Better Skyline? (Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham: subdivision, floors, suburbs)

[northcarolina93]

Charlotte has a great skyline, but Raleigh's is good too. I was in Raleigh last week. You can see the skyline from I-440 around Raleigh. It might not be huge, but it's not just two or three buildings.

There has been debate in Wilmington about whether or not they should build high rises. Maybe in 5 to 10 years, Wilmington will have a skyline. Definately not Charlotte-sized, Raleigh-sized, or even Winston-Salem-sized. I don't know how I feel about high rises in Wilmington because it would really alter the appearance of the historic, riverfront city we have today. There are plans right now for a new structure south of the riverfront, where the memorial bridge crosses over Front Street. I don't think it is supposed to be tall though.

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by Linus

Charlotte has the better skyline. Raleigh's will never come close because the Triangle is just a collection of suburbs and strip malls with no city center.

Linus wins this thread.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

Linus wins this thread.

Looks like his prize was to be designated "Not a member".

I agree that Charlotte has the best skyline in NC. However, if a person doesn't think Raleigh has a city center then I have to assume they don't know their a$$ from their elbow.

Here are some great shots of Raleigh's city center posted on another website:
Downtown Raleigh - October 8, 2008 - RaleighSkyline.com - Original Photography from the City of Raleigh, North Carolina by Matt Robinson

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

if a person doesn't think Raleigh has a city center then I have to assume they don't know their a$$ from their elbow.

Linus wrote that the Triangle doesn't have a city center. Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill all have city centers (for that matter Fuquay-Varina has a city center!) but none of them amount to much because the Triangle is so spread out. If you could somehow merge the skylines of Raleigh and Durham it might rival the skyline of Winston-Salem!

[Palmetto Heel]

The point is that there is no "city" in the Triangle in the sense that Charlotte is a city. Raleigh and Durham are the largest towns in the area but neither one will catch up with Charlotte. The Triangle truly is a large collection of office parks, subdivisions and strip malls. In that sense the Triangle is a lot like DC.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

Linus wrote that the Triangle doesn't have a city center. Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill all have city centers (for that matter Fuquay-Varina has a city center!) but none of them amount to much because the Triangle is so spread out. If you could somehow merge the skylines of Raleigh and Durham it might rival the skyline of Winston-Salem!

I always thought Fuquay-Varina has the most charming and interesting downtown in Wake county, but that is another talk show!!!

Most people would agree that Winston does have the best skyline in NC outside of Charlotte. There was actually a thread on this particular topic.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-has-best.html

The fact that "North Raleigh" gave us a link that features a 2018 cartoon rendering of Raleigh's future skyline (this is why one poster on this site called himself "Looney Toon") pretty much says it all. The tallest building on that photo is the Edison. It is a 4 building project (1.5 million sq.ft) that will be finished in the summer on 2018. This 4 building project has the same square footage as Charlotte's one building Hearst tower so just imagine how skinny those buildings will be.

I think it is great that Raleigh is building up, but it will be several years (maybe even decades) before Raleigh and Charlotte's skylines are comparable I'm afraid.

I will say that the Jailhouse in Raleigh always seems to make my eyebrows raise when I visit the City of Oaks. That is such a marvelous structure!!! I'd almost say it is Raleigh's finest structure for sure. I don't ever want to live at the Jail, but I must put a tour of the Jail down on my list of things to do the next time I visit Raleigh. Here is a picture of that fine Jailhouse!!!
http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=485716

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

The point is that there is no "city" in the Triangle in the sense that Charlotte is a city. Raleigh and Durham are the largest towns in the area but neither one will catch up with Charlotte. The Triangle truly is a large collection of office parks, subdivisions and strip malls. In that sense the Triangle is a lot like DC.

Nobody is making that arguement here. We are simply talking about skylines in NC in response to the OP question. I freely admit Charlotte has the best skyline in NC. I was just pointing out that there is more to Raleigh than strip malls and subdivisions. I think the photos in the linkabove speak for themself and will help people reading this post get a good idea of what the skyline is like in Raleigh. What they think of it is up to them.

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

I was just pointing out that there is more to Raleigh than strip malls and subdivisions.

I respectfully disagree. The Triangle, Raleigh included, is suburban in character. There's nothing wrong with that but let's not pretend that there is anything remotely urban about the area.

P.S. I spent a good deal of my childhood in Raleigh and my work takes me there at least every other month.

[eccentricbeethoven]

US TAR HEELS NEED TO STICK TOGETHER! When raleigh boom that just another win for us. This PSA come from Charlotte dweller Eccentric Beethoven.

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by eccentricbeethoven

US TAR HEELS NEED TO STICK TOGETHER! When raleigh boom that just another win for us. This PSA come from Charlotte dweller Eccentric Beethoven.

Part of the problem, beethoven, is that many of "us" aren't Tar Heels but that's a topic for another thread.