * Installation of sewer lines on the south side of Hillsborough Street starting at Horne Street and heading west to Pogue Street (2500 block); * Installation of water lines, the utility duct bank, and storm drainage systems on the south side of Hillsborough Street starting at Chamberlain Street and heading west towards Horne and Pogue Streets (2400-2500 blocks); * Installation of curb and gutter, brick sidewalk pavers, and paving on the south side of Hillsborough Street from Enterprise and Tompkins Hall heading west towards Horne Street (2200-2300 blocks); * Installation of temporary street lights; * Installation of the utilities on Oberlin Road between Hillsborough Street and Pullen Road extension (water complete, storm drain underway, sewer started); and * Grading and preparation of various sites for future construction activities. Construction crews will be conducting the following night-time construction activities: * Installation of sewer lines and service crossing Hillsborough Street from the south side to businesses. No weekend work is scheduled. TRAFFIC UPDATE Vehicles: Traffic delays on Hillsborough Street are expected between Oberlin Road and Enterprise Street. Pedestrians: Due to construction activities to install the brick sidewalk pavers, the Hillsborough Street entrances to Tompkins Hall and Winston Hall will be closed periodically to safely facilitate project work. New crosswalks have been added between Logan and Gardner Streets. "

10/16/2009 4:03:06 PM

i thought i was gonna get smooshed going to schoolkids this morning

cheers to the construction guys for working on saturday

i hardly ever see anyone out working on that nuts-o portion of tryon/walnut - tryon/avent ferry

[Edited on October 17, 2009 at 1:02 PM. Reason : pronouns]

10/17/2009 12:59:21 PM

it's getting close!

11/4/2009 9:09:07 AM

Cool article:
http://goodnightraleigh.com/2009/11/back-to-the-future-to-resurrect-the-hillsborough-st-streetcar-line/

Apparently they found the old streetcar rails underneath the pavement on Hillsborough Street. This means that putting streetcars back on there wouldn't be terribly difficult, though I doubt it's possible with the new roundabouts.

12/5/2009 5:10:51 PM

He waxes poetic about streetcars, but in reality city leaders just traded one monopoly's kickbacks(CP&L) for another.

I bet those rails are a real pain for the construction crews.

12/5/2009 5:19:23 PM

One of the comments was confirming that the rails are similarly buried in the median on Glenwood.

12/5/2009 5:22:48 PM

shot that the other day. now that they've ground down the streetbed, you can see the patterns of cobblestones all around the rails. They run all the way to Patterson Hall when they served the NC State fair (fair left that site and moved to it's current site, off Blue Ridge, in 1928). If you see them digging across the rails, ask them and they will give you a granite cobblestone. It works.

They told me they were just gonna discard them anyway. I cleaned it off a bit and it looks nice and new, even after being buried under roadbed for almost a century.

12/5/2009 6:02:31 PM

^Dude that's awesome, thanks for the heads up, i'll definitely take a walk there this week and see if i can grab a piece.

12/5/2009 8:19:29 PM

Quote :

"though I doubt it's possible with the new roundabouts."

I've seen it where the center of the roundabout it where the street car tracks run and sometimes even has a little station.

12/5/2009 8:50:43 PM

There's a really interesting thesis on Raleigh's streetcars in DH Hill written by a doctoral candidate in the 80s.

12/5/2009 9:08:54 PM

Damn that's fucking awesome. Think they would rip up some of that rail for me?

12/5/2009 10:21:26 PM