No detail was left unattended from the personal welcome on the street, directing guests to park a little down the street and just to be certain that was not off-putting, there were rickshaws to whisk folks up to the party entrance.  With 20,000 square feet of space to explore, the journey began to seem a bit like Alice in Wonderland ... with the array of food being passed, purveyed and praised, live combo here and DJ there, armies of friendly folks bearing Ask Me signs a la Trader Joe's, floral arrangements transcending the space they adorned, and so very much more.

DJ Eric Hodgden, The All Around Raleigh DJ Company 

Wow!  Welcome to Midtown, Catering Works.  We can't wait to invite you to create OUR next party.  In fact, we already have!!

Catering Works will be making the party happen for the Midtown Raleigh Alliance Second Annual Open Air Celebration in the Duke Raleigh Gardens.  Stay tuned for details.

In the same way, talking with visionary business leaders who have chosen to locate their headquarters in Midtown often reveals they are “old” kids on the block – companies who value Midtown’s distinctive sense of place and who have established strong roots in the community, one relationship at a time.  Thomas, Judy & Tucker, the Triangle’s premier public accounting firm, exemplifies a new paradigm for working in relationship while positioning their client businesses to outperform the market.

Thomas Judy & Tucker located first in the heart of North Hills on Rowan Street in 1990, just behind BB&T, where they stayed for 11 years, then relocated for an additional 10,000 sf in the Somerset Building on Falls of Neuse Road.  From the beginning, their central location and proximity to both North Hills and the Beltline have proven to be the essential elements of their success and steady growth.

Last year, with their lease coming up for renewal, Thomas, Judy & Tucker conducted an extensive search of the entire Triangle area and when they found 4700 Falls of Neuse, just 1 block away, everything clicked.

The stunning setting is one of those beautiful “new” places that opens before your eyes as you make your away along Falls of Neuse Road.

Chris Judy, Managing Partner, speaks with passion about the Midtown lifestyle defined by the convenience of having world-class shopping and dining options alongside places to work out and worship, all with the feeling of a small community in a large city, essential elements of talent recruitment and retention, as well as client satisfaction.

Once inside the new headquarters, there is no mistaking the fact that the quality of this space matches the level of service provided.  The commitment to grow and prosper from their singular Midtown locale has proven itself over time with 6 to 8 % growth year over year, every year since 1990.  Much like Midtown itself, the firm is ultra service oriented, offering the best of Big Four expertise while creating unique partnerships that deliver results for their clients.

Professionalism

From my first scouting visit, Midtown Raleigh proved an excellent location for the G&S conference. The vibrant mini-metropolis conveyed a consistent sense of professionalism. The community, amidst some of the most reputable companies of Raleigh, expressed an almost tangible feeling of leadership and innovation. The notable growth and development of the surrounding area, and consistent influx of business professionals, paired perfectly with our theme of “Inspire Action.” Midtown is an inspirational place; the success of resident businesses and professionals is a testament to the bold action and smart city style of the local community.

Convenience

In our original search for a conference location, G&S noted that we would need a place that was both convenient and cost-effective. Midtown offers the best of both worlds. A virtual live-in shopping center, North Hills proved to be a one-stop center for everything from food to shopping and entertainment, with lodging and meeting accommodations just a short drive from the airport or the office. Keeping to the Midtown grid, my co-workers and I managed to have an amazing dinner at Mia Francesca’s followed by an entertaining beach music bash in center square and bowling at Sparians. After a long day of meetings, it was easy to unwind.

Atmosphere

Midtown has that quality, a special blend of city and neighborhoods that gives it an urban sophistication with a hospitable flair. Throughout our conference, team morale was quite high. The atmosphere was professional and communal, the perfect atmosphere for a work retreat.

Choosing to have our conference at the Renaissance in Midtown Raleigh was absolutely one of the best decisions we could have made. The North Hills area is beautiful; Midtown is wonderfully charming. At our conference, attendees from Chicago and New York got a taste of Southern Charm the way it was meant to be experienced.

Today’s Post by:

Ann Camden

Senior Vice President, Gibbs & Soell

FREE CONCERT Sunday, September 9 at 7:30 pm

Pops in the City with the North Carolina Symphony

Raleigh Amphitheater

SPARKcon is a showcase of creativity talent and ideas, a "creative potluck" of SPARK's or themes, such as art, music, film, fashion, geek, circus, etc. put together by passionate volunteers and designed to show off local talent.  It's an open-source dynamic event, not to be missed.

27th International Festival of Raleigh

Friday, September 28 - Sunday, September 30

Raleigh Convention Center

Discover the World! Bring the whole family for a 3-day celebration of music, food and culture from around the globe.

* Raleigh does not actually have an M-Line yet connecting Midtown and Downtown, but wouldn't it be cool if we did?   If you like the idea of an M-Line, send your comments to hello@midtownraleighalliance.org

For the churches along Six Forks Road that came of age in the time of Raleigh’s suburban growth, aging in place has created opportunities to consider their own accessibility as increasingly urban churches, not only in character and composition, but also in remaking outdated physical design.

