The Raleigh City Council voted 6-1 to approve condemnation proceedings to acquire easement rights for the City Plaza project in the 500 block of Fayetteville Street. City Attorney Thomas McCormick was authorized to file the condemnation action so that construction of the plaza could “begin on or about” Aug. 1.

After more than a year of negotiations, the City of Raleigh and The Simpson Organization (TSO) were not able to craft an easement agreement that would have paved the way for construction of the City Plaza. TSO owns the land where the City Plaza would be located. City Manager J. Russell Allen asked the council to move forward with condemnation proceedings to prevent further delays in the City Plaza project and to avoid additional escalating costs.

Council members also voted 7-1 to:

• Transfer funds and establish a construction budget for the City Plaza in the amount of $14.8 million;
• Authorize the City administration to conclude a contract amendment with Holder Construction Co. to complete the City Plaza; and,
• Authorize the City administration to directly procure light towers and bollards for the City Plaza from local artist Jim Galluci.

The City Plaza will be a public gathering place configured to accommodate a number of public events, including parades, markets and shows. It will not obscure the view along Fayetteville Street between the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts and the Capitol. The project also will allow vehicular traffic to traverse the 500 block of Fayetteville Street.

The light towers for the City Plaza will be designed to allow for projection equipment that can provide varying levels of light for a variety of events. Other design elements of the City Plaza include flexible seating, water features, trees and shade structures.

The City’s budget for the City Plaza does not include four retail pavilions that TSO had planned to design, build and operate. It also does not include underground pedestrian and vehicular connections between the Hannover Square parking facility and the City’s new underground Convention Center parking garage. TSO was to fund the connections. The City could enter into separate agreements with TSO for the retail pavilions and the underground connections.

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