Apartments could come to Raleigh shopping center
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A proposal on the table for the Raleigh Appearance Commission is getting mixed reviews. That proposal is to get rid of the existing Tripps Restaurant and Bruegger's Bagel in the Ridgewood Shopping Center along Wade Avenue and replace it with a 150 unit, six story apartment complex.
"That's a lot of people who maybe haven't heard of us," said Jacob Dagger, a fit specialist with Fleet Feet, located on the other side of the parking lot from this proposed apartment site.
Dagger and neighboring businesses are viewing this plan as an opportunity to increase business.
"We really enjoy working near next to the other stores here: Dress, Quail Ridge, Whole Foods, anything that will bring in new people will be great," said Dagger.
However, the idea of more people squeezing into an area many describe as too congested isn't exciting everyone.
Matt Fowler lives nearby and shops at the Whole Foods right behind the site almost every day.
"It sounds like it would create a lot of congestion and would be an eyesore for the neighborhood," said Fowler.
As Ivette Rivas and her daughter thumbed through the NC State gear at the nearby Red and White store, she wondered how the added people, all fighting to get to leave for work or school nearby, will add to her daughter's drive to class.
"I definitely think it will make it way more congested here. It's already pretty congested as it is," said Rivas.
The new complex will replace the existing Tripps Restaurant and Bruegger's Bagel, but it will also include retail space and a parking deck. The parking in particular is an added bonus to nearby businesses and their shoppers.
"I know the big stresses for the shopping center is parking. So that might actually be an improvement," said Dagger.
No one from Tripps or Bruegger's would comment on the proposal as of Monday evening.
Andrew Techet, the President of Ridgewood Shopping Center, LLC, released the following statement:
"Ridgewood and the surrounding neighborhood is a special place for me and my family. We are in the beginning stages of this effort and much ground has yet to be covered. We see this as tremendous opportunity for a small scale mixed use community in the Ridgewood area. It will take a great deal of time and careful thought to get this project to a point of construction.
"In broad terms the residential component is currently being contemplated for conventional apartments and the retail aspect will focus on accommodating existing tenants first, while also presenting opportunities to accommodate new businesses."
The proposal for the apartment complex will go before the Raleigh Appearance Commission Thursday, April 2 at 4:30 p.m.
