Quote :

" i heard nc state is getting a hotel and golf course too "

Concern about state-funded competition to private hotels has, at least temporarily, killed the hotel idea, but they've started construction on the golf course out on centennial in the past couple of months.

8/16/2007 11:50:47 AM

i went to the meeting.

basically what had happened is that a firm was hired to make morgan street two-way. then in the course of doing that, they decided that the "only" way to get a two way morgan st. to intersect with hillsborough was to make a roundabout. the roundabout they decided on is one with a "bypass" lane on westbound hillsborough street. they also decided to limit ashe ave to right turn only onto hillsborough and to add a pedestrian-only signal there crossing hillsborough.

pretty much everyone at the meeting was against the idea that they had decided to go with. most of the concern was over the fact that this plan (the bypass lane) seemed to go contrary to the intentions of all of the other hillsborough st revitalization plans. That is the plans of slowing down vehicular traffic and diverting through-traffic from hillsborough to other roads. there were also concerns about pedestrian safety crossing both morgan street and hillsborough st. there also was no real way for cyclists to safely navigate this whole area.

i felt a little bad for the designers because they were basically just doing what they were told by the city to do. unfortunately the city should have coordinated the various separate projects on hillsborough so that a more cohesive plan for the street is carried out.

coming out of that meeting i saw no good reason put forth for why morgan street needed to be two-way all the way to hillsborough st. it seems it would alleviate a lot of problems if it just switched to one-way at st. mary's st.

[Edited on August 16, 2007 at 12:10 PM. Reason : .]

8/16/2007 12:08:25 PM

Has a pedestrian bridge over Western ever been considered?

8/17/2007 12:05:47 AM

^they definitely need that, or maybe a tunnel near the avent ferry & western intersection

8/17/2007 7:58:06 AM

Quote :

"Crowd thin on Hillsborough Mandy Locke, Staff Writer RALEIGH -- Turns out it takes more than free food and an '80s cover band to lure N.C. State University students to Hillsborough Street. The Hillsborough Street Partnership -- a collaboration of businesses, city officials and NCSU leaders -- closed down a few blocks of the street Saturday afternoon to introduce newly arrived students to the business district. Billed as Taste of Hillsborough Street, the event offered businesses a chance to offer their wares to students. Only a smattering of students rolled through to snatch up a few free snacks and grab coupons from local businesses. Those were in short supply, too; fewer than a dozen vendors set up a tent and mingled with students. Hillsborough Street -- long viewed as a tired business corridor unable to flourish like Franklin Street, its University of North Carolina counterpart in Chapel Hill -- is soon to be revitalized. The city plans to spend $6.3 million on a project aimed to temper traffic and beautify the street near N.C. State. Construction is expected to begin next spring. For many students, change couldn't come soon enough. "I always thought Hillsborough Street was ugly, and it made me think N.C. State was ugly," said Mitch Danforth, an undergraduate and Raleigh native who works with Hillsborough Street business owners on revitalization efforts. "It wasn't until I went inside N.C. State's campus that I realized how nice it is here. I think Hillsborough Street is still a deterrent for students applying here." The street must appeal to an ever-changing population of students, who agree something's missing from the commercial strip that runs along their campus. They want traffic to slow down. They want businesses to come and stay. A shade tree or two would have been a treat in Saturday's 99-degree heat. Students bubbled with feedback as they snatched up magnets and takeout menus. "It looks run down," said David Muse, a freshman from Cary. "There are always homeless people trying to approach you," said Ed Dobner, a freshman from Raleigh. "The distance between bars is a problem," said Lisa Jeffries, a recent NCSU graduate who set up a tent to lure students to Buckhead Saloon, a new bar in Raleigh's Warehouse District a few miles away. "That's why everyone goes to Glenwood. It's nice to see the masses." At a tent nearby, Danforth had set out a map to offer students a glimpse of the city's plans to shape up Hillsborough Street. He bragged of roundabouts and buried power lines and more parking on the street. Few heard him. His tent offered no food and water to snag the students' attention. Staff writer Mandy Locke can be reached at 829-8927 or mandy.locke@newsobserver.com."

