1 day Ago By Gilat Melamed
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) -- The Raleigh City Council will continue to review the request to rezone 81 acres around the Lenovo Center, asking developers to continue to look at pedestrian safety concerns.
Tuesday night, the council held a public hearing on rezoning for the proposed $1 billion Raleigh Sports and Entertainment District. A large focus at the hearing was pedestrian safety for students at Cardinal Gibbons High School which is across the street.Jamie Schwedler of Parker Poe, which represents the developers, said the entertainment district is a vision four decades in the making.
"This zoning is the last step to make that vision come to life, become a reality and became a new economic driver for the region," Schhwedler said.The area would have retail, restaurants, apartments, office and more. RELATED: Raleigh entertainment district near Lenovo Center closer to realityCardinal Gibbons High School students want to make sure they can safely access those new amenities.
Dozens of students showed up at the public hearing."For students like me, the idea of having new restaurants and gathering spaces nearby is something we're genuinely excited about," said student Lola Holderness.Holderness, however, said it's already tough to cross to the Lenovo Center and she's concerned it will be even more challenging with more attractions.
"If sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian signals aren't built into the plan from the beginning, it could create a dangerous situation for students trying to cross or walk to the area," Holderness said.Tim Throndsen is the chair of the Board of Directors at Cardinal Gibbons. He said he'd like to see a formal condition in the zoning request requiring the developers to address safety concerns with solutions in the final site plan.
"We think that this change, and with solid plans for pedestrian safety as well as traffic safety, our community may move from cautious supporters to enthusiastic advocates," Throndsen said.He's particularly concerned with the crossing at Stephen Stroud Way, which he expects students would use the most to cross over to the area.City transportation officials said a signal there would not be appropriate because it's too close to other intersections.
"We believe in this project, and we're excited to see it come to life, but we also know that smart planning today will protect students tomorrow," said Cardinal Gibbons student Austin Govey.Schwedler said developers are committed to continue working with Cardinal Gibbons on safety. Throndsen said they've appreciated the collaboration so far.
The City Council will consider the request again at its April 15 meeting..
