Richmond leaders visit the Triangle to see how we roll

About 100 business and community leaders from Richmond made a trek to the Triangle recently to see what they could learn from a region that seems to have its way with all the "best of" lists. The visit was an InterCity visit, according to the Times-Dispatch.

The out-of-town group strolled along a walkway, water flowing through a canal that downstream opened into a waterfall.

Rising into the sky was a Lucky Strike smokestack, an artifact from tobacco's heyday.

Restaurants, office space, a performing-arts center and housing sat in renovated warehouses that once counted trees growing through them as their only tenants.

Mention of the Canal Walk punctuated conversations.

And while the scene sounds like Richmond's Tobacco Row, it was actually at the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham. ...

"I think [the trip] definitely will get this group thinking about what we can do differently and what we can do better," said Kim Scheeler, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Chamber. ...

The trip included visits to the Research Triangle Park that gave the region its name, the capital of Raleigh, the downtown Durham commercial district with a baseball park, a suburban sports arena, schools and universities.

The North Carolinians' efforts for regional cooperation -- among government, the private sector and educational institutions -- was a recurring theme throughout the trip.

The group also hit the RBC Center in Raleigh.

The aging Richmond Coliseum pales in comparison.

"Clearly, we need to replace the downtown Coliseum," Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones said. "The question is what, where and how. People are bypassing Richmond to go to Charlottesville," where the University of Virginia has its John Paul Jones Arena, which opened in 2006.

While the Triangle area has much to be proud of, not all is perfect, its officials said. ...

In March, the unemployment rate for the Raleigh-Durham-Cary area was 8.7 percent, and the state as a whole was 10.9 percent. Virginia's unemployment was 7.6 in March. The Richmond metro area had an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent in February, the latest available.

But when it comes to regional cooperation, the area has a beacon to show off: Research Triangle Park, a 7,200-acre science park situated between Duke University in Durham, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

The park was established in 1959 by business, government and academic leaders as a place to foster innovation and serve as an economic-development engine.

At the time of its founding, the park was in one of the poorest regions of the state. Today, its 42,000 full-time equivalent employees earning a payroll of $2.7 billion are an economic engine for the region. ...

For Robert A. Crum Jr., executive director of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, the trip got him thinking about more than just Northern Virginia partnerships. He spoke of establishing relationships to the south.

"It's sort of a cyber region," Crum said. "You don't have to be right here to take advantage of opportunities here."

So ... what did we miss?

Thanks for the kind words regarding our fantastic first four years of philosophizin'. Muchas gracias.

Having said that, it looks like we missed out on some interesting Raleighwood tidbits this past week while we were away at the Hap-Hap-Happiest Place on Earth. (And, no, I'm not referring to the College Inn.)

Here's a quick recap:

Well, at least they're booking shows at the new mini-Walnut Creek
Our friends over at New Raleigh have been all over the Downtown Raleigh Amphitheater bookings. For now, I'll just leave the commentary to them and to their posters. (Oh, and thanks to Jedidiah for asking for who I'd like to see play there. I didn't get a chance to as I was on vacay, but the first and foremost one would be the Avett Brothers, which I feel most people could agree with. As I wrote to Jed, my other choice would likely get me laughed off the interwebz: Rush. But, hey, that would rock.)

Barrel Monster Dude is at it again
Joseph Carnevale's newest creation, the earth-friendly "Street Knight", is now standing guard over ... Cameron Village?

No hot and fresh for a while
The Krispy Kreme on Person Street is getting a long overdue (say almost 30 years) remodel.

What the fudd?
Fuddrucker's is closing its Triangle locations.

Raleigh may get its own Union Station
But Allyson Krauss doesn't come with it.

And, finally, Raleigh may do bike rentals
Glad someone reads this blog.

Happy 4th birthday, us!

It has been a quick four years since we launched this blog. We are so grateful to have loyal folks who not only read what we're spewing, but also send us ideas, tips and comments. Thank you to everyone who has made this so much fun.

Over the four years, we have published some 746 posts. We couldn't do that if we didn't think people cared.

A couple of days after we launched the site, we addressed the name.

"... Many of the [Founding] Fathers -- before they even became Fathers -- were members of the American Philosophical Society, which was the brainchild of Ben Franklin and based in Philadelphia, the early capital. ...

