Your golden ticket (read: get it before it sells out) gets you unlimited ’tails crafted by the city’s finest with top-tier labels, plus bites, beats and buzzy vibes all night long—not to mention ops to glow-up or belly up at your mic’d up tender-of-choice’s cocktail demo.
Tickets are available now—and voting opens Oct. 1, so study up… then sip, support and stay tuned. Follow @raleighmagazine and sign up for our free inbox drop for key dates and party deets. *Early bird tix end Nov. 1* cocktailclassicraleigh.com
VOTE NOW HERE Voting closes at midnight Dec. 1, 2025.
Got milk? NC State footballer Hollywood Smothers does. While getting an inside take on the star running back’s upcoming milk promo as the ultimate OG recovery drink, we got to know the man behind the helmet.
Fave spot on campus? Carter-Finley
How does it feel to be back playing in your home state? It means everything. I play with a lot of guys I actually played with growing up, like Sean Brown on my team. … Also having more of my family come through. It ain’t nothing but a two-hour drive for them to get to the game. That’s the best part ever.
CFB moment you’ll never forget? Georgia Tech touchdown run in the last couple minutes. I should’ve kneeled, should’ve took a knee and slip at the 1, but we needed a play at that moment. Feels like that was one of my good plays.
You’re a rapper? I just do it for fun. … Growing up, my dad used to produce music, so I always had an ear for it. In my free time, I’ll just record a song on my phone. After my friends heard it, they were like, ‘Just put it out and let other people hear it.’ I started dropping a few songs, and a lot of people on my team will listen to it.
Fave local restaurant: Ruckus Pizza—I eat there a lot.
Show you’re binging: I’m probably late, but I just started getting into Power on Starz.
”New season, new life—same goal.” In a year that could deliver not one, but two shots at greatness—read: a Stanley Cup + Olympic gold—Jaccob Slavin remains as humble and chill as ever.
While skating toward literal history is no small feat, the Canes’ quiet cornerstone remains dialed in on what drives him—both on and off the ice. Now littering almost every awards watch list with a near-lock Olympic slot and a chance to finally push a franchise that’s long been flirting with the Cup, “Slavo” is just as likely to bend your ear about philanthropy, faith and family as he is about hockey.
This very well could be the year of Slavo—but either way, for the principled father of two, it’s just another chance to serve: with his game, his community and the people who drive him. We sat down with the defenseman in front of what is primed to be his biggest season yet to get to know the man off the ice—and bend his ear for some bold predictions.
What made Raleigh stick? The area, the people—just so many cool opportunities and situations God’s placed in our life over the 10 years, like our work with Raleigh Rescue Mission, Raleigh Dream Center, Refugee Hope Partners and a golf tournament I help co-host. It’s home.
Courtesy of Canes
Let’s talk family: How’d you end up adopting your daughter? My wife always had adoption on her heart. … After an event with a story about a 6-year-old boy who was adopted, on the way home, she said, ‘I want to adopt.’ It’s been so fun.
Game. Birth. Game. Walk us through it. That was 2019. We played Game 1 in Washington on Thursday—first time we made it back to the playoffs. She was born Friday in NC. Then we had Game 2 in Washington Saturday. I was there for all of it.
Memorable moments? For Canes, the Stadium series… but, personally, representing Team USA at the Four Nations last year was so cool—that game in Canada was unbelievable. And playoffs: Game 1 against Washington in 2019… I don’t think I’d ever heard the rink that loud. I was like, ‘Playoff hockey is awesome. And Raleigh is awesome.’
ESPN dubbed you the Team USA “Quiet Hero”—do you buy it? I don’t. I think that just comes with how I play the game and not being super flashy. I try to do my job as a defenseman and stop the best players.
Humility vs. confidence—how do you juggle it? It goes back to my faith. I’m only out there to glorify God, not to impress me or anyone else. Big picture, it doesn’t affect who I am as a sinner in need of grace. I can’t get prideful because I still need someone to come from Heaven and save me.
With the Olympics and playoffs, is this your biggest year yet? I try to go into each game and season with the same mindset: ‘What is my purpose here?’ We want to win the Cup. That’s everyone’s goal. First and foremost my allegiance is to my NHL team, but anytime you get to represent your country, you do it with pride and give it your all.
Last year’s playoffs lessons? We shot ourselves in the foot last year. Going down 3-0 in a series makes it hard to crawl back. Some goals we gave up were on mistakes—mismanaging the puck, penalties. We can’t be giving teams of that caliber those opportunities. In Game 4, we managed the puck well, played our game—and we won. Florida’s gone to the Cup the past three years because they stick to their game plan and execute it well.
