National Food Chain in the Heart of Downtown?

As you may have heard, the city of Raleigh is planning four pavilions to be in the center of the city Plaza, located between the Bank of America and BB&T. These 4 pavilions are proposed to be made of all glass. I was just watching the city council meeting from August 7 where they approved the design, and in the meeting they discussed possible tenants of those pavilions.

Apparently there is a lot of interest from national food and beverage companies. I’m not sure how I feel about this, and it obviously depends on who it is. But I will just die if there is a McDonalds or Burger King in the heart of the new Plaza. I don’t get excited about a Starbucks, either, which seems to fit with the whole “glass box” retail look that they are going for. I love the idea of an active plaza as a centerpiece of downtown, but as the center of downtown, the chosen tenants will certainly influence how Raleigh is perceived.

Many articles have been written about Raleigh’s lack of personality, and this plaza was to help define the city. Please, please don’t let national fast food chains be the center of our city! Write to your city council member and ask them to support locally owned, independent shops. Or at least something more creative than fast food. A coffee shop makes sense, but Port City Java is just down the street as is the Morning Times. There is opportunity for other types of retail. It should be noted that the pavilions are privately funded, so any notes on tenant concerns will likely be forwarded to the private company, but I still think it is worth sending a note. Or - send a note to your favorite retailer or food shop and ask them to inquire about the space. I searched for a website for The Simpson Company and couldn't find anything, so leave a comment if you find their site.