Zail Smith, a freshman at NC State, created the above timelapse video of Raleigh for his final design project.

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At about the same time that the the giant mural went up over the failed L-Building and current parking deck, another drab and lifeless concrete monolith downtown was also undergoing changes. The tall microwave relay radio tower attached to the AT&T building on Nash Square was dismantled over the course of a weekend.

Towers like this one were built all over the country in the 1950s and 1960s. The series of conical or parabolic antennas attached to them were pointed at a matching device far away in order to receive and send information. It’s kind of like two gigantic tin cans attached to an invisible string.

The main windowless AT&T building it once served was built in 1948. The poured concrete behemoth that sits on Nash Square serves as a giant relay station.

For several decades, the radio tower served as a supplemental means of sending and receiving data. Most microwave radio towers went into disuse in the 1980s when fiberoptic technology provided a much faster and cheaper way to carry data.

Crew descends after disassembling the upper levels of the tower

When I noticed the tower was being disassembled, I wasn’t holding out hope that AT&T would relocate and demolish that lifeless building. However, I was curious if something else might take its place. The crew taking it down said there was no real reason for the dismantling, just that AT&T finally wanted to pay someone to do it.

View from the top

Although I personally enjoyed looking at the pattern and structure of the microwave radio tower, I also realize that the vast majority of people consider it an eyesore. It served no purpose other than a jungle gym to a few urban explorers, so it was probably best that it be taken down.

Red clouds lying low over Raleigh, as seen from the tower

To learn more about the AT&T building on Nash Square that the tower was attached to, read the previous article: The Most Reclusive Building Downtown.

Images of Raleigh from the tower:

• The Odd Fellows Building From Above
• At Home in the Clouds
• The Emerald Jewel of Raleigh
• Clouds Overhead

Leo also has a fantastic view of the radio tower over at the Raleigh Connoisseur.

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1970 Sidewalk Art Show : From the North Carolina State University Library Archives

The College of Design at North Carolina State University is known for its venerable history. However, few relics are as significant and have played such a catalyzing social role as Roy Gussow’s ellipsoidal sculpture.

Designed in 1961 during Gussow’s stint as a professor at the college, the sculpture has affectionately been called “The Egg” by countless design students for half a century. Nested in the courtyard between Kamphoefner and Brooks Hall, its gleaming mirrored exterior and unique shape are impossible to miss.

The Egg unveiled in 1961: From the North Carolina State University Library Archives

For decades it has served as the epicenter and social gathering place for students, including: Design Council meetings, TGIFs, Design Crawl, Design Collective, BBQs, The infamous Halloween Design Bash, dates/coffee outings and countless other existential interactions etc.

After discussing the array of possibilities during a prolonged Clark “brunch”… aka breakfast, fellow design students and I have already theorized of the eggs impact on future societies. Perhaps distant (human or otherwise) beings will discover this structure and contemplate upon its anthropological significance. Noteworthy are the egg-like forms that proliferate visually/symbolicly in contemporary 20th/21st century culture. Ranging from Alien 1979, Microwave egg illumination, Spinal Tap 1984, to contemporary industrial design such as Thor-Larsen’s “egg chair.”

Lady Gaga 2011 (potentially inspired by COD's "The Egg")

Regardless of its future interpretation however, Roy Gussow’s iconic sculpture remains an undeniable part of the design school landscape as it has for decades and for decades/centuries/eons/millennia/cotillionia to come.

Further Reading

• Roy Gussow, Abstract Sculptor, Dies at 92 (New York Times)
• Sculptor of “The Egg” passes away at 92 (College of Design blog)

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2010 saw the most rapid growth in areas of art, culture, and nightlife in the seven years that I’ve lived here. Some of these changes, developments, and explorations into history were documented here.

We’ll take a look at some of the articles from 2010 in these categories: Architecture, Art/Guerilla Art, Raleigh’s Losses, Urban Exploration, the Uptick in Nightlife and Culture, and the Unique.

Art and Architecture

The biggest Raleigh event in architecture was the unveiling of the new North Carolina Museum of Art. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, in any city.