The Eastern Conference Finals hump—what’s it gonna take? I don’t think it’s a head game… it’s more how guys are going to step up when that big moment comes. We need everyone to be playing their best hockey at that time.
People say you’re underrated—does that fire you up? I don’t feel disrespected. There are so many other good defensemen out there. I know I’m good at what I do, but I know the offensive guys are really good at what they do.
Bold prediction? Nikishin wins the Calder.
Is this the year? It definitely could be. We got better this offseason. We just have to get there and do it.
If not hockey? I gravitate to sports. Baseball was my other main sport, but I’d probably want to be a pro golfer—though I don’t have the skill for it.
Raleigh go-tos? Prime Barbecue—great food. My wife and I like Brewery Bhavana. We go to Marbles with the kids, and we like Blue Jay Point.
Current binge? Alaskan Bush People with my wife
In your earbuds? I love Christian hip-hop—KB, Lecrae, Andy Mineo. Forrest Frank is getting up there too.
Pastime off the ice? I enjoy cooking. I recently got into trying to learn how to smoke meats.
Raleigh’s next skyline, under construction: the projects making it happen
By the Editors
Building buzz, literally, Raleigh is a city in motion. From historic makeovers to modern high-rises, city projects are moving from blueprint to buildout—leveling up her “it” factor with new projects, hotels and cultural hubs redefining every pocket of the city from the Central Business District to Midtown to the upcoming Blue Ridge Corridor. Tracking the towers, streetscapes and spaces in progress that promise to transform the cityscape and shape up the skyline, we’ve mapped out what’s rising, where it’s happening, and the bold features guaranteed to leave their mark on the city.
Omni Raleigh Hotel
Slated groundbreaking: 2025 Slated opening: 2028 Specs: 600 keys, 27 stories, 61K square feet of meeting space, 20K square foot ballroom Noteworthy features: DINING: Lobby bar, grab-and-go market and coffee shop, sports bar with a golf simulator, NC’s first Bob’s Steakhouse, three-meal poolside restaurant AMENITIES: Rooftop pool with spa, valet parking, resort-style wellness facility
Cementing the Cap City’s ascending rank as a travel destination, Raleigh’s first Omni hotel—and NC’s third—sets the stage for high-end stays for out-of-towners and staycationers alike. Staking its claim on the DTR skyline from its perch on Fayetteville Street, the Omni Raleigh Hotel sits squarely across from Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts and the Raleigh Convention Center—primed to capture the city’s growing wave of eventgoers, especially with the Convention Center’s own renovation on deck.
Courtesy of Omni Hotels & Resorts
First announced in 2023, Omni has since upped the ante with an added 50 rooms—bringing the total key count to 600—plus more space for a larger ballroom. But perhaps its hottest draw for overnight guests will be a rooftop poolside restaurant serving sunrise scrambles to sunset cocktails, answering the call for both quick business breakfasts and all-day bites and bevs.
Beyond the pool—and taking full advantage of the blank canvas—the hip hotelier is betting big on boosting Fayetteville Street with a lineup of eats and drinks designed to also draw locals. Think a sleek lobby bar; a grab-and-go market and coffee shop; and the first Bob’s Steak & Chop House in the state, plating prime cuts and Americana.
Sports fans won’t be left out of the game either—the luxe hotel is adding a swanky sports bar, complete with massive TVs and a golf simulator. “It’s going to be the best place in Raleigh to watch the game,” maintains Omni Hotels VP of Acquisitions and Development Brian Zelman. With its mix of luxe lodging, dining and entertainment, Omni is no doubt set to become DTR’s next “it” hang. “Raleigh is an incredible city with an incredible culture,” emphasizes Zelman. “We love the emphasis on food and beverage, and that’s always been a point of emphasis for Omni to really distinguish ourselves from other competitors. We like the opportunity to create the first real luxury hotel Downtown and are excited to do that.”
Lichtin Plaza at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Laura Beesmer/HH Architecture
Slated opening: March 2026 Noteworthy features: • Wheelchair ramps on either side of the auditorium • Dedicated drop-off lane proximal to lobby • Open flex space for outdoor programming
Nearly 25 years after raising the curtain, Lichtin Plaza at Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts is getting a long-awaited glow-up designed to at once uplift diversity of touring shows and homegrown companies.