"The example of the APS shows that the skeleton of a government and of planning and of progress is thoughtful discussion and discourse, not simple bureaucracy. That is the aim of the Raleigh Philosophical Society. Careful discussion and ingenious ideas will be what bears fruit in the city's future; labor alone will not do. Hard work is still a major part of the equation ... ." We then said to feel free "to discuss here your thoughts about the growth, culture, obstacles and superlatives of Raleigh -- or anything else related to the 'City of Oaks' that you deem important. Talk is cheap -- but listening is invaluable."

We still believe that, and your participation has made it so.



Over the years there has been quite a bit of change in and around Raleigh. Here are some of the most prominent and most popular topics, at least according to this blog, just to name a few:

-What to do about Dix Hill?

-How great would regional rail service be?

-Raleigh's continued growth

-Restaurant charades

-The success of the Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes

-... and of the R-Line

-New attractions downtown and the completion of a DTR renaisance




For me, there are some posts that stand out for one reason or another. Maybe I just have an emotional attachment to the subject matter. Maybe I feel like it wasn't addressed anywhere else. Or maybe it's because of the participation of everyone. Here, in no particular order, are some of my faves.

-Why Wilmington Street rocks

-Welcome to "Jellyfish City"

-Discussion of best places to get seafood, burgers, etc.

-Raleigh Curios-Cities (Shimmer Wall, Whisper Disks, Time + Light Tower, Harrelson Hall, Sacred Hearth Cathedral)

-Capital Conversations (with Ann-Cabell Baum Anderson, John Morris, Jason Graves and Kathleen Formidoni)

-Our "Share Your Thoughts about Raleigh" contest

-DTR ghosts!

-Our (completely unscientific) surveys (about sports interests, commuting/cost-of-living, and shopping)

-Learnin' about our streets



Raleigh is still in a state of flux, for better or worse. We will continue to see how this fine city grows and changes. And we will obviously plan to be there to monitor that change. But, finally, here are a few things that have been discussed here at some point that I'd still like to see happen.

-A big, downtown box store (along with more retail). Perhaps one that rhymes with "Hargett?"

-The Canes should honor the IceCaps in some way

-Friendly neighborhood competitions

-Does Raleigh still need a signature "thing?" (Or is the Shimmer Wall it?)

-Time for some more public art, y'all and maybe Giant Squirrels

-Free bike rental programs (like the one at State)


Thanks again for four fantastic years!

(Note: We will be taking most of the next week off for a vacation. See ya back here in about a week or so!)

(Cake image from http://www.bobpiper.co.uk/oop_birthday_cake.jpg)

Technician gets leadership; State gets a 'name' commencement speaker

Technician, N.C. State's beleaguered student newspaper, has found its leader.

"She is Amanda Wilkins, a sophomore photographer chosen to steer the Technician," says Eric Ferreri. "She was one of five students who applied to be the editor-in-chief, and she was selected by NCSU's student media board."

I guess we can't take those banners down now.

In other State-related news, graduates have their spring commencement speaker: TV's Charlie Rose. Rose is a Henderson native (yeah!) and Duke grad (boo!).

But at least he's a name.

Rose hosts the "Charlie Rose" show, "a nightly, one-hour interview program that airs on PBS. He is also a correspondent on the CBS news program '60 Minutes,'" says the N&O.

The commencement will take place Saturday, May 15, at the RBC Center.

This is a nice step up, in my opinion, from the kinds of speakers State has gotten through the years. It's a perpetual thorn in my inferiority's side that even some smaller schools get big-name speakers while State seems to only be able to snag folks like the Associate VP for ConAgra or some sort. (And this is not meant as a slight to the Associate VP for ConAgra -- if there is such a position.)

Raleigh: Still rockin' it, biz-style

More accolades for the Raleigh area, as Forbes.com has named the Triangle the third-best metro area for business.

The study took into account higher education opportunities, economic and population growth, income and employment rates in ranking metro areas nationwide [says WRAL].

While income dropped in the Triangle during the study period, the area retains a high median household income ($54,076) and low cost of living.

Forbes found the “cost of doing business,” an index based on cost of labor, energy, taxes and office space, in Raleigh to be among the lowest in the nation. In March, Forbes named Raleigh “America’s Most Wired City.”

Des Moines, Iowa, is leading the way this year, followed by Provo, Utah, then Jellyfish City.

Any idea what this is all about?

I was on Wilmington Street today, and noticed the window work going on in the space above the Brass Grill. Is this just simple window replacement? Or is there more extensive renovation (and thus potential business news) going on here? Just curious.

(Admittedly, not the best quality photo ever.)

Bark Around the Park and the Oakwood Tea also coming up

In my most recent upcoming events post, I failed to mention a couple of ones that I'm close to. The one coming up soon is Bark Around the Park. (Our sponsor, The Other Kid, will have a booth there again this year -- check them out.)

Bark Around the Park began in 1990 as an opportunity for local non-profits and rescue groups to share their information with the public in an attempt to further their cause. The event has grown substantially over the years to include sponsor and vendor exhibits and sales, contests, give-aways, micro-chip and rabies clinics, adoption opportunities, and much more! Thanks to the continued support of the dog community, we just celebrated our 20^th event!! The 2009 event was our largest event to date with approximately 70 sponsors/vendors participating and an estimated 3,500 in attendance.

The 2010 event is scheduled for Saturday, April 17^th from 12noon-4pm at Millbrook Exchange Park (1905 Spring Forest Road). Our rain date will be Sunday, April 18^th.

Also coming up soon is the Historic Oakwood Garden Tour and Victorian Tea, to be held May 1 & 2.

The annual Garden Tour and Victorian Tea offers Raleigh residents and visitors a glimpse into the vibrant and beautiful gardens within the city’s oldest neighborhood. Purchase of ticket includes a one-hour Victorian tea with traditional beverages and snacks and a guided tour of the annual and perennial gardens of the neighborhood. Oakwood historians will also be in attendance to discuss the neighborhood’s history and its homes’ architectural styles including traditional Victorian, Queen Anne, Second Empire and Greek Revival.

Interested parties will have five chances to participate in the Historic Oakwood Garden Tour and Victorian Tea on May 1-2, 2010. Guests should wear comfortable walking shoes for the tour, as the neighborhood is hilly. The Victorian Tea will take place at 304 Oakwood Ave. See below for a list of tour times and ticket purchasing information.

I can attest that the tea location is spectacular; you will not be disappointed. Tickets are reportedly going fast, so act now. (Cost: $25.)

State, Carolina students team up to win urban design competition

Eric Ferreri blogs about a team of N.C. State and UNC-Chapel Hill students that recently won an urban design competition, knocking off teams from Harvard, Penn and Maryland in the 2010 Urban Land Institute Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition.

The squad from the Triangle pockets a cool 50 Gs for winning.

To win, the team created the best redevelopment plan for a San Diego neighborhood, emphasizing affordability, neighborhood diversity and walkability.

Neary 660 students on 132 teams from 48 universities in the United States and Canada applied for the competition.

The team consisted of State's Maria Papiez, Rebecca Myers, Jeff Pleshek and Matt Tomasulo, and Daria Khramtsova from Carolina.

Though the San Diego neighborhood studied for the project is real, the exercise was theoretical. There is no plan to implement any student projects.

R-Line Food Tour is Saturday and other Spring events in the DTR

Ah, Spring in Raleigh. Now that the rain has washed away the pollen (for now), it is once again a delightful place to be. (Give it a few weeks; then the temps will rise again into the 90s.)

Over the past few years, Raleigh has definitely become a place where there are exciting things to do year-round, but you can feel the activity level rise as the calendar turns from March to April. This year is no different. Here are a few highlights.

On Saturday will be the inaugural R-Line Gourmet Food Tour, which will begin at Dos Taquitos Centro.

Experience some of Raleigh's most unique and dynamic restaurants in one fun-filled afternoon while riding the R-LINE, downtown Raleigh's eco-friendly approach to urban transportation. The R-LINE is a free service featuring hybrid electric buses that connect you to restaurants, retail, entertainment, museums, hotels, and parking facilities around downtown Raleigh. As part of this tour, you'll enjoy the opportunity to talk with chefs and owners and sample their amazing food, sourced locally from farm-to-table, before hopping back on the bus to the next stop. ... The Tour includes stops at: Dos TaQuitos Centro, 18 Seaboard, Zely & Ritz, The Cupcake Shoppe, Busy Bee, The Mint, and Foundation (and features Escazu Chocolates and Annelore's Authentic German Bakery).

Coming back for a second year is the Cuegrass Festival, held at The Pit. Come hear favorites Southern Culture on the Skids as well as Old Habits and others pick away the day on April 17.

The Pit's 2nd Annual 'Cuegrass Festival returns to the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh Saturday, April 17, with a jam-packed day full of toe-tappin' bluegrass music, great barbecue and local brews!

We're closing down the streets around The Pit, located at 328 W. Davie St., and firing up the pig cookers for this family friendly festival. The day kicks off at 11 a.m. with live bluegrass music by Southern Culture on the Skids, Old Habits, Jackass Flats and Sons of Ralph Duo. The Pit’s famous barbecue, cooked by The Pit’s legendary pitmaster Ed Mitchell, and North Carolina beers from LoneRider, Mother Earth, Carolina Brewing Company and Big Boss, will be served throughout the event.

Next Saturday is the annual Earth Day celebration in Downtown Raleigh.

There are several dog-related activities coming up soon: the Capital Canines Downtown Walking Tour and the 11th annual SPCA K9-3K Dog Walk, both on April 17.

And one other thing: It's SmartCommute Challenge time again!

-Click here for more Raleigh events coming up.

Update: Shop for a Cause will be held April 13. (Sorry - meant to mention this earlier.)

The North Carolina Delta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi at N.C. State have announced their annual philanthropy shopping event, Accessorize with Pi Phi, will be held on Tuesday, April 13^th, 2010 at The State Club.

The philanthropy shopping event features a variety of vendors including: Austin Jade, Sassy Sorority, That Something Special, All that Jas, Ellen & Ollie, Clothes Hound, Cottie B. Designs, The Cupcake Shoppe, Undertoad Coastal Apparel, Southern Marsh, Carolina Silver Company, Stella and Dot Jewelry, Cute Buttons Boutique, Olly Oxen, Lori Daniel Rowland Jewelry, mark., Beleza, Swagger Gifts, I Heart Retail, Smathers & Branson, Belk, and Personalized Accents. ...

Ten percent of proceeds and all ticket sales are donated to First Book (http://www.FirstBook.org/). According to the non-profit’s official website, First Book “provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books”.

Tickets to the shopping event can be purchased online at http://accessorizewithpiphi.eventbrite.com/.

More good customer service (and beware of the dangerous City Plaza fountain)

The family and I took a stroll down Fayetteville Street last night around 7 p.m., so that our girls could make the water in the new City Plaza fountain "jump." (There are sensors along the edge of the fountain that detect movement; the water squirts up when the sensors are activated.)

My 3-year-old was having a blast, running around the fountain and making the water jump into the air. Unfortunately, she thought she had to actually stick her fingers inside the sensor hole to activate the fountain, despite me telling her she didn't. Well, her thumb must've caught the lip of the sensor just right; it sliced the top of her thumb, almost pulling off her nail. Needless to say, it was a bloody mess. And, of course, this was the only time neither my wife or I brought along a phone.

Thankfully, the staff at Jimmy John's in City Plaza were extremely helpful. We helped ourselves to some napkins and a cup of ice water. But then we faced the question of: do we take our daughter to the doctor? Again, having no phone with us, we weren't sure what to do. My wife asked the staff at Jimmy John's about using a phone, and a very nice, young African-American man (she unfortunately never caught his name in the chaos) let my wife use his cell phone and then waited for the doctor to call my wife back on HIS phone.

So, here's to you, Jimmy John's worker. Another example of nice customer service.

And we'll buy something next time, I promise.

(Oh, and my daughter's thumb appears to be OK; just a nasty cut that should heal fine.)

RailHawks open regular season on Saturday

YOUR Carolina RailHawks will open the 2010 season on Saturday at WakeMed Park in Cary with a match against expansion squad AC St. Louis. Game time is 7. (Click here to purchase tickets.)

In addition to the game itself, the Hawks are unveiling some new "amenities" to enhance the game-day experience.

There is a new Tailgate Zone, which will feature performances by area bands before each home game. Reactor (classic rock/Top 40) will kick things off from 5:30-6:45 on Saturday.

There is also a Fill It With Fun Zone inside the stadium. "Fill It With Fun has placed two of their giant inflatables on the East Concourse that are open for play as soon as the WakeMed Soccer Park gates open at 6 p.m.," says the official website.

WakeMed can now boast an official RailHawks pub, the Hawk Eye Pub. (Not sure how this compares to Blackbaud Stadium's famed swanky Three Lions Pub, pictured.) "The beer garden features draught selections from Sweetewater Brewing Company and Lonerider Brewing Company, plus Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Czechear."

And over on the West Concourse is the new Hawksnet Grill. It features your standard stadium food, as well as a turkey club wrap, a kickin’ chicken salad sandwich and funnel cake fries.

You can begin tailgating, as always, at 5 p.m.

Go RailHawks!

(Images from CarolinaRailHawks.com and CharlestonBattery.com)

What the what?! Rockford closes

New Raleigh is reporting that the Rockford restaurant -- one of the Glenwood South pioneers -- has closed. And the move appears to be permanent.

The Rockford has been on Glenwood South for 15 years, help leading the way in revamping the area into a nighttime district.

We called the restaurant and received only an answering machine saying they are still open regular hours, but sadly this is not the case. This is very sad news for a lot of folks in the downtown area as the Rockford was a great place for a family lunch, a first date, a work meeting, a beer alone at the beer and just about any other reason you can think of going to a restaurant or bar.

My wife's reaction is conveyed in the title here: what the what?!

A sad day for Downtown Raleigh. The Rockford was seemingly a constant in a part of town that has seen much change. It will be missed.

Nothing like some friendly competition (for a good cause)

OK, NCSU: You've been put on notice by your rivals.

"Not to be outdone by Triangle rival North Carolina State University and its annual doughnut run, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Interfraternity Council is launching a competitive fitness and eating event," says the TBJ.

"The council will host its first Chick-fil-a Challenge on April 24. Participants will start at the Chi Omega sorority house on Franklin Street, run two miles to the Chick-fil-a in University Mall, eat a dozen chicken nuggets, then run back to the fraternity house.

"Proceeds from the event will benefit the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. ..."

Oh, it's on now.

Amedeo's re-grand opening today

Longtime West Raleigh staple Amedeo's Italian Restaurant is having its re-grand opening today -- and it's for a good cause.

Amedeo's "will celebrate its Grand Re-Opening on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 as part of a special Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Night fundraiser."

As part of the all-day celebration, Amedeo’s will be donating a portion of the proceeds to LLS. The public is invited to join new owner David Harris, original owner and former NC State Great Amedeo “Dick” DeAngelis as well as members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for a formal ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. Amedeo’s is located on 3905 Western Boulevard in Raleigh.

The celebration will kick-off Amedeo’s “April Awareness Month”, a month long campaign raising funds and awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Throughout the month of April, dining patrons will be given the option to purchase personalized paper balloons for $1 or more that will be hung throughout the restaurant. All proceeds raised will directly benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. During the Grand Re-Opening, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will also be providing information to patrons and a local LLS "honored hero" and Leukemia survivor, Lena Thompson, will be attending the event with her family to share her experience about cancer survival.

“Amedeo’s has such an outstanding tradition in our community as well as with NC State and I am proud to carry on the great food and excellence people have come to love,” said David Harris, owner of Amedeo’s Restaurant. “We are delighted to celebrate our Grand Re-Opening with Mr. DeAngelis and help raise funds and awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.”

Speaking of that school in West Raleigh ...

There is some good news coming out of N.C. State (and I'm not just referring to welcoming a new chancellor).

State's mathematics department has been called one of the nation's best.

The Mathematics Department at North Carolina State University has received the 2010 AMS Award for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a Mathematics Department. Presented annually by the American Mathematical Society, the award recognizes a college or university mathematics department that has distinguished itself by undertaking an unusual or particularly effective program of value to the mathematics community, internally or in relation to the rest of society.

"This year's pool of nominations for the award was very strong, with many deserving departments, and it was a challenging decision to come down to a single awardee," said Steven Bleiler of Portland State University, who served as chair of the selection committee. "However, in the end the committee came to a full consensus that North Carolina State was `first among equals'. NC State's particular combination of a strong commitment to outreach, well thought-out programs for students, and a long-standing dedication to diversity in the mathematics work force is singularly worthy of recognition and emulation by the broader mathematical community in these difficult times."

And the university has unveiled a bicycle program, promoting sustainability (and a program we'd love to see throughout Downtown Raleigh).

WolfWheels, N.C. State’s first bike-rental program, was inaugurated on the Brickyard Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon, followed by a bike ride to Centennial Campus and back. WolfWheel bikes and helmets were offered to students who participated.

WolfWheels provides NCSU students, faculty, and staff with an alternative mode of transportation and in doing so offers a progressive solution to decreasing the University’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions....

NCSU has been making efforts to become an environmentally conscious campus. The inaugural GHG inventory in 2008 was a huge step for the University and the WolfWheels is the result of action taken due to that outcome.

(Image from NCSU Student Media)

New NCSU chancellor on the job

New N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson began his new "gig" (hey, he does play guitar) today. In this Q&A, the new man in charge in West Raleigh discusses what drew him to the Old North State, his vision for the state's largest university, and the importance of athletics.

Here are some snippets.

NC State: What do you see as some of the key differences between NC State and Purdue?

Woodson: Let me start with similarities, because we have very, very similar missions. We’re connected to people across the state in the same way, not only through agriculture and extension but through the economic-development initiatives. [S]ome of the key differences are that there are some bright spots at NC State that are very exciting to me in areas like design. That brings such an interesting mix of students and faculty to the university that really is very different than Purdue. The humanities at NC State are young in their tenure, but very, very strong. And I think the [College of Management] has a lot of untapped potential, at least if I’m to understand where it is relative to its peers. I think one of the areas where [we’re] different from Purdue right now is [that NC State needs] to win a little more in athletics.

NC State: You’ve talked before about the importance of athletics as an avenue through which others view the university. Tell me about that.

Woodson: It enhances the brand when athletics perform at the highest levels. It has the potential to tarnish the brand when things go awry. And what I mean by that is not just losing, but having controversy associated with the athletics program. I’m a firm believer in the value of competitive athletics for the institution. I believe that it’s got to be done with integrity, with strong business principles so that it’s a solid resource and on solid financial ground. When it’s done well, it really adds tremendous value to the NC State brand. You can’t buy the kind of advertising that you get from a successful athletics program.

NC State: You’ve mentioned in other interviews that part of your excitement about becoming the next chancellor here is about being able to take a leadership role and helping to take the university to the next level. What do you see as the next level?

Woodson: For me, the best way to describe that is that the institutional reputation grows. That because of the growth in NC State’s reputation, we’re able to attract the best and retain the best faculty and attract, retain and graduate outstanding students. NC State, of course, already does that. But I think that it’s a university that is stronger than its current national reputation would suggest. Now, I don’t like to use U.S. News & World Report as the only barometer of success, but it has measures that I think are appropriate for us to pay attention to. I would certainly like to think that the faculty, the students, the staff and the state would like to see NC State as nationally prominent as possible. So seeing growth and improvement in reputation, rankings, the success in recruiting the best faculty and retaining those faculty, and recruiting and retaining and graduating great students—that’s the next level for me.

NC State: What needs to happen for that to occur?

Woodson: The story of the institution—of NC State—needs to be told over and over and over again. A good farmer friend of mine said, “In administration you’ve got to know your stuff, you’ve got to know who you’re stuffing, and you’ve got to keep stuffing.” Telling the story of NC State at every chance is a big part of enhancing the reputation. I’d like to work with faculty, with the alumni and with the leadership there to paint a compelling vision for the future of NC State and then get everybody about the business of getting to that, realizing that vision. ...

Welcome to Sprawleigh!

One thing I failed to mention during our discussion of improved public transportation the other day is that fact that there isn't a lot of housing choices in the area that allows for short commutes or urban living. It's a topic we touched on more than a year ago regarding Kitt's Creek, a development near/in RTP. (The premise behind this place -- housing and amenities near the park -- is a good one.)

Basically, Raleigh has grown how most American cities have -- outward. And fast. The result is sprawl. (Big shock!) In fact, according to a recent study, Raleigh can now "boast" worse sprawl than the one place that many Southerners consider the King of Sprawl: Atlanta.

"The low density of housing, a lack of town centers and poor street connections contribute to Raleigh’s poor marks on sprawl, according to calculations by Smart Growth America, a coalition of groups working to improve metropolitan planning," writes the TBJ (you must subscribe to read the rest of it).

"The sprawl measure is one of several calculations that puts the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area No. 25 – approximately in the middle of the pack for sustainability among 43 metros nationwide."

The article goes on to state that Raleigh Planning Director Mitchell Silver believes the city is working to make sure Raleigh doesn't get worse. (That's where the idea of "growth centers" comes into play.)

The article also quotes a Brookings Institution expert on growth who says that some metro areas are hemmed in by geography, citing places like Boston (water) and Salt Lake City (mountains) that literally can't succumb to sprawl. Unfortunately, Raleigh has no such boundaries -- aside from other cities and towns.

Smart Growth America's study finds that 80 percent of Raleigh commuters drive alone -- 26th among the studied metros. Unfortunately, only 1.1 percent use public transit. For comparison, Charlotte ranks 20th on the list with single-driver commuters being 79 percent and 2.3 percent using public transit; Greensboro-High Point's numbers are 82.8 and 1.3, respectively, to finish dead last.