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Leroy's Taco Shop, a birria taco joint from Lawrence Barbecue chef Jake Wood, opens at Boxyard RTP this Saturday.

The restaurant — one of our most anticipated — will open two doors down from Lawrence, where the birria tacos were originally conceived.

Driving the news: The menu item quickly turned into a small sensation, bringing long lines of office workers and plenty of social media buzz.

The tacos overwhelmed the small barbecue restaurant's kitchen, necessitating an expansion if Lawrence wanted to continue to regularly serve them.

Why it matters:  Lawrence Barbecue has been one of the Triangle's most popular barbecue restaurants since it opened in 2021, providing a much-needed destination for the then-new Boxyard RTP concept.

Boxyard, a collection of shipping containers in the heart of RTP, is now home to several restaurants and bars and hosts live music most days.

Boxyard RTP is located at 900 Park Offices Dr. in Durham. Open Tuesday through Saturday 11am-8pm.

Leroy's Taco Shop is bringing birria to Boxyard RTP

Leroy's comes from the team behind the popular Lawrence Barbecue.

A sign for Leroy's Taco Shop at Boxyard RTP. In the background, a queue forms at Lawrence Barbecue. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios

Restaurants

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Leroy&#x27;s Taco Shop" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/leroystacoshop/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="2d4024f6-c07a-4288-95d6-33209d0dbaed" data-vars-headline="Leroy&#x27;s Taco Shop is bringing birria to Boxyard RTP" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/leroystacoshop/?hl=en" target="_blank">Leroy&#x27;s Taco Shop</a>, a birria taco joint from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lawrence Barbecue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.lawrencebarbecue.com/" data-vars-content-id="2d4024f6-c07a-4288-95d6-33209d0dbaed" data-vars-headline="Leroy&#x27;s Taco Shop is bringing birria to Boxyard RTP" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lawrencebarbecue.com/" target="_blank">Lawrence Barbecue</a> chef Jake Wood, opens at Boxyard RTP this Saturday.<ul><li>The restaurant — one of our <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="most anticipated" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/01/06/most-anticipated-restaurant-openings-2023-raleigh-durham-cary-chapel-hill" data-vars-content-id="2d4024f6-c07a-4288-95d6-33209d0dbaed" data-vars-headline="Leroy&#x27;s Taco Shop is bringing birria to Boxyard RTP" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/01/06/most-anticipated-restaurant-openings-2023-raleigh-durham-cary-chapel-hill" target="_self">most anticipated</a> — will open two doors down from Lawrence, where the birria tacos were originally conceived.</li></ul>

Food and Drink

GoRaleigh buses have been fare-free since March 2020, when the pandemic upended the daily lives of many of the transit system's riders.

But the city now faces a decision about whether to reinstate fares.

Driving the news: The city has money to keep ridership free for now, but will begin to see budget shortfalls in fiscal year 2025 when federal recovery funds expire.

Why it matters: Raleigh is part of a national trend toward going fare-free, as cities look to make transit more affordable for lower-income residents and get more cars off the road.

Around 82% of GoRaleigh riders made $35,000 per year or less, and 64% of trips were used to get to work.

Before the pandemic, a single ride was $1.25 and a day pass was $2.50.

Yes, but: The Raleigh Transit Authority and bus drivers have advised the city to reinstate fares over concerns for the budget and, in some cases, for the safety of bus drivers.

David Eatman, the city's transit administrator, said there's been an increase in people riding the bus for long periods of time and with no destination.

The city has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels of service because of a lack of bus drivers.

Of note: Due to inflation, increased labor costs and a new transit manager contract, the city is projecting a looming shortfall of $8-$12 million, Eatman said.

Reinstating fares would only cover $3.5 million of that shortfall. "So we have a bigger issue," Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin noted at a council work session this month.

What they're saying: "82% of our riders make less than $35,000 a year. I don't know how we can justify bringing back fares," council member Jonathan Melton said at the meeting.

Zoom out: Chapel Hill has been fare-free since 2002 and its transit system is one of the most used in the state. However UNC-Chapel Hill contributes significantly to its budget.

Durham, Cary and GoTriangle are also fare-free at the moment, but will have to make similar decisions as Raleigh in the coming months.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that GoTriangle is also fare-free at the moment.

