The Raleigh Connoisseur

Baseball In Downtown, Devereux Meadow Meets Progress In Raleigh

2010-03-10T21:15:23-08:00

Courtesy of the North Carolina State Archives

It’s no secret but most people don’t know about the baseball stadium that once stood near downtown. That’s right, at one point in time, minor league sluggers were blasting home runs onto what would eventually become Capital Blvd. The ballpark once sat in the area highlighted in the map below and this is where I’d like to focus the conversation today.

Click image for wider view.

Raleigh’s Team
The Raleigh Capitals once played at Devereux Meadow Ballpark which was located along present day Peace Street between West Street and Capital Blvd. The stadium was built in 1938 and baseball had its up and downs here until the site was cleared in 1979. In the name of “progress”, the area was then used for city services, a parking lot for waste disposal vehicles really. I want to highlight two articles I found that mention the stadium meeting the wrecking ball, written around that time.

Sentiment Surrounds Wrecking Of Park – The Time-News June 27, 1979.

Wrecker’s Ball Puts End To Ballpark – The Tuscaloosa News June 27th, 1979.

Courtesy of the North Carolina State Archives

What is there now?
The area today contains few offices or very little of anything representing density or urbanity. The city has been using the lots for parking waste services trucks and other utility vehicles. A few businesses reside off West Street in “off the beaten path” office space with very little car and pedestrian traffic on West Street.

However, the more important resource in this area is the Pigeon House Branch Creek that snakes through the Devereux Meadow site and hides underneath certain streets in downtown. Here’s an excellent blog post tracking the creek through the site. Last I checked, the creek was on the state’s list of impaired waterways and the city is trying to remedy this. One example of a fix has been the water garden at nearby Fred Fletcher park. I bet most readers have driven or walked through this area and never knew that a creek was flowing underneath.

The Future
As far as I know, there are no plans for Devereux Meadow at this moment. Ideas of a river walk have come up but nothing has materialized from that. It’s all talk at this point but that allows the online peanut gallery here to dream up ideas for this large piece of property on the edge of downtown.

Fareless Transit Ideas

2010-03-08T21:18:56-08:00

Here’s an interesting read that I’d like to highlight. Aaron Renn’s blog, The Urbanophile, suggests an interesting concept for smaller cities that are trying to grow transit. Make them free. Well not exactly free but without fares. Renn states:

Why have a fare in the first place? It is odd that we pay per use on transit. We don’t pay to check books out of a library. We don’t pay to visit most city parks. We don’t pay when the police or fire department come to our house for a legitimate emergency. Most non-utility municipal services are provided for free to users and funded by taxes. So why is transit different? I suspect it is rooted in the origins of public transit systems when they were private, for-profit companies. But they aren’t that today so why adopt those legacy practices?

Read the rest of his post for some solid ideas supporting the use of fareless transit.

There’s actually nothing too radical suggested here as Chapel Hill has been fare-free for over eight years as well as downtown’s R-Line. This may or may not be something to consider as the transit section of the 2030 comprehensive plan is concerned.

Big Drafts at Natty Greene’s In Downtown Raleigh

2010-03-07T21:15:30-08:00

The landmark of powerhouse square in Glenwood South, the Raleigh Electric Company Power House building, has been empty for over a year now but that will all change soon. Greensboro based Natty Greene’s has moved in and will open very soon. The furniture is in place, the beer tanks are brewing, and staff training is currently underway.

For those that have been to this beautiful space at 505 West Jones Street when Southend Brewery was open, you will be familiar with the restaurant setup. Left of the entrance is the restaurant with space for couples, families, and large groups. To the right is the bar area with high tables and chairs. Each are separated by the huge beer tanks in the center, on display for everyone to see. The upstairs “loft” will be used for private parties or large functions. The back room through the bar is the game room with another bar, pool tables, dart boards, and a shuffleboard.

Natty Greene’s is open now but look for an official opening date around St. Patrick’s day.

Weekend Exposure: Angry Jet

2010-03-05T21:45:22-08:00

Angry Jet by dtraleigh, on Flickr

DT Raleigh Chatter for March 5th, 2010

2010-03-04T21:01:10-08:00

I’m trying something new here and the best way to see if it will work is to just do it. You’ll never know unless you try, right?

Anyway so outside of my normal Twitter stream, I follow some key words and phrases that are related to downtown Raleigh. Once you filter through all the crap there can be some good, or negative, chatter about downtown. I’ve decided to take the best or most interesting ones from the week and compile them on Fridays. Let’s see how this experiment goes.

My whole entire heart belongs to downtown raleigh. I’m IN love.

- victoriacheryl

Downtown Raleigh. Cold as hell, but fun.

- Derek_Medlin

It turns out 2/28 is park anywhere you damn well please day in downtown Raleigh.

- ECUPirate99

So last nite I or we hit raleigh downtown bars/lounges and boi we paid $5 and hit 3 diff spots, so raleigh is my new spot to chill 4now

- PrincessAgape

Panorama of Downtown Raleigh (looking North) from the Wachovia Bld. Taken with cheap point/shoot digi-cam http://bit.ly/damk44

- netposer

@ThreadRare when I go into downtown Raleigh for various reasons I still some of the old hipsters doing the same thing we did 10 years ago :S

- polestarjewelry

Benny hums the Imperial Death March every time we pass the big tree downtown. Does it mean he’s anti-Raleigh City Council?

- Runaway__Jim