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Most of the vicinity of Crabtree, for better or worse, was already developed long ago. The Soleil site was formerly a Sheraton; no increase in impermeable surface there. Up the hill was a large strip shopping center anchored by Brendle's; this tract has been empty for over 10 years, but it was all impermeable too. The only virgin tract is up the hill toward Blue Ridge Rd.
It doesn't matter where the impermeable surfaces are; the ones higher up generate runoff just the same. North Hills at a higher elevation dumps quite a lot of runoff into Crabtree Creek. For that matter, downtown generates runoff too -- either Crabtree or Walnut.
Agreed, but the area of Crabtree was prone to flooding before stuff was built there. Building in a flood plain isn't smart. Adding more built upon area just makes it worse. It's great to resuse exisitng buildings (or their previous footprint) but I can't get too excited about that since having the original buildings there in the first place was a really bad idea. It is also quite likely that the built upon area is increased somewhat during the redevelopment process. No matter how you slice it, the Crabtree area is an environmental and traffic mess. Adding more development to that area will just make an already troubled area worse. One could argue that since it is already so bad who cares? But that is a pretty narrow perspective and it's that kind of thinking that lead to the mess in the first place.
In the end, I'm glad it wasn't built. Something will likely be put there in it's place and future generations will have to deal with the problems while we all just kick the can down the road.
Last edited by North_Raleigh_Guy; 04-18-2011 at 09:09 PM..
Agreed. Seby Jones (Crabtree's developer) should never have been allowed to put the mall there or to reroute and channelize Crabtree Creek in such a narrow fashion around the mall. Of course the mall was planned circa 1970; Raleigh was a little over 100,000 people at the time and didn't have the planning rigor that we take for granted now. Nor was environmentalism as prominent in those days.
The record flood at Crabtree is still 1973's... which proves how faulty the engineering analysis of the creek was, from the outset. That flood drove Crabtree retention projects for the next 15 years. Unfortunately, those projects have been largely offset by additional impervious areas in the basin upstream from the mall.
As for traffic, about every 10 years the Council comes up with a plan to fix the roads around Crabtree. Could have and should have been done long ago. Now the price tag has gone up 10X.
As for traffic, about every 10 years the Council comes up with a plan to fix the roads around Crabtree. Could have and should have been done long ago. Now the price tag has gone up 10X.
Haven't you heard? Nobody wants to pay for anything anymore. Why don't we just pray for it?
The N&O reports today that a Florida investor cast the high bid in the auction of the Soleil Center property. RL Regi Financial bid $4.2 million for the 5-acre site, which is $2 million less than Soleil Group owed its bank.
Looks like some good deals to be had with the new ownership.
Oh?
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