Raleigh debates whether to keep its buses free

GoRaleigh buses have been free for riders since March 2020.

A GoRaleigh bus leaves the city's main bus station in downtown Raleigh. Photo: VisitRaleigh

buses

GoRaleigh buses have been fare-free since March 2020, when the pandemic upended the daily lives of many of the transit system&#x27;s riders.<ul><li>But the city now faces a decision about whether to reinstate fares.</li></ul>Driving the news: The city has money to keep ridership free for now, but will begin to see budget shortfalls in fiscal year 2025 when federal recovery funds expire.

News

A UNC medical school student has made unexpected waves on the professional pickleball circuit.

Driving the news: Earlier this month, Collin Shick, a former tennis player at N.C. State, made it all the way to the finals of the Professional Pickleball Association's Florida Open. He played the No. 1 ranked player in the world, Ben Johns.

What made it remarkable is that Shick, 23, was only in his third tournament and came into the tournament as the 54th seed.

He went from playing in qualifiers as a first-year med student to facing up against "the undeniable GOAT" in the pickleball world, he told Axios.

State of play: Pickleball's popularity has grown significantly in the past two years, including in the Triangle.

But it's just now coming into its own as a professional sport, attracting new sponsorships and athletes like Shick.

"I think the ceiling for pickleball is just really unknown," he told Axios, noting his college teammates poked fun at him when he first took up the sport.

Zoom in: Shick's drop shot — something he took from his tennis days — was noted by many as helping him advance at the Florida Open. It even gave Johns some trouble before the world No. 1 eventually took control of the game.

Shick said there's still a lot of room to create new styles of play in the young sport.

"There's new shots being invented every tournament — even shots so you don't you don't see in tennis," he said.

What they're saying: Shick said the Triangle is home to a lot of great players and places to try to sport out.

"The issue is it's so popular now the best places to play are the busiest," he said.

"But if you don't mind waiting, Cary Tennis Park is great as well as Method (Community Park) in Raleigh."

What's next: Shick said his No. 1 priority is still studying medicine, but he has plans to enter into more tournaments and is in conversations with several companies who'd like to sponsor him.

His next tournament will be in Charlotte in May for the North Carolina Open.

Go Deeper: Raleigh developers are placing a big bet on pickleball

A UNC medical student is surprising the professional pickleball world

Collin Shick, a UNC med student, has made a name for himself on the pro pickleball circuit.

Collin Shick, a first-year med student at UNC, plays in the PPA's Florida Open. Photo courtesy of the PPA

Sports

A UNC medical school student has made unexpected waves on the professional pickleball circuit.Driving the news: Earlier this month, Collin Shick, a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former tennis player" data-vars-click-url="https://gopack.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/collin-shick/11236" data-vars-content-id="428c25d0-2d81-44d4-8575-cd9a3def604b" data-vars-headline="A UNC medical student is surprising the professional pickleball world" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://gopack.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/collin-shick/11236" target="_blank">former tennis player</a> at N.C. State, made it all the way to the finals of the Professional Pickleball Association&#x27;s Florida Open. He played the No. 1 ranked player in the world, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ben Johns" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ppatour.com/pro/ben-johns/" data-vars-content-id="428c25d0-2d81-44d4-8575-cd9a3def604b" data-vars-headline="A UNC medical student is surprising the professional pickleball world" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ppatour.com/pro/ben-johns/" target="_blank">Ben Johns</a>.

Data: CBRE Econometric Advisors; Moody's ; Chart: Axios Visuals

The work-from-home trend has pushed up office vacancy rates across the Triangle.

But overall the region's office market is still strong compared to other parts of the country,  Axios' Matt Phillips writes.

Driving the news: Among the 25 largest office markets in the country, Raleigh saw the second highest rent growth between 2019 and 2022, according to data from CBRE.

State of play: Major markets like San Francisco and Manhattan — where long commute times seem to be driving the durability of the WFH lifestyle — are seeing rents decline.

On the other hand, markets like Raleigh, Boston and Minneapolis — which have a higher concentration of health services, biotech and life science employment — seem to be faring better. (It's hard to do laboratory research from your home office.)

