Note: The accompanying video shows previous coverage of the Raleigh City Council meeting on April 1.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Raleigh city leaders are set to resume discussions this week on the next steps for the planned entertainment district, which is being developed around the Lenovo Center.
The Raleigh City Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to review the proposal to rezone 81 acres surrounding the home of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Council members previously held a public hearing on April 1 to debate rezoning for the proposed $1 billion project that would create the Raleigh Sports and Entertainment District. A large focus at that hearing was pedestrian safety for students at Cardinal Gibbons High School, which is across the street.
Jamie Schwedler, an attorney for the developers, said the entertainment district is a vision four decades in the making.
“This zoning is the last step to make that vision come to life, become a reality and became a new economic driver for the region,” Schhwedler said during the April 1 meeting.
The area would include retail, restaurants, apartments, offices and much more.
Cardinal Gibbons High School students want to make sure they can safely access these new amenities. Dozens of students showed up at the public hearing earlier this month.
“For students like me, the idea of having new restaurants and gathering spaces nearby is something we’re genuinely excited about,” Cardinal Gibbons student Lola Holderness said.
However, she said it’s already tough to cross to the Lenovo Center, and she’s concerned it will be even more challenging with more attractions.
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Newly unveiled renderings of the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District, the new $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding the arena that serves as the home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. (Courtesy: Carolina Hurricanes) -
Newly unveiled renderings of the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District, the new $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding the arena that serves as the home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. (Courtesy: Carolina Hurricanes) -
Newly unveiled renderings of the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District, the new $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding the arena that serves as the home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. (Courtesy: Carolina Hurricanes)
“If sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian signals aren’t built into the plan from the beginning, it could create a dangerous situation for students trying to cross or walk to the area,” Holderness said.
Tim Throndsen, the chair of the board of directors at Cardinal Gibbons High School, said he’d like to see a formal condition in the zoning request requiring the developers to address safety concerns with solutions in the final site plan.
“We think that this change, and with solid plans for pedestrian safety as well as traffic safety, our community may move from cautious supporters to enthusiastic advocates,” Throndsen said.
He’s particularly concerned with the crossing at Stephen Stroud Way, which he expects students would use the most to cross over to the area.
City transportation officials said a signal there would not be appropriate because it’s too close to other intersections.
“We believe in this project, and we’re excited to see it come to life, but we also know that smart planning today will protect students tomorrow,” Cardinal Gibbons student Austin Govey said.
Schwedler said developers are committed to continuing to work with Cardinal Gibbons on safety. Throndsen said they have appreciated the collaboration so far.