Century Postal Station today

Across the country, post offices are closing at an alarming rate. Rural communities are being left without their sole means of physical contact with the outside world (as well as services such as money orders), and gathering places for town residents are disappearing.

Despite the area’s strong economy and growing population, Raleigh has not been immune from such closings. We lost the only post office near the state’s largest university just a few months ago, among several others. The next area closure is in an unlikely location: The Century Postal Station on Fayetteville Street.

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This past First Friday marked several interesting developments in the growth of arts and culture in Downtown Raleigh. Notably, the new Contemporary Art Museum had its inaugural First Friday opening, DesignBox revisited the extremely popular PBaRt show, Centerline Studios had a Tornado Fundraising art auction, Flanders Art Gallery had an opening, and it was announced that the Visual Art Exchange would be moving from its current location in City Market to a new location in the Warehouse District. Coupled with the Raleigh Institute of Contemporary Art, 311 Martin Street studios, Raleigh Denim’s recently opened store/production center and a very convenient R-Line stop, the Warehouse district seems fully poised to take over as the central cultural and artistic sector of Downtown Raleigh.

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Back in February of this year a miracle, of sorts, took place at 15 Tarboro St. in East Raleigh. I am speaking of course, of the official opening of the St. Monica Teen Center. The city-sponsored facility provides a safe haven for neighborhood teenagers for after school activities, recreation and interaction with other teens and adults.

The Center has a computer lab, a homework assistance area, a fitness/dance space and a youth lounge, among other amenities. Under the jurisdiction of the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department, the center has a full-time director, and is the first such teen-oriented facility funded by the City of Raleigh. In its three short months of operation, the Teen Center is already having a positive effect on the community.

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