Friday, September 24, 2010
A new Lightner Center plan — this one in Southeast Raleigh?
- The new public safety center in LA
You'll recall that the idea of building a new 17-story Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center on the site of the current police headquarters (on the north side of Nash Square) ran into a 4-4 City Council deadlock. Questions were raised about the wisdom of putting all of the city's public safety functions into a single high-rise building; the cost of making such a building ultra-secure; the additional security costs associated with putting public spaces — a cafe, e.g. — on the first floor; and whether there might not be a better place for such a facility than on less than 1-acre fronting Nash Square.
Not to mention the $200 million-plus pricetag and the associated tax increase. Ouch.
So now, let's try to crowd-source this new idea: What about taking approximately 2 acres of the 8-acre site that the Raleigh Rescue Mission has for sale on New Bern Avenue, a few blocks from downtown, and building the Lightner Center there — in phases? Without a tax increase. And in all likelihood, at a much lower overall cost.
Some City Council members are discussing ....
The picture above of the LA public safety center came to me from Councilor Russ Stephenson, who says the entire complex is built on roughly two acres of land; rather than a single high-rise, it breaks up the various functions so that the public space — that's a cafe in front — can be accessed without bringing people into the secured spaces of the police and emergency operations units.
Stephenson's thought is that if the Lightner Center were located on New Bern, it could serve as a focal point for redevelopment there, including mixed-use development of the other 6 acres. That would be a boon to Southeast Raleigh and a fitting legacy for Clarence Lightner, Raleigh's first and so-far only African-American mayor.
One big advantage of having 8 acres instead of less than one:The Lightner Center could be built in stages, and financed on a pay-as-you-go basis, in contrast to the initial Lightner scheme, which called for an estimated $205 million up-front.
Another advantage: A campus approach would allow the emergency operations parts of the facility to be separate and "ultra-hardened" without having to go the expense of ultra-hardening an entire 17-story building.
Finally, it's the emergency operations parts that are most needed now (the police have been moved into two other, renovated buildings). The E-ops parts are the smallest; they're also the ones that need to be the most secure from attack. Best to put them in a separate building anyway, no?
Here's a street view of the 8 acres — on the southeast corner of New Bern and South Swain Avenue:
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
That location is still very close to original, historic boundaries of downtown. It is within walking distance of Moore's square and the Capitol building (4-5 blocks). This particular intersection is not very attractive and not the most desirable street to walk along. I have seen this area slowly improve over the last few years and think this could help further that trend. A strong presence of police and city emergency workers would only help improve the immediate surroundings. While I am for having a nice, big, attractive 17 story tower to add to our skyline I think we also need to be consider the security logistics and cost benefits that this secondary location would provide. This would be a great addition to the area and save our city money for other exciting opportunities which may be of more benefit to us than just a attractive building located inside the core of downtown.
like
dislike
It's an idea worth considering. Another possibility is the former ITT/Alcatel site on Wake Forest Rd, just inside I-440. It's a Superfund site that has sat idle without redevelopment for 10 years. Like the city cleaned up a Superfund site by erecting the convention center, the city could do likewise with the ITT site.
Good luck with the nimby's over that way. That location is already too perfect for a park. Dont get me wrong, I get pissed when land opens up around here and people scream for more park space. But this land is in a residential neighborhood that is mildly "historic" and also past the city cemetery. Im all for that side of town being the potential spot for this building, but I think this land is well beyond the appropriate limits for such a project. It might be inside the beltline but the very notion of this being a potential spot for the project is so typical of Raleigh's sprawl minded leaders. I think the closer inside downtown you can get, the better it will be for the city and our image. Downtown is just where you build a police headquarters building in any city. Why do we have to be dumb about this? Im sorry but I dont know a better way to say it.
Latest in Citizen
-
Perdue: I'll be in charge on fracking, thank you
- May 21, 2012
-
Too scary? Efforts to curb N.C. voting in 2012 recall state's 1898 coup
The means are different but the object is the same: Leave the rich in control by preventing the masses from voting their interests.
- May 21, 2012
-
Frank Eaton, Mary-Ann Baldwin, Don Vaughan: Next N.C. Dems chair?
- May 10, 2012
- More »
More by Author
-
(Update: Bill Faison too.) In Dems race for Governor, Walter Dalton & Bob Etheridge are calling for civil unions
- Mar 29, 2012
-
Tonight at UUFR: Phone bank to beat Amendment One
If it's Thursday, it must be time (6-9 p.m.) for the anti-Amendment One phone bank at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh. Bring your cell phone and, if you have one, your laptop.
- Mar 8, 2012
- More »
