WEB EXCLUSIVE Despite many Raleigh industries being on pause during the pandemic, the city continues to build up, with developments moving right along in an effort to keep the economy thriving. Smoky Hollow’s Publix at Peace opened earlier this month, construction on Tower Two, which will accompany the existing One Glenwood tower to form the Bloc[83] district project, is on the cusp of being finished and John Chavis Memorial Park is undergoing major improvements.
Most recently, Preferred Office Properties released final renderings and a 3D video tour of 121 Fayetteville Street, a 30-plus story tower that will include office spaces, outdoor terraces, a conference facility, street-level retail, a fitness center and more. Construction is expected to begin next year.
Designed by Duda|Paine Architects, the tower will certainly transform Raleigh’s skyline with its modern reflective exterior. It will also likely transform the way we think about office space, as offices will fuse effortlessly with upscale dining, a state-of-the art fitness facility and vibrant communal space.
“The building will also make a significant economic impact by providing a transformative location for companies looking to move their business to downtown Raleigh,” said Jason Frost, the executive vice president of development at Preferred Office Properties. That’s not to mention the amazing views from the top floors, which will encompass all of downtown Raleigh and beyond.
On the bottom floor, a variety of enhanced retail options for both office goers and passersby will bring the 100 block of Fayetteville Street to life.
Additionally, 121 Fayetteville Street’s pedestrian landscape will feature upgraded lighting and art installations for the Fayetteville Street parking garage and the corner of Wilmington and Hargett Streets. Preferred says that the transformation will “reinvigorate the area that touts our state’s historic Capitol, governor’s office and Supreme Court.”
121 Fayetteville Street is steps from some of the city’s best food and drinks spots, the recently renovated Moore Square and the retailers, museums, nightlife, events and other attractions that bring people to downtown Raleigh in the first place.
This summer, we’re opting to stick around and take a staycation in the City of Oaks’ own backyard. We’ve got some tips on six of the best places to stay all around Raleigh, plus suggestions of where to eat, drink and shop and how best to explore our home city. So ditch the travel time and the hefty price tag; join us for a trip through Raleigh’s most spectacular spots.
Raleigh was founded in 1792 as North Carolina’s capital city and Fayetteville Street is the capital’s beating heart. Framed on the north and south ends by two grand buildings in the Greek Revival architectural style, Fayetteville Street’s early grog shops, street cars and courthouse have given way to the trendy eateries, sleek offices and luxury hotels we see today. As the city’s central hub for economic activity, Fayetteville Street reflects the story of Raleigh and its people, a line connecting the city’s past and where it came from to its future and where it’s going. See that story brought to life at the City of Raleigh Museum, which offers hour-long walking tours every Saturday afternoon, and take in two centuries of history and architecture. We asked museum director Ernest Dollar to share some little known facts about Raleigh’s most famous street.
Spirits at the Hotel Giersch
The Wells Fargo building marks the former home of the Hotel Giersch, named after German immigrant and local hotelier Robert F. Giersch. In 1887, Giersch stood at the center of a legal dispute for selling “spirituous liquids” to the public. Giersch’s legal team argued that Wake County’s ban on spirits did not include beer and wine as these were fermented, not distilled. He was arrested three times in one day, eventually having his bond set at $600, or $15,000 in today’s money. The lower courts ruled in Mr. Giersch’s favor, but prohibitionists overturned the decision at the state Supreme Court level.
Wilbur High Royster and His Unusually Named Brood
Wilbur High Royster owned a candy store located at 207 Fayetteville Street, but it wasn’t the candy he peddled that made him famous. In order to keep his children straight, he named them after states: Vermont Connecticut, Arkansas Delaware, Wisconsin Illinois, Oregon Minnesota, Iowa Michigan, Nathaniel Confederate States and daughter Virginia Carolina Royster. For years, the Royster family was featured in Ripley’s Believe it Or Not for their distinct names.
Raleigh’s Civil War Capture
On the morning of April 13, 1865, the Union army captured Raleigh. The blue-clad cavalry rode up Fayetteville Street and, as it approached, Confederate horsemen fired on the advancing column under Major General Judson Kilpatrick. One Rebel horseman tried to escape down Morgan Street but was captured and hauled before the enraged Union general. The young soldier gave his name as Robert Walsh of the 11th Texas Cavalry. Lieutenant Walsh was taken “where none of the ladies could see” and hung where the Governor’s Mansion now stands. Though the rolls of the 11th Texas Cavalry never list Walsh as a member of the unit, his grave in Oakwood Cemetery is anonymously decorated each year on April 13.
Spirits at the Hotel Giersch
