RP Residents Present Alternatives to Raleigh Union Station's Passenger Rail Task Force

Raleigh Union Station - Community Brief Regarding West St. Extension

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The Raleigh City Council has asked the Passenger Rail Task force to make recommendations on a number of critical issues regarding the proposed Raleigh Union Station. One of these issues involves a controversial extension of West Street through a tunnel under the railroad tracks, and through the newly renovated homes on Saunders Street.

The justification for the potential demolition of our neighborhood comes in the form of a study generated by an out of state consulting company, which has labeled the option going through our neighborhood, the “preferred option”.

The residents of Rosengarten Park are working to convince city officials of the value in preserving this dynamic urban neighborhood as an important historical landmark and as a unique feature of Raleigh’s downtown core. We believe there are far better alternatives available that acheive the goals of the Union Station plan and city of Raleigh in general.

Specifically, we believe that the study is flawed for the following reasons:

• The technical study set requirements that unnecessarily limited the design criteria for options other then the “preferred option”, falsely skewing the study in that direction.
• The technical study excluded enormous costs that would be specifically associated with the ‘preferred option”, masking the fact that the actual cost would be far greater then the other options considered.
• We also believe that the other options that are available offer a number of important advantages.

We consolidated most of our arguments into a presentation that has been forwarded to the task force members. Please take a look at our presenation and let us know what you think.

A Tree Blooms in Boylan Heights

Many of you know that I used to live in this house at 620 W. Cabarrus, just up the street from Rosengarten Park.  Back in fall of 1998, my wife Amy brought home the last stunted tree from the sale rack at Lowes.  It cost $12.50.  Its crooked trunk was only an inch thick, and it had about 3 leaves.   We planted it in the median opposite the 20 year old crepe myrtle.  Each spring I would gauge its growth by sitting on the porch visually measuring its height in relation to the porch rail.   Yesterday I was driving down Florence St on the way to Rosengarten and was stunned to see the tree in full bloom, way taller then the porch rail, taller then the much older crepe myrtle and towering over the house itself.  While it might seem absurd, I take a great deal of pride in this tree.   I find it symbolic of the way our efforts to improve this small corner of the city have taken on a life of their own and it makes me look forward to the future when I will drive down the streets in Rosengarten Park and see all the improvements and life the new residents will bring to the area in the years to come.