The biggest art event (for us, anyway) was the re-lighting of Joe Cox’s Color Wall in the book stacks at D.H. Hill Library.

The most discussed architecture article by far was Danielle’s article on the Water Garden. The loss of the modern buildings and landscaped plant life was a hot topic amongst nearby residents apprehensive about future development plans.

Guerrilla Art

Not to be confused with the talentless assclowns that vandalize businesses and private property with nonsensical words, a graffiti artist left a beautiful mural in a hidden drain wall near Edna Metz Wells Park. Nearby residents contacted me to see if I could help preserve it as clearing work was being done to the park. In the end, it was removed.

Guerrilla artist and urban explorer Joe Carnevale fashioned the knight above for a ‘Scrap to Sculpture’ contest. Sadly, he has indicated he will be leaving Raleigh after his recent graduation.

A little over a month ago, someone spelled out “Raleighwood“ in the same style as the iconic sign in Hollywood on a grass hill on Hillsborough Street. Contrary to some speculation, it wasn’t Joe Carnevale. The real creator hasn’t stepped forward to claim responsibility, and it was removed several weeks after first appearing.

The Loss of Raleigh Personalities

Sadly, 2010 saw the loss of some folks that  added a significant amount of character to the city of Raleigh.

Russell Lee, aka “Sho Nuff“, was someone that so many downtown folks knew. He always rode a tricked out bicycle, shared words of wisdom, and was a soul singer. He passed away after being involved in an accident on his new scooter.

Eduardo Catalano in front of the Raleigh House. Image courtesy News & Observer Publishing Co.

In later years he offered a generous sum of money to NC State to build a hyperbolic paraboloid pavilion in the Court of Carolinas. Some faculty at the school balked at the idea of putting something in the green space, and once again Raleigh squandered a golden opportunity.

In the months leading up to his passing, George Smart of Triangle Modernist Houses was working with him and officials from NC State to build a new hyperbolic paraboloid house. His passing cut those efforts short.

Peter Eichenberger, third from the right. Image credit: Raleigh Boy

Goodnight Raleigh contributor (and contributor to most other area blogs, in fact) Peter Eichenberger passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He had a passion for local history as well as world events, and was an insanely intelligent and loquacious individual. His way with words and facts as well as personality is sorely missed by all that knew him. The folks at New Raleigh put together a wonderful tribute to the man that had an impact on so many Raleigh residents.

Urban Exploration

Urban Exploration was the initial focus of this blog when I first started it in 2007. Although we’ve generally moved away from this topic, there were still a few articles that showed parts of the city that few see.

Peter Eichenberger’s final post to Goodnight Raleigh was a fascinating look at the hidden and secret tunnels of Raleigh.

The Lawyer’s Building was torn down in 2009 along with the Garland Jones Building, but in May I posted some photos taken from the inside before demolition. The lower level was once the lobby to the long gone State Theater, and I provided some photos of it as well as historical photos of the theater itself.

In July, Raleigh Boy stumbled upon what appears to be an underground shrine. There was much speculation, but there is no conclusion of its purpose or who put it there.

Nightlife and Culture

2010 was a watershed year for Raleigh in terms of night life and downtown culture.

The annual Raleigh Wide Open festival was much larger than previous years, complete with some beautiful circus acts; including fire juggling, acrobatics, and other feats of amazing dexterity. Sid captured some amazing photos in the Maximus Circus part of the show.

In April, William Hardy of TriangleFixies put together a fantastic short video with scenes around Raleigh. It’s probably the best video depiction of downtown and bike culture from Raleigh I’ve seen.

2010 saw the return of King’s Barcade. My favorite part: the awesome muppets that sit above the dance floor and bar area.

During the first snow of 2010, I tried my hand at shooting and editing video. You can easily tell I have little experience in this area, but was able to capture a few interesting moments of how downtown residents reacted to snowfall.

The Unique and Strange

I was finally able to get the story of the car with two front ends and no rear ends off of Johnson Street. Turns out, it was once the star of Raleigh parades.

About six months ago, I investigated the claim that Raleigh was home to the world’s smallest naval base.

Summertime saw Raleigh’s annual Kerby Derby, an odd and quirky neighborhood festival and parade.