so there was some sort of hillsborough street party on saturday?

who the hell knew?

and fewer than 12 vendors?...jeeze

i work on hillsborough street and heard or saw nothing all week long about this...i would have thought i would have at least heard a musing or promotion here or there

typical

[Edited on August 26, 2007 at 8:11 PM. Reason : ]

8/26/2007 8:10:11 PM

i do agree with marko on that...i had no clue about this

and i also think the homeless thing and power line thing will be great to get rid of

only thing i didnt like in the article was this

Quote :

"I think Hillsborough Street is still a deterrent for students applying here."

i think not picking a school cause a road near it looks bad is a horrible reason not to pick a school

8/26/2007 8:16:17 PM

I live two blocks from Hillsborough St and I had NO clue.

8/27/2007 8:16:33 AM

a ped bridge over h-burro, well done signage / lights ( white w/ red signs kinda high tech looking, a few of those programmable signs on h-burro and western would be nice, tells about parking, events, etc), buried or concealed power lines in previous, tunnel under western at avent ferry, tunnel under avent ferry to mission valley, bike lanes around campus and on major roads headed into campus, i can see 1 or 2 roundabouts on h-burro working pretty decently at slowing traffic....

business side of it: a pair of clubs/bars that are actually inviting to large groups of students, some sort of bakery joint? (could get KK hot donuts quick and sell them well) better/nicer convenience store (the ones there are kinda shitty)

8/27/2007 8:46:52 AM

I wouldn't mind seeing some higher density residential put north of Hillsborough. Theres a relatively thin strip where students can live before housing costs get restrictive. I'd really like to some Georgetown style townhomes thrown up near Brooks and Everett Streets that would look good, last forever, and increae pedestrian traffic on Hillsborough.

Ultimately I feel like its going to happen. It seems like one of the big trends with investment property owners around there is to buy up adjacent lots and sit on them. Hell, I have one and I've had neighbors on both sides ask me if I wanted to sell.

8/27/2007 4:08:21 PM

Quote :

"i think not picking a school cause a road near it looks bad is a horrible reason not to pick a school"

i picked state cause i had a guaranteed room with A/C

8/27/2007 5:11:02 PM

Quote :

"i think not picking a school cause a road near it looks bad is a horrible reason not to pick a school"

that single reason is not enough in and of itself to negate a whole school, but the overall point stands. If the school is surrounded by places that look like dumps, contain next to nothing for the students to do outside of campus, and may even be a danger to students, then that should certainly be a factor as to where you want to go.

8/27/2007 5:39:01 PM

Quote :

"I wouldn't mind seeing some higher density residential put north of Hillsborough. Theres a relatively thin strip where students can live before housing costs get restrictive. I'd really like to some Georgetown style townhomes thrown up near Brooks and Everett Streets that would look good, last forever, and increae pedestrian traffic on Hillsborough."

prolly not gonna happen

the neighborhood wants hillsborough cleaned up - they don't want even more students around

the neighborhood is one of the reasons there are few bars on hillsborough

8/27/2007 7:28:01 PM

it needs more dive bars and crack heads

8/27/2007 8:40:46 PM

can anyone remember where exactly "coker towers" was supposed to go?

8/27/2007 8:41:31 PM

i think off oberlin. they were planning that when i lived over in CV with g$money on hillcrest.

8/27/2007 8:52:57 PM

also, anyone been off campus at duke lately? haha shut up about the area around ncsu

8/27/2007 8:54:11 PM

i was just wondering what happened to g$money the other day actually...i miss his threads

8/27/2007 8:58:49 PM

Quote :

"i think not picking a school cause a road near it looks bad is a horrible reason not to pick a school"

They may not rule the school out, but a street like Franklin definitely helps rule a school in.

