200 NORTH DILLARD (WEST) / WTVD
Dillard St., otherwise known as "Mansion Row" contained more modest structures at the northwest extreme, and generally more elaborate structures on the east side of the 200 block, and on both sides of the 100 block near East Main St.
The west side of the 200 block of N. Dillard contained a commercial structure on the southwest corner of N. Dillard and Holloway, and larger structures to the south. Many of these had become rooming houses by the 1960s.
217-219 N. Dillard, 1963
215 N. Dillard, 1963
213 N. Dillard, 1963
211 N. Dillard, 1963
207 N. Dillard, 1963
205 N. Dillard, 1963
This entire block was demolished in the late 1960s by urban renewal. In 1977, WTVD bought the block to build their Fortress of Solitude - where, if they close their eyes reeeeeaaaally tight and click their heels, they can almost believe they are in Raleigh.
Looking northwest at 450 feet of 8 foot tall fence, 2007.
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6 comments:
Is WTVR an already taken set of identification letters from the FCC? If not, perhaps WTVD can change its letters, and then promote themselves as W TeleVision Raleigh. They already use a backdrop of the downtown Raleigh skyline in their promos.
AMS
PS Adaptive reuse potential for the studio? How about a lockdown facility for troubled youth??? The infrastructure is already in place.
Looks like they'd have to fight Richmond for it; perhaps negotiations are ongoing.
On the PS - ouch, but so true.
GK
WTVD didn't always have the fence. You can see part of their open compound in a picture here from 1979/80 (scroll down a bit): http://dclstrategicplan.pbwiki.com/Main+Library+-+Past,+Present,+Future I think the fence was a reaction to the perceived danger of Durham and/or the neighborhood.
And yes, it's sad that the "Watch T.V. Durham" station now ignores their home city. Even stuff in their own backyard (literally!)
To be fair, there was probably an eight year period in the late 80s and early 90s during the height of the crack epidemic that a fence was probably a necessary step. Of course, the fact that that was over a decade ago doesn't seem to affect perceptions much.
Oh, I am sure that WTVD could point to incidents that occurred, their expensive equipment, etc. as reasons why they need to secure their property.
But I'm not sure that WTVD has even thought about the fact that people have to look at the 450 foot long fence every day, and what effect that has on the neighborhood around them. I'm not going to pretend that there isn't a tension in this neighborhood between putting oneself out there - financially or personally - and security/safety. I simply don't see any effort on the part of WTVD to make this neighborhood - their neighborhood - a better place. Some corporate entities recognize the larger and selfish benefit of investing time, effort, and, yes, cash, in their immediate environment. WTVD has simply opted to batten down the hatches. That this seems to align with their media positioning completes the package.
GK
And I thought I was the only one who recognized the "Raleigh envy" in WTVD. But I stopped watching them a long time ago.
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