Photos: Downtown Cary on a Friday Night (2016)
Cary, NC – Despite the Academy Street construction nearing its climax, Downtown Cary has continued to thrive on Friday nights, developing what might be called an underground hipster scene.
When digging is over and the orange cones have disappeared, the hordes will descend on Downtown Cary for an entertaining, walkable and local Friday night out.
But with the smoke of change still hanging thick in the air, it’s only the intrepid who venture downtown. And yet, the adventurous already number in the many hundreds, every Friday night.
I’m just saying: imagine when the streets are open and the smoke clears.
Here are a few pictures of what it looked like last Friday night. For a look further back into the past, check out these past photo essays on the transformation of Downtown Cary:
- The Day it All Changed in Downtown Cary (2016)
- Editor’s Journal: Cary By Night (2015)
- Editor’s Journal: Downtown Before the Flood (2013)
Downtown Cary on a Friday Night (2016)
Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.
Au contraire, Snyder-man. We have a great relationship with CP, cover them regularly and dine there on occasion (with an appropriate adult beverage). Much respect for what they do.
On the night in question (Fri July 29) I took 175 pictures. I chose the ones I thought were the best. I had no preset notions about what I wanted to cover or how many photos I was going to use. I certainly did not contemplate what Town of Cary might have wanted me to cover (or not cover). I just didn’t think the four shots I took of CP made it into the top selects.
I’m glad people take our coverage seriously. I can assure you that we embrace all of the businesses pioneering the renaissance of downtown Cary.
More Downtown coverage on CaryCitizen –
Downtown stories: http://carycitizen.com/tag/downtown/
Downtown Dining Map: http://carycitizen.com/cary-guides/downtown-dining/
TOC and Cary Citizen must have something against The Crosstown Pub. The CP is one of the best places in Downtown Cary to have a bite to eat, relax with friends and have an adult beverage. The lack of coverage of the CP is very disappointing.
My family and I were out in DT Cary Friday night and I was thinking the same thing! We were pleasantly surprised at how many people were out and about enjoying themselves even with the construction. We went to the drum circle, watched the construction (my grandson loved that), walked down to Brew for a glass of wine, played a little Pokemon with the kids, saw a photography exhibit from Cary Visual Artists, walked down to the Arts Center for their artist reception…nice night! Can’t wait till it’s all done! Don’t let the construction keep you from enjoying all that DT Cary has to offer right now!
Love the first and last photographs, Hal. They should be great fodder for a “Before and After” piece when all is said and done in Downtown.
Thanks Doc! I enjoy the historical aspect to the series.
Thanks for looking at the pictures (and your comments). I suspect the scale of change will only continue after the street construction is finished. Hard to imagine what it might look like in 5 years.
The Fidelity Bank on the corner was a huge mistake. Huge and lifeless. Wish something could be done (bulldoze) from service station at Chatham & Academy all the way down to the new brewery on the north side of Chatham. And then move the garage beyond Crosstown Pub on the south side of Chatham.
Kinda like the old world feel of the services station but from there to the redeveloped Midtown Square can certainly be bulldozed. Lots of opportunity there.
I’m not sure of the feasibility of this (or safety implications) but a controlled pedestrian RR crossing near Bond Brothers & Page-Walker would tie these areas in for community events.