First glimpse at updated renderings of Wake Forest Road’s billion-dollar baby
In a word: transformational. We initially previewed Midtown Exchange over a year ago when news broke of Raleigh’s first announced billion-dollar project—situated across from Duke Raleigh Hospital, which will forever change the face of life on Wake Forest and St. Albans roads.
Having now broken ground, we take a look at the progress of this 40-acre mixed-use real estate project by Dewitt Carolinas, what the twin towers will look like and how the two buildings will be bridged (literally—think all-glass totally translucent sky bridge with overhead garden).
Once complete, in addition to the twin office towers, Midtown Exchange will include a water feature, residential units, hotel rooms, and supporting restaurants and retail—and rumor has it, a concert space by Live Nation to boot. While the infrastructure for the development is in progress and slated for completion by year’s end, construction for the park, first office tower and retail is slated to begin in Q3 and Q4 of this year.
Beyond the buildings: Parks are no doubt having their moment. Landing just in time is Midtown Exchange’s new green space and play area, for which design is currently underway. “Midtown Exchange Park is the quintessential piece of Midtown Exchange that makes it unique in its design,” says Dewitt Carolinas CEO Todd Saieed. “Dewitt Carolinas is carefully designing unique elements within the park to celebrate our community, promote wellness and boost creativity for all ages.”
Ultimately, Midtown Exchange is a manifestation of a long-term vision and commitment, and 20-year acquisition of land by Dewitt Carolinas. “We have been persistent and strategic in assembling this property, pursuing the zoning required and earning the trust of our neighbors, City Council and business partners,” says Saieed. Clearly, an acquisition that will further modernize a long-neglected part of Midtown.
If you ask Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, she’ll tell you, “We have a lot left to do.” She adds: “This council was elected to make change. And it takes more than two years to make change.” At the spring 2021 City Council Retreat, Baldwin laid out the five things our rapidly growing Cap City really needs to focus on for the next 20 years. Here’s her hot list in her own words and the questions Council must answer.
1. Dix Park
“How do we take this land we bought and turn it into that destination park we envisioned and hoped it would be five, 10, 15, 20 years from now?
2. PNC Arena
“What is its future? Where will the Hurricanes play? But it’s not just for the Hurricanes—PNC is also a space for NC State and Raleigh’s live music scene.”
3. Soccer Stadium
“I really see soccer as something that is inspirational and aspirational. We have the best women’s soccer team in the world right here—that’s something to celebrate. We also have the largest youth soccer program in the country, so this makes a lot of sense.
“Soccer is an international sport. When I went to the 919 to MLS at City Market, there were people there, from 8 months to 80 years old—every color, shape and size, speaking many languages. Soccer can bring people together. It’s about community-building. We can do this.
“If you’re talking about putting it in Downtown South, the big question is: How do we pay for it? But it could be that amphitheater like Red Hat that’s surrounded by amenities where people can walk or get on a BRT Line and be in the middle of downtown in five minutes. It gives options.”
4. Expansion of the Convention Center
“Red Hat was built to be a temporary structure. We’ve seen how it works. But as they say, we need heads in beds. Conventions do that. Now will conventions come back like they once were? We don’t know, but we have to think—again, 20 years out—what does that Convention Center look like, and how do we get that done?”
5. Civic Campus
(The new building that will house our employees). “Right now, we have employees strewn all over the city and in different places Downtown. So we’re spending money on leases—and people are not working together; there’s not as much efficiency. And, quite frankly, the Municipal Building is old, tired and dumpy. This is our growing capital city—one of the fastest growing cities in the country—and that’s how we’re running our government? So getting that Civic Campus complete—but more than that. We’re going to take some of the property around the block and start putting other uses there, which will help also build our tax base and add more uses around Nash Square. So that’s a big thing to think about. The other thing is: OK, if we are going to do this, how are we going to pay for it? So we need to convene a group of smart people who can figure this out [via a viability study].”
“There are things we still have left to do that are important to the future of our city. Government is a process—there’s a public engagement process that needs to take time. I believe we’re on the right track. We are providing leadership in areas where others have failed. We wanted to get not only the [Affordable] Housing Bond done—which we accomplished (thank you to the voters—72%)—but we want to get this Parks Bond done.”
With her Houseplant Hippie plant truck, Kaylynne Leggett is sowing “good vibrations, clean air and good energy.”
Self-described “houseplant fan girl” Kaylynne Leggett is on a roll. The Raleigh native and lifelong plant lover with an “innate passion for houseplants” hit the road with her Houseplant Hippie truck (like a food truck—but for plants) in March.
