Dorothea Dix — Will it be Converted to a Park?
In 1850, Dorothea Dix Hospital was opened in Raleigh. And, in 2008, Dix is scheduled to close and move the psychiatric hospital facility to Butner. Since the closing was announced, there have been several years of debate over the best use of this extraordinary 300-acre piece of green space.
The Dix property has a spectacular view of Downtown Raleigh. I read an article about the Dix property that commented – ”the view is enough to make a real estate developer weak in the knees.”
One side wants all 300 acres preserved, intact, as a park; the other side wants to use it for commercial and residential development. And, in between, there are as many ideas as there are people about the “appropriate and best use” of this beautiful piece of land. Recently, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, came out in support of a “major urban park” for the City of Raleigh. He said State lawmakers (who now control the campus) should allow the City to purchase the land ($40 million) which would give Raleigh jurisdiction over the land. Mayor Meeker suggests creating a non-profit organization (Dix Campus Development Corp.) to own and manage the park. There has been much discussion about what will happen to Dix, and it is good to see a positive step toward preserving this property for the benefit of the citizens of Raleigh. This is only one of the positive directions we are going in Raleigh as we prepare for more growth in the coming years. If you are considering relocating your family or your business to Raleigh, NC, the first thing you will need is a friend, and you can choose me! I have a wealth of information and insight into our area that will be valuable as you begin to consider making your move. Call me at 919.961.7777 — the advice is free — and I love talking to people about the Raleigh area. Or, send an email; or go to my site and poke around. Come visit and look us over. I think you will like what you see.
