New Sayre Sculpture

ThomasSayre, the artist best known for the iconic Gyre sculpture on the grounds of the NCMA, has unveiled his newest piece. The earthcast installation is in the form of a to-scale construction tower crane and will be permanently installed near The Village District in an area previously slated for condominium development. “Over time, native plants will take over the space. It’s a commentary on the interplay between civilization and nature,” Sayre says. A second sculpture, earthcast from scaffolding, will come in the next few months.

A Waterfront for Raleigh

Wake School Rezoning

For the fourth time this year, Wake County Public Schools have redrawn the maps, sparking frustration among parents. The latest plan buses students in Raleigh and Cary’s downtowns to the furthest outskirts of the county. “These city kids don’t know anything about agriculture — this is the best thing we can do for their education,” said outgoing superintendent Cathy Moore. The move is expected to affect thousands of families, who will have to adjust to new bus schedules, longer commute times and wide-open spaces.

Raleigh is finally getting what many long believed was missing: a waterfront. This week, the city council approved plans to dig up portions of West and South Saunders Streets to widen and connect the Pigeon House Branch creek all the way from Crabtree Creek to Rocky Branch. The extension will run under the train tracks near Union Station, with a pedestrian bridge providing safe passage and a new vantage point of the city skyline.