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

Raleigh Union Station - Community Brief Regarding West St. Extension

View more presentations from Richard Johnson.

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.

Alley Construction Starts in Rosengarten Park

Video Update

507 S. Saunders Finally Gets Started!

See this very brief video of the work starting on the foundation.



This is how the house will look when its complete.

You can also check out Dan & Amanda's blog

New Downtown Farmers Market Only 12 Minute Walk From Rosengarten Park

I noticed a post in the New Raleigh Blog this morning stating that the downtown farmers market will be moved to City Plaza on Fayettville Street.  Click here to read the article.  Google maps shows this as being only a 12 minute walk from Rosengarten Park.  See Walking Map.  

ROSENGARTEN ALLEY PHASE NOW PRESELLING!

ROSENGARTEN ALLEY PHASE NOW PRESELLING!

The first homes on Rosengarten Alley are now available for presale. Click here for more info

JULY 2009

David Pittman started work on 510 S. Saunders. Among the first to take the plunge, David successfully completed his renovation and is now residing in his new home.

Rosegarten Project Getting Started

Rosengarten Park Update       

Cleaning up the Buildings

Last week, we started cleanup work on the block.  To help the appearance of the street we asked permission to move the boards securing the vacant properties from the outside to the inside of the houses.  Where visible through the windows, the boards were covered with black felt paper to disguise their presence.  We also removed the unsightly lattice covering the front porch of 515 S. Saunders and the cattle-pen-like boards that enclosed the porch at 512 S. Saunders.

 

Cleaning up the Yards

We have been mowing, pruning, edging, and cutting back the undergrowth around the houses and on the vacant lots.  We are not cutting down any trees and are also being careful to preserve an abundance of mature Wisteria vines around the site.   To clean up the streetscape, we will be adding salvaged brick to some of the spaces between the curb and sidewalk along Cabarrus and Saunders.  This work will continue as we start work on the houses.

 

Increased Security, Horse Patrols, and Other Police Enforcement

Each vacant house has been strongly secured and posted with no-trespassing signs.  The Raleigh Police Department is working with us to keep the street under control by patrolling via horseback, bike, and car.  The effectiveness of this was shown to us when we were confronted by two officers on horseback after showing one house to a potential buyer! 

 

Great Response to Initial Sales Offer

In order to progress as fast as possible with the restoration project, we put a couple houses on the market in their pre-renovation states.  These properties are to be sold with covenants requiring their immediate restoration to historic specs, restrictions against renting in the first year, and with the restrictive covenants of the HOA to ensure that each property contributes to the neighborhood restoration project.  The large number of inquires we received in the few days they have been on the market was inspiring.  We have had multiple showings and are now working to solidify sales terms with a few prospective buyers.  We are currently considering whether to offer additional pre-renovation properties.

 

Historic Research

We met with representatives of the Raleigh Historic Districts staff last week and laid out a path that will hopefully lead to both national and local historic designations.   Our online and NC State Archive research has already lead to the discovery of a number of interesting historical facts.  The next step is to schedule a site tour with national historic districts representative.

 

Renovations to Start Next Week - New Sign Going Up

We have secured the funds for the first renovations.  If the City Council confirms the BED committee’s 6 month extensions Tuesday, we will begin work.  To celebrate, we will be installing a large sign on the corner of W. Cabbarus and S. Saunders announcing the long awaited start of the project.  

Rosengarten Park Shared Space and Parking Agreements

Cross Access and Shared Space Sample

Practical Space Sharing Agreements in Historic Neighborhoods

Over the course of decades in historic neighborhoods, residents work out logical arrangements with each other to maximize the use of space.  These arrangements typically ignore actual lot lines and focus on the practical use of areas.  This is especially true with small houses and lots.   For security and maintenance reasons, it is also important that there are no unclaimed spaces, or no-man’s lands.  Since at this point in history, we have control of nearly the entire neighborhood, we are taking this opportunity to formalize these agreements in ways the benefit all the residents.

 

Creating Usable Space from Small Areas

If two houses share a ten foot space between them, with one house having a lot line 2 feet into the space and the other 8 feet, it doesn’t make any sense to divide it into two two awkward spaces that are too small to use.  In conditions such as this we are granting a landscape easement to the house with the larger portion and a maintenance easement to the house with the smaller portion.  The smaller portion house keeps ownership and the right to use that space for home maintenance purposes.  The larger portion house’s ownership remains the same, but gets use of the whole space, allowing for a functional courtyard area.

 

Cooperative Agreements to Provide Off Street Parking

Similarly, by creating cooperative parking and driveway cross access agreements, we are able to provide off street parking for nearly everyone, while preserving almost all of the historic tree canopy.  All parking and driveways will be made from gravel to preserve the historic character and to help preserve the trees. Click here to see a PDF of the agreements we are putting in place.