—

2010 was a mixed year for Raleigh. We lost a few individuals that contributed to that culture, but also grew as a city in arts, music, and culture. The continuing population influx will only add to this growth — making Raleigh an exciting place to be.

I’d like to thank other Goodnight Raleigh contributors for sharing their photos, knowledge, and experience so that our readers may also learn more about the city they live in. Additionally, I’d like to thank readers for participating in the discussion, giving feedback, and also sharing knowledge about topics posted here.

From all of us here, we want to thank you for reading and being a part of our community. Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2011.

Read our New Year’s post last year, 2009: Raleigh in Review

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I suppose it’s the thought that counts. Or, so I thought! As I was taking this picture I assumed there had to be a reason for the misspelling. It’d be very hard to believe that someone would misspell Christmas, especially this close to the event — and it turns out that there was a very good reason for it.

Updated December 21

Jay Cook proposed to Eva Rouse on Friday, December 17th, and this was part of the proposal! It all made sense when I got this picture:

So, it was neither an egregious assault on proper spelling nor was it an intentional mockery of the holiday, or a veiled criticism of a supposed declining quality of public schooling and/or general knowledge due in part to computer spellcheck (a theory which I  was rather fond of, although I’ll admit that’s a bit of a stretch). Instead, it was a romantic and clever way to pop the question. By the way, she totally said ‘Yes’.

Congrats, you two!

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One of the newest additions to Raleigh’s evening line up is Revolution Raleigh. Combining stage acts by some of Raleigh’s local circus performers with dance music, cotton candy, and an amazing light show, Revolution Raleigh sounded like a refreshing change of pace from the usual hipster bar/gelhead danceclub dichotomy that pervades most of Raleigh’s downtown nightlife.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much – Raleigh hasn’t had much of a rave scene for the better part of a decade – and so when I arrived, I was genuinely blown away. The crowd was tremendous, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen Lincoln Theatre that packed. The music, initially mostly dubstep (not my favorite), quickly picked up and built up to a serious crescendo of awesomeness. Finally the stage performers helped add a nice focus to the entire scene, really kept the crowd moving, and of course were awesome performers. However, rather than go on about it, I’ll leave you with some pictures taken by John Morris and I, and strongly encourage you to check out their upcoming Holidaze party this Thursday, December 9.

The crowd very early in the evening (photo by JM)

The crowd a little later (photo by JM)

Awesome stage performance by Acroentertainment (photo by JM)

photo by JM

photo by JM

This performer did an awesome tarantella style dance with this dress. Hard to photograph, but definitely fun to watch

photo by JM

The DJs did a great job

Outside cooling off with a smoke

View of the performers from backstage (photo by JM)

A view across the crowd (photo by JM)

The ringmaster backstage

On the dancefloor

A cool couple in the crowd (photo by JM)

The face painters

Another shot on the street

The Raleigh firedancers putting on a lightshow

The DJ at the helm

The party really starting to heat up

This picture is a pretty accurate description of what it felt like to be on the dancefloor

The ringmaster performing on the swing

Upstairs playing some pool in women's lingerie

This guys shot is about to get seriously messed up

End of the show, everyone taking their bows (photo by JM)

Related Posts

• Rave Till Dawn at Flex
• Flex and 120 Minutes of Music Deliver Again
• The (Almost) Brickyard Flash Dance Party/Rave

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The number 6 Wolfline makes its last run down Hillsborough street for the night.

Capital Area Transit bus 4 to Method road careens down Hillsborough street past the green and red neon signs of I Love New York Pizza before dawn on its first run of the day.

The author and his girlfriend cruise down Western Blvd. in a beat up Nissan d21 pickup.

The R line bus turns from Cabarrus street onto Salisbury.

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Last Saturday marked the 5th annual Raleigh Wide Open downtown festival. While the event as a whole was surprisingly well orchestrated, heavily trafficked, and overall pretty awesome, the highlight of the event was the debut show of Maximus Circus, a collaboration of Gamil Design and AcroEntertainment.
While the show itself took place at the Fayetteville Street Mall area, the event itself began at the Capitol Building with a full blown parade through downtown.

