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💙 BRIEF: NCDOT revives $84M Maynard Road underpass plan in Cary
Published about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Happy Friday, Triangle!
It’s a big week ahead! The State Fair is back in Raleigh on Thursday, and this year with a 230-foot Ferris wheel, which will be the tallest in fair history! And if you haven’t noticed, Fall is officially showing off!
Downtown's going vertical, too. The developer behind the new Hotel Indigo just told Axios it's breaking ground on a 20-story tower, rooftop pool, pickleball courts, and 374 apartments. The full story is below.
Would you rather be outside this weekend? Perfect — You've got an ACC rivalry at Carter-Finley, the symphony Friday night, and pumpkin patches in full swing.
Grab your coffee and let me walk you through it.
Here’s your D&M BRIEF:
[B]est Weekend Plans: symphony, classic Cary fall farm & more [R]ealty Pulse: the Market slips again, and half of Raleigh listings have cut their price [I]n the News: the Hotel Indigo developer's next downtown tower [E]xclusive Listing: a move-in-ready Wendell Falls home [F]riday Favorites: a new downtown lounge beneath Whiskey Kitchen
What this means: The market continues to cool. For buyers, that means more choice and more room to negotiate, active listings have climbed to 1,233, and half of all listings (50%) have taken a price cut.
For sellers, a Market Action Index of 33 (down from 34 last month) still signals a slight seller's advantage, but homes are taking longer to move, at a median of 70 days, so sharp, realistic pricing matters more than it did a few months ago.
The median list price sits at $522,000, with new listings coming on right behind it at $520,000.
Curious what this looks like for your specific neighborhood or price range? Let's talk real (estate)
[I]N THE NEWS
REAL ESTATE
The Hotel Indigo developer is planning a 20-story downtown Raleigh tower
Tidal Real Estate Partners, the New York developer that just finished a $36 million renovation of the former Holiday Inn, plans to break ground within the next 60 days on a 20-story tower at 521 S. Wilmington St. The building is planned for 374 apartments and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
Tidal entered the Raleigh market in 2021 and has since invested across three areas of downtown: the former circular Holiday Inn, which it renovated into Hotel Indigo rather than demolishing; land near CAM Raleigh in the Warehouse District; and the Lincoln Theatre on Wilmington Street.
▷ What is planned
The Wilmington Street tower will rise on a parking lot near the under-construction Omni Hotel and the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. CEO Mick Walsdorf said the goal is to make it one of the most amenity-rich apartment buildings in the city, with a rooftop pool, outdoor pickleball courts, a fitness center, and a theater room. After that, the company hopes to develop the gravel lot beside Hotel Indigo, where it has already filed plans for another hotel project.
▷ Why this matters for downtown Raleigh
A national developer is doubling down on downtown density even with interest rates still high, and that is a strong signal. More housing and ground-floor retail next to the Omni and the performing arts center adds to a core that is filling in fast — one of the more notable downtown bets in a while.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
TRANSPORTATION
NCDOT revives $84M Maynard Road underpass plan in Cary
NCDOT's plan would lower Maynard Road beneath the rail line and realign East Chatham Street at a crossing that carries more than 16,000 vehicles a day; written comments are open through Oct. 27, with construction targeted for summer 2030.
Raleigh's Relay raises $36M, plans about 100 hires
Relay, the Raleigh maker of smart radios for frontline workers, raised $36 million led by International Paper and plans to add roughly 100 jobs over the next year.
Offering $5,000 in seller-paid closing costs! This move-in-ready home sits in an established section of Wendell Falls, surrounded by mature landscaping and set back from active construction. The open-concept main level has a gas fireplace, custom built-ins, a large kitchen island, and a pocket office, with a dining room that overlooks a backyard and its built-in fire pit. Upstairs, the primary bedroom has two walk-in closets and sits next to the laundry, while the second and third bedrooms share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom.
Recent updates include a 2025 Trane HVAC system with UV-light installation and fresh interior paint. Low-maintenance perennial gardens frame the front and back yards, and the detached two-car garage has epoxy floors and heavy-duty shelving for vehicles, tools, and equipment.
Wendell Falls is one of the area's most established master-planned communities, with two swimming pools, a fitness center, a dog park, playgrounds, meeting rooms, a lakeside pavilion, and miles of trails. Treelight Square sits next door for dining and shopping.
Key details:
3 bedrooms
2.5 bathrooms
A pocket office
Detached two-car garage with epoxied floors and lots of storage!
Downtown Raleigh is getting a new late-night spot. Low Bar Lounge is opening beneath Whiskey Kitchen on West Martin Street, in the former IMURJ space — a cocktail-and-music hangout right in the middle of the warehouse district. Opens Oct 15.
Raleigh’s “High Line” Could Connect Downtown to Dix Park!
Similar to NYC’s High Line, The Oakline is a car-free, shaded, garden-style path raised above the heavy traffic, cloverleaf interchanges, and railroad tracks that currently block the way. This $90 million vision uses three new bridges crossing streets like MLK Jr. Boulevard and McDowell Street to safely link the Martin Marietta Center directly to the park.
The State Fair opens Thursday, Oct. 15, and a little planning saves you money and a headache. Buy your admission and ride tickets in advance before the 15th, since prices jump at the gate. Go on a weekday if you can, and skip the Blue Ridge Road crawl by parking at a free off-site lot and riding the shuttle in. New this year: the 230-foot America 250 Wheel, the tallest Ferris wheel in fair history.
Client Testimonial
Brette, Shenice and Kristen were amazing to work with! Their knowledge of the market and commitment to their clients was able to get me a great value on an amazing home. They had my back on every issue that came up and were always available to communicate. As a first time homebuyer, they were able to answer all of my questions about the home-buying process. 10/10 would recommend! —Campbell J.
Thanks for reading the D&M Triangle BRIEF. See you next Friday!
—Brette Davis
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I’m a Raleigh-based agent who’s passionate about real estate, local life, and making homeownership feel easy (and fun!). Subscribe and join 2,000+ readers who get the inside scoop every week!