The timing is in step with neighboring transformations— the Raleigh Convention Center expansion and Omni Raleigh Hotel’s groundbreaking, both of which Martin Marietta is working with— positioning the plaza as a cornerstone of the evolving DTR arts, culture and tourism hub, says GM Michelle Bradley.
Beyond repairing worn pavement, Bradley shares the redesign will boast a dedicated drop-off lane landing patrons closer to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium’s lobby, new wheelchair ramps for added accessibility and a reimagined entry that trades the fountain-turned garden for flex open space suited to outdoor programming. “The building needed something that invites people in and says, ‘It’s the old, iconic building, but it has a new front porch,’” emphasizes Bradley.
Backed by city funding and the center’s savings, the plaza project broke ground in late September and is pacing for a remarkably speedy turnaround, with construction slated to wrap within six months for a March 2026 unveiling. “The whole process has been very quick,” muses Bradley. “I thought this is going to be something that we’re gonna do in seven years because we didn’t have all the funds. … Two and-a-half years later, it’s actually going to be done.”
And—in a win for culture vultures and Raleigh’s Christmas season—the show(s) will go on with scheduled programming playing out during construction, including holiday staples like The Nutcracker and the NC Symphony’s Candlelight Christmas. While this year’s plaza Christmas tree will relocate for the season, it’s expected back for 2026. And, so, a Raleigh cultural icon is stepping into its next act.
500 Hillsborough
Specs: Mixed-use, 221 residential units, 10K square feet street-level commercial space Noteworthy features: • Elevated amenities • On-site entertainment
Enlivening a long-dilapidated block of DTR comes 500 Hillsborough—a luxe stay-play hub primed to energize where Downtown’s Capital and Warehouse districts collide.
Cline Design
The buzzy destination from DC-based Dalian Development clears a stretch of shuttered businesses where West, Hillsborough and Edenton streets merge at 501–513 Hillsborough—think: Flex Nightclub, Montgomery Violins and a longtime handyman shop, plus the former Wilson’s Outdoor Equipment at 502 W. Morgan—to breathe fresh life into a major connector between these districts and Glenwood South.
Scaling with 221 upscale residences stacked above 10K square feet of street-level primo retailers and restaurateurs, the blueprint builds on the momentum of 400H, plus the upcoming Hotel Indigo and HM Partners’ F&B-focused development Garden West, to cement the corridor as Raleigh’s next buzzy build in action. With elevated amenities and on-site entertainment, 500 Hillsborough sets the stage for modern living at its boldest.
Garden West
HM Partners
Noteworthy features: Two to three restaurants spaces + outdoor patio
Also serving to energize a sleepy corridor that bridges the Downtown core to Glenwood South is Garden West, set to deliver a slew of vibey F&B concepts to keep Raleighites fueled and social.
Located at the corner of Edenton and West streets in the long-defunct CrossFit building, the pedestrian-oriented project will also convert ~20 spaces at the adjacent Powerhouse Square parking deck into an outdoor patio.
With the core and shell reno now complete, the next hot foodie destination is officially in leasing mode, says Gregg Sandreuter, managing partner of HM Partners, the buzzy developer helming the project. No stranger to what it takes to enliven this slice of Downtown, HM is also the mastermind behind thriving 400H and such grabs as Brass Tap and Press Coffee, Crepes & Cocktails—among others.
While no tenants are yet signed, Sandreuter suspects deals to close early next year—setting the stage for Garden West to become the next must-visit destination for food, drink and Downtown energy.
One Nash Square
Slated opening: 2028 Specs: 20 stories, 82 one- to four bedroom condos, 5.5K square feet ground-floor retail Noteworthy features: • Full-time doorman + concierge • Resort-style pool and sun deck • State-of-the-art fitness center • Pet spa • Resident lounge with co-working space
Morris Adjmi Architects / Bloomimages
Raleigh’s population boom is sparking new opportunities—and Alchemy Properties South is answering with One Nash Square. Set to break ground in 2026, the project will deliver 82 sleek one- to four-bedroom condos and 5.5K square feet of ground-floor retail in the heart of DTR, across from Nash Square in the Warehouse District, leading the next phase of the city’s residential growth.
“Downtown Raleigh is thriving,” says Alchemy President Ken Horn. “Strong job growth, a vibrant cultural scene and a steady influx of new residents make it an ideal market for expansion. The area offers the right mix of energy and character for long-term homeowners.”