8/27/2007 9:02:48 PM

that and a well-known nike-loved sports program

8/27/2007 9:37:26 PM

they need to burn down everything on the other side of hillsborough from school and start that shit over again

8/27/2007 11:09:15 PM

I'd love for somebody to buy it all, knock it all down and then throw up some north hills type shit.

Of course, college students don't spend money, so it will never happen.

Yay bowling alley.

8/27/2007 11:12:12 PM

i think its fine.

8/27/2007 11:18:31 PM

Quote :

"can anyone remember where exactly "coker towers" was supposed to go?"

North of Cameron Village, on the plot of land bounded by Oberlin, Wade, and Daniels. Oberlin Court (of which Phase I has been there a while and Phase II is under construction) is the project that replaced it.

8/28/2007 7:43:33 PM

from Technician

Quote :

"City council approves Hillsborough Street plans Two roundabouts among other aesthetic improvements to be made Alison Harman City council members approved, in a 5-2 vote, the plans to revitalize Hillsborough Street in a meeting Tuesday night. Included in these improvements are: two roundabouts located at the intersections of Hillsborough Street and Pullen Road, and Oberlin and Pullen Road; aesthetic improvements to the streetscape; enhanced safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists and relocating sewer and electricity facilities underground. However, though the council approved the design, it did not approve the project's funding. According to Ana Pardo, a 2005 alumna and first vice chair of the Hillsborough Street Citizens' Ad Council, the budget must be sent to and approved by another board. And according to Josh Weeks, director of government relations, the plan's final approval is contingent upon finding funding for the project. "They gave the go-ahead for the plan," Weeks said. "Now the question is where the money will come from. The first half of the puzzle has been solved." The design has been a public issue since its inception. And since 2005, when George Chapman, chair of the Hillsborough Street Partnership, first suggested the council involve the community in deliberations involving the proposed renovations, he said the community has participated in the process. "I've since wondered if I've had great wisdom in asking for that or not," Chapman said. However, Chapman said he was satisfied with the design's progress since its 2002 blueprints, considering the approved plans "superior to beginning thoughts" involving Hillsborough Street's renovations. "It's a practical way to solving problems on Hillsborough Street," he said. "The board feels generally positive about this redevelopment." But John Wardlaw, a life insurance specialist whose building would be affected by the Oberlin Road roundabout, voiced his concerns about the plan to the council. The 50 feet that separate his property from the curb -- the first window 60 feet from the curb -- have proved, he said, to be a substantial buffer from the noise emanating from Hillsborough Street. With the approved roundabout, his property will begin 28 feet from the curb -- a distance he deemed "too close." "What will my address be?" Wardlaw said. "Roundabout 1, Raleigh? What will the front of my building look like?" With the approved design, Wardlaw will not only lose part of the land his family has owned for 20 years, but the Oberlin roundabout will seize two parking places at the front of his building. "What guarantees do I have?" Wardlaw said. "I'm [worried about] the excessive damage that might accrue from damages to my parking." And though Wardlaw said he agreed with the design's focus on pedestrian safety, he said that implementing and enforcing a 25-miles per hour speed limit would accomplish the same goal. And though Chapman said the new design will generate 109 new full-time, 24-hour parking spots on Hillsborough Street, he said this plan isn't the conclusion of the parking problems drivers face on Hillsborough Street. But the City isn't ignoring the existing problems, many of which, Chapman said, will still remain even when the design is completed. He mentioned parking passports, which he said would be a further step in solving the parking problems. "This project is the beginning of changes on Hillsborough Street," Chapman said. "It is not the end of it.""