The Gladiator leads the parade down Fayetteville Street

The Master of Ceremonies introduces the first act

The Circus started off with a beautiful display of Aerial Acrobatics performed by SamiTe’, an amazing performer from the Asheville area Unifire Theatre

The next performer was Jewels, a hoopdancer from Carrboro

SamiTe' and Zay watching the show from the ringside

Following Jewels’ performance was a stunning performance by Katie and Kaci of AcroEntertainment, one of the co-organizers of the event.  Well known local street performers around Raleigh, AcroEntertainment has been the subject of Goodnight Raleigh posts and pictures, and are perennial favorites of downtown events.

Jewel and the fire-performers watch the acts

A second Aerialist, Zay, of the world famous Aerial Angels, put on an awesome act.

The Master of Ceremonies in between acts

The only male performer of the first act,Joe Critelli; while his faux-haphazard unicycle skills defied low-light photography, his act was humorous and wildly entertaining. Below are two of the only moments he was still enough to not come out as a blur.

Another performer who just couldn’t stop dancing long enough to hold for the camera was Caroleeena, of Circles of Joy. She performed a wild hoop dance, as well as dancing with the glowing ropes seen here – a preview of her dazzling fire routine in the Second act.

The performers come out at the end of the First Act

Dancing off the stage

During the second act I decided to sit back and enjoy the show. However, near the end of the show an emergency relocation put me in a great vantage point, and I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of the second Act.

The Master of Ceremonies provides assistance to an act

Zay performing a second set

SamiTe' performing a beautiful and surreal fire dance

All in all, it was a spectacular show; well organized and executed, with top-notch acts. It definitely has me looking forward to SparkCon for the next big show.

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J&C Garden World is one of those places you may have passed several times and wondered what lies inside. Curiosity got the better of me this past weekend, so I stopped by to see the menagerie of exotic animals, pop culture icons, religious figures, and that of ancient history.

More effective than any sign would be, a trio of animals beckons you to pull over at the intersection of Lake Wheeler Road and Centennial Parkway.

Before you get inside the fence to see the selection, you are greeted by some of the most grand of statues.

Contrary to what most people think, the poured-concrete sculptures aren’t produced on site. They are created in locations all over North Carolina. The benefit of the nearby sources is a quick turnaround time from cast to delivery.

J.L. and Connie Pittman opened J&C Garden World 11 years ago in the same location, offering plants as well as garden statues. Once the Farmer’s Market relocated to its current location about a block away, the owners shifted away from plants to statues exclusively.

There isn’t a a web site and they don’t offer shipping. All business is done on site. That hasn’t stopped out of state demand, though. One customer in New York arranged for someone locally to pick up a cast Yoda (above) via Craigslist.

Most of the inventory is poured conrete statues, but you can find reflective garden globes as well.

Even if you’re not in the market for a statue, it’s well worth your time to stop by on a weekend. Not only will some of the creatures and icons bring a smile to your face, but it’s also fun to contemplate the odd juxtaposition of some of the sculptures.

Although related items are grouped together, there are plenty of odd couples.

Then you have the somewhat unexplainable. These unlikeliest of home and garden decorations have come to be some of the most lucrative for the owners. One particular item that the owners have a hard time keeping stocked is the garden zombie – consisting of three separate pieces that resemble a zombie emerging from the ground.

There is a certain tongue-in-cheek reaction to some of the statues, and there’s no doubt the artists are aware of that. You can find hidden easter eggs in some, such as the hieroglyphics above. Notice any that don’t quite belong?

Selecting which pieces to carry is certainly more art than science. Some of the most unexpected of pieces will sell several in a week or two, while others have sat for years. If there is a specific character or animal you’re looking for, they will work with you to try and locate one.

Prices range from twenty dollars for the smaller items up to several hundred for the larger and more detailed pieces. They are open during normal business hours seven days a week.

These make great gifts too. In case you’re curious, the garden zombies are at the top of my list.

J&C Garden World
1711 Lake Wheeler Road
(919) 833-0544

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A chilly sunrise over the Raleigh skyline as viewed from the Boylan Bridge.

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