Putting the luxe in luxury, One Nash merges high-quality design with mod amenities to deliver a level of comfort and class on a scale not currently available in Raleigh, adds Horn. Think single-family home vibes with highrise views, expansive terraces and spacious floorplans—amenitized with the likes of a resort-style pool and sun deck, state-of-the-art fitness center, resident lounge with co-working space, and a pet spa.
Alchemy is also in talks to bring in a mix of local concepts and complementary retailers in the streetlevel spaces, adding to the vibrant Warehouse District’s energy and serving both residents and the broader DTR community. Unlike typical apartments, these condos allow residents to put down roots and be a core part of Raleigh’s growth story. “There’s a clear, unmet demand for high-quality condo living in Raleigh,” maintains Horn. “This project is positioned to meet [that need] while contributing to the critical mass being established Downtown.”
The Creamery
Turnbridge Equities
Slated Phase 1 Opening: Mid-2028 Specs: Phase I, Highline Glenwood: 37 stories, 306 units (including 16 penthouses), 7,500 square feet groundfloor retail Phase II, office tower: 20 stories, 300K square feet Noteworthy features: HIGHLINE: • 37th floor indoor/outdoor sky lounge • 13K-square-foot ninth-floor outdoor amenity terrace with pool, padel court, lawn, grills, firepits and lounge areas • Demo kitchen; coworking suite; Trackman golf simulator; fitness center designed with Anatomy Fitness; and wellness suite with cold plunge, sauna and Hyperice recovery tech
Downtown Raleigh’s skyline is poised to level up—literally. Enter Tunbridge Equities’ Creamery redevelopment, which broke ground this summer, and will deliver Raleigh’s tallest and most amenitized residential tower with Phase I in 2028.
Topping out at 37 stories—a full four taller than current king PNC Plaza—Highline Glenwood will serve up sweeping 360-degree views of DTR and beyond, and a modern-meetshistoric centerpiece sure to redefine the city’s landscape.
When it comes to securing the property, Turnbridge leaned into its MO of breathing new life into existing spaces. “We really believe in utilizing the existing urban fabric in our placemaking,” says Managing Director Jason Davis, “and the Creamery is such a Raleigh landmark that it never crossed our mind to demolish it.”
As such, the historic Creamery building and former Pine State ice cream factory—along with current tenants Sullivan’s, Milk Bar, The Underground and BuildOps—will remain fully intact and operational throughout construction.
Further serving both residents and those who live, work and play in DTR across its 7,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, the NYC-based real estate investment and development firm is actively courting a diverse tenant mix of local favorites and f irst-to-market concepts.
“Food and beverage, service-based businesses, and soft goods always play well together,” adds Davis. “We have developed strong relationships with many tenants at our mixed-use projects in Austin and Nashville that have had great success and trust our placemaking. Many of these have expressed interest in expanding into North Carolina.”
Phase II plans will add a 20-story office tower at 404 Glenwood, situated between the historic Creamery building and the railroad tracks, replacing the surface parking lot off Tucker Street. The project will also feature retail along a pedestrian street connecting the new building to the Creamery, creating a direct path between West North and Tucker streets.
“It’s all about the local fabric,” emphasizes Davis. “We saw a connection between Smoky Hollow and Glenwood South as one we could really capitalize on.” With its twin towers and streetscape, the Creamery at once weaves together two distinct DTR spaces—and shapes the future of Raleigh living.
North Carolina Museum of History
Slated opening: 2028 Specs: 40K-square-foot expansion, 25% more gallery space across three stories, three levels of existing parking Noteworthy features: • Four replicas of Wright Brothers flyers • New restaurant, gift shop and indoor/outdoor mezzanine • Landscape architecture reflecting NC’s natural history • Glass-enclosed glowing elevator shaft • Large atrium doubling as event space for weddings and the like
Preserving its past and literal history while ushering it into the future, the transformative take not only launches the space another 40K square feet, but completely flips the script on the visitor experience. Less mausoleum, more modernist and inviting—a plethora of glass, natural light and materials, open space, and a reoriented entrance on Jones Street are all designed to guide seamlessly and best explore and discover North Carolina’s stories.
“I think it’s going to have a stronger presence with a lot more visibility,” maintains LS3P Principal, Project Manager and Architect Dean Rains— especially as it lights up come nighttime. “It’s going to be a beacon to draw people—and just a more open, welcoming space that’ll attract people into those central galleries and discover the story of North Carolina and the community.”
