'Downtown New York:' Citizen group opposes 40-story rezoning request for North Hills area
A neighborhood group is pushing back against a rezoning that would allow developers to build high-rises up to 40 stories tall near North Hills.
Kane Realty wants to rezone 11 acres within the shopping center, allowing for the new height. Raleigh City Council is discussing the rezoning request on Tuesday.
Midtown Citizens Advisory Council, however, is fighting the rezoning.
"This area is getting development," says Larry Helfant, president of the advisory council. "It's just like they're on steroids."
Remembering the old North Hills
Tom Hilker has owned Brothers Cleaners for decades, right in the heart of North Hills.
He's watched the area grow and change, forcing his shop to move around.
"We’ve been here and keep clickin'," he says.
He remembers his first location – part of the strip where Target stands today. Back when North Hills was just a small-town mall with a food court and J.C. Penney. Back when the Sinclair dinosaurs drew crowds of excited kids and families.
"Back in the 60s, that was the first one. And then they moved us over to a new building over here," he recalls.
A photo of that second location hangs behind the counter.
"We stayed there until they tore that down and did all this," he says.
Now, their third home here is in the way of plans to build-up North Hills.
"The sad thing is they’ve got to tear this down to build it, and so what do we do for a year or two?" he asks.
Hilker hopes the higher towers don't force his business out of North Hills.
"With the value of the property around here and the way they’re going crazy, who knows?" he says. "You just wait and see."
'Downtown New York:' A look at current and future development around North Hills
A steel skeleton forms a future 10-story office tower. A 12-story apartment building is coming soon. Three sky-high cranes can be seen in the Six Forks Road area, where the tallest structure currently is 36 stories.
Kane Realty has plans to redevelop part of the Lassiter District - where the Walgreens is now - with a building up to 12-stories. A tower up to 30-stories would rise above land along the Beltline at Lassiter Mill Road.
Two blocks along Six Forks Road could go as tall as 40-stories.
"That’s going to confine the North Hills area even more," says Helfant. "I think this area will be almost like downtown New York."
Kane calls them "underutilized parcels." Helfant worries the traffic confined in the small space along a major traffic corridor will cause neighbors to start moving out.
Helfant says the building heights would soar above what city council approved in a 2020 plan to guide growth in Midtown.
"The Midtown Area Plan gave us guidance in terms of building heights of 20 stories, and John Kane and realty – they’re the only ones to pass that story height," he says.
WRAL News has reached out to Kane Realty's chief operating officer today, but has not heard back.
Kane Realty is not offering any affordable housing as part of this rezoning. However, Kane has agreed to provide the city with land for a new transit center here and an expanded fire station that can house a ladder truck to respond to taller buildings.