Quote :

"marko Bleed to Bankruptcy 58656 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"

10/3/2007 8:56:24 AM

Quote :

"With the approved roundabout, his property will begin 28 feet from the curb -- a distance he deemed "too close." "What will my address be?" Wardlaw said. "Roundabout 1, Raleigh? What will the front of my building look like?""

what a douchenozzle

10/3/2007 9:09:21 AM

Quote :

"I'd love for somebody to buy it all, knock it all down and then throw up some north hills type shit. Of course, college students don't spend money, so it will never happen. Yay bowling alley."

i mean i could go for some better businesses on hillsborough, but we don't need that fake-ass north hills-type trash near campus. franklin st thrives because it IS chapel hill. in raleigh we have other places that have cropped up around town that are better areas for bars/restaraunts, etc. the fact that the city cares about revitalizing hillsborough st at all is reassuring, i just hope that it turns out alright. Hopefully the roundabouts will deter through-traffic and promote pedestrian traffic in a safe way. i'm not sure that it will. it seems more than anything, that most hillsborough st businesses just can't make it through the first couple years, so there are only a few staple good businesses.

10/3/2007 9:19:55 AM

Quote :

"However, though the council approved the design, it did not approve the project's funding."

10/3/2007 9:30:20 AM

We'll have to see what happens with the funding. It's going to cost some money, that's for sure. But it seems like city government has gotten behind this, and I hope the committee tasked with approving the funding will find a way to make this happen.

Hillsborough Street is never going to be Franklin Street. That's not what anyone is trying to recreate. But it has the potential to be so much more than it is now. Streetscape improvements will help a lot, as will adding parking--but the next phase is to add a bit of nightlife to the place, in my opinion. Mitch's is great, but it could use some company other than Shanghai Express and I <3 NY late at night.

Also, out of curiosity, does anyone know what became of the project that was supposed to improve the other end of Hillsborough, down near Dan Allen? I heard a few years back that fuel/chemical spills from the old NC Equipment company had contaminated a lot of that land, and that pretty much the whole area from the former Farmhouse/Milano's building all the way down to NC Equipment would be eligible for incentives if someone was to come in, clean up the land, and redevelop. While I like the NC Equipment building itself (yellow bulldozer FTW) pretty much the rest of that strip would be much improved by a visit with the wrecking ball. Great location for a mixed-use development too, with street-level retail and upper-level condos?

10/3/2007 9:43:55 AM

mitch's sucks imo cause they dont let you smoke inside

10/3/2007 11:50:37 AM

^ did they recently stop? they used to have that little side area at the end of the bar where you could

10/3/2007 12:17:59 PM

idk, i read it in a thread that they had changed to a non smoking place like half a year ago or so

10/3/2007 12:20:25 PM

how much they raising tuition to pay for the corporate welfare?

10/3/2007 12:21:41 PM

how much have they given in the past?

i'm sure it will be the same number

10/3/2007 1:17:38 PM

mitch's kicks ass because they are non smoking.

10/3/2007 1:25:26 PM

^
agreed

^^^^^^^

Yellow bulldozer building is sold
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/594658.html

10/3/2007 5:41:37 PM

You know what Hillsborough Street needs ?

It needs a Walmart and a good inexpensive BBQ joint.

Is this too much to ask ?

Roundabouts... whatever.

10/4/2007 6:39:50 AM

Quote :

"Walmart"

10/4/2007 9:03:05 AM

^^ i wonder how much unc apparel would be sold there if there was one

10/4/2007 9:07:40 AM

they should just clear a huge swath of land and build a walmart smack dab in the middle of hb st.

great fucking idea. walmart has everything we need!

10/4/2007 9:27:46 AM

it'd be a minority magnet

but at least it'd be open 24 hours

10/4/2007 5:11:28 PM

I'll agree that H-bo street is not very attractive, but it at least has a genuineness to it. It's part of a real city, not a sleepy phony-baloney college town. I'm glad I went to college in the state capital and not some piss-ant college town where 80% of the people you see on the street are under 24.