Kaylynne Leggett
A dream brewed up in early 2020 over a cupajoe with a friend, Leggett—then pursuing a pro dance career in NYC—had no immediate plans to set her mobile houseplant vision into motion—but then, pandemic. Returning to her Raleigh roots last spring after the world all but stopped (including dance), she swapped her talented twinkle toes for her expert green thumb (she hails from “a multigenerational family business that’s embedded in gardening and planting”), seizing the opp to sow the seeds for Houseplant Hippie (while still pursuing dance).
Always on the go, natch, the truck’s weekly whereabouts can be tracked on the ’Gram (@thehouseplanthippie). And Leggett plans to take her show on the road soon, so be on the lookout this summer in Charlotte, beachside and beyond.
Her MO? For starters: demystifying plants. “It’s really important to me that people know that sometimes I kill plants too,” she says. “I get yellow leaves—it happens. And when people are having some of these issues themselves, they can look at that and realize, ‘I’m not failing. This is a part of the journey.’”
Further demystifying houseplants, Leggett’s mobile model allows potential plant parents to peruse their future “fronds” while viewing specific plant info (think light and water needs, toxicity to pets) on her comprehensive site via scanning a QR code—which frees her up to provide more one-on-one attention than you’d typically receive at a busy garden center. “I want everybody to have their best shot at getting the plant that’s going to fit for their space,” she says.
And the end goal? “Ultimately, I really want to give back to Black farmers,” she says. “It’s really difficult to be a Black farmer in this country—there are 13 million acres owed to Black Americans, and, since 1920, the Black farmers counted in America went from 925,708 to now 45,500. So giving back to farmers and families in the Black community who’ve had systemic discrimination and racism over the past 150 years is my top priority.” With a home base at Haven Farm in Knightdale (owned by Leslie Logan Brown of Logan’s Garden Shop fame), Leggett hopes to add hours of operation at the farm soon—plus wine, brews and on-site yoga.
In the meantime, it’s all about the “good vibrations, clean air and good energy,” she says—“three things that are super-important—especially in a time like this.” To further reap those good vibes, while on-truck, grab some Haven Farm CBD products and constantly rotating wares from women-owned businesses (think soaps, plant hangers and more). Ultimately, says Leggett, “I just want to make your space a place where vibrations are high; your air is clean; and your energy is at a place of peace.” You grow, girl. thehouseplanthippie.com/truck
Nerd out over triceratops and T. rex fossils at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.
If you’re at all like Friends’ Ross Geller (you know, the nerdy paleontologist played by David Schwimmer), you’re going to freak over the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ newest permanent Dueling Dinosaurs exhibit. Promising to be rawr-some, the exhibit will transport you back 67 million years to experience two (hence “dueling”) dino specimens—triceratops and T. rex. This prehistoric duo was buried side by side in a single grave during the Late Cretaceous geological period in what is now Montana. They are now two of the most complete skeletons ever discovered—a discovery so big, the NCMNS is building a state-of-the-art new lab to contain it so you can get up-close and personal with these prehistoric fossils and tap the scientists unearthing the long-buried secrets. While you wait for the full display in 2022, you can now quell your anticipation with a first look at these “dueling dinos” via the museum’s recent unveiling of two specimens that will comprise the complete exhibit. (Cue Ross’ famed quirky dino impression.) Free admission; naturalsciences.org
Herbivores’ dilemma solved as plant-based gastropub opens in DTR this month.
Get ready to veg out, Raleigh. A 100% plant-based gastropub and taproom is descending on DTR. After a combined 40 years of vegan culinary experimentation, 24 years in the hospitality industry and countless calories, the Element Gastropub fam is bringing their passion and dream to the City of Oaks with a concept that caters to both omnivores and vegans alike. Originally slated for an August launch (pushed for pandemic restrictions, delayed construction and riot-related plaza damage), the good-chives-only concept is ready to bow in City Plaza in early May with its plant-powered lunch, brunch and dinner selects. Make Popeye proud with a dose of Dem’ Greenz (try the Buffalo Soldier salad), or take a world tour from the Global Street Food selects (think carnita Jak street tacos, rotating sushi special, kimchee mac)—not to mention the Grab n Go, Pubwhiches and Pint-Sized Pubsters, to name a few). And since Raleigh loves brunch, clearly, we’re repping the Hardcore Brunch items (Buffalo “chikn’” wafflewich, please)—but with the Lunchesque brunch offerings, even your pickiest brekky-hating Sunday brunch buddy’s palate’ll be pleased. Oh, and don’t forget to save room for dessert. Go big or go home with some nanner puddin’ and some Nicecream Funday. elementgastropub.com