For Pastor Ben Williams at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church there was no mistaking the sacred sign – the drop of rain that fell one Sunday from leaky roof onto his Bible in the pulpit – the time had come to ask his congregation to step out in faith and undertake what became a $2.2 million capital building campaign as the economy was crumbling in 2009.  The issues went far beyond leaks to structural barriers that made it challenging for members to come inside and worship, a magnificent tree that had grown to obscure the face of the church, and the need to revitalize the mission and outreach of the church in ways that would open St. Mark’s to the surrounding community.

Today it is hard to imagine that coming to worship at St. Mark’s before its magnificent makeover required having the physical ability to climb 2 flights of exterior stairs, then another flight of steps inside to reach the sanctuary.  The concrete steps have been demolished, the tree lovingly taken down and incorporated in a striking way into the life of the church, a new entryway created, an elevator added, the sanctuary space warmed to glowing, and today, the community is thriving with new members and new outreach ministries.

Note the cross, which is actually two crosses – the cross that is original to the sanctuary and the inlaid processional cross which was crafted from the tree that had obscured the entrance to the church.  Just as the tree has come to new life, so too has the community at St. Mark’s.

MEGA Kitten Adoption Event

Woof Gang Bakery at North Hills

Saturday, August 25 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

All kittens are already fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and ready to go home - a $300 value!

All kittens will be ready to go home with you the day of the event.  See you there!

The FULL part comes as you indulge in sampling from your favorite local food trucks, including Klausie's Pizza, Chirba Chirba Dumpling, Captain Poncho's Tacos, Gussy's Greek Street Food, Old North State BBQ, Big City Sandwiches, Big John's Hot & Spicy, Kona Ice, and Lumpy's Ice Cream.

The GOOD part comes from Midtown's CAPTRUST Financial Advisors and the CAPCommunity Foundation, organizers of the event designed to raise money for the Payton Wright Foundation by donating 10% of sales from each food truck to support families caring for children with pediatric brain cancer.

Monday, August 6

11:30 am to 2:30 pm

North Hills Bruegger's Parking Lot

Take a walk on the French side... with Coquette Brasserie at North Hills.

All drafts are Belgian or Local Beers in the Belgian style, including:

Bavik Pilsner

French Broad Gateway Kölsch  (NC)

Highland St. Terese's Pale Ale (NC)

Special Guest Tap (limited quantity):

Lindeman's Raspberry Lambic

Memorable Sunday Brunch at Coquette

Enjoy $10 bottomless Mimosas and a special Brunch Menu featuring French favorites such as Apple & Brie Crepes, Omelet Lorraine, or perhaps the Croque Monsieur (toasted ham and gruyère cheese with Mornay sauce and a petite salad).

And don't forget dessert... Profiteroles!

Fielding Miller, Chairman and CEO, speaks with excitement about the compelling reasons behind CAPTRUST’s groundbreaking move to Midtown.  “Of all the properties we looked at, North Hills was #1 for its central location, giving us the ability to recruit employees from all over the Triangle.  We liked and trusted the Kane vision for ongoing development at North Hills, and we were really excited about creating our own space from scratch, an internal space that relates to our mission and integrates our brand.”

With seventeen offices across the country, hosting clients and recruiting talent means visitors are arriving daily from every major city, and Miller speaks of having the “home court advantage.” As their guests enjoy staying at the Renaissance Raleigh Hotel and the selection of local restaurants at their doorstep, the Tower is visible from anywhere on the campus, giving a real sense of permanence and presence.

Miller estimates their brand recognition has increased ten-fold since they put their brand in the sky.  “Recruitment is off the top of the charts!  We have hired numerous people, top talent, who were driving by, saw the name on the building and looked us up.” Miller notes “this is of course unique to us, but just the environment here alone bolsters the opportunity to hire and retain talent.”

Once here, there is everything to love about being able to just step outside to a Live Work Play world in which everything you need and anything you could want is there, without getting in your car just to get lunch and run errands.  The yield is productive time as well as a strong sense of pride that ripples out into the community.

Just as CAPTRUST Tower stands tall on the Midtown Raleigh horizon, the firm itself has grown light years in brand recognition and today takes pride in its elevated stature, growing local relationships and showcasing our region in ways that travel back out to every state in our nation.

World of Beer (WoB) is the place where Midtown brings the Ultimate Craft Beer Bar to Raleigh.  Located in the North Hills Expansion at the base of CAPTRUST Tower, WoB features unmatched variety with the largest total beer selection in Raleigh!

Headline News Week of June 18

Like Butterscotch?

Wednesday, June 20 is the day WoB puts on the Randall Device to infuse selected taps with the famous Werther's Original butterscotch flavor!

Looking for Out of Market Favorites?

Thursday, June 21 is Charlotte Brewery Tap Takeover Day featuring exclusive craft beers from Charlotte breweries found nowhere else in Raleigh!

Need More Reasons to Stop By Every Week?

Monday - $8 Flights

Tuesday - $1 off all North Carolina Beers

Wednesday - "Yappy Hour" with Woof Gang Bakery, $1 off all "Dog-Related" Beers

Thursday - Saturday Live Music from the Overhead Balcony

Next Time Tap into World of Beer, Midtown Raleigh at North Hills