Raleigh leaders approve rezoning for up to 40 stories downtown ... twice

The Raleigh City Council approved a request to build up to 40 stories on an empty lot near Nash Square.

Council members voted 7-0 Tuesday night to rezone about an acre at 303 S. Dawson St., in downtown.

The original rezoning request also included a parcel at 217 W. Martin St., home to the Berkeley Cafe. But that parcel was pulled after public outcry about the fate of the bar and after Alex Little, one of its owners, spoke against the rezoning two weeks ago.

“It’s frustrating to spend years building a business, just to have this out-of-town money come in and buy up our properties, and then just run our small businesses out,” Little said during the last council meeting.

The property has been zoned for up to 20 stories and there were once plans for a hotel on the property. But there are no identified plans for the site now, said Molly Stewart, the attorney for the developers.

Stewart confirmed that the Berkeley Cafe will remain there for at least another year through a lease extension.

Other rezoning cases:

  • The council also approved up to 40 stories on a block of Hillsborough Street. The nearly acre site is bound by Hillsborough Street, South Harrington Street, West Morgan Street and South West Street, and is currently home to The Roast Grill, The Ugly Monkey Party Bar and State of Beer.

  • Also on Hillsborough Street, the council voted to rezone nearly an acre at the intersection of Boylan Avenue and Hillsborough Street for up to 20 stories. A two-story office building is there now.

  • The city also rezoned the Pleasant Valley Promenade off Glenwood Avenue. It would allow the shopping mall owners to “modernize the mall” which is currently home to Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marshalls, Five Below and Dollar Tree, according to Worth Mills, the attorney for the developers. The rezoning is for five stories.