Raleigh wants ‘big ideas’ for future of downtown property near Moore Square
Raleigh leaders are hoping for inspirational proposals after rezoning city-owned land near Moore Square for future development up to 12 stories tall.
“How will they handle affordable housing?” Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said in an interview with The News & Observer. “How will they handle open space? How will they handle integration with the park? We want their big ideas.”
The first property is about 2.6 acres and bounded by East Hargett Street, South Person Street, East Martin Street and South Bloodworth Street east of Moore Square. While 12 stories had already been possible on that parcel, the rezoning removes certain conditions that will make that easier to happen.
The second property, about an acre next to City Market between Blake and South Person streets, had only been zoned previously for up to three-story buildings.
Raleigh will request proposals for the two parcels, with the intention of getting at least 120 affordable housing units, serving people at an average 60% of the area median income, on the 2.6-acre property.
“There is a long history of social service provision and efforts to aid the homeless centered on Moore Square, which activity continues with the presence of the RaleighRescue Mission on the block,” according to the city’s documents. “Council wishes to make a strong commitment to affordable housing with the sale of these sites and other city-owned properties, either by providing land for affordable housing development, or using the proceeds of sale to supplement the City’s Affordable Housing Fund.
The lot next to City Market is too narrow for affordable housing and the proceeds of that sale will go toward the city’s affordable housing funds, according to city documents.
“I just think that this is a huge opportunity for our city to really define the Moore Square area,” Baldwin said. “And having these two lots up for RFP [requests for proposals] and having developers bring us their top ideas for how we reinvent this area, I mean, I just think it’s an exciting opportunity, and the sky’s the limit.”
The City Council approved the rezoning 7-1 Tuesday night with member David Cox in opposition. The next day, on Facebook, Cox wrote he’d rather work with a land trust with this property.
“The rationale given for the upzoning is that the greater entitlement will allow the city to sell the property to a developer with conditions that the developer will provide some ‘affordable’ units,” Cox wrote. “However, if the city sells the land, then any developer must recoup that cost. And with the price of land downtown, that cost will be high.”
This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 11:44 AM.
