2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, April 2024

Downtown Raleigh

Public Spaces: Parks, Plazas, and Squares According to the William Christmas Plan of 1792, downtown was laid out with five squares to provide green spaces for residents. Over the years, some of these squares were developed for governmental use by the State of North Carolina, decreasing the amount of open space available for residents, workers, and visitors. Opportunities exist for reincorporating one of the squares developed by the state and to further expand upon the William Christmas Plan by incorporating new open space squares further out from the downtown core. Policy DT 7.10 Extending the Christmas Plan Pursue opportunities to expand upon the William Christmas Plan by adding new squares and open spaces.

Policy DT 7.12 Plaza/Square Perimeter Uses Downtown plazas, parks, and squares should be ringed by activity. Require ground-floor, active use surrounding publicly-accessible open spaces and encourage upper-level balconies, terraces, and gathering spaces.

Action DT 7.3 Nash and Moore Square Improvements

Schedule, design, plan, and budget for improvements to Nash and Moore squares that will enhance each square as a distinct destination.

Action DT 7.4 Removed 2022

Action DT 7.5 Removed 2021

Policy DT 7.11 Facilities in Public Spaces

Include public and private facilities, such as museums, underground parking, centers, markets, restaurants, services, retail pavilions, and vending opportunities in new and existing public spaces, where appropriate.

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