10/4/2007 5:22:41 PM

This is true. As much fun as Franklin Street can be at night, it's sterile as hell during the daytime. So boring.

10/4/2007 6:28:05 PM

hillsborough street is awesome because it builds character



[Edited on October 4, 2007 at 8:31 PM. Reason : y]

10/4/2007 8:31:17 PM

I don't think they should add more roundabouts until everyone learns how to use the few we have. It's not *that* difficult, but no one understands when they should yield or when they have right of way. Even with the signs.

10/4/2007 9:01:28 PM

i rarely see anyone having a problem at roundabouts in raleigh, including the campus one.

10/5/2007 6:22:59 AM

what other roundabouts are there around here?

10/5/2007 9:32:06 AM

there are traffic circles all over the place in various parking lots, private roads, etc.

10/5/2007 9:57:37 AM

In other news ...

Campbell University announced that they will move their law school to Hillsborough Street...

http://law.campbell.edu/news/200710_move.html

Moving to the Hillsborough Place building.

[Edited on October 5, 2007 at 10:01 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2007 10:01:11 AM

Quote :

"Groups discuss homeless on Hillsborough, solutions forum focuses on perceptions of Hillsborough homeless and possible solutions Chris Allred Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: News Alpha Phi Alpha held its first event in a series of week-long events to address the issue of homelessness Monday. According to Christopher Carter, president and senior in business management, education is the first step toward improving the homeless situation in Raleigh. "A lot of people don't know or don't care [about homelessness], but if we take it upon ourselves to learn about it, people don't have an excuse not to care," he said. Participants discussed their opinions on homelessness, and fraternity leaders showed statistics to put the issue into perspective, according to Carter. "The majority of homeless are 25 [years old] and younger," Carter said. During the discussion, moderators asked the group what they think the primary reasons for homelessness and how they handle donating money to the homeless. Some would rather give food than money to someone on the street, as they said they were unsure where the money could go. The fraternity volunteers at the local men's shelter several times a month, and this experience has caused a change in their points of view, according to Jaron Hinton, liaison on All-Greek Council and senior in biological sciences. Hinton said while they were serving food at the shelter, one man told them about his past and said he had been a brother in a different chapter of their fraternity. "No one's immune or bigger than the issue," he said. "To hear the stories of people's situations, you realize that they're not far from your own." Marcus Alexander, chaplain and senior in industrial engineering, said he was "naive that people with high paying jobs can end up homeless." "N.C. State could make people more aware of the situation," he said. "There's not a lot of involvement...there's more we could do." According to Hinton, while NCSU has supported Habitat for Humanity, and they recognize the homelessness issue, more hands-on work needs to be done to make sure that policies and ideas are implemented. APA is having more events in Witherspoon all week to educate people about other issues, Carter said. Today, they're hosting "We've Got to Do Better," a forum on how African Americans can combat stereotypes. Wednesday, there is a womens' appreciation event; Thursday, a gentleman's workshop; and Friday, they will team up with H20 for the Fall Semester Jump-Off at the Free Expression Tunnel."

10/16/2007 11:49:50 AM

Quote :

"Raleigh Leaders to Discuss Hillsborough Street in 'Roundabout' Way Raleigh — Raleigh city leaders were expected to vote Wednesday on adding another roundabout to Hillsborough Street. At Wednesday's meeting, they'll consider adding a third roundabout at the intersection of Morgan and Hillsborough. The change is needed to convert Morgan Street into a two-way street. The City Council has already approved two roundabouts in the area – one at the intersection of Pullen Road Hillsborough Street and another at the intersection of Oberlin Road and Groveland Avenue. Council members voted in October to move forward with more parking, raised medians and buried power lines to improve the look of Hillsborough Street. Officials said the changes are part of an effort to make the street more user-friendly. If approved, the roundabout at Morgan Street would cost about $500,000."

http://wral.com/news/local/story/2012230/

11/7/2007 8:09:44 AM