When looking at the history and current state of downtown Raleigh, there is no doubt that it likes warehouses. It just can’t get enough of them. Downtown Raleigh even has a district called “The Warehouse District.” Then again, don’t most cities have “warehouse districts”? They do IF they haven’t torn all the warehouses down to make room for stucco laced condos or big box retail.
Red clay makes up most of the soil in the midlands of North Carolina. Bricks are made of red clay. And what are warehouses made of? Yes, that’s right, brick. Warehouses embody history and we love history. Therefore, deductive logic states that Downtown Raleigh must celebrate its warehouses.
Just think, what if there wasn’t a warehouse district. Raleigh wouldn’t have a church in the same building as a bar with a sand filled volleyball court which is across the street from the car wash with the outdoor basketball court. How convenient. And what about all the design firms, art galleries, bars, trophy shops and restaurants that Raleigh has in old warehouses. See Artspace, Designbox, Legends, Mosquito, Humble Pie, The Pit and White Rabbit.
What would downtown do without these places? Old buildings whose history is preserved in the rawest of ways, vault and all, like at White Collar Crime. An old car showroom that is now El Rodeo and Artspace. That’s what Downtown Raleigh likes.
Warehouses also create great alleyways, another thing that Downtown Raleigh likes. Alleyways are good for a couple of things other than garbage collecting, fights and late night rendezvous, including video and photography shoots. What would these artists do without the warehouses that create these shadow-catching alleyways? I guess shoot under a funky local bridge. There are a couple of those around too.
Downtown Raleigh needs warehouses. Where would all the artists go that make up the warehouse district. Oh wait, there aren’t any artist lofts in The Warehouse District. But don’t most big cities and their “warehouse districts” play host to artist lofts and “hip” warehouse, glow stick parties with electro music? Where are those? Surely one warehouse could host one or so a month for the artsy crowd.
Maybe I was wrong, maybe Downtown Raleigh doesn’t like warehouses. Then again, they did save many them from demolition by canceling, or should I say postponing, the mass transit rail that was proposed through the area and was to eradicate the empty Dillon Supply Company spaces. Quite possibly Sidetrack Brewpub, Goodlife and Five Star could go too. But does that mean Raleigh still likes its stock of warehouses?
Maybe Downtown Raleigh needs to take more care of its warehouses. The Depot has been empty for over 3 years now, other than a mechanical bull, some massive spot lights in the parking lot and 75 televisions hanging from beautiful wood trusses. Maybe TTA needs to reroute the commuter rail to miss the beloved Dillon Supply warehouses. With the condo boom slowing down, those raw loft ideas aren’t such a bad idea after all.
Graffiti adorns their unused facades and beer bottles continually litter their parking lots, but that’s character right? Fly posters show up from time to time, but they are quickly removed. Presumably, I believe, to preserve the beauty of these west end gems. It is clear that Downtown Raleigh still does like its warehouses, but just a small amount of TLC wouldn’t hurt.
What are we waiting for?