What they're saying: Heath Chapman, an executive vice president at CBRE's Raleigh office, said the Triangle's life sciences sector has driven the most demand in recent years, with several office and warehouse buildings being converted into labs.

"Lab space typically costs much more to build than traditional offices, so landlords are making significant investments to upfit these spaces and buildings which in turn leads to higher rental rates," he told Axios in an email.

At the same time, he said, the leases that are getting signed for traditional offices are in newly-constructed buildings that command higher rents.

What's next: Chapman said there should be some leveling off of office rents in the Triangle, as available space to sublease has hit a record high. For example, Citrix placed its entire downtown Raleigh building up for sublease as its workers go permanently remote. 

In response, he said, landlords are giving tenants more concessions, like shorter leases.

New office construction is also likely to slow to a halt, as "banks have virtually stopped lending for new office development," he added.

Office rent increases despite remote work

Lab space has been a big driver of rent growth in the Triangle.

Remote work

The work-from-home trend has pushed up <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="office vacancy rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/05/19/vacant-office-space-raleigh-durham-swell" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/05/19/vacant-office-space-raleigh-durham-swell" target="_self">office vacancy rates</a> across the Triangle.<ul><li>But overall the region&#x27;s office market is still strong compared to other parts of the country, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Matt Phillips writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/remote-work-wf-office-rents-decline" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/remote-work-wf-office-rents-decline" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Matt Phillips writes</a>.</li></ul>

A group of Hayes Barton residents is suing the city of Raleigh over the implementation of "missing middle" housing policies spearheaded by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and the previous city council.

Driving the news: Six residents filed the lawsuit earlier this month, alleging the city didn't follow proper procedures when it reformed what types of housing could be built in city neighborhoods. It was first reported by Indy Week.

The lawsuit calls for an injunction against the city's "missing middle" changes, arguing that allowing townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and accessory dwelling units is damaging to the traditional character of many of Raleigh's oldest neighborhoods.

Why it matters: Raleigh has a shortage of housing and a steady influx of new residents moving here that has contributed to a sharp rise in housing prices.

The missing middle reforms were part of an effort to increase the housing supply in the city.

A city spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Go deeper: Hayes Barton is ground zero for Raleigh's housing fight

Hayes Barton is ground zero for Raleigh's housing fight

Hayes Barton neighbors sue Raleigh over zoning reforms

Development plans in Hayes Barton have led to several protests at the Raleigh City Council

Save Our Neighborhoods sign in Hayes Barton last fall

Hayes Barton last fall. Photo: Lucille Sherman/Axios

Real estate

A group of Hayes Barton residents is suing the city of Raleigh over the implementation of &quot;missing middle&quot; housing policies spearheaded by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and the previous city council.Driving the news: Six residents filed the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lawsuit" data-vars-click-url="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/607736abaed7201d8e3f9987/t/6415b68f7a074536e3021d26/1679144593453/Filed+Complaint+with+exhibits.3.2.2023.pdf" data-vars-content-id="537ba806-2a8e-4b67-9d19-9b3ddc8db926" data-vars-headline="Hayes Barton neighbors sue Raleigh over zoning reforms" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/607736abaed7201d8e3f9987/t/6415b68f7a074536e3021d26/1679144593453/Filed+Complaint+with+exhibits.3.2.2023.pdf" target="_blank">lawsuit</a> earlier this month, alleging the city didn&#x27;t follow proper procedures when it reformed what types of housing could be built in city neighborhoods. It was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="first reported" data-vars-click-url="https://indyweek.com/news/wake/hayes-barton-homeowners-sue-raleigh-over-missing-middle/" data-vars-content-id="537ba806-2a8e-4b67-9d19-9b3ddc8db926" data-vars-headline="Hayes Barton neighbors sue Raleigh over zoning reforms" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://indyweek.com/news/wake/hayes-barton-homeowners-sue-raleigh-over-missing-middle/" target="_blank">first reported</a> by Indy Week.

Zachery Eanes

Featured stories

Office rent increases despite remote work

Leroy's Taco Shop is bringing birria to Boxyard RTP

A UNC medical student is surprising the professional pickleball world

Raleigh debates whether to keep its buses free

Hayes Barton neighbors sue Raleigh over zoning reforms