Downtown Raleigh’s hotel game is leveling up. Enter Raleigh hospitality titan Souheil Al-awar’s yet-to-be-named boutique Blount Street hotel, breaking ground this spring and set to debut about a year and a half thereafter. Approved by City Council last summer, the project will boast ~90 boutique rooms across ~seven stories—plus a local-leaning ground-floor restaurant and rooftop restaurant and bar.
“I hear people dismissing Downtown like it’s kind of done,” says the local developer, architect, and Clockwork + The Saint townhomes owner. “That’s such a wrong statement to me because you can never get the feeling of a downtown anywhere else.”
Bookending DTR opposite Longleaf on the northern end, the hotel’s first three stories will match the height of adjacent Prince Hall Masonic Lodge—with much of its facade echoing the hall’s signature red brick.
Beyond the edifice, “I want to give it an interior and a feel that is really original,” he adds. “A lot of hotels are becoming very generic—if you’ve been to one, you’ve been to many. So you have to also give it that feel of hominess—like you’re home when you get there.”
Rooted in Raleigh’s storied history while taking cues from distinctive downtowns like Charleston, the project promises a blend of authenticity and modern flair, reflecting a contemporary European aesthetic that will “thoughtfully integrate the character and history of the Prince Hall neighborhood,” muses Al-awar.
For the F&B-, design- and architecture-minded Al-awar, it’s another “very Raleigh” concept—one that adds a fresh chapter to a historic pocket of DTR. “I really want to do something very specific and very Raleigh at the same time,” he states—“make a splash, make it a destination.”
And there’s no doubt it will. The boutique stay is poised to draw both out-of-towners and locals back into the heart of the city. So, time to check into Raleigh’s next chapter.
“I want to lure people to come into Raleigh—and hospitality would be very important for that. I think Downtown will definitely come back and will come back strong. And I really want to be there for it when it happens.” —SOUHEIL AL-AWAR
The Warehouse District’s landmark Depot Historic District is getting a glow-up. Serving up a trackside transformation that promises to redefine the district—and DTR—LODEN Development’s ambitious plan reimagines the cobblestone parking lot between the railroad tracks and Davie Street into a vibrant work-play-stay mixed-use destination.
Anchored by an eight-story 170-room boutique hotel and rooftop bar with sweeping city vistas, the rail-front revamp serves lodgers and locals alike a veritable playground to the tune of 30K+ square feet of street-level retail, complete with microshops and pop-up experiences; more than an acre of outdoor gathering spaces; and 20K square feet of elevated office space.
With a world-class design team at the helm, the project—targeted for completion by 2028—pairs place-making with preservation, with design minds behind some of the city’s most notable builds steering this next-gen revival. Think David Baker Architects and Gensler on architectural design, McAdams and Site Collaborative shaping the built environment, and The Creative Office of Joshua Gajownik crafting the brand story. The result? A thoughtful fusion of legacy and liveliness—preserving the historic Depot while ushering the Warehouse District into its next era.
Rendering courtesy of LODEN/Gensler/David Baker Architects
And thanks to dual “front door” design and a network of interwoven pedestrian pathways, the revitalized district will serve as a seamless connector for Downtown districts and destinations, from the expanded Raleigh Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater to Glenwood South and up-and-coming West End—altogether linking “people, ideas and neighborhoods together,” says LODEN partner Henry Ward. “There’s real energy in this part of the city.”
Known for “activating underused spaces with intentional design and community-focused features,” LODEN will fold in a mix of layered green spaces, a public plaza and pedestrian-friendly corridors to create a true urban gathering ground. Local and regional retailers will also get in on the action, helping draw in not just hotel guests and office tenants, but neighbors, day-trippers and the afterwork crowd alike.
Gensler’s Raleigh footprint also runs deep—contributing to such major projects as Bandwidth’s global HQ, the mixed-use Bloc[83] Tower II, 400H, and the upcoming transformation of the Lenovo Center.
The bold vision for this iconic district is the latest in a wave of adaptive reuse shaping Raleigh’s urban story—honoring what was, while making room for what’s next. It’s development that preserves character without stalling progress. And with projects like The Depot, the city’s past and future don’t just coexist—they elevate each other. Keep your eyes to the sky.
Stretching through the heart of NC State and Meredith all the way into Downtown Raleigh, Hillsborough Street carries a key part of Raleigh’s culture—from college student staples (see: Insomnia Cookies) to vital businesses and pieces of our city’s culture (all hail the original Char-Grill!).
Calling all blokes with spokes! Spin into Raleigh’s oldest bike shop to prepare for your next road, greenway, trail and city adventure on wheels. Let’s put the foot to the pedal. @cycle_logic
There’s no beans about it. With friendly baristas and beans roasted by Black and White Coffee Roasters of Wake Forest, your espresso experience is sure to fuel your daily grind. Bottoms up! @jubalacoffee
No trouble is found a-foot when you stop in this friendly shoe repair/retail shop that’s been helping poor unfortunate soles for over 35 years. Totally laced it! @manmurshoe
“Providing quality prints and embroidery since 1989,” this spot can create a custom design for your event, race, fam reunion, and anything in between. ICYMI, custom is cute! @progressivegraphics
It’s time for the curtain call. Perch in the park for live theatrical productions—from Shakespeare and drama to comedy and musicals. Major props, indeed. @theatreinthepark
Ready to curate your creativity? Find NC State-affiliated “collecting and exhibiting” museum encouraging discovery and thinking outside the box. @ncstategreggmuseum
For lofty and lavish views and artsy accommodations, book a stay-and-play at this mod hotel mere steps from Village District and right across from NC State. How’s that for sleeping in style? @aloftraleigh
Venture up these storied stairs for history, draft brews and filling food (sandwiches! soups! gumbo! chili!). There’s nothing like a trip to the tavern. @mitchstavern.raleigh
Heights House takessupper to new heights with its new pop-up monthly dining experience.
There’s no party like a dinner party—and hostesses with the mostesses Sarah Shepherd of Heights House Hotel and chef Liz Grandchamp of Grandchamp Hospitality are taking the always-classy soiree to new heights (ahem) with their new monthly Supper Club, launching Monday, Feb. 13, at Heights House.
A pop-up dining experience that Shepherd describes as “kind of like a restaurant, but more like a dinner party with new and old friends,” Supper Club aims to bring people of all walks of life together over conversation and a shared meal.
Each dinner will feature an Italian-inspired four-course menu—an homage to Heights House’s Italianate architectural style—composed of some of Grandchamp’s family recipes and signature Italian influenced cuisine. Think everything from crudos and handmade pastas to whole branzino and osso bucco, with local purveyors and seasonal ingredients serving as a core focus. But—in true dinner party spirit—the menus for each dinner may change minutes before guests are seated (been there, done that).
“Liz and I are old friends, and her passion for Italian food made this dinner series such a natural fit, and a beautiful way for us to bring the dining room to life with aperitifs, Italian wines, housemade pastas and much more,” says Shepherd. “We’re really excited to offer Raleigh yet another way to experience this National Historic Landmark in Downtown Raleigh. It’s going to be delicious—and so much fun!”
With monthly themes, diners have the op to pair dishes with Italian wines curated by wine professional Halsey Merritt and Parlor cocktails by barman Will Bryant—plus enjoy apertifs before or after their meal in the Parlor. Because who doesn’t love to pre-/post-game a dinner party?!
“Through our friendship, Sarah and I discovered how much we absolutely love to host and bring the community together with great food and fantastic drinks,” says Grandchamp. “This Supper Club allows us the opportunity to share our style of hospitality and make it a unique, fun and exciting dining experience.” So, go on, ring that dinner bell!
Keeping the soul of Raleigh alive in lieu of another teardown are singer Tift Merritt and Durham hotelier Daniel Robinson, whose plans for the storied Yellow Gables Inn in Mordecai will lean into a sort of deja vu midcentury moment in Raleigh history.
The once-popular rest stop on the hip thoroughfare from Florida to New York a la 1920s to ’50s is one of only two popular remaining stays that hasn’t been destroyed. Now, Merritt and Robinson have resumed plans for reno and restoration. “The goal is to highlight the property’s historic and architectural references without kitsch,” says Robinson, “and with emphasis on the more casual side of Raleigh’s emerging culture: artistic, playful, accessible, informal.”
With construction set to begin on The Gables Lodge in Q1 2023 and a newly signed hospitality agreement with Early Bird Night Owl (projects include The Willard, The Durham Hotel, and The Mayton and Peck & Plume), the hoteliers are primed to keep the soul of the 1925 inn built by William and Ella Johnson in a moment where residents are desperate to cling to some of our significant structures.
The property’s stone garage, rich finishes and 17 cozy rooms will harken back to memories of family road trips and impromptu rest stops at less-than-fancy motels. At Gables, travelers—and Raleighites—will also be able to enjoy a drink from the lodge’s neighborhood bar. Get ready to make those staycation plans. gableslodge.com