As a nod to that NC lore, the tripartite exterior facade echoes the mountains, piedmont and coast—from mountain-style landscaping features and warm wood panels to four replicas of the Wright Brothers flyers “flying off into Kill Devil Hills” as the focal point of an interior 55 foot glass-walled atrium, complete with an indoor-outdoor mezzanine.
Inside, the museum will gain a more contemporary gallery, circulation, educational spaces like classrooms and demo kitchen, and other flex space. A unique glass “storage room” will double as a rotating gallery displaying the museum’s massive collection of paintings, maps, clothes, furniture, guns, knives, toys and beyond. Even the restaurant and gift shop are getting a mod makeover.
“This project is about honoring the trust North Carolinians place in us to care for their history,” says Director of the Division of State History Museums C.J. Roberts. “We’re building a space worthy of the stories, artifacts and traditions that define our state—so they can be preserved and shared for generations to come.”
Set to ignite NC history—think Night at the Museum, minus the runaway mummies—the reno transforms the museum into a mustsee destination along the city’s cultural corridor that’s sure to have Raleighites flying high for years.
Since the 19th century, Downtown Raleigh’s Depot Historic District has been a crossroads of community and connection—rooted in its railroad and distribution hub history. Now, LODEN Development is turning that legacy into a bold new chapter, transforming the cobblestone lot between the tracks and Davie Street into a vibrant work-play-stay destination.
“There’s real energy in this part of the city,” says LODEN Partner Henry Ward. “We see The Depot as a key connector in Downtown Raleigh that links people, ideas and neighborhoods.”
Anchored by an eight-story 170-room boutique hotel and rooftop bar with sweeping city vistas, the trackside transformation serves lodgers and locals alike a veritable playground to the tune of 30K+ square feet of street-level retail, complete with microshops and pop-ups; more than an acre of outdoor gathering space; and 20K square feet of elevated office space.
The historic Depot building, dating back to 1912, will be preserved and celebrated, with underused corners activated into a signature public plaza, lush green pockets and lively gathering spaces. LODEN is also committed to tapping local and regional brands to ensure the destination draws not just hotel guests and office tenants, but neighbors, day-trippers and the afterwork crowd.
Building on the area’s connective spirit, a dual “front door” design and network of interwoven pedestrian pathways anchor The Depot between the expanded Raleigh Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater to the southeast, Glenwood South to the north, and the growing West End district nearby to create a true urban crossroads.
Pairing placemaking with preservation, the railway renaissance fuses legacy and liveliness— honoring what was while making room for what’s next. Here, the city’s past and future don’t just coexist—they elevate each other.
Shaking up Raleigh’s housing market in a green way is IDYLE, the city’s first net-zero energy-ready townhomes. Recently splashing on the scene on South Bloodworth Street just steps from Transfer Co. Food Hall, the collection of 10 mod three-story, three- to four-bedroom dwellings comes tricked out with eco-perks like solar panels, a Tesla Powerwall, EV-car hookups and a home-monitoring system to track energy performance.
“It’s a groundbreaking project for Raleigh,” says Johnny Chappell of real estate firm Chappell and developer DevPointe. “This was a chance for us to do something that felt like it fit well in the Downtown fabric, but also something that stood out and offered something different for people who are looking to live, work and play in DTR.”
The concept first sparked in 2021 with a mission to increase density, expand affordable housing options beyond larger single-family homes and build sustainably so as to “be good stewards of the planet we all live on,” adds Chappell. Bonus: The primo location means max solar exposure—and positions the Downtown core in the front yard.
Courtesy of Chappell
Fully passive-powered, the homes are capable of generating more energy than they use to earn a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of zero—aka max energy efficiency—when upgraded to a full package of 32 solar panels. Translation: Homeowners can all but erase their monthly utility expenses while cashing in on major tax incentives.
Still, green doesn’t mean giving up luxe. Think chef’s kitchens with custom cabinets by local pros, quartz countertops, high-end electric appliances, and walls of windows framing views of skyline vistas. Rooftop terraces pull double duty, pairing solar panels that both power the homes and shade the space for optimal lounging and entertaining.
The result plays right into IDYLE’s calling card: boundary-pushing sleek, smart, sustainable living that’s anything but cookie-cutter. “We’ve had a very positive response, not only from homebuyers, but from those interested in something truly original,” emphasizes Chappell. “Anytime we get to do something outside the box or that pushes our creativity, it’s good for our team—and for the Raleigh market.” Call it a blueprint proving that, in Raleigh, sustainability and style aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re the new standard.
