What's Happening in Raleigh, NC…

Downtown Raleigh's Moore Square park may be 200 years old, a but a facelift might be in the works following a recent vote.

The Raleigh City Council voted to go ahead with plans to renovate the park on May 6. It approved spending over $12m on the project, with some city leaders arguing that improving the park is vital to any future plans for Raleigh. However, details of the renovation still have to be finalized. Most city council members favor using bond money for the improvements, but there is no agreement on what specific improvements will be made, and how much they will cost.

City staff members have proposed that improvements to Moore Square should include an entertainment area, multi-level terraces, and a sidewalk cafe, which would carry a price tag of $12.5m. Voters have already approved that much in bonds, and money for the renovations would come from those funds.

Some councilors would prefer to spend less and improve other parks as well, but the majority seems to agree with a Moore Square restaurateur, who argues that they job needs to be done right, without cutting corners or leaving the work unfinished. The city council will continue discussions about specifics of the renovations in the coming weeks.

City officials could work with brochure printers to create a mailer for residents, including an artist's rendering of the proposed improvements, and ask for comment.