Convention Center: Glassy Design Gets Mixed Views

Convention Center Glassy Design Gets Mixed Views
Architects on Tuesday laid out a glassy vision for downtown Raleigh's mammoth new convention center but called it a work in progress one month from a final decision about its appearance.

Gone from earlier versions is a large free-standing tower at one front corner of the building and an ivy-covered porch at the other.

Designers now are featuring a large glassed-in central entrance that resembles a traditional portico and a plaza that connects the center to Fayetteville Street Mall a block away. They are showing cream-colored stone and bricks, avoiding red as too pedestrian.

And they are looking at hanging in a large hallway 50 to 100 pieces of funky colored glass, made for the center by artists in Western North Carolina.

Views were mixed Tuesday about the most current drawings as elected officials and others took their first looks at them.

Many said they were not yet satisfied that the center would become a well-received building in the city.

"I think they're still trying to figure out what it is about this that will say 'Raleigh, North Carolina,' " said Kenn Gardner, an architect who is chairman of the Wake County commissioners.

"Right now," he added, "we're seeing the five or six special things that could be on the front of this building. When you have that, none become special things. I think it needs to