DOWNTOWN PLAN
CHAPTER ONE
THE VISION INTRODUCTION Downtown Raleigh is thriving. The empty sidewalks of a decade ago are now abuzz with workers, residents, and visitors. Restaurants, nightlife, street markets, and cultural events fill the city streets. Exceptional employment opportunities have created a robust and entrepreneurial spirit that permeates our daily lives. Cyclists and pedestrians populate our streets, and glimpses of artistic expression can be found in unexpected places. Year after year, Raleigh continues to garner national accolades for livability. But it wasn’t serendipity or luck that got us here, and we can’t be complacent with our achievements to date. Much of Raleigh’s current success resulted from passion, hard work, vision, and planning. In 2003, our community created the Livable Streets Plan, with major goals that led to the transformation of downtown. Within a decade, Fayetteville Street Mall opened to traffic and is now the focus area of downtown. The convention center allows Raleigh to attract events and visitors worthy of a state capital. Keen attention to the pedestrian experience has reinvigorated the sidewalks and businesses downtown. The residual impact of this plan is immense, and its success has paved the way for new visions that extend far beyond Fayetteville Street.
10
This is a time like no other for Raleigh. We have laid a foundation for success, and we have the ingredients for our city to be truly extraordinary. Our population is creative and visionary. Our distinction as the state capital offers unique resources and opportunities. And the landscape of our city offers a palate of opportunities for all kinds of development. The alignment of all of these resources and opportunities requires a renewed vision and direction for downtown. This document, the Downtown Plan, sets the vision for our downtown’s growth and development for the near term as we become the great city we imagine in the long term. A great city belongs to the people. Over the course of one year, hundreds of people shared their perspectives with ideas and dreams for the future of Raleigh. Open community meetings, brainstorming sessions, debates, and online dialogue led to many of the goals and action items outlined here. From the practical to the truly audacious, every contribution was valued and considered. While the range of ideas was broad, several clear themes emerged to become the basis for this plan. How do we go from great ideas to a better downtown? Translating the goals and actions of this planning document